Sharing Links on Google is Hard

Okay, so I was just generally playing around but most particularly because my wife is doing a lot of studying lately. In particular she is studying Hyland Software's modules and things since she now works there with me. But just as importantly, and due to company requirements she is studying ECM, or Enterprise Content Management.

So I was trying to figure out an easy way for us to collaborate on sharing information, notes, and links to various sites. Being a Google fanboy, at least outside of work, I tried a couple of different things. I tried to create a collection in Google docs but that only lets you create "office" like documents, not share links unless they are embedded in the document.

Then I remember Google bookmarks and went there. Then I realized that they had taken away lists, and therefore, the ability to share your bookmarks stored there with anybody else - which to be really blunt makes the whole thing completely and totally useless (particularly since Chrome has such a great bookmark feature that you can sync across machines for straight up non-shared bookmarks that you do not intend to "share")

Now I guess I could go out and create a google site for it which makes the most sense in many, many ways. My document collections could all be presented there, I'd have the ability for straight up content and I'd be able to create a links collection. Like http://www.neohawk.org/home/mylinks

But all of that seems like overkill in today's "social" world. It strikes me that there should be an easy way for me to have "pages", links, documents that are as easy to update and maintain as posting updates to my +Google+ stream. And to direct certain posts certain "circles", or limited group of people.

Or you would think that Google would have a way to share links. But it doesn't which is fairly mind-boggling. So much so that I think I'm missing something, but for the life of me I cannot figure out why it's so hard to share links a la Del.icio.us using Google.

What is ECM?

As many of you know, I work for Hyland Software here in Cleveland. I don't post much about work or work related items because that's not my role in the company. I'm a project manager and am focused on specific client projects, not touting the company.

But every now and then, there are things I just can't pass up. It's not something like Hyland winning Crain's Company with the Best Perks Award, or software product under category of "impact" by NEOSA. Hyland wins those alot.

One of the things I get asked alot is what does Hyland do? Well we're a software company that provides Enterprise Content Management, ECM, solutions. That answer, particularly amongst family members, gets me a glazed over eye "huh?" response.

The following video "What Is ECM? The Laundry Analogy" answers it much better than I ever could in just 60 seconds.

I'm not the only one that found this highly informative as well as entertaining. I actually found this on the AIIM page announcing the winners of the ECM Video Contest. Not surprisingly, this video was selected as the winner. If you're interested AIIM is:

For over 60 years, AIIM has been the leading non-profit organization focused on helping users to understand the challenges associated with managing documents, content, records, and business processes. AIIM was founded in 1943 as the National Microfilm Association and later became the Association for Information and Image Management. AIIM is also known as the enterprise content management (ECM) association.

Anyway, the two folks that made this video work at Hyland. Seeing something like this video this morning just reminded me of how good it is to work at Hyland with intelligent, creative people dedicated to their jobs and serving markets and clients.

Yes, its a small thing, but it reminds me as to why I'm proud to call myself a Hylander.(and if you go back far enough as Scottish Highlander too)