Personal

At Octagon Technology we use DropBox (www.dropbox.com) as a way of storing and sharing technical information between the field engineers. It is easy to set up and use and very flexible with a number of access options, from registered computers that hold a copy of the online data to web and smartphone access.

On the iPhone, DropBox integrates into DocumentsToGo and this adds to the usability of both products.

I have installed it on my son’s new laptop this weekend as a place for him to store his school work – it will also allow him to do his homework on his iPod Touch or another computer when we are away and to know it will be on his laptop when he gets home – something that will become more important to him as he starts off on his GCSEs.

One of the most useful applications I use is a plain text editor – I use Notepad++, (http://notepad-plus-plus.org/), on my Windows 7 laptop. It is a well featured editor, and there is a PortableApps version which I use on a memory stick when out onsite. The software is also freeware. On my HTC Windows Mobile phone I used a text editor called Made – a quick bit of software for making notes whilst working onsite at clients – something I have to do all the time. When I got my iPhone I could not find a useful test editor in the Apps store – I was not prepared to pay for a “Windows Notepad” type application.

Whilst installing DropBox for my son, I noticed a program called PlainText for DropBox – a text editor that integrates with DropBox, it looked ideal for me, as when I am making notes for work they nearly always need to end up in the DropBox. I installed it, tried it out and my initial impressions were very positive. The software has a very clean and user friendly layout, making it really fast and easy to use. It can create folders in your DropBox and it can be used offline – synchronising the files when opened next and the phone (or iPod – my son has put it on his Touch) is online. The real test will come tomorrow – I have a couple of support calls tomorrow which will need notes so I will test it then.

There is one thing, there is a useful show/hide keyboard button so you can, hide the keyboard, and see more of your text if needed, a good thing when reviewing your text. However if you then hold and zoom to place the cursor exactly where you need it in the file, the show keyboard button has disappeared. You can tap the text to get the keyboard back but most likely the cursor is now not where you need it, so you have to zoom again. It would be beyter if the button did not disappear.

It has taken over three hours to write this post as I have been writing it between the plays of Superbowl 45. (It is half time at the moment and the Black Eyed Peas are about to play – although we did not get messages from our local Fox station we got the BBC!)

I have watched Super Bowls since I discovered American Football with my Dad when it was first screened on Channel 4 with Nicky Horne. Over the years have I watched it with my Dad. One year I watched it in Australia and he watched it in England and I phoned him after each quarter. When I moved to Lincolnshire I drove back to Grays, watched the game and then back to Lincoln to the office for Monday morning. Even last year we watched it apart but spoke on the phone during the game. I have missed him this year but hopefully next year I will organise it to watch the game with my son.

(I wrote this post offline using PlainText and the copied and pasted it into WordPress for the iPhone.)

Didn’t manage to complete this post by the end of half time – may be by the end of the 3rd quarter – hope the Steelers get back in the game, to make it a game worth watching. And I wasn’t disappointed – less than five minutes into the second half and a Steelers touchdown, it is a game again.