Yay! I finally made it!
I have to say, contrary to what I thought in the beginning, a lot of these activities were fun and interesting. Some things were not new to me but some of them were. I think my favorite discovery was the Google Reader and learning how to follow RSS feeds. I had no idea that you could consolidate your blog-reading to one location like that. It's a huge time-saver and actually more simple than I thought at first.
In terms of using the skills I've learned in the library, the most useful discovery was finding out about some of the amazingly helpful text-to-speech capabilities of some of the databases that we already have in our virtual library. This is something that will be incredibly helpful to our ESL students and I plan on showing it to them every chance I get.
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I think the one regret about this is that I didn't have the time to work on these week-to-week and instead had to work on them in spurts. It was really fun and informative, but I think I would have gotten a lot more out of each thing if I could have worked on them one at a time. If I had, I would have been able focus more on each task and really immersing myself in it instead of having to jump right into the next one.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Podcasts
1. Find a podcast that interests you: My favorite podcast is the This American Life podcast from National Public Radio. Next to This American Life, the best podcast there is, would have to be, The New Yorker's Fiction podcast. I also really enjoy Motion Traxx podcast which is upbeat music for working out!
For this excercise, I listened to The New Yorker's Fiction podcast. The episode I listened to was called Salvatore Scibona reads Denis Johnson's "Two Men." Denis Johnson is not an author I am used to, but listening to this has made me want to become more familiar with his work. Generally, I find listening to the podcasts from The New Yorker and This American Life especially completely and utterly engaging and relaxing at the same time. This was no exception.
2. Can you add the RSS feed for the podcast to your iTunes or Google Reader account?
I was able to add the RSS feed for This American Life to my Google Reader account fairly quickly which I was very proud of considering it had been a while, since I'd even looked at my google reader account.
3. Are you new to podcasts, or are you a regular listener?
I wouldn't call myself a regular listener. But I'm definitely not new to them.
For this excercise, I listened to The New Yorker's Fiction podcast. The episode I listened to was called Salvatore Scibona reads Denis Johnson's "Two Men." Denis Johnson is not an author I am used to, but listening to this has made me want to become more familiar with his work. Generally, I find listening to the podcasts from The New Yorker and This American Life especially completely and utterly engaging and relaxing at the same time. This was no exception.
2. Can you add the RSS feed for the podcast to your iTunes or Google Reader account?
I was able to add the RSS feed for This American Life to my Google Reader account fairly quickly which I was very proud of considering it had been a while, since I'd even looked at my google reader account.
3. Are you new to podcasts, or are you a regular listener?
I wouldn't call myself a regular listener. But I'm definitely not new to them.
Mashups.
Tagging and Social Bookmarking
* Can you see the potential of this tool for research assistance?
I've used tags and delicious before, and I definitely can see the potential for a tool like this for research assistance. It reminds me a lot of the link collections that we use in our libguides, but it adds and extra little something that is really good for users. The fact that you can see how many other people have bookmarked a site is very informative and useful. Additionally, the ability to see potentially related tags that can lead you to potentially relevant links, is also unique and helpful.
* Does your library have a social bookmark collection?
Currently we don't. But we do have libguides!
I've used tags and delicious before, and I definitely can see the potential for a tool like this for research assistance. It reminds me a lot of the link collections that we use in our libguides, but it adds and extra little something that is really good for users. The fact that you can see how many other people have bookmarked a site is very informative and useful. Additionally, the ability to see potentially related tags that can lead you to potentially relevant links, is also unique and helpful.
* Does your library have a social bookmark collection?
Currently we don't. But we do have libguides!
Multimedia
# What did you like or dislike about YouTube?
I like that you can easily find videos that are related to the current video you're watching because sometimes you wouldn't normally find those videos in a search. So that's very handy. I don't like that the site can sometimes be hard to navigate. At one point I was trying to find an embed link for the video but I didn't realize I was on someone's profile page and not on the video page. So that was a little confusing. But I eventually figured it out.
