Portable Applications for Beginners
Around two years ago we had to temporarily relocate our classroom to a medical coding and medical assisting classroom while we were moving our regular classroom from one location to another. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to install any of the software we normally use in the Web Design and Development program on our borrowed machines. While we had plenty of medical reference books, skeletons, and IV bags, we didn’t have the tools we needed to develop Web sites. It was then I discovered the wonderful world of portable applications.
Portable applications are installed on Flash/USB drives and can be used on any computer; they allow you to carry software applications in your purse, backpack, or pocket. You can fully customize most of these applications to suit your own needs. There are applications for design and development, graphics, Internet, education, games, music and video, utilities, and even office applications. A majority of portable applications are “open source” which means they’re free.
When we temporarily relocated I created a Flash movie with instructions for installing most portable applications on a Flash drive and also a movie for running portable applications from a Flash drive. Both of these movies have sound.
Yesterday Smashing Magazine posted a great article 40+ Desert Island Web Development Tools which includes a lot of useful portable applications. You may also want to check out Wikipedia, Pendriveapps.com, makeuseof.com, and lifehacker for more portable applications.
Update 10/30/09 – 70 Free Useful Portable Applications You Should Know
Microsoft Office and Web Development Instructor for the Contra Costa Regional Occupational Program (ROP). Training consultant, amateur photographer, and a geek at heart.
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