I like everything Millennials are no longer young. In other words, it is my duty to remember and share what was forgotten about the past. Example: Most software worked pretty well without an active internet connection.
I know, it’s hard to believe. Computers in the 1990s and early 2000s treated “online” as a new state, but the opposite is now true. Most software assumes that it is always online, otherwise many software will not work. This is fine in most cases, but it can be a hassle if you want to work by plane or visit a family farm.
Some things can’t be done easily offline now, especially if your work involves dealing with people in real time. However, most jobs that run on your computer can run at least partially offline. If it is set to work that way. Here’s how to work offline in a world that’s supposed to be always connected.
Know which apps work offline
The first thing to do is figure out which tools depend on and do not depend on the Internet.The rule of thumb is that If the app is running in a browser, it may not work offline..
Indeed, there are some exceptions. For example, you can run Google Drive offline by installing the Chrome extension. However, in most cases your browser application is designed to work with an internet connection, so if you need to work offline, you can’t rely on them.
Another thing to keep in mind is that most communication software, such as Slack, can’t send or receive messages offline. Most of these applications can’t even read old messages while offline. This means that if you have important information embedded somewhere in the DM, you will not be able to access that information.
Finally, files stored in cloud services cannot be accessed offline unless they are synced with your computer. Some cloud services, such as Dropbox, sync files to your computer by default. Others only sync files in folders that are specially marked for offline access. Make sure the files you need to access are marked for offline synchronization.
If you’re not sure if something works offline, here’s a quick test. Turn off your computer’s Wi-Fi. I’m scared. But after trying for 5 minutes, you should get a good idea of reliable and unreliable tools.
Copy the required information
Now that we know which apps won’t work offline, it’s time to plan ahead. What projects can you work on completely offline? What information do you need to work on those projects? Make sure you have all the information you need. This is especially true if some information is in an app that is known not to work online.
For example, if you have documents that you need to read or edit, make sure they are downloaded to a folder on your computer. If important information is hidden in a DM conversation with your boss, make sure that information is copied somewhere locally. I like to use the app to take notes on this and copy all the important information of the project to the page or folder for that project. Working offline will keep you organized. Gather information in advance, rather than assuming that you can search for it later.