# Could you find any video created by academic libraries?
I was already aware of the Old Spice parody that BYU did, so I've seen that one on youtube. But I also found, a whole series called "The Library Minute" that are put out by Arizona State University. They're fun an informative. Here's an example:
# Why did you choose the video that you selected for your blog?
I chose the first video for my blog because I thought it was unique. It's an advertisement for a book series, that has not yet been adapted to television or the big screen. This person took video, images, and sound, from unrelated media such as tv and movies, and made an advertisement for the popular book series, The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins, which is a series, that we hold in our library at Germanna.
# Can you see any features or components of the site that might be interesting if they were applied to library websites?
I really liked those ASU videos. They're short, fun, informative, and would hold students attention. If our library were to get a YouTube account, and make video tutorials such as the ASU tutorials, I think that would be very beneficial to our students.
Audiobooks
* What did you think of Farrell's article?
The article was very informative about the types of files that are the most user-friendly. It made me realize, that the VCCS is very lucky to to have Overdrive, because when looking at the side-by-side comparison, it seems best choice for audiobooks. At least in my opinion.
* Did you try an online audiobook provider other than Overdrive? Which one?
I actually tried Project Gutenberg because I've directed students there on numerous occasions and because I've already used OverDrive for audiobooks and movies in the past. Project Gutenberg audio books are all public domain works and they are recorded by volunteers.
* Do you know of any audiobook questions or feedback from users at your college?
The only feedback that I can really speak about is that when students find out that they can download audiobooks for free using overdrive, they are always very excited. I actually haven't had any students come back and report their experiences, so I don't have any feedback from students who have actually used the database.
The article was very informative about the types of files that are the most user-friendly. It made me realize, that the VCCS is very lucky to to have Overdrive, because when looking at the side-by-side comparison, it seems best choice for audiobooks. At least in my opinion.
* Did you try an online audiobook provider other than Overdrive? Which one?
I actually tried Project Gutenberg because I've directed students there on numerous occasions and because I've already used OverDrive for audiobooks and movies in the past. Project Gutenberg audio books are all public domain works and they are recorded by volunteers.
* Do you know of any audiobook questions or feedback from users at your college?
The only feedback that I can really speak about is that when students find out that they can download audiobooks for free using overdrive, they are always very excited. I actually haven't had any students come back and report their experiences, so I don't have any feedback from students who have actually used the database.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Thing Eighteen: Social Cataloging
Which application did you choose? Are you new to social cataloging?
I'm fairly new to social cataloging. I recently had created a personal goodreads account for myself. I hadn't got past listing a few book that I've read and listing a few books that I want to read. I did this maybe a month or so ago. The only time I've gone to the site since first signing up, however, is when an author of one of the books on my "to-read" list sent me a message about signed copies of his book being offered at his website for sale. If I was more actively reading at the moment, I think this would be more useful to me. My blog title "Not that Bookish" isn't just for laughs, you know! :)
I'm fairly new to social cataloging. I recently had created a personal goodreads account for myself. I hadn't got past listing a few book that I've read and listing a few books that I want to read. I did this maybe a month or so ago. The only time I've gone to the site since first signing up, however, is when an author of one of the books on my "to-read" list sent me a message about signed copies of his book being offered at his website for sale. If I was more actively reading at the moment, I think this would be more useful to me. My blog title "Not that Bookish" isn't just for laughs, you know! :)
Thing Seventeen: E-books
What do you think of PsycBooks?
I think it's excellent that we now have another e-book source for our students. I also think it's helpful that the sections seem to be broken down into individual PDFs which makes them a little bit more manageable. Although I do think there would be some benefits to being able to search the entire book at one time, so it's not a 100% improvement.
Are e-books the wave of the future? An aesthetically-challenged plot to empty your wallet? A wild west frontier?
I don't think that e-books will ever phase out the real thing. I think if that was going to happen, news websites would have already made newspapers and magazines obsolete. Sure, print press has gone through a lot of rough times recently, but I think that we're still really in the process of finding a balance between the two. So far, no technology has been able to replace the book or magazine that you can hold in your hand and flip through. I don't think they will ever come up with something that will manage to do so.
