Last Thursday I attended the official launch of MAPTechworks – a cool web site where nonprofits can share (via video) their tech stories with those in the same boat. It’s a great idea and a great resource for nonprofits and small businesses. Topics include GIS basics, how to design a web site and everything on backing up.

The idea is to get just-in-time answers to tech questions but also to be able to hear stories from organizations like yours as they increase use of technology. Maybe get a cyber mentor to help guide you through long and short terms decisions. You can learn a little more on the video of the intro below.

At the launch we brainstormed in small groups about future topics, which is always fun. One the one hand, the room is full of IT staff; on the other hand, they all work at nonprofits. It’s a reminder of the wide range technology deployment at an organizational level.

Funny enough I got another reminder of that wide gap in use from Future Tense this week when Jon Gordon talked about the basics of computer literacy. Many people, it seems, still have trouble searching and other tools that I think of as very basic. It was a good reminder that while fiber (or wireless or DOCSIS3 might answer some broadband problems – training is required to answer others.