TOP 10 TOOLS 2007, 2008 & 2009
Charles Jennings

Charles was, until the end of 2008, Head of Global Learning at Thomson Reuters, the World's largest Global multimedia information company.  Charles has more than 20 years' experience in developing, deploying and using a wide range of technology enabled learning solutions and now runs his own consultancy Duntroon Associates.

Charles's Top 10 Tools as at 11 June 2009

1. Google Reader - The key tool for RSS feeds. Keeps everything in one place with one simple interface.

2. Twitter - Along with Google Reader, Twitter is the tool I use to keep up with new developments in the learning world in almost real-time. A great way to keep in touch with colleagues across the globe.

3. Skype - Good, solid VoIP communication tool with IM and video for 1-1 or small group use. The fact it’s free also helps.

4. Flickr - Image sharing. A great tool with rich functionality - who created which image, where, when, how, with what camera using what settings etc. etc.

5. iPhone - I’ve ditched a Blackberry and moved to the iPhone. The perfect integrated PDA on steroids. It plays great music, too – either through the integrated iPod, with the virtual guitar app. or simply by blowing into it!

6. Blogger - A straightforward blog tool. Simple to set up and easy to use. A good member of the Google stable.

7. Firefox - Although I often use Google’s Chrome browser, Firefox does the job well. It’s a great improvement over Microsoft’s Explorer product – less hassle, faster, more integrated and with a lot more available add-ins.

8. Delicious - I’m sure there are better social bookmarking tools, but delicious works well and integrates into browsers very nicely. It does most things I need – and serves as a ‘persistent memory’ to augment my own limited brain connections.

9. Ning - For setting up social networks. Quick and easy to configure, works well. Great for supporting communities. Template-driven and customisable.

10. Wikipedia - Clear evidence, if any is needed, that the collaborative effort trumps individual specialists. A truly great resource.

Charles's Top 10 Tools as at 29 January 2008

1. Google Reader - Still use this great tool. It allows me to read all my key blogs in one format and in one place, and even offline with the Google Gears browser plug-in.

2. MindManager - One of my workhorses. It’s indispensable for anyone who thinks visually and needs to capture and organise their thoughts, notes, and plans. MindManager integrates very well with the Microsoft suite of products including Project, Word and PowerPoint. It also outputs in PDF and HTML. We have the free viewer on our corporate intranet so team members who don’t have MindManager can still view the native files.

3. Firefox - Does everything I need my browser to do. I use other browsers, but Firefox is best. I’m hardly aware it’s there.

4. Adobe PDF Writer / Adobe Reader - Both of these are essential. Reader because a huge amount of information is now in PDF format – and it sorts out all those A4/Letter and other format issues – and Writer because it allows me to share information in a standard way.

5. iGoogle - The personalised Google homepage. Vital feeds in one place – local weather, Cricinfo cricket news, Reuters news (of course) and lots more.

6. Audacity - In the past I used Sonic Foundry’s Sound Forge, but Audacity does everything I need. The large library of plugins add all the functionality I think I might ever need. It’s free and open source too

7. Wikipedia - Wikipedia is now maturing to an extent that you can rely its content as much as you can on edited and proofed traditional encyclopaedias.

8. Webex - I’ve used a number of virtual classroom tools over the years, and there are lots available. I’ve just cut over from Microsoft Live Meeting to Webex Training Center. Webex does sharing, interaction, breakout sessions and video very well.

9. Flickr - a great tool for storing and sharing images. The geotags utility is especially useful for pin-pointing the exact location you took the photo from, long after you've lost it from your memory.

10. Pollstar - The concert hotwire that lets me know when musicians I’d like to hear are in striking distance so I can extend my musical education. Invaluable to any child of the ‘60s (or '70s or '80s)

Charles's Top 10 Tools as at 28 July 2007

1. Google Reader - A great tool. It allows me to read all the key blogs I keep up with in one format and in one place, and even offline with the Google Gears browser plug-in

2. MindManager - One of my workhorses. It’s indispensable for anyone who thinks visually and needs to capture and organise their thoughts, notes, and plans.  MindManager integrates very well with the Microsoft suite of products including Project, Word, and PowerPoint.  It also outputs in PDF and HTML.  We have the free viewer on our corporate intranet so team members who don’t have MindManager can still view the native files.

3. Firefox - Does everything I need my browser to do. I use other browsers, but Firefox is best. I’m hardly aware it’s there

4. Adobe PDF Writer / Adobe Reader - Both of these are essential. Reader because a huge amount of information is now in PDF format – and it sorts out all those A4/Letter and other format issues – and Writer because it allows me to share information in a standard way.

5. iGoogle - The personalised Google homepage.  Vital feeds in one place – local weather, Cricinfo cricket news, Reuters news (of course) and lots more.

6. Audacity - In the past I used Sonic Foundry’s Sound Forge, but Audacity does everything I need.  The large library of plugins add all the functionality I think I might ever need. It’s free and open source too

7. Paint Shop Pro - Paint Shop Pro has always been a favourite for manipulating images and graphics. I’m not an expert who can stretch PhotoShop.

8. Webex -  I’ve used a number of virtual classroom tools over the years, and there are lots available. I’ve just cut over from Microsoft Live Meeting to Webex Training Center. Webex does sharing, interaction, breakout sessions and video very well. 

9. MailWasher Pro - A New Zealand product that saves me huge amounts of time by filtering spam and unwanted e-mail when I’m outside my corporate firewall.

10. Pollstar - The concert hotwire that lets me know when musicians I’d like to hear are in striking distance. Invaluable to a child of the ‘60s