last but not least

I have completed the last exploration and must say, that although I started out reluctantly, and with very little knowledge of Web 2.0, once I got started, I enjoyed learning about these new technologies. I did need more that the posted suggested time to explore all the variables of each exploration, and had to do some at home. However, in the end, I am very glad I had the opportunity to learn about sites and activities that are being used and talked about daily.

The video we watched in Exploration 1 became much clearer and I can see where 2.0 continues to evolve daily. I enjoyed exploring the web 2.0 winners site, and found more that I hadn't heard of at all, so that exposed me to more interactive tools. I thought wetpaint.com was interesting because it combines features of a wiki, blog, social networking sites and forums. This could be useful for some patrons who would like it all in one location, or who might find it easier this way. I did recognize a few sites, like Craigslist, Monster, and Careerbuilder. I have come a long way, and my exploration is far from over, but I think I got a good start with this assignment.

stiki wiki

I spent quite a while exploring wikis today. I can see where they could be useful in a business setting, especially ones with multiple locations. The staffs could collaborate on any number of projects, programs, meeting topics and who's bringing what for snack to a face to face meeting.

Library websites can be set up so that patrons could add book reviews or comment about a book they have read. These personal thoughts on a book can be included with professional reviews.
The library system could provide a wiki on their website for local community use, as a gathering place of thoughts, ideas, lists of meetings, etc. similar to a business wiki. However, communities could also start their own wiki, and since it is web based and needs no webmaster, might it be difficult to keep the information current if not checked often by members? A group's web page has to be updated, but if done on a wiki, when the project is completed, no one need do anything.

I think as items are added and revised on wikkis, copyright issues could be a factor. Sticky situations have the potential to develop, and can pose challenges to the rightful writer or idea provider.

Online Office Tooling

After finally getting zoho.com to load once I signed in, and it seemed to take forever, I had a great time playing with all the buttons, changing fonts, using bullets and creating a table, loading a pic from the internet, and just tooling around the site. This could come in very handy for patrons who come without disks or flash drives, or money to purchase a disk from us. Although I have not yet directed a patron to try the site, I expect to in the near future. What a great way to save your materials and your work and be able to access it from any computer. I can see where some patrons would definitely like learning about this site.
I think site users still need to print out a hard copy of their work just in case of a who-knows-what. Maybe that's just my mindset, but I like having a hard copy of my work along with the computer saved version.