Are e-books popular with your students?
Some, yes. And some, no. Some students would rather hang out in a pit viper den than read an e-book, and I can totally understand where they're coming from. Other students are more adventurous and will try them anyway. They find them beneficial because they're convenient and they don't have to pay for them or even leave the house to check them out.
Do you own a dedicated e-book reader such as the Amazon Kindle or Barnes & Noble Nook? If so, what do you think of it?
No, I don't but I think it would be fun to try one. I am not sure how practical they would be though, to be honest. I think if there were a "netflix"-like subscription-based service that people could use to "rent" current e-books more easily, then it would be more of something that might become of practical use.
I think it's excellent that we now have another e-book source for our students. I also think it's helpful that the sections seem to be broken down into individual PDFs which makes them a little bit more manageable. Although I do think there would be some benefits to being able to search the entire book at one time, so it's not a 100% improvement.
Are e-books the wave of the future? An aesthetically-challenged plot to empty your wallet? A wild west frontier?
I don't think that e-books will ever phase out the real thing. I think if that was going to happen, news websites would have already made newspapers and magazines obsolete. Sure, print press has gone through a lot of rough times recently, but I think that we're still really in the process of finding a balance between the two. So far, no technology has been able to replace the book or magazine that you can hold in your hand and flip through. I don't think they will ever come up with something that will manage to do so.
Are e-books popular with your students?
Some, yes. And some, no. Some students would rather hang out in a pit viper den than read an e-book, and I can totally understand where they're coming from. Other students are more adventurous and will try them anyway. They find them beneficial because they're convenient and they don't have to pay for them or even leave the house to check them out.
Do you own a dedicated e-book reader such as the Amazon Kindle or Barnes & Noble Nook? If so, what do you think of it?
No, I don't but I think it would be fun to try one. I am not sure how practical they would be though, to be honest. I think if there were a "netflix"-like subscription-based service that people could use to "rent" current e-books more easily, then it would be more of something that might become of practical use.
Thing Sixteen: Creative Commons
Do you think it is worthwhile to include information about Creative Commons licensing in library instruction?
I think if there are sources out that that are as useful as flickr in that the rules about what can and can't be done with a work are very clearly spelled out, that this may be something we want to tell our patrons about. I can't really see a practical use at the moment, but possibly in the future it may be something that will become useful.
Would you consider sharing original content under a Creative Commons license? Why or why not?
Sure. You can specify pretty directly how you want your original content to be used so the creative commons is easily able to tailor to your own preferences.
Thing Fifteen: Screencasting
What question does your screencast address?
I created a tutorial on how to request an interlibrary loan from our library's website.
Why did you select the tool you used?
I selected screentoaster.com because it seemed easy to use and because you didn't have to download or install any software. Because I work on the library floor I was not able to record any narration, but I modified that by typing my instructions in a word document. I was surprised at how fast and easy it was to use, to be honest. I did have to record the tutorial a couple of times though because I messed up a bit so it might be worth it to note that a little bit of practice might be useful beforehand.
Thing Fourteen: Online Surveys
What kind of library data could you collect with one of these tools?
I thing that the surveys are by far the most useful tool in google docs for this particular library. We could gather all sorts of information from students and patrons using these forms. It was very fast, easy, and the layouts are very attractive. It's also very simple for subjects to fill out.
Thing Thirteen: Document Sharing
Create and share a document of your choice with the world:
23 Things Spreadsheet at Google Docs
What kind of document did you create? Did you allow anyone else to edit your document?
I created a spreadsheet to document my progress with the 23 things program. This is a log where I can keep track of which of the things I have completed and where to find the proof of that. [A blog, or other link, if applicable.] I did not allow others to edit it.
How could you use Google Docs in your library?
I think the best way to use it would probably be to use it with work studies so that we could easily share documents with them since they don't have access to our shared drive.
