Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Something Special about Google spreadsheets

I am not sure how many times I'm going key use Google spreadsheets in the way that this video from John Thomas shows but regardless of that I'm impressed. What the video really shows is that Google tools go deep: they search, they connect, they interact.
I've been trying to model the application shown but had forgotten how to make the column reference sticky with a $ thanks for that too John.

Might also say I don't think Google are done here I look forward to the day where I can use with in a spread sheet searches for relationships. The first few searches that come into my mind are:

  1. Wars, countries involved, civilian casualties, primary issues
  2. Inventions, year patent registers, major impact, formal training of inventor
  3. Sports, number of players in world, calories burned per hour by athletes, size of playing field
  4. Race, average life expectancy, infant mortality, most common religion

While these didn’t quite work out for me YET it was fun trying and not only that it made me think.
Sometimes I feel that thinking is better than having the right answer. Thinking brings us a relationship with our information.

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Wanting Gmail to be the default mailto: program

Sometime there is a link a webpage fro an email reply or address that I want to send to. What has been hapeening is my linkclicking will start up Outlook a program I now no longer use.  I have come across Google's Gmail notifier, which has helped me make Gmail my default mail client, which means it will open a Compose window when I click on a web page email link. Here’s how you do it adapted from Lifehacker

Download and install the free Gmail notifier

.Gmail Notifier In Windows, right-click the Notifier icon in your system tray, and select 'Options.' Then check the box next to 'Use Gmail for internet mailto: links' and click 'OK.'

Mac users, in Gmail Notifier Preferences, go to 'Settings,' and select Gmail from the 'Default Email Program:' drop-down menu, like this:

gmail-notifier.jpg