Del.icio.us

It was easy to set up my own account and then add some bookmarks of interest to me.  I made a few searches  and followed other user's trails and I could see how you could find that you had gone off on other tangents and time would pass very quickly. Unlike Google where you can use multiple search terms users have multiple tags therefore you bring up a lot of returns that are not of interest.  I searched by Free Knitting Patterns and bought up many entries which had knitting  or patterns but not free.   I found that I  needed to type in one word and then keep on refining my search by choosing the option on the drop down menu. When I followed other users trail I came across a few interesting sites but many I wasn't interested in.  I will go back in my own time and investigate further and store more bookmarks in my own del.icio.us account.  Social bookmarking is a good tool for sharing sites among friends who have similar interests without having to email each time you have a site to share.

iGoogle page

This was very easy having previously completed Task 17 playing in Google. I enjoyed creating my page and finding all the material it comes with, then adding a  few gadgets more.     

Google

Have just finished my exploration of Google Products and found it very enjoyable. When I read about Google in Wikipedia it is staggering to realize what a vast entity it has now become with its acquisitions and partnerships. The figures involved are massive when you realize the whole shebang was started by 2 students.  Its "anti-corporate, no evil philosophy" seems a bit of a stretch with the amount of revenue raised from advertising and it is a little unnerving to realize the spread of interests it has throughout the internet.  Found exploring the List of Google products could have occupied me for hours ( I swear I controlled myself)  and it was very easy to navigate although some of the searches I made returned some strange results. I did enjoy Google Translate listening to the  phrase 'Meat pies are a gourmet Australian food' in a variety of languages. Google Maps was straightforward to use and very useful although it is unnerving seeing your house on the screen and directions of how to there from wherever you are. The privacy concerns people have raised are quite valid although if you had the address of  someone you could use a street directory to find them.   Google Docs was very similar to Microsoft Word to use although I didn't find 'Export' through the 'File' button and used another method suggested by the Help screen.

Technorati

What can I say - I think I just looked at one tool too many!  I didn't find the Technorati Tour, the Discover and Popular features weren't "currently unavailable" and I didn't enjoy having flashing red signs telling me "No joke! YOU might be our WINNER! or gyrating or flashing ads at the top of each page.  So in essence I didn't make any discoveries about this site and I think I can live without ever needing to return here again.

You too can YouTube

Well this was quite interesting!  I now know so much about the  Peruvian Necktie that I feel I could almost run a class (in case you re wondering it is a wrestling hold) I thought I would search for the trapped miners and couldn't remember where they were (it is actually Chile as I've just discovered through a Google search) so I typed in Peru and up popped Peruvian Necktie.  I also checked out Yahoo and Google. There is the clever use of a satirical video on Yahoo Cowboys herding cats   which which has a tag line of EDS - managing the complexity of the digital economy.  While there are plenty of professional music videos, private videos (pleasant and unpleasant), political polemics etc. there are many which are advertising.  On Google Videos screen the left hand side has videos and the  right has sponsored links which relate such as Weddings  How to use it on the Library Website - perhaps videos explaining processes and procedure, etc. which may capture the attention of users who are more used to and interested in this medium than written explanations. 

Wikis

I work on LibNet on an irregular basis and have added my post  I don't always find it easy to locate information on LibNet and tend to bookmark the pages once found.  Enjoyed looking at the variety of uses other libraries have made of Wikis.  From Subject Guides and directional info at St Josephs County Public Library to more of a newsletter style at Bull Run Library where events and info can be easily added and updated.  Then on to Library Success a wiki aimed at an audience of librarians to facilitate the exchange of ideas and innovations.  The BookLoversWiki at Princeton Public Library invites readers to post comments and reviews of books which allows the reader who is bursting to tell someone about the latest book they have read and offers to other readers the opportunity to find out about  books they may not have otherwise come across.  The simplicity and ease with which posts can be made on Wiki invites and allows all to feel confident in its use.

Google Books

Followed LibraryThings with an incursion into Google Books.  Clicked on some of the subjects and found some very strange titles within them such as Medical - Prince and the Pauper, Curious George learns the Alphabet and Religion - Taming of the shrew. Can understand the usefulness (and cost savings)  for Libraries when non-copyright material is scanned and made available and the contributing library receives a digitized copy.  It will be interesting to view Google Books in a couple of years time when the court cases are (possibly) settled and the commercial matters come into play. If Google win the right to sell copyright books will they then move into Chapters and compete with Libraries in the document delivery area.  I also created my own Book Shelf List and now I have so many sites and logins and Passwords I think my head will start spinning soon!