Online Volunteering Tips, Tools and Technology by Randy Tyler

Free Two-way Video Conferencing, Collaboration and VoIP with Business-grade Security

Free Two-way Video Conferencing, Collaboration and VoIP Allows Non-Profits to Have Secure, Rich Communication with their Online Volunteers

Targeted at Small Non-Profits/Businesses, Consultants and Home Office Users, Nefsis Basic (Free) includes:

• Video Conferencing: Two party (Webcam input)
• Web Collaboration and Sharing: Basic
• VoIP: Two party
• Subscribers (Nefsis Basic is currently available to subscribers in the U.S. and Canada) can initiate a live two-way online video conference with another party who can be located anywhere in the world.
• Only the meeting host needs a Nefsis account to start and run their own online meetings. Participants can join a conference at any time with a Web browser by just clicking on a link.
• Both parties can see each other clearly while sharing presentations, documents and desktops.
• Nefsis Basic includes two-party Voice over IP (VoIP) audio, so meeting participants can save on the cost of phone calls.

Requirements:
Windows 2000+ and a broadband Internet connection

For additional requirement details, please see:
https://www.nefsis.com/Support-Video-Software/conferencing-system-requirement...

Video Conferencing Guide and Online User Manual
https://www.nefsis.com/manual/user-manual.html

Notes:
1. Upon initial launch, the Professional level online service is offered for a limited time period (currently 10 days) before reverting to the Basic level.
2. If you are using Firefox, the LoaderFF Addon is required, which you will be prompted to install (if you want to install this extension manually, LoaderFF is available for direct download from:
https://uscentral-v3.nefsis.com/LoaderFF.xpi
3. During the initial set-up, Nefsis will also prompt you to download additional software, which among files, includes the Nefsis Conference Client (cc.exe). On my XP Pro machine, a folder was created at:
C:\Documents and Settings\User Name\Local Settings\Application Data\WiredRed\CC\

Sign-up for Nefsis Basic (free):
https://www.nefsis.com/aspx/BasicRegistration.aspx

For further information about how a non profit organization can develop a productive virtual volunteering program through the use of appropriate technology, please visit this Online Volunteering Resource.

Free Word Processor Minimizes Distractions to Keep You Focused on Your Writing

Free Word Processor's Features Helps You Complete Your Reports, Letters on Schedule

Although there could be several factors affecting your ability to complete your writing tasks, your word processor's interface, with easy access to other distractions, might be one of them. Through a full-screen interface, with hidden menu, the free, open-source word processor, FocusWriter, aims to minimize distractions and keep you focused on your writing (see the above screen capture).

FocusWriter's Key Features

• Default Hidden Menu: FocusWriter's menu can be temporarily exposed by moving your mouse to the top, bottom, or right side of the screen (which allows access to a number of customizable options)
• Themes: Change fonts, colors, and background images
• Live Statistics: Enable or disable word count, paragraph count, page count and character count
• Daily Goals: Optional word count and typing duration goals
• Spell Checking: Enable or disable automatic spell checking, customize your own personal dictionary and add dictionaries for other languages (available from OpenOffice.org)
• Document Tabs: Opened files, located at the bottom of FocusWriter, are displayed as tabs (any opened files at exit also re-load at next launch)
• Portable: FocusWriter can be placed on a USB flash drive

Mac OSX
Version: 1.3.0
Make Portable: Create a folder (Data) in the same folder as the application bundle
File Size: 14.9 MB
SHA1: 0CA1B9DAE47515F5B009ABFA8496D9F5F1D9B636
Direct Download URL: http://gottcode.org/focuswriter/FocusWriter_1.3.0.dmg
Web Site URL: http://gottcode.org/focuswriter/

For further information about how a non profit organization can develop a productive virtual volunteering program through the use of appropriate technology, please visit this Online Volunteering Resource.

Free PDF to Word Converter Easily Creates Editable MS Word Documents

Non-Profits - Save Time by Batch Converting Your PDF Files to Word Documents

Cross platform PDF (Portable Document Format) files have become a common method of exchanging files. In certain situations, you may want to re-purpose the content within a PDF file. AnyBizSoft's PDF to Word converter allows you to easily convert a PDF to an editable MS Word document.