23 Things Spreadsheet at Google Docs
What kind of document did you create? Did you allow anyone else to edit your document?
I created a spreadsheet to document my progress with the 23 things program. This is a log where I can keep track of which of the things I have completed and where to find the proof of that. [A blog, or other link, if applicable.] I did not allow others to edit it.
How could you use Google Docs in your library?
I think the best way to use it would probably be to use it with work studies so that we could easily share documents with them since they don't have access to our shared drive.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Thing Eleven : Shortening a URL
What links did you choose? How would the ability to shorten links come in handy with students?
I have used http://is.gd, http://bit.ly, and http://ow.ly to shorten links in the past.
Recently I shortened the following link for our library twitter acccount:
http://www.andybrain.com/archive/journey_to_the_center_of_an_ebook.htm
The shortened link was much more manageable, especially for linking to something in a tweet, as you can see:
http://is.gd/ds7pp
If you are able to utilize html links that can be shortened such as this, then I don't think link shorteners should be recommended. As one of the other 23 Things bloggers mentioned, people like to know what they're getting into when they click a link. However, if you're using a tool, like twitter, a facebook page such as our school's facebook page, and space and html-use is limited, URL shorteners are very useful for these instances. Otherwise, I don't see the benefit in them.
I have used http://is.gd, http://bit.ly, and http://ow.ly to shorten links in the past.
Recently I shortened the following link for our library twitter acccount:
http://www.andybrain.com/archive/journey_to_the_center_of_an_ebook.htm
The shortened link was much more manageable, especially for linking to something in a tweet, as you can see:
http://is.gd/ds7pp
If you are able to utilize html links that can be shortened such as this, then I don't think link shorteners should be recommended. As one of the other 23 Things bloggers mentioned, people like to know what they're getting into when they click a link. However, if you're using a tool, like twitter, a facebook page such as our school's facebook page, and space and html-use is limited, URL shorteners are very useful for these instances. Otherwise, I don't see the benefit in them.
Things Ten: Searching Twitter & Tweeting
What do you think of Twitter as a research tool?
Searching twitter is both useful and sometimes confusing. Twitter is always going to be about what is happening right now -- and in that way, it can be useful for current events, finding out what people are saying or thinking about what is going on, what links people are sharing to interesting blogs, commentaries, or news articles, etc. But essentially, it's too transient to be very useful for anything that is not occurring at this very moment in time.
Who did you follow? Did any one follow you?
We currently use twitter for our library here @germannalibrary. We have only thirty followers -- which is not much considering the amount of promoting and mentioning we do of our account. Hopefully we'll get some more in the fall. We follow twitter feeds such as:
@ALALibrary
@mental_floss
@GermannaCC
@TwitrLit
@librarybeat
@LibraryJournal
and several others.
Searching twitter is both useful and sometimes confusing. Twitter is always going to be about what is happening right now -- and in that way, it can be useful for current events, finding out what people are saying or thinking about what is going on, what links people are sharing to interesting blogs, commentaries, or news articles, etc. But essentially, it's too transient to be very useful for anything that is not occurring at this very moment in time.
Who did you follow? Did any one follow you?
We currently use twitter for our library here @germannalibrary. We have only thirty followers -- which is not much considering the amount of promoting and mentioning we do of our account. Hopefully we'll get some more in the fall. We follow twitter feeds such as:
@ALALibrary
@mental_floss
@GermannaCC
@TwitrLit
@librarybeat
@LibraryJournal
and several others.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Thing Nine: Photos and Images
Desk friend.
More Desk Friends
A useful tool.
Do you see a use for Flickr in your library?
I definitely think that flickr is an easy way to upload and host images and would be very useful for our library if we need to post images quickly without having to go through the trouble of getting them hosted at our website.
Thing Seven: Slidecasting
10 attitudes of successful workers
View more presentations from notthatbookish.
How did you put it together?
This was put together in powerpoint a couple of weeks ago for some training at Germanna.
Do you see a use for slidecasting in your library?
