Collaborate online in real time with EtherPad
July 6, 2009
BY BILL FERRIS
The web is full of free online word processors. EtherPad sets itself apart by letting multiple users collaborate in “really real” time. By that they mean you see someone else’s updates as they type them in. Google Docs, for example, has a considerable lag between updates, so contributors could unknowingly contradict or duplicate each other’s edits. With EtherPad, you can see your work partners wreaking havoc on your text as it happens.
EtherPad makes adding collaborators really easy. Just send everyone on a team your EtherPad URL, or type in their email address and EtherPad will invite them for you. Each collaborator’s text is highlighted in a different color so you can keep track of who wrote what. That means if Little Johnny wants to write that Little Suzy has cooties, it’ll be pretty obvious who the perp is. You’ll also be able to tell if one student is not adding much to the discussion, or if someone is overwhelming his or her classmates.
If you’re giving a group writing assignment, EtherPad is one of the best tools for it that I’ve seen. Want to start collaborating right now? Improve this review by going to http://etherpad.com/2al9zXHrV9 and add to it yourself.
EtherPad
Original draft of this article in Etherpad
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It is a great tool. I used it with a 3-person team working on a collaborative graduate project. We used it mostly for a checklist and chatting tool so we all knew what the others were doing and no one did double work.
I thought it was pretty cool, too. The fact that it avoids the frustration of people stepping on each other’s toes is a really great advantage.
Dear Bill,
I am the COO at AppJet, the makers of EtherPad, and I just wanted to let you know how delighted we are that so many educators and students are using EtherPad to share and create knowledge more efficiently. EtherPad is utilized across global universities and it turns out that it enables students with different learning styles to better contribute in seminars and classroom discussion.
For those readers looking for more security, password protections, and privacy, the Private Network Edition is the right choice. We offer 30 percent discounts for educators off the $49.00 per user price.
Daniel, thanks for making such a slick application. The educator discount on the private network is a nice feature, too.
Dear Bill,
Thanks for writing! I would love your perspectives on how to best reach out to other educators to both improve EtherPad for teachers and students and to spread the word?
Please let me know if I can help you or any of your colleagues with PNE licensing or product questions.
Warmly,
Daniel