PDF to Word Converter v3 Overview

• Standalone Program: does not require Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat to be installed
• Supports encrypted PDF file conversion
• Conversion preserves text, layouts, images, tables and hyperlinks in an editable MS Word document
• Supports converting specific pages of a PDF file
• Supports batch conversion of up to 200 PDF files
• Supports importing Adobe 1.0—1.7 formats

Software: Windows 2003/XP/Vista/7 (32 bit)
Hardware (Minimum): 500 MHz processor, 256 MB RAM, 15 MB HD

How to Use PDF to Word Converter v3

• Install
• Launch the application by clicking on the AnyBizSoft PDF to Word desktop shortcut
• Output Setting: Select where you want the converted Word file to be placed
• Drag and drop the PDF file you want converted (as shown in the above image)
• If you only want certain pages of your PDF converted to a Word document, move your cursor over the "Selected Pages" column wherein a drop down toggle will allow you to enter which specific pages (for example, 2,3,7-9) you want converted
• Click on the "Convert" button (a pop-up window will indicate your PDF file has been converted)
• Batch Conversion (up to 200 PDF files): If you want to convert a number of files, just drag and drop and then select which specific pages in each PDF you want converted to a Word file.

Obtain PDF to Word Converter v3.0.0 free just by becoming an "AnyBizSoft" (Software Vendor) Facebook Fan via the URL below (once you provide your name and a working e-mail address, the registration code should be e-mailed to you within a short time frame):

http://www.facebook.com/AnyBizSoft?v=app_6009294086

For further information about how a non profit organization can develop a productive virtual volunteering program through the use of appropriate technology, please visit this Online Volunteering Resource.

Free Software Program Easily Organizes All Your Software, Serial Numbers in One Place

Non-Profits Can Save Precious Resources (and Frustration) by Creating a Software Database

Free Application Create a Software Database for a Single Computer

Due to a virus, an aging system or operating system upgrade, you will be faced with reformatting your hard drive and re-installing your applications. Thus, serial numbers and other essential registration information will be required to re-install your programs. Will you spend hours trying to find all the serials numbers for your programs? You can avoid this frustrating and inefficient experience by creating (and maintaining) a software database now. AllMySoftware is a free, basic software database creation application that will allow you to easily organize and access all your software titles and serial numbers. AllMySoftware offers the following features:

• Auto Scan: Scans your registry for installed and un-installed software titles
• Manually Add: You can add individual software titles that were not added via a registry scan (such as portable applications that do not create registry entries)
• Uninstall: Ability to quickly uninstall a software application from within the application
• Backup: Flexible backup reminder
• Password-Protect: Ability to password protect your software database
• Views: Lists all your software titles or provides an optional tree-like database structure view
• Export: Can export your software database to an Excel formatted file
• Web Site Link: Hyperlink to each developer's web site
• E-mail: Single click to create an e-mail message to a particular developer's support team
• Search: Easy to use search features

Operating System Requirements

Windows XP (according to the developer, AllMySoftware "... works with Windows Vista and Windows 7, but you need to set 'Run as administrator' option for the program shortcut's preferences."

How to Use AllMySoftware

• Install AllMysoftware
• Launch AllMySoftware.exe
• Allow ALLMySoftware to scan your hard drive (your computer's registry) for installed applications
• From the resulting list, choose which software titles to include in your software database
• For any software record, complete the missing field information (as per your requirements)
• Add new software records (by clicking on the blank page button) for any applications not listed in your database now (that is, any of your applications that did not create registry entries, such any "portable" applications you may have installed, will have to be added manually)
• Ensure your backup your software database (to external media, such as a CD, USB thumb drive, hard drive or network drive)
• Once your software database has been updated, you can easily view all your records (and completed fields) at once using the "Export to MS Excel" feature.