Right now we are working with a program called Camtastia which does at least a couple of the same things that slidecasting would do. I feel that slidecasting has some bigger limitations though. However, I think that slidecasting may be beneficial in other ways.
Thing Six: Chat
Can you imagine communicating with colleagues or students via chat on a regular basis?
I have used a variety of chat programs. If it is an individual chat where there are only two participants, it is easy to keep up, but if you are ever in an actual chat "room" where there are several participants I find keeping up to be hard, especially because I am fairly long-winded and by the time I've typed something of note the conversation has usually moved on.
Recently, we used a video-chat and text-chat program at work to hold an inter-campus meeting. There was an issue with the sound on my end so I could only chat by typing and not through the video/audio chat. My input was always a little bit later than everyone else's! So it can be tricky at times for sure.
I don't know that I could see chatting with colleagues or students on a regular basis. My job in the library is comprised of a variety of things and I don't think it would be easy to schedule a time when I could be guaranteed to not be away from my desk. If this were not the case, then it may be something beneficial to the library.
I have used a variety of chat programs. If it is an individual chat where there are only two participants, it is easy to keep up, but if you are ever in an actual chat "room" where there are several participants I find keeping up to be hard, especially because I am fairly long-winded and by the time I've typed something of note the conversation has usually moved on.
Recently, we used a video-chat and text-chat program at work to hold an inter-campus meeting. There was an issue with the sound on my end so I could only chat by typing and not through the video/audio chat. My input was always a little bit later than everyone else's! So it can be tricky at times for sure.
I don't know that I could see chatting with colleagues or students on a regular basis. My job in the library is comprised of a variety of things and I don't think it would be easy to schedule a time when I could be guaranteed to not be away from my desk. If this were not the case, then it may be something beneficial to the library.
Thing Five: Wikis
What so you think of the listed examples? Are they functional?
St. Joseph County Public Library Subject Guides, to me, was the most functional of the wikis, and the most helpful.
Is your library using a wiki?
If so, for what function?
If not, what internal projects at your library might benefit from using a wiki?
No we are not. If we did use a wiki, I suppose it could be used for the purposes of hosting LibGuides or for hosting a wiki about how to use our library's web page. I think either of these things would be beneficial and useful.
St. Joseph County Public Library Subject Guides, to me, was the most functional of the wikis, and the most helpful.
Is your library using a wiki?
If so, for what function?
If not, what internal projects at your library might benefit from using a wiki?
No we are not. If we did use a wiki, I suppose it could be used for the purposes of hosting LibGuides or for hosting a wiki about how to use our library's web page. I think either of these things would be beneficial and useful.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Thing Three: Social Networking
If you are already a social or professional network user, how long have you been networking online? Do you use a social network for personal contacts, professional contacts, or both?
Once upon a time I had a MySpace but I closed it down a while ago. I currently have a Facebook, and have had for several years. [I don't know exactly how long.] I have always used these essentially for personal use and not professional. If I had a more extensive resume, perhaps I could see the use of a site like linked in or even facebook. But for now, I don't really have much interest in it. I would probably delete my facebook account if not for the social expectation to have one. People don't really talk to each other anymore. They expect everyone to read their facebook updates instead. I think it's kind of sad, actually. I don't check facebook daily, weekly, or even really monthly. If there's something you need to tell me, I have a phone!
If you were going to set up a social network presence for your library, which service would you choose and why?
Currently we use twitter for our library. I'm not sure the interest is such that I would recommend using a more in-depth social network presence for our library. Twitter is good for us because it is simple and fast and doesn't take up too much time. If our interest is low, at least we will not have wasted a lot of time and resources on the project.
Once upon a time I had a MySpace but I closed it down a while ago. I currently have a Facebook, and have had for several years. [I don't know exactly how long.] I have always used these essentially for personal use and not professional. If I had a more extensive resume, perhaps I could see the use of a site like linked in or even facebook. But for now, I don't really have much interest in it. I would probably delete my facebook account if not for the social expectation to have one. People don't really talk to each other anymore. They expect everyone to read their facebook updates instead. I think it's kind of sad, actually. I don't check facebook daily, weekly, or even really monthly. If there's something you need to tell me, I have a phone!
