Library
March 2007 -- Web 2.0
"MySpace is now the world's sixth most popular website, with approximately 158 million users"
(Alexa Internet, 28 Feb. 2007).
"Text is often said to be unilinear ... Digital text is different" (Wesch 2007, YouTube).
Want to see what all the hype over "Web 2.0" is about? Want to create a "blog," map your photos online, and share it all with old friends you haven't seen in years? The many tools below, most free, all available online, can help you get started today!
| Web Browsers | Online Documents | RSS & Feed Readers | Photos | Videos | Social Web- networking sites |
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Microsoft Internet Explorer 7
The latest version of Microsoft's ubiquitous browser, IE7 features tabbed browsing, easy access to RSS feeds, and (according to Microsoft) a more secure internet experience.
(Free, requires download, Windows required)
Firefox 2
This free, open-source web browser is offered by Mozilla, and was an "Editor's Choice" by both PC Magazine and C|Net in 2006. Firefox offers tabbed browsing, automatic RSS feed detection, and the ability to add-on customized tools to personalize your internet browsing-- see below.
(Free, requires download, Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, multiple languages)
Greasemonkey: Add features to Firefox
Greasemonkey is a downloadable feature for Firefox that allows users to choose "custom features" that other users have created (called "scripts") and install these features on their own browser. For example, with Greasemonkey you can add a feature to Firefox that automatically spellchecks anything you type, a feature that shows you only the parts of a MySpace page you want to see, or a feature that allows you to see if the titles you're finding at Amazon.com are at your local library! (Free, Firefox required)
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Online Documents-- Create, Store, and Share!
OpenOffice 2.1
"OpenOffice.org is a multiplatform and multilingual office suite ... an open-source project ... [and] compatible with all other major office suites" [For example, this program will open and read both Microsoft Word and WordPerfect documents!] From the program's website. (Free, requires download, Windows, Mac OS X, Linux)
Google Docs and Spreadsheets
A combination of the Google spreadsheet beta project and the online writing tool formerly known as "Writerly," this online application allows users to create text and spreadsheet documents online and share the ability to make changes to the document with other users they invite. Best of all, this tool saves "earlier" versions of the document and allows you to switch back and forth as desired. (Free, requires account creation)
Wiki (definition)- Wikipedia
A 'wiki' "is a website that allows the visitors themselves to easily add, remove, and otherwise edit and change available content, typically without the need for registration." Find out all about wikis (including Wikipedia itself!) here.
WetPaint: Create your own wiki
"Free click-and-type wikis you can share with like-minded people," WetPaint has a simple click-and-choose interface that allows users to quickly create online shared websites (wikis) or a more traditional website that only the creator can edit.
Blogger: Create your blog now!
A free service that allows users to setup and post to their own weblog. Now owned by Google. (Free, requires account creation)
Technorati Tag-Creator for Blogger
A Greasemonkey script that allows users to add subject "tags" to their blog posts so that past entries can be sorted by topic. (Free, requires Blogger, Greasemonkey, and Firefox)
LiveJournal
Another blog/online journal creation site, LiveJournal provides pre-formatted designs for their journals; the ability to add and track "friends"; entries that can be dated, tagged and commented on by others; customizable icons; and more. (Basic accounts are free, requires account creation)
Google Blog Search
Search for blogs using the Google interface we all know and love.
Technorati
Search blogs by topic, see what's popular in the blogosphere, and rank post results by relative internet "authority."
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Feed your Information Need-- RSS & Feed Readers
What is RSS?
RSS-- Wikipedia
"Users of RSS content use programs called feed 'readers' or 'aggregators': the user 'subscribes' to a feed by supplying to their reader a link to the feed; the reader can then check the user's subscribed feeds to see if any of those feeds have new content since the last time it checked, and if so, retrieve that content and present it to the user." Read more about RSS feeds at Wikipedia.
RSS Readers and Tools
Bloglines
This feed reader will allow you to pull together news, blog posts, email listservs, movie times, weather, and more onto one page that updates automatically. (Free, requires account creation)
Using Bloglines (or, how to keep up with dozens of blogs everyday)
Use Bloglines to gather all of your favorite news, professional, and blog sites in one place. This in-depth "how-to" guide will walk you through the process, complete with pictures of each step!