How to Obtain a Free Registration Key

Complete the short form at the URL below and your free registration key will be e-mailed to you (Bolidesoft has frozen development of ALLMySoftware and are thus offering free registration keys).

http://www.bolidesoft.com/allmysoftware.html

Free Application Creates Hardware and Software Inventory for Your Windows Network

If you want to create a software database to inventory your Windows Network (as opposed to creating a database for one computer, as AllMysoftware allows), the free version of Lansweeper (version 4) provides this functionality (hardware and software scanning + 200 build-in reports, licensing reports, scriptable actions, asset tag and WOL).

Client Requirements:
Windows 2000+ with Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC) 2.8

Server Requirements:
Windows 2003, 2008, XP, Vista, 7 (Windows server recommended)
.net 2.0 or higher
SQL server 2000 or higher or SQLexpress (free)

Lansweeper (v4) Freeware Version Download Link:
http://www.lansweeper.com/files/setup.exe

Lansweeper PDF Documentation Download Link:
http://c1330262.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/documentation.pdf

Lansweeper Web Site URL:
http://www.lansweeper.com

For further information about how a non profit organization can develop a productive virtual volunteering program through the use of appropriate technology, please visit this Online Volunteering Resource.

How to Use Bloom, a Free Facebook Photo Uploading Program

Select Photos Can Help a Non-Profit Organization Develop a Productive Facebook Presence

With an articulated purpose, formulated objectives and action plan in place, a non-profit organization can develop a productive Facebook presence (Facebook is a social networking site with about 400 million users). Photography is one powerful medium to help you develop your organization's Facebook presence. Whether your chosen images tell client stories, illustrate community impact, recognize your donors or reflect your online volunteers' contributions, you will require an easy and efficient tool to upload your photos to Facebook. Bloom is one such free, photo uploading application.

Bloom is an easy-to-use multi-platform Java-based desktop program that allows you to upload (which also supports uploads behind a Proxy server) more than 200 photos (to a new album or existing album), select your desired level of privacy, tag people within your photos, import a photo's IPTC metadata (if available) into the photo caption, download albums, view your friends' photos as well as upload videos. Before explaining how to use Bloom, I will highlight the application's requirements.

Requirements

Minimum hardware requirements:
Pentium 3
384 MB of RAM, some images require 512MB or more
1024x768 display

Recommended hardware requirements:
Dual or quad core Intel or AMD processor
1GB of RAM
1280x1024 display

Operating Systems Supported:
Windows 2000, XP, Vista, or Windows 7 with Java 5 or Java 6 installed
Mac OS 10.4, 10.5 & 10.6 (Java 5 or Java 6 are pre-installed on Mac OS 10.5 and 10.6
A Linux distribution with Java 5 or Java 6 JRE installed such as Ubuntu, Fedora, Suse
Solaris 10 with Java 5 or Java 6

How to Use (Bloom v2.8.0):

• Install Bloom
• Launch Bloom
• Drag your photos into the window (white area) as shown in the screen capture above
• Provide an album name, location and album description
• Select Who Can View your Album (Privacy Level): everyone, friends, friends of friends or network
• Add photo captions (if your photos have embedded IPTC metadata, Bloom will automatically generate the photo caption from the IPTC Caption field). If your photos do not embedded IPTC metadata, you can select each photo one-at-a-time and add different photo captions. If you want to add the same caption to each photo in your album, select all photos (using CTRL A on Windows) and add your desired generic caption in Bloom's  photo caption box.
• Now press the Login button on the top left toolbar
• At the "Welcome to Bloom" window that opens, check "enhanced security" (which will provide you with an https connection), then press "Login"
• Your browser will launch so you can log in to Facebook
• After you have logged-in for the first time a window stating "Allow Bloom to access my information" will be displayed
• Click the "Login to Bloom" button (for security purposes, I recommend that you not allow Bloom continuous access privileges to Facebook. Instead, require authorization each time you upload photos to Facebook).
• If successful, you should then see a message stating "You may now close this window and return to the application (on your desktop)"
• Return to Bloom and click "I Have Successfully Logged In".
• The new album window will be displayed
• Click the "Upload Photos" buttom on the bottom right of the application
• When you finished uploading your photos, click Bloom's "Sign Out" button
• Ensure you have logged out of Facebook

For further information about how a non profit organization can develop a productive virtual volunteering program through the use of appropriate technology, please visit this Online Volunteering Resource.