Work Together In Real Time With EtherPad
If you don’t know your stuff, collaborating online on the same project can translate into massive sending and receiving of emails between you and your partners. Each time changes are made by you or a group member, they need to notify the other group members via an email.
There are numerous alternatives to that messy option. A number of services are available that allow users to log on to an account and make changes to the document being worked on. Every time the change is made, other users get to see the changes. The process can go on for as long as required.
Conceptually these programs and web services offer a great service. But they either overdo it, complicating the tools and making it difficult for users to get to know the program, or they aim too low and not pack enough features to make the service worthwhile.
EtherPad, however, is one such online tool that has found the perfect balance.
The first great thing about EtherPad is that there isn’t any registration of program installation required of any kind. Simply click on the ‘Create public pad’ button to display this screen:
The work can be started on the space provided. Notice how there isn’t any clutter of tools and how every tool is simple, yet gets the job done. You can start inviting others over to your pad either by email of providing them with the link which EtherPad will provide you with.
The chat box in the bottom right of the page enables you to converse with group members and let them know of the changes you’ve made.
Apart from reading your partners’ comments, you can use the Time Slider to slide back to the earlier versions of your pad and see the ‘before’ picture of what you’re working on.
EtherPad, with its user-friendly interface, can be used for a variety of purposes. Apart from making group presentations, EtherPad can be used as a tool in homeschooling, conducting remote interviews in which question cannot be expressed without writing (for instance, mathematical equations), and helping out programming buddies with their program codes.
A wonderful application, EtherPad safely secures its position in the top tier of free web services.
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