Google Reader
Another RSS feed reader, the Google version allows you to easily "star" and "share" selected items with others. Also features a "one-click" option for subscribing to any RSS feed-- simply click on the RSS icon, and Google Reader will ask if you want to add the site to your subscription list. (Free, requires account creation)
Favorite Theater RSS Feed Generator
"Do you have a favorite theater? This page harnesses the power of Google to find theaters in your area and generate an RSS feed of the movies currently playing there. The feed will update to indicate when the theater changes their lineup or showtimes." (Free)
FeedYes!
FeedYes! walks the user through a simple four-step process to create RSS feeds for websites that do not provide their own. (Free, requires account creation)
UCC Library Monthly Feature Feed 
An example of a FeedYes! RSS created from the UCC Library Monthly Features page! Click on the RSS icon above to subscribe to this feed!
Feedster
Feedster allows you to search for your chosen subject and then subscribe to the results with your RSS feed reader. Whenever something new is published on the same topic, you'll receive it automatically in your subscriptions list. (Free)
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Photos-- Share, Store, Shift, and Show Off!
Wikimedia Commons
"A database of 1,198,770 media files to which anyone can contribute" from the same group that manages Wikipedia and its sister-sites. (Free)
Flickr
Flickr is an online digital photograph management system, with two goals: "1. We want to help people make their photos available to the people who matter to them. [and] 2. We want to enable new ways of organizing photos." Upload photos, share them with friends, family, and others, use uploaded images to create other works such as photo maps and mosaics! (Free, requires account creation)
Guide to Flickr Tools
A brief list and review of several tools available to help users manage, manipulate, and mashup their Flickr photo collections (February 2007).
The Great Flickr Tools Collection
A constantly-updated listing of all the free online tools available for use with Flickr (February 2007).
Retrievr
Remember what that photo looked like, but not its name? Retrievr lets you search Flickr by drawing what you're looking for on a palette to the left of the screen, which the search engine then uses to display thumbnails of similar photos. Very cool! (Free, probably requires Javascript)
Flickr Maps
See and search Flickr photos through an interface that allows you to see where in the world the photo comes from with an interactive map. Try it out to best see what we mean. (Free)
Captioner!
Use this online tool to add non-permanent captions to ANY online photo! (Free)
Flickr Backup
Are you a converted Flickr user, but worry about the day that the great EMP wipes out all your carefully hoarded photos online? Worry no more! Flickr Backup is a program that allows you to instantly "backup" your Flickr collections to a harddrive or disc. (Free, download required)
Online Video-- YouTube killed the movie star?
YouTube and Google Video
Watch short video clips online, add comments, recommend videos to others, upload your own! Both of these sites are owned by Google. (Free, uploading requires account creation)
The Social Web-- Portals, Communication, the Virtual World
MySpace
You probably know all about MySpace already: an online social-networking site that allows you to do everything from add friends to follow music groups. According to current reports, MySpace is the sixth most popular website in the entire world in any language. (Free, requires account creation)
Facebook
"Facebook is a social utility that connects you with the people around you... made up of many networks, each based around a company, region, high school or college." Use Facebook's "course-linking" ability to see who's online and in the same classes as you. (Free, requires institutional email address (ucclife) for account creation)
GMail
Need a web-based email client, or a place to store documents and files online? Gmail is an email service that comes with over 1000 MB of storage, provided by the folks at Google. (Free, requires account creation)
Massively Multiplayer Online Games-- Wikipedia
"A Massively Multiplayer Online Game (MMOG or MMO) is a computer game which is capable of supporting hundreds or thousands of players simultaneously, and is played on the Internet. Typically, this type of game is played in a giant persistent world." Find out more at this article from Wikipedia.
Second Life
Linden Lab's official website for this MMOG states: "Second Life is a 3D online digital world imagined, created, and owned by its residents." Users can create virtual avatars (which may or may not appear human) and play in this online environment for a monthly fee. (Subscription fee required)
Second Life at a Glance: vital statistics
This online article from Wired magazine presents the vital statistics of Second Life at a glance from Wired's "embedded Second Life reporter."
Second Life Library 2.0
The official weblog of the world's first completely virtual 3D library, from the American Library Association and its InfoIsland volunteers.
Second Life criticism: Too Good to be True?
Is Second Life Headed for a Currency Collapse?
While Second Life has been receiving lots of positive press, there are dissenting views as well.
Umpqua Community College is an equal opportunity educator and employer.
This page last updated 02-01-07.