Technorati

As a search tool, I found Technorati easy to use ... but the screen itself very busy with all those adverts and information to wade through.

When I searched for Learning 2.0 as asked, I got 7,661 posts; I changed the search to the blog directory and got 914 results. I could only find the option to search for tags in the Advanced search and got 1,263 results (not sure if there was another way but at least I found that). Even 914 results are way too many for me to wade through.

Noticed you could change the language and authority. When I changed the authority from the default of some authority to a lot of authority the results went up to 7,761!

It was interesting to see what people consider to be the popular blogs, searches and tags ... but really! who has the time to go through all of this. When Paris Hilton, Jennifer Garner and Jennifer Aniston make the top 9 you really have to wonder who is looking at all this stuff in cyberspace. But then I suppose that is why there are tools like Technorati - to help those that way inclined find out the latest on Paris and the two Jennifers.

Del.icio.us

I liked the look of Del.icio.us and searched through the bookmarks and tags and found it easy to use.
Just a bit of trivia:
Under the useful tag - "online alarm clock" with 1724 bookmarks
There is a site for Confusing words with 1063 bookmarks
155 bookmarks were added in the last minute

Searching for RSS Feeds ....

I liked the look of Topix and Technorati and I found Bloglines easy to use because I was familiar with it from the last exercise. Syndic8 was far too busy, I didn't even go there.

I had a play around the sites and picked up useful bits of information at the time (like the lastest with the Olympics, breaking news, etc) and also managed to add another feed to my blog (Sydney Morning Herald). I don't think seaching for RSS feeds will become a new passion of mine!

RSS Feeds - A few Lightbulb moments!

Well it took quite a while of being lost in the world of RSS feeds before the lightbulb finally went on!! I had actually created a Bloglines account and subscribed to some feeds without even knowing I'd done it ... but hey - I'll take the credit!

Now that I think about it (another lightbulb!!), my computer at home must be using an RSS feed because every time I open it, it opens onto a home page with the current news on it. I obviously didn't set it up because I didn't really know how it got there in the first place (I do appreciate having it there though) ... but then I have teenagers and things like that happen around our house all the time!

Another lightbulb moment was when I uploaded a feed of the NSL Exercises blog (see left) which enables me to access the Exercises blog from my own blog. I can really see the sense in that and it made me think that you could these RSS feeds for all sorts of things.

If you want to try it - Just subscribe to the NSL Exercise blog in your bloglines account and copy the URL address from there. Then go to your blog, click on Customise, Click on Add a Gadget, Select Blog List, Click on Add to Blog, Click on Add a Blog to your list, copy and paste the URL address of Exercises blog, then click on ADD, Add to List, then Save.

Will I actually use RSS feeds or bloglines ??.... I'm not sure - I'm not one for playing around on the computer unless I have something specific to do and I much prefer getting my information in the printed format! but hey, never say never ... a few years ago I wouldn't have been texting or emailing either.

It's Technology that keeps me lost in Cyberspace!

Living in a male dominated household has meant that I never get the chance to use a remote, a video camera, work out the settings for the digital camera, download photos, set up configurations for computer, TV, steroes, mobile phones, etc. OK, I'll admit I am partly to blame, as when something new comes along, it's so much easier if it is already set up so all I need to do is ...well, just use it!

I know this state of affairs will have to change and change fast ... if I am ever going to find my way in Cyberspace. With the technology today and particularly what's available with the internet and world wide web I won't be able to rely on my "boys" to put me right ... I have to be able to do it myself.

So tomorrow ... I'll start by sending a text!

Fun with Flickr and Flickr Mashups

You sure can spend (waste?) a lot of time playing around with Flickr! It's amazing what you can do and how it can encourage your creative side ... but I haven't got the time. Using Flickr to organise and save my photos and possibly make them accessible to family through the web is probably the most I'd use Flickr for. Although I did find Bubblr - using bubbles to put captions on photos - in Web Apps which is something I would use.

Anyway, I explored Montagr, used the search tag "Sydney" (keeping with my Sydney theme) and came up with a lovely mosaic. When you move the mouse over individual photos you will see a larger version - just a bit of fun and caught my attention because I like mosaics.

Thoughts on Flickr

I really like the idea of using a site like Flickr to organise my photos and know that they are safe and easily accessible. I'm not sure I would make them public though - not personal photos which are really the only ones I have. My husband is the one that downloads all the photos in this house - so I'll have to introduce him to Flickr!!

I would imagine Flickr would be wonderful for photography buffs - a medium for them to get their photos "out there", store them and to be easily found by using "tags".

I have had a look around the Flickr sight and found this photo which reminds me of home! http://www.flickr.com/photos/timberwolfstudios/2726514505/....
I have pasted the link for you to enjoy as well. You can also use the browse arrows on the Photostream (the the right of picture) to view more photos on Sydney. I used "tags" to find these images.

I opted not the get a Flickr account (so can't down load). I will leave that to my husband once I've told him about it and suggest he uses it for all our photos!!