If you were going to set up a social network presence for your library, which service would you choose and why?
Currently we use twitter for our library. I'm not sure the interest is such that I would recommend using a more in-depth social network presence for our library. Twitter is good for us because it is simple and fast and doesn't take up too much time. If our interest is low, at least we will not have wasted a lot of time and resources on the project.
Thing Two: Setting Up an RSS Reader
How did it go?
I think it went pretty well. I've read blogs in the past, but I've never set up a reader account to subscribe to them. The process of setting it up and adding blogs to the reader was far easier than navigating the site afterward, I thought. Looking through the posts, etc. But it wasn't really that hard once I got into it.
What feeds did you subscribe to?
The Pioneer Woman Cooks!
Recipes, cooking, etc.
My Parents Were Awesome!
People post old photos of their parents taken in the days when the word "cool" really meant something. ;)
Roger Ebert's Journal
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun times critic and all-around inspirational person.
A Librarian's Guide to Etiquette
Modern library humor.
Lunch in a Box
Tips and recipes for bento boxes. Hasn't been updated in a while though. :(
Ill Doctrine: A Hip-Hop Video Blog
The blog of a New York radio jockey.
Was it hard to find something you are interested in?
Not really. But sort of? I couldn't find many library-related blogs I was interested in, but there are hundreds, thousands of blogs out there that I find interesting. I think if you're just finding any old blog that will interest you, it wouldn't be hard. But finding a blog on a particular topic that you like that interests you that is updated with any amount of frequency, then it might be a bit more difficult.
Why did you choose those feeds?
Well the truth is, many of them I already knew about before I set up the google reader!
The Pioneer Woman Cooks!
WHY: She posts amazing, simple, recipes that are so easy to follow in part because of her liberal use of step-by-step photos. My favorite recipe of hers is the Pasta Carbonara, which we've made several times at home and I highly recommend to everyone. Her latest dish, Grilled Chicken with Lemon Basil Pasta looks worth a shot!
My Parents Were Awesome!
WHY: I just thought this one was fun!
Roger Ebert's Journal
WHY: He has a lot of interesting stories to tell and a lot of interesting opinions to express.
A Librarian's Guide to Etiquette
WHY: Everybody needs a little humor right?
Lunch in a Box
WHY: I can always use interesting ideas for my lunch box.
Ill Doctrine: A Hip-Hop Video Blog
WHY: I subscribed to this mainly for his well-spoken, thoughtful, political and pop-culture commentary.
I think it went pretty well. I've read blogs in the past, but I've never set up a reader account to subscribe to them. The process of setting it up and adding blogs to the reader was far easier than navigating the site afterward, I thought. Looking through the posts, etc. But it wasn't really that hard once I got into it.
What feeds did you subscribe to?
The Pioneer Woman Cooks!
Recipes, cooking, etc.
My Parents Were Awesome!
People post old photos of their parents taken in the days when the word "cool" really meant something. ;)
Roger Ebert's Journal
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun times critic and all-around inspirational person.
A Librarian's Guide to Etiquette
Modern library humor.
Lunch in a Box
Tips and recipes for bento boxes. Hasn't been updated in a while though. :(
Ill Doctrine: A Hip-Hop Video Blog
The blog of a New York radio jockey.
Was it hard to find something you are interested in?
Not really. But sort of? I couldn't find many library-related blogs I was interested in, but there are hundreds, thousands of blogs out there that I find interesting. I think if you're just finding any old blog that will interest you, it wouldn't be hard. But finding a blog on a particular topic that you like that interests you that is updated with any amount of frequency, then it might be a bit more difficult.
Why did you choose those feeds?
Well the truth is, many of them I already knew about before I set up the google reader!
The Pioneer Woman Cooks!
