Filing a story from anywhere, anytime
Summary
Topics
"Filing a story"is more complicated than it sounds.
First, I need to easily and rapidly take a lot of notes during an interview. Then I must convert those notes into an article to be read by you. The process of filing a story has to accommodate multiple people (my editors and myself) adding comments and making changes to that story before it reaches its final form. This editing process requires that the story be created using a rich text editor capable of marking up a story in a way that allows each of the collaborators' comments to be distinguished from the others' comments and from the original text.
Our current choice for this task is Microsoft Word. Consequently, whatever device I use to create or view my stories must be capable of working with Word documents as well as sending and receiving them as attachments.
In order to file a story from anywhere, I need to have enough connectivity to transmit and receive my stories to and from my editors. Because wired connectivity can't be available everywhere, I need some sort of wireless connectivity. Ideally, whatever wireless connectivity I choose should be able to reach the Exchange e-mail servers behind CNET's firewall. This means that I'll need an e-mail client capable of working with Exchange as well as a virtual private networking (VPN) client to tunnel me into the corporate network.
Doing this "anytime" means that there can be no restrictions on my access to the tools and networks necessary to get my job done. During my tests at Networld+Interop, I was abruptly kicked out of the press facilities a full hour before the show floor closed. These facilities made both wired and wireless (802.11b Wi-Fi) connectivity available to members of the press.
A second aspect of my "anytime requirement" is the ability to send and receive e-mail at anytime. This real-time capability - sometimes referred to as "always-on" - is an attribute with which RIM's BlackBerry has often been associated. But, while the BlackBerry shines at this always-on capability thanks to the coverage of the wireless network it connects to and its ability to last for weeks on a single battery charge, it leaves much to be desired when attempting to collaborate on Microsoft Word documents
For me, "anytime" means that when I suddenly need to communicate, I can't find myself short on the necessary power to complete those communications. Always-on is nice to have, but it's not imperative. I can live with momentary interruptions to switch batteries. But, if my devices can't go a whole day on a single charge, they better have the option to replace the batteries. Carrying extra batteries is something I'm willing to do.
Finally, a note on the cost and convenience of connectivity. Given the way today's world is structured, many road warriors find themselves paying for two, three, or even more wireless accounts. At one point, I was walking around with three devices, each of which connected to a separate wireless network. First, there was my Nextel cell phone. Second was my BlackBerry and third was my Compaq iPaq that, through a Sierra Wireless AirCard 300, connected to Earthlink's wireless service through a slow, albeit relatively prevalent CDPD network. Keeping track of three wireless accounts seems to me like too much work. Given the capability of today's networks to carry both voice and data, I'd prefer to keep the number of wireless accounts down to one. This means that no matter which devices I use to communicate wirelessly, those devices and communications take place over a single connection for which I get a single bill.
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