Portable, online applications let you leave laptop behind

By Monte Kendrick

If you are like most business travelers, you most likely travel with a laptop or notebook computer. However, there may be times when you either find yourself without -- or are prohibited from using -- your own system.

Fortunately, there are a variety of options that allow the mobile worker to access his or her applications and documents from any PC -- without installing software or modifying system settings -- using only a USB drive.

Portable Apps

The Portable Apps project (www.portableapps.com) was started in 2005 in an effort to create a portable version of the popular Firefox Web browser. The idea was to retool the application so that the user could launch it from a flash drive connected to any Windows machine with a USB port. All bookmarks, settings, and documents would be stored on the flash drive, eliminating the need to write to the host machine.

The project has now expanded to include dozens of open-source programs. The standard suite includes a Web browser, an e-mail client, an office suite, a calendar, an instant messaging client, a backup utility, and more. Additional programs may be added as desired.

The applications may be launched from an integrated
menu that appears above the system tray whenever the USB drive is connected to the host computer.

Application files are compressed to launch more quickly and to minimize disk usage. The standard suite, which includes OpenOffice.org, is simple to install and may be carried on a 256-MB drive, although a 512-MB drive will allow more room for documents and data. These drives may be purchased for as little as $10 at office supply and discount stores.

Online applications

Online applications provide another option for the mobile office worker. Over the years, various companies have experimented with providing Web-based office programs, but the idea never truly succeeded until 2006 when Google introduced Google Docs. This free service allows any registered user to create, modify, manage, and share word-processing and spreadsheet documents through any modern Web browser.

However, you do not need to create a document from scratch, as the service will allow you to upload existing documents in HTML, text (TXT and RTF), Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and OpenDocument formats.

The finished product can be exported to a variety of common file formats, including PowerPoint and PDF. As a result, Google Docs also may be used as a conversion utility of sorts -- upload a Word document or OpenOffice spreadsheet, and export it as an HTML or PDF file.

The built-in sharing and revision tracking features make Google Docs a powerful collaborative editing application. The owner of the document can maintain tight control over who may view or edit the document and may roll back changes at any time.

For added security, Google Docs can be accessed through https, allowing SSL encryption of the user session. This option should be used at all times but especially when dealing with sensitive information.

Powerful combination

Portable Apps and Google Docs are a powerful combination when used together. Imagine creating a complex spreadsheet in OpenOffice.org, uploading it to Google Docs through a portable Firefox browser, collaborating with coworkers online, and then exporting the finished document to a PDF file for your client to review. As you travel from city to city, you carry the entire operation in your shirt pocket.

The number and variety of online solutions should continue to grow as other companies begin embracing Web 2.0 technologies.

For some users, the combination of portable and online applications already has obviated the need to travel with a laptop full of applications. The next time you travel, try leaving the laptop behind -- grab your flash drive instead.

Monte Kendrick is the president of and principal consultant for Pixelogiq Data Systems LLC, a Madison-based company that offers information security and technology consulting services.

madison.com ©2009 Capital Newspapers. All rights reserved.