Calendars are very important to me! The idea of a calendar system that "makes my life easier" is very appealing - we have 7 hockey schedules in our house. Yes, you read that correctly SEVEN!
We currently use an Outlook calendar, that we sync between 2 computers and 2 Palm Pilots. Our Palms are getting towards the end of their lives now, so we are in the process of "interviewing" other systems as well as the updated Palm. We need a product that will talk to our Outlook calendar, as well as some type of portable device - and I don't really want to go the Blackberry route. I am quite happy to not be available to the world 24/7!
I found the Google calendar site was cluttered for a first time user. The "Overview" was informative, the "Take a Tour" just pointed to the "Overview" page. So in order to set a calendar up, I had to click back and forth through various links. This is obviously a diminishing problem, as the more familiar a user becomes with the product, the easier it is to use.
In order to sync the calendar with Outlook, I would have to download - yipee :-( a seperate product. While I was investgating that, I read the user comments - not good. Many people seemed to have experienced difficulty with the synchronization, some stated that it made a huge mess of their Outlook calendar. With our family's busy schedule, I can't afford to take that risk as we rely so heavily on the calendar.
From what I could see, the only portable device that I could use the Google calendar with, was a mobile phone, which would mean I would need to upgrade my phone and/or plan. Being a mostly-stay-at-home-Mum with a part time job means I have no need to be married to my phone. It isn't on all the time, and I have a pay-as-you-go 10 cents/min plan which currently suits me fine (I spend way less than $20/month) but isn't the most cost-effective way to check my calendar.
I'll answer both the questions this week.
1. No, I can't see online productivity tools replacing purchased products such as Microsoft Office. Computers are becoming more and more portable. A person can carry their own stuff around, I believe there is a diminishing need to access your document from multiple computers.
2. For a calendar product, I need a hybrid! A cross between the traditional and modern. I like to be able to paperclip my drycleaning receipt or my library date due slip to the appropriate page in a daytimer. I like the way a paper calendar allows for quick changes - no logging on or signing in required. I also like being able to turn around with flour or onion all over my hands and see the giant "week at a glance" calendar on the fridge. I like the amount of information I can store in my Outlook calendar - directions to a location, paragraphs "cut and pasted" from emails. And most importantly my husband and I can both make plans and arrangements and not worry about "double-booking" our family.
For any calendar system to work, the whole family has to buy in to it. For example, my husband refuses to write on a paper calendar, so the one posted on the fridge has turned into the "helper of the day" schedule - whose job is it to empty the dishwasher today?
I think the best productivity tool I could wish for, would be a personal secretary!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment