And now I'm done... The end of my Web 2.0 Adventure

Now I have finished my current Web 2.0 Adventure, and it was an interesting experience!

If my first blog has anything to measure by, I was not entirely enthused by my first assignment, mostly because I was a little afraid of the technology that is out there. Because of that I struggled, not with every topic, but with most of them as they were completely new concepts to me and I am not afraid to say I am a slight technophobic.

But I learnt a lot. Areas that were really interesting were social bookmarking, RSS and uploading of photos. In the areas I did know about, I was lucky enough to learn something new from them also. I feel like I know a lot more about what is out there and that some of these sites are fabulous and I see myself using the future, whereas others I find more as a time wasting exercise for me.

So should the course work be changed? No, not really.

I found it challenging, but also interesting as I relied on what little I knew about the web, with the support from sites such as Wikipedia to clarify what the sites are for.

The one area I think should be changed is the formation of groups for this assignment. I was grouped together with two other class mates, who were both quite happy to be independent. But because I was in a group I focused more on reading their blogs then venturing out to look at other classmate’s blogs. Instead if each person was independent, just like running, 'surfing the Internet' is a solitary experience, that you connecting with people through the social networking sites are the way to interact, and not by sitting together in a line of computer, talking about Web 2.0 sites.

I think it may also encourage all class mates (OK, me!) to venture past the 2 people's blog in my group and make comments on them. I am still hoping to get some time tonight to view other classmates' blogs!

Adding Value?

So has this experience added value to my life? I googled myself the other night and found 3-4 legitimate sites that has information on myself, one being this blog. I am not entirely happy with that situation as the WWW is open to young and old and I not happy with sharing information with the world at large.

However, I have learnt so much and the more I learn, the more I find that everything is connected. Each new site usually allows you to link it to your blogs, or your feed reader, your social bookmarking site and/or my iPhone!

I can therefore appreciate the value these sites have and see how they could be used in my new field of choice - being a librarian!
I still hold fast that there is nothing like a good book, but how in this day of modern technology, do you encourage the love of books to the next generation? Social networking sites!

Photos and Media

My analysis of Photos and media was left until last for two reasons:

1. I thought i would struggle with this concept as I have not really had much exposure to adding photos into the Internet
2. I am not entirely comfortable with uploading my photos on-line for no apparent reason. The majority of the photos I have are with family and friends, which I am happy to share with people I know, but the concept of random strangers looking on, I am not OK with.

But I just jumped onto Flickr and I was so amazed at how easy it was!

Wikipedia describes Flick as a site for people to share their images and videos. In 2008 Flickr claims to have over 3 billion images.

Flickr was VERY easy to access apart from the fact I had to sign up for a yahoo account (not happy! One more e-mail address to update!)
Once I was in, it was super easy to figure out how to download a series of pictures in one go! The photos I chose were of my last trip to Egypt and some of the more amazing shots (without friends and family in the pics!)
I was also impressed to see the order of importance for Flickr when it comes to our photos. It asked first if I wanted to have them accessible publicly or just for friends and family! I chose friends for now.
It then asked me to write a description below my pics and tags (learning to LOVE tags!)

Other areas I like about Flickr is that is suggests linking to my social bookmarking site (so I don't need to remember the site when I am on another computer).

My friends must be sick to death of me by now trying to sign them up to so many different social sites! Yes, I can invite friends onto my Flikr!
Every e-mail I send begins with a standard Flickr response "I want to share my Flickr photostream with you. If you get bored of that, there's loads of other things to see there too." Fabulous!
Otherwise you can make your own snazzy invites!

Flickr does offer more than just downloading photos, but again it takes time to set-up and organise to fully appreciate Flickr

Adding Value?
Yes, really enjoyed the ease of Flickr and I think it will be the site I use to download my photos the next time I go away on a holiday, as it is user friendly and I can invite the people I want to view my pics.

Other Media...
You Tube
I do not have an account on YouTube but I do use it to watch movie previews and music video clips. I have viewed a few video clips people have mashed together (parts of a movie/TV show with music over the top) and people are created, but at the same time people have far too much time on their hands to put these things together and upload.

Mashups

Before reading through my assignment requirements I had no idea what a mashup was, after reading about them, I don't know if I could have a conversation with someone about the ins and outs of mashups but is what I have figured out...

Wikipedia says: In web development, a mashup is a Web application that combines data from one or more sources into a single integrated tool. The term Mashup implies easy, fast integration, frequently done by access to open APIs and data sources to produce results that were not the original reason for producing the raw source data. An example of a mashup is the use of cartographic data from Google Maps to add location information to real estate data, thereby creating a new and distinct Web service that was not originally provided by either source.

Going back to my idea of learning new uses for Google Maps, I understand to a degree where the mashup notion comes into play, I have yet to master the ability to mash-it-up on Google Maps.

And example of a mashup that could be use to me besides Google Maps is Travature.
Travature is a site about travellers for travellers, that strives to give unbiased information about places you are considering travelling to.
It combines the ability to check for flights and airfares, with travel guides in an editable wiki-fashion, an area to review and give feedback on sites, places, etc. and has connections to MySpace and Orkut (which if I am correct is a networking sites about restaurants!).
My favourite part of Travature is that it is iPhone savvy which for people like me, is fantastic as I love the many 'iApps' on my phone as they in theory improve my life, Travature appeals to my love of travelling.

A potential mashup?
I have searched through several mashups to further my understanding about what they are and what they offer, which I have found interesting, but there is always room for more...
My ideal mashup site would be one on Web 2.0 social applications, that would link to the majority of the social networks available, links how to use them to their full capacity, reviews from users as to why they are the best option and ideally the application can be downloaded onto my iPhone!

Adding Value?
I like the concept of mashups (now I know what they represent), and I hope to start using other mashup sites, as I am person who enjoys convenience, and if I have sites that I can view and 'get things done,' through one site, it would ultimately cut down the time I would need to google search topics like my next trip overseas, when I can do it through one site!

Maps

For a number of years now I have always enjoyed using sites on WWW to get directions when I am not sure where I am going.

I do not however have a Sat Nav and rarely use the Maps option on my iPhone to get places, I am still a Melways girl through and through.
However... maps sites on the Internet have always proven useful to me.

It shows the line of travel, as well as directs you (usually) very efficiently, street by street and also give the number of minutes/hours it will take to get you to your destination.
I have used Google Maps before, usually when I am looking up the same type of place in the same area - such as a day spa , hotel hairdresser, and it can show in one suburb where each one is located.

I spent 2 hours this morning trying to figure out how to link my maps to my blog space and I struggled, as I did not find I was achieving what was required in the topic with Google Maps, however I did keep searching and I did it!

See below my map from Melb to QLD - my last holiday in Feb
View Larger Map

So YEY! I successfully embedded my image onto my blog!
I think now thinking back I was over thinking it, and the more I am learning not just about embedding, but about 2.0 web sites is that they are there to help, not hinder the way we communicate.

Adding Value? Google maps has always been a site I use and enjoy using, so I will quite happily use the site and even try to learn more of its features.

Bookmarking with Diigo

The next interesting idea is bookmarking.

My other team member, Daniel looked at Del.icio.us, so I decided to look at the ins and outs of Diigo.
I signed up to Diigo (I have been doing a lot of signing up lately!) and had a look around..

Points of Interest:
I can do the following with the site...

• Add websites under my log-in that I can access on any computer so long as I am logged in under my account. As well as just add the website I can add my own "notes" about the site, and can go into as much or as little detail as I feel I require to help me later on explain the website.
• You can add 'tags' to help identify what the website might be about to an outsider and potentially help me, the bookmark user know what and why I have bookmarked that website.
• I can also "preview the website" I have bookmarked, which I like as a visual stimulus if you forget what it is...

As well as...

• Put together a "list" of my favorite bookmarks (as such) that I can share with people
• Add my "friends" from my e-mail account - not something I am looking at doing just yet...
• Download my "bookmarks" from other book marking sites I may be signed up to such as Del.icio.us.
• Link the site up to my Facebook for easier access

Area I am struggling with...

• Thinking of websites to add to the site as I don't use many on a regular basis that are not work related.
• Finding the correct site address - If I don;t have them written down somewhere, I have to search for them!
• Sharing with groups - I don't have any "Friends" on Diigo yet! I also have yet to meet people on on Diigo to share my sites with

It seems there is a lot more to Diigo that if I was interested in spending the time on a bookmarking website, Diigo would be it, but I don't think it would not be useful without a large number of bookmarks.

Diigo versus EndNote...

Diigo has a lot of similarities to EndNote, with it's ability to add as much or as little detail about a bookmark for future use. It also has the ability to preview bookmarks through 'tags,' about what the bookmark is about, again similar to EndNote.

Does it add value...

