First off, what exactly do we call ourselves? Instructors? Trainers? Facilitators? Who knows. I’ll just use the longer, Workplace Learning and Performance professionals. WHEEW!

Whatever the name, many of you are not specialists in computers, software, and the Internet. Well, those are areas where I have a bit of knowledge, and I thought I’d share my list of applications that will make your life easier and hopefully better. But, before I give you the list, let me share an observation. Since the advent of the Internet, applications have expanded. In the past, an application was software installed on your machine that did something (e.g., played a game, edited a word processing document, calculated a spreadsheet, etc.). Now, with the Internet, there are additional categories.

First, you can create yourself or obtain a webhost. For example, I use 1and1.com to host my website:

And, you can install software on your webhost that either you or your visitors can use to do something (e.g., blog, collaborate, post to bulletin boards, etc.) Second, you can visit websites that have software on those websites that allow you to do something (e.g., send email, search websites, manage calendars, etc.) So, the definition of an application is the same with the exception that the software no longer merely needs to reside on your computer.

Here is my list of applications (installable on your PC, installable on a server (webhost), and accessible via the web) that every Workplace Learning and Performance professional needs to know (and especially because they are all free).

Applications

Server-Based Application Software

Apache - Web Server

Apache Tomcat - JSP Server

dimdim - Conferencing

dokeos - eLearning

drupal - Content Management

Moodle - Course Management

MySQL - Database

PHP - PHP Programming

phpBB - Bulletin Board

PHPOpenChat - Chat

Sakai - Course Management

Socialtext Open - Wiki

Tikiwiki - Wiki

WordPress - Blogging

Web-Based Software Applications and Important Links

Article - Hacking Knowledge 77 Ways to Learn Faster, Deeper, and Better

Article - Research Beyond Google 119 Authoritative, Invisible, and Comprehensive Resources

Collection - Free Software Directory

Collection - Pics4Learning

Collections - Wikibooks

Collections - Wikiversity

Google

Portal - FirstGov

Reference - The Elements of Style.

Reference - The World Factbook

Reference - Wikipedia

Reference - Wiktionary

Web Application - Aggregator - Netvibes

Web Application - Drawing - Gliffy

Web Application - File Conversion - Zamzar

Web Application - Groups - Yahoo! Groups

Web Application - Pictures - Flickr!

Web Application - Presentations - Empressr

Web Application - Video - YouTube

Yahoo!

Microsoft Windows-Based Installed Software

Application - Calendar - Sunbird

Application - Dictionary - Wordweb

Application - Mapping - Google Earth

Application - Note Taking - KeyNote

Application - Open Office

Application - Project Management - GanttPV

Audio - Apple iiTunes

Audio - Apple QuickTime

Audio - Audacity

eLearning - CamStudio

eLearning - Mind Mapping - FreeMind

eLearning - Producer

eLearning - Simple Learning Creator

eLearning - TestCommander

eLearning - XERTE

Flash - Adobe Flash Player

Imaging - 3D Modeling - Blender

Imaging - 3D Modeling - SketchUp

Imaging - GIMP

Imaging - GIMPShop

Imaging - Screen Capture - FastStone

Media - VLC

Messenging - AIM

Messenging - GAIM

Messenging - Skpe - Phone

Operating System - Ubuntu Linux

PDF - Adobe Acrobat Reader

PDF - CutePDF

PDF - PDFCreator

Security - Anti-Spyware - Ad-Aware

Security - Anti-Spyware - Spybot-S&D!

Security - Anti-Spyware - Windows Defender

Security - Anti-Virus - AVG

Security - Firewall - Zonelabs

Utility - Clients - PuTTY

Utility - Compression - IZArc

Utility - DeepBurner

Utility - FTP - FileZilla

Web - Browser - Firefox

Web - Email - Thunderbird

I hope this list helps. It represents the best-of-the-best in my opinion. And even if you think something is better, it is still well work a look at these packages.