Okay, I admit I'm reading tech books at the beach. Earlier last month, the good folks at O'Reilly offered me some books for my summer reading list. I requested a second copy so I could do a book giveaway for you all!
Here's the first one.
I'm like many of you accidental techies out there ... I've developed a method of trying to figure things out through a little trial and error, asking other people, or searching the FAQs or online user forums. But that only goes so far. And, if I had to support other people or was teaching a workshop on Google Apps, I'd sure want to have a book for the reference.
The book gives you the basic how-to's for Google's Productivity Suite (docs, spreadsheets, slide shows, gmail, google talk, and calendar). It also covers Igoogle and google apps. It's written in an entertaining way (what else would you expect given that David Pogue started the missing manual series.)
Here's how my blog book giveaways that I've been running over the past few months work:
- Leave a comment to this post about why you want the book
- I'll use random.org to select a random number and then the winner
- You have until July 11th
I'd love a copy of this book - I've been thinking of teaching a class on Google Apps for Non Profits and reading this would be a great way to motivate me to actually do it. Thanks Beth. P.S. I promise not to read it at the beach - or if I do, I'll slip it inside a People magazine :)
Posted by: Calista Carter | July 07, 2008 at 12:33 PM
I would love a copy. I'm a little bit of a google fan boy and use all their products. Anyway, one of my interests is in how non-profits can leverage free and open source software to achieve their mission.
I think google apps is one great way for them to do this, so I'm definitely interested in the book!
Posted by: Tim Moreland | July 07, 2008 at 12:52 PM
I've been using Google Mail, Reader and Calendar for a while now. I recently bought a MacBook Pro (first non-Windows laptop in the family) and am excited about using Google Docs and learning about other Google applications. Part of the motivation is to force myself to use tools that I can freely recommend to non-profits in my part-time non-profit advising role.
Posted by: Bob Uva | July 07, 2008 at 02:19 PM
What I would hope to find in this book is a couple clear, easy-to-relate examples about why Google Apps is superior to its desktop counterparts. Convincing techies like us - that is, the people reading this blog - is like baptising the choir. How do you convince an over-worked, under-paid social worker that learning a brand-new, LESS-featured word processing program or spreadsheet program is actually going to save them time?
By the way, Jonathan Zittrain's The Future of the Internet and How to Stop It has made me skeptical of all cloud computing applications, including Google Apps. Not exactly beach reading (only US Weekly will do - People isn't nearly trashy enough), but very compelling nonetheless. That said, I'm obviously jockeying for a free copy of that book!!
Posted by: Mike N | July 07, 2008 at 04:37 PM
I need to learn something new!
Posted by: Carla Pullum | July 07, 2008 at 09:45 PM
Hi Beth, I am like you, I learn about these applications by trial and error. I would really like the book because people are starting to ask me how to use them & I want to make sure I know all I need to know and I am not mis-informing people. Thank you.
Posted by: Sarah Stewart | July 07, 2008 at 11:31 PM
I'd like a book because I think Google Apps particularly are very cool.
Posted by: Paul Morriss | July 08, 2008 at 05:47 AM
I would love to get my hands on a free copy of this book. I work for a non-profit telvision station and will be trying to train staff on different social networking applications and it would be good to have a better understanding of the Google applications before I put myself out there. :)
Posted by: Toni | July 08, 2008 at 10:38 AM
I would love a copy of this book because I'm sure there are lots of little hidden gems in these apps that I don't now about yet!
Posted by: Laurie Moy | July 08, 2008 at 11:33 AM
We use Google Apps pretty much head to toe for our org and I can say it has been incredible. With just a smidgen of technical gusto it's pretty much turnkey.
I can't imagine why a single nonprofit or NGO (large or small) would use any other suite of internal applications. Of course there is value to be added by using everything from Wufoo to pbwiki, but GOOG Apps covers a very large percentage of what people need to do day to day.
Posted by: Clay Newton | July 08, 2008 at 07:47 PM
I'm trying to start a new organization on a shoestring. I'm already (trying) to use GoogleApps but I would love to learn more. I read an article in the Economist a couple of months back about how Washington DC is using gApps to run it's day to day tech needs. Pretty cool.
Posted by: Andrew Kramer | July 09, 2008 at 07:20 AM
Would love to have the book! Am the webmistress at a local nonprofit - both winning the book and Google Apps would help us stretch the budget.
Posted by: SKJ | July 09, 2008 at 11:48 AM
I'm a full fledged Googlian, it's (the Google spirit) almost like magic and I would love to understand it better with the book's help. I have set up several Google Apps accounts and have become quite versatile, but to a point where hopefully the Missing Manual series will plug some holes.
Posted by: Tino | July 10, 2008 at 11:48 AM
I'd like to throw my hat into the mix because I am a social media newbie! I only recently started getting involved all the good stuff - got a wiki going, twittering, blogging, facebooking, etc etc - and well I need all the help with applications I can get! In particular, I'm having a heck of a time figuring out how to use the Google Spreadsheet App for my wiki. Eek!
Posted by: Lara Varona | July 10, 2008 at 12:37 PM
Hi, Beth.
I'd like the book because I'm a budding librarian and understanding the google is important for any info-maniac.
Also, this is the very fist blog (and very first blog post) of my brand-spankin'-new Macbook Pro! I've been saving for ages and I'm thrilled Beth's blog is my first. :)
n
Posted by: nicole | July 11, 2008 at 01:05 PM
After reading the summary on Amazon, I realize there are SO many things I don't know about Google and its many, many applications. I would love this book...and it would be great to share with all my co-workers as well.
Posted by: tory | July 11, 2008 at 01:50 PM
I know that I've barely scratched the surface of Google...and especially the apps. And, I would share the book w/ my colleagues at LSS! Thanks for the opportunity, Beth.
Posted by: Chad Brown | July 11, 2008 at 03:27 PM
If you give I will take, that too one on google will help me whole lot. So why not! thank you.
Posted by: Sasi Raj | July 11, 2008 at 11:52 PM