WHY: She posts amazing, simple, recipes that are so easy to follow in part because of her liberal use of step-by-step photos. My favorite recipe of hers is the Pasta Carbonara, which we've made several times at home and I highly recommend to everyone. Her latest dish, Grilled Chicken with Lemon Basil Pasta looks worth a shot!
My Parents Were Awesome!
WHY: I just thought this one was fun!
Roger Ebert's Journal
WHY: He has a lot of interesting stories to tell and a lot of interesting opinions to express.
A Librarian's Guide to Etiquette
WHY: Everybody needs a little humor right?
Lunch in a Box
WHY: I can always use interesting ideas for my lunch box.
Ill Doctrine: A Hip-Hop Video Blog
WHY: I subscribed to this mainly for his well-spoken, thoughtful, political and pop-culture commentary.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Week 1: Getting Started
Prompt:
Is 'Web 2.0' being replaced by 'social media' as a buzzword?
I don't really know what 'Web 2.0' is supposed to mean or whether it's literally a technical distinction, but it definitely feels like a buzzword that is tossed around when media-types and others discuss sites such as Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, et al.
I've been around computers since the day I was born in November of 1980. My father has always been extremely "high tech" and always attempted [when we could] to keep up with technologies. There's a picture of me when I'm about 2 or 3 years old with a keyboard the size of a toaster oven [give or take] sitting on a computer desk behind me in our living room in Alaska. [If I find it, I'll try to scan and post it.] As long as I can remember they've always been a part of my life.
Similarly, for me, the "social/creative/interactive" parts of 'Web 2.0' have always been a part of my web experiences. Sure, the technology has changed, but the spirit and the idea behind those things that comprise this supposedly 'new Web 2.0' world we're living in are not all that unfamiliar to me and haven't been for some time.
For example, blogging sites have been around for a very long time. Blogger and Live Journal both sprang into existance in 1999 -- that was eleven years ago. And long before that there were message boards that utilized nested replies and were a way for people to stay in touch, to foster a community, or to simply start a conversation.
And even before that, there was Usenet, which was launched in the year 1980 and is surely the mother of all social media and 'Web 2.0' sites everywhere.
I wouldn't ever say that 'Web 2.0' is a fad, though the term itself may be. But I will say that the ideas behind what 'Web 2.0' stands for, interaction, creativity, user participation, and social networking, are not exactly 'new' ideas at all. They have simply evolved and are now presented in a different way.
Is 'Web 2.0' being replaced by 'social media' as a buzzword?
I don't really know what 'Web 2.0' is supposed to mean or whether it's literally a technical distinction, but it definitely feels like a buzzword that is tossed around when media-types and others discuss sites such as Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, et al.
I've been around computers since the day I was born in November of 1980. My father has always been extremely "high tech" and always attempted [when we could] to keep up with technologies. There's a picture of me when I'm about 2 or 3 years old with a keyboard the size of a toaster oven [give or take] sitting on a computer desk behind me in our living room in Alaska. [If I find it, I'll try to scan and post it.] As long as I can remember they've always been a part of my life.
Similarly, for me, the "social/creative/interactive" parts of 'Web 2.0' have always been a part of my web experiences. Sure, the technology has changed, but the spirit and the idea behind those things that comprise this supposedly 'new Web 2.0' world we're living in are not all that unfamiliar to me and haven't been for some time.
For example, blogging sites have been around for a very long time. Blogger and Live Journal both sprang into existance in 1999 -- that was eleven years ago. And long before that there were message boards that utilized nested replies and were a way for people to stay in touch, to foster a community, or to simply start a conversation.
And even before that, there was Usenet, which was launched in the year 1980 and is surely the mother of all social media and 'Web 2.0' sites everywhere.
I wouldn't ever say that 'Web 2.0' is a fad, though the term itself may be. But I will say that the ideas behind what 'Web 2.0' stands for, interaction, creativity, user participation, and social networking, are not exactly 'new' ideas at all. They have simply evolved and are now presented in a different way.
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