Google Docs vs. Microsoft Office

I have used Google Docs to help a friend write a book.  We have both used it at the same time as we have been working on editing it together.

Google Docs is not quite as robust as Microsoft Office Suite.  Some of the more advanced editing and composing features are not available, things such as the ways images are handled, how presentations are made and the transition options.  Google Docs however, does have the majority of what the casual user would be needing to do on an everyday basis.

Google Docs does have more sharing and revision history options.  Google docs allows others to edit and share your document, based on how you want to share it. It also records revision history automatically which is very useful when documents are being edited by numerous people.  

Cloud Storage

I have compared two cloud storage applications, Drop box and SkyDrive.

1.     I have used DropBox for some time.  It is an easy to use interface. It also is great in that it works well with other publishing solutions.  For instance, you can store your media files (such as MP3s) on dropbox and use the URL to share through your website.  I like Drop Box in that you can install it on your desktop and sync your files to it.  Thus changes will be reflected in the cloud.

2.     I haven’t used SkyDrive for very long.  It feels very similar to Google Docs, which I have used for quite some time.  SkyDrive allows you to edit files online, which is a plus, but seems to save revisions in a weird way and seems a bit harder to navigate.

Both options have positives and negatives.  If you are looking for a way to access your documents and edit them no matter where you are and no matter what software (such as Microsoft Suite) is on the computer you are using, then use SkyDrive.  If you want to be able to organize your documents, and share them in specific ways or between a few computers with the appropriate software, then use Drop Box.

Weather Forecaster

Maps on a Spreadsheet

Google Spreadsheet

Flickr and Creative Commons

I think that Flickr and many other photo sharing sites, have a long ways to come in order to really educate the majority of the public on what the creative commons licenses are and how users should apply them.  I think that the laws and legality of sharing and using photos is still somewhat confusing to the average user. 

I think people like to share their photos, it gives them more exposure as photographers/artists.  I would share some photos, but not all.  I think that some of my photos I want to keep private, however I would not mind other photos being used by others. 

Uploading Vs. using the HTML

 
 Using the code from flickr, is a bit more cumbersome, as you need to go and get it and it isn't necessarily obvious where it is.  (It has changed since the book was written)  However, by using the flickr code, the reader can click the image and go to the flickr image itself.
Another benefit of using flickr is that you can upload an image from flickr anywhere you have access to the internet, where uploading a file requires that you be on a computer or devise that stores the photo you want. 

Kirsch08's photostream

Kirsch08's photostream on Flickr.

My Flickr

Social Media Comparison

Currently there are three main social networking sites in the United States.  These include Facebook, LinkedIn, and MySpace.  Each of these sites have similarities and differences.  They all share in a simlar goal to connect people with one-another through various media including text, images, and contact information.  We will now examine each site to see it's positive and negative attributes.

1. MySpace 
   MySpace was one of the first prominate social networking sites.  Within MySpace users could connect with one another through "friending" each other, as well as create individualized "profile pages" that could include nearly anything you could think of.  This includes, music, video, survey results, links, personal info, bio information, blog posts, etc. Many MySpace users used their profile page to express who they were as individuals including their likes and dislikes.  MySpace allows users to customize their profile page in nearly anyway they wish.  This can be a great thing for those who have a good sense of what makes a page user friendly and easy to use, however it can also become sensory overload as many users put multiple video and/or music players on their sites, which make the user interface as you connect with others slightly overhwelming at times.
2. Linked In 
   LinkedIn is targetted towards professional networking.  You can connect with people within one's own industry or similar industries.  Linkin allows users to create and/or join various groups within their own organizations or other organizations.  This increases the amount of connections one can make.  Linked in seems to have become the "go to" place for those who are in the professional world.  It is the new "business card" of the professional world, allowing people to share their contact information in a more dynamic way.  Rather than giving someone your business card, if you invite them to a "LinkedIn" connection then you will be able to contact them in the future even if one or both parties has changed their contact information.
   Linked in is a very streamlined user interface.  There are very few options for customization, giving the user a very static experience throughout the site, allowing them to find the information they are looking for in a very simple and straightforward way.
3. Facebook
   Facebook has become the largest and most well known social media site.  Facebook has both static (uncustomizable) and dynamic (customizable) options for the user.  Facebook has changed the user interface in various ways throughout the years.  Currently users have control over their "Profile" page, allowing users to upload videos, pictures, notes (like blog posts) and other information.  It also allows users to display various "boxes" of content from the various apps that users have developed.  These boxes can display limitless types of information from user survey results, to a "daily fortune cookie".  Each user has a "wall" which can be posted to by other users.  Users can update their "status" letting other users know what they are doing.   Users can post photos, text, and video to other people's walls.
   Various "apps" have been developed for facebook including games, surveys, media, etc.  These apps have increased the user experience to include the ability to connect with others through a myriad of ways.  One can go to facebook to play games with friends in various settings.
   Users can connect with others through "tagging" them in photos, media, notes, etc.  This feature allows a user to see which friends are connecting with them.
   Facebook's main module is currently the "news feed" the newsfeed contents can be controlled by the user.  A user can control which type of feeds they want to see.  Facebook creates feeds when a user interacts with Facebook, including when a user posts to another users wall, uploads photos or videos or updates their comments.  

The above is just a short overview of three of the social networking sites. The following is an interesting video on social networking.  

Business' using RSS feeds

After about 30 minutes of searching google and various specific blogs and reviews, I could not find an article about a specific companie's use of RSS to communicate. What I did find was a multitude of articles on how to do so. One is these is found by clicking here.  This article gives a great overview of some of the good success strategies for business.  Including making sure that your RSS feed is accessable in various places.

Differences between blogger & wordpress

For the casual user, blogger seems to be the better choice. The free (or "basic") features are greater in blogger, such as format, themes, statistics and other features.
Wordpress seems to provide more "sophistacated" options, such as more static pages, inserting images through e-mail posting and having more specific control over layout if you purchase an upgrade
Crazy, identifiable, unique, searchable, phrase

Embedding a Video

This video by Michael Wesch presents a good introduction to Web 2.0

Formatting Blog Posts

Today I am trying out some of the fancy formatting options in Blogger.

I can add hyperlinks, images, and videos to display on my blog.  I can also edit posts in my blog.

Welcome to my blog!

I'm excited to be creating this log for my WEb 2.0 class. I am on the Web all the time and I am excited to learn more about how it works.