When I first thought about bookmarking, I knew very little and had already jumped to a conclusion that it what not be worth my while... After having read Daniel's report on Del.icio.us, I understood the positive side to bookmarking on-line as it is a handy tool to access on any computer, therefore not restricting you to one computer.

I believe, given the time, Diigo could be a valuable tool for me, both for future school subjects and possibly to keep all of my sites of interest in one place.

Social Networking Part 3 - Shelfari

After investigating several social networking sites, I realised that one of the regular sites I like to visit is considered a social networking site! OK, so I'm learning!

Shelfari - "the premier social network for people who love books," is a fabulous website I was introduced to last June by a friend who like myself, has a love of books.

When you sign up to Shelfari you create yourself a 'shelf,' where you download titles and pictures of books you have read, want to read and are currently reading, for the viewing pleasure of others on the same site.
You can also invite friends to be members via your various e-mail accounts, and you can join "groups" that discuss general topics on books and life as well as author and book specific. You can also receive e-mails from Shelfari requesting your reviews on certain books you have read.

I really enjoy using Shelfari, as I can keep track of the books I am reading, I can make a note of the books I want to read, plus I can discover new authors and books.

I probably don't really use Shelfari to it's full potential as I do not really interact with many people or groups on the site, but I like the idea of my own virtual shelf of books that people can view and ultimately learn a little about me, the authors I like and the books I want to read. The books I choose and read show a lot about who I am or where I am in my life, and people on Shelfari would understand that a lot more than my friends on on other social networking websites.

Being topic specific, this social networking website is not a site for everyone, so when inviting your friends to be part of this site, I suggest you stop and think, 'would this be a good site for [insert friend's name here]?' because if they are not the reading type, it is not really something that may hold their attention.

So does Shelfari add value to my life? Before I started in on my new course and new career path, Shelfari was fun and appealed to my passion for books in the virtual world, and now it is helping me learn about Social Networking and showing me a positive site for books and possibly librarians on the World Wide Web.

Investigating social networks have been interesting and I have found (through Wikipedia) a series of topic specific sites that could be a lot of fun, so when I get some time, I think I will get myself onto another one that is more in-line with what I like or am passionate about instead of a general one.

Social Networking Part 2 - Twitter

In my first blog on Social Networking I talked about Facebook and how I am not only a member and have been for a while, I enjoy the ease and the ability to communicate with friends and family all over the world.

Knowing how to use Facebook, I went exploring and found myself curious about 'Twitter,' as again, everyone was talking about it, radio stations, and celebrities alike, so I thought, what's the big deal?

So I signed up to Twitter...
Wikipedia describes Twitter as: Twitter is a social networking and micro-blogging service that enables its users to send and read other users' updates known as tweets. Tweets are text-based posts of up to 140 characters in length...
Or In the words of one radio station host on Nova last night - a poor man's Facebook.

So why would I get onto Twitter and give 140 character length description of what i am doing now, later or ever? Twitter to me should have been developed BEFORE Facebook, so you learn to talk about yourself in brief sentences, then you can move onto Facebook and expand to 'Wall-to-wall' and e-mails.
Or is Twitter simplifying Facebook for people who find too hard to maintain?

I think I could learn to appreciate Twitter, but unless I have friends on there to 'tweet' to (yes, tweet is an acceptable use of wording(!?), I don't think it would hold my attention. I did find about 3 people I actually knew, which also surprised me, Twitter is one of the most talked about sites at the moment, so I assumed I was yet again the last to jump on the band wagon, when in fact in my circle of friends.

So instead of asking friends to follow my tweets, I am in turn following other people's tweets. Stephen Fry as recommended by another student in class, and Tori Amos to name a few (well there really are only a few), and when it came to the crunch I couldn't find many famous people I liked who were on Twitter. Maybe this is what it feels when you are one of the first to climb Mount Everest, it is very exciting, but also lonely waiting for everyone else to catch up...?

The question I have also asked myself about Twitter is this, 'Am I just delving more into the world of voyeurism?' Does following peoples Tweets make me nothing more than a nosey, peeping-Erin? And wouldn't following celebrities tweets encourage nothing more than our inner-stalkers? The same haunting feeling about Facebook can be translated to Twitter, are we sharing too much of ourselves to strangers?

So I have decided that moving forward and reviewing various 2.0 applications (as per the requirement of this blog), I am going to conclude with, does this application add value to my life?
Twitter is yet again another amazingly easy application to use, but with the lack of actual friends on the site and the limitations it puts on what you can do, I don't think I Twitter adds value to my life or time on the Internet.