Our other green flower

Our other green flower
Originally uploaded by canong2fan

Enjoy this stunning bloom blogged from Flickr.

Creating PBWorks pages

My PBWorks page was easier to find again than in MediaWiki listing under all pages or from front page of CCLlearn public Wiki then pages and files or all pages. It was also easier to use to create the page using the top right hand create a page icon. To build it go to the edit screen here you can change font and font colour and background, insert links using the globe, plugins such as google gadgets, slideshows and photos. A seperate sidebar also enables you to insert a link to a PBWorks page or to a new page where you get an option to insert a URL. A seperate folder in the sidebar allows you to insert images from a pop up URL box. The insert files option opens up window in My computer so you can navigate to your files and inserts a link to them in the sidebar.

Medi Wiki and PBWorks

I found PBWorks less confusing than MediaWiki on which Wikipedia is based. My MediaWiki hint is to create a page from the main page, or search for a page that is unlikely to exist. Creating a page does not require an account in MediaWiki although that is encouraged. Once you click on the main page a message appears saying there is no text in this page you then click on the create tab and a message appears saying the page doesn't exist this is your opportunity to now start entering the content for your new page including the title etc. If you search for a nonexistent page the same message appears giving you the opportunity to create the page. This is kind of confusing but fine once you get used to it. I created a page however all I can not seem to get back to it??? I created an account and I verified my account by email link but it won't let me in so I've had a few issues with MediWiki.
PBWorks is easier to understand as we have been using it already. I created a page here without any hassles.

Libraries use of WIkis

Libraries can make good use of Wiki's for generating user participation:
1. Libraries can provide Community information such as the information provided on the Local Eye website. Customers can then add reviews of resturants, comments on service from retail shops etc, this may be one direction to take Local Eye in.
2. Subject guide wikis can be updated by customers who can add pages and extra links and repair broken links. Podcasts can be made to show customers how to search databases and the library website.
3. Wiki's can be used internally in libraries as collaborative work spaces or as an intranet. Conferences use wikis to provide information on the best place to eat, or use Wifi or host a conference blog and photos.
4. Catalogues can use wikis to annotate the catalogue with reviews and synopses of books customers have read and add tags to books to improve findability in an Open Catalogue such as Open WorldCat.
5. Library events such as competitions and author visits can be promoted and winners displayed and reported in the library blog and photos displayed on the Library's flickr pages. Library podcasts can be hosted reporting and promoting events. Consultation on Library proposals for new buildings can get immediate feedback from their communities.
The aim is for libraries to take the conversation with users into digital space so they can share library experiences and enable a digital community. Enabling real conversations where you can tell your personal story and others continue the story. For example our library puts up a page on Christchurch history and some digital photos we could encourage library customers add their photos to the site and tell their stories about them, other customers could then view them and comment on them adding their own stories. I can see potential for subject pages to be developed by librarians and extented by the public by specialist users creating a database similar to our FITCH pages extending it to include publishing or comments from the public.

My creation

My creation
Originally uploaded by Daza Barnes

Another fun Flickr toys mashup from Big Huge Labs.

Social websites, Ning and Online Groups.net

This week I am investigating social websites, I found an old friend listed on Old Friends and revisted my very basic Facebook site which I set up as part of the 23 2.0 web learning things. Libraries see that social networks are where people are they want to use them to foster librarian user communication and to create chat-room forums and groups. Forums and groups can be used to foster discussion for research assignments public libraries can use them to engage with customers for feedback on library services and to provide spaces for user generated content. I can see much potential but as yet it seems to be early days for most libraries.
I was interested to see the software available to set up your own social network.
OnlineGroups.Net is business and education/library oriented it enables you to share files and conversations creat public or private groups. You can chat in real time and manage multiple document versions enabling projects to run across multiple organizations. It provides workspaces for virtual teams, web forums for customer engagements, message board and discussion forums. Online groups are like list serves with message boards, file sharing and chat.
Ning is a free website for setting up your own social network and is as easy to use as Bebo with templates you can pick from and customize. You can pick a template which and modify the colours, choose which elements to such as blog, groups, events, comments wall and where you wish to place them on your site. You can upload your photos from Flickr yur computer or your camera and invite users from your outlook address book or web mail provider or enter them manually. Apps are also available such as Google docs and trivial games such as BuddyPoke. Darrylsccllearn is my ning site for which I sent an invitation to my CCLlearn group and my facilitator. I found this fun it was like setting up a Bebo site crossed with a blog. Ning makes it easy to set up a social network its the most fun I've had with the CCLlearn modules so far. My daughter of course it would be my 12 year old daughter, already knew about Ning and pointed out her favourite website Max-Dan-Wiz uses Ning to support its social network pages. I don't know whether I've missed the invitation but I don't seem to have received one to join the CCLlearn Ning group so I have been unable to contribute to it, but I did join the Maximum Ride ning group. I also added my Ning site and a few photos to my Facebook profile.

Online Groups.net

Darryl

Darryl
Originally uploaded by Daza Barnes

I wish you a Scary Halloween, made with the Picnik applet. Picnik enables you to upload photos from Facebook Picasa Facebook Myspace your computer etc and edit them and then upload them back to any of these applications. I had fun with this, but it's frustrating that it often asks you if you wish to upgrade to a pay version of the software to save the effect.

RSS feeds and podcasts

I have had a Bloglines account for quite a while I set it up for the 23 2.0 Web learning things, but you know I never once checked it out after finishing the project. I have revisited my feeds today, scanned a few for relevant feeds and ended up deleting quite a few. I have added a few new feeds and you never know I might actually get around to viewing them now I've added some of them to my blog. I never know how people have the time to view RSS feeds, if I'm interested in a site and have the time I just view a few of the old entries. altogether easier to use and more convienent is Google reader. I quite like the idea of subscribing to some RSS feeds for podcasts. It would be great to download them regularly and listen to them while in the bus or walking.
I find Technorati's adds very distracting it makes the whole site look like something viral UGH! It's not very professional looking and I find it a bit dissapointing. I would have expected a search of blogs returning sites with the word libraries in it to return something, but at least a search of posts was quite successful. Technorati looks like a site on the way out but I did add my blog to it. Syndic8.com looks cleaner seems to take a keep it simple approach but working slowly today.

Tilted off my axis

 

Tilted off my axis a little this week with problems over my Blogger account and missing the Tuesday session through sickness. I have found Flickr harder to use than Picasa as it hasn't initially linked to my blog although another blog of mine is there. I've had to spend a lot of time finding out how to add another blog to flickr. If anyone else is desperately trying to blog from Flickr only to find their blog is not listed follow these instructions to add another blog.
From the online flickr home page select the You tab then Your account from the drop down arrow then the Extending Flickr tab then Your blogs - Edit - Add another blog- Next - Blog name drop down arrow and select the blog you want to add from the list.
Didn't occur to me that they would bury in the Extending Flickr tab. Hope this is of some help.
I had to recreate my blog this week due to my account problems so the Masups have been a fun distraction but time consuming.

New blog same content

Old blog's been cut loose and a new one set up here. Flickr still won't list this blog but will link to an earlier blog of mine so I managed to blog a photo there. Google really can't cope with one user having more than one Gmail account or a family wanting to use several Gmail accounts on one machine.
I have found a work around for finding a blog entry that has been deleted in Blogger. I lost a photo due to closing a session without saving it. If you want to recover a missing blog post in blogger try going to the dashboard and editing a post. If the post is still not there and it looks like you've lost it but take a look at the tags and select a tag that refers to your post you may be able to recover it there. If clicking on the tag brings it up you can edit and post it. I've added this advice to the CCLlearn Tips and tricks skills box.

I'm a spammer! - So says Blogger

It appears my blog is irrelevant and repetitive with nonsensical text, along with a large number of links, usually all pointing to a single site. The little robots have decided I'm a spammer!
Crazy Huh! I've asked for a review so hopefully you'll be able to read this should you want to.