This fabulous image is by Ecstasist (Evan Leeson), downloaded from Flickr (under Creative Commons).
It makes me think of Alice in Wonderland, which is perhaps a little how I feel about Web 2.0 to date. There are many wonders in the toyshop, and many aisles down which one could go, but how much is lights and mirrors, and how much is of real worth?
I guess that I started out with little knowledge about most of the Web 2.0 tools, and less enthusiasm (or perhaps interest is a better word?). I'd posted on a few forums, and used a photo site to create e-cards, but that was it. Not really because I lack confidence in my ability to use such tools (I'm not scared of computers), but because I wasn't interested in the instant and 24 hour communication world. This programme has forced me to look at some of them (with more to come). It has been easy to follow, and I have acquired a general idea of how the various tools work, and what they might offer, though I would not claim to have an in-depth knowledge of any of them yet, as that would take more time for exploring than I have been able to put in, with a new Thing always on the horizon (or several, given that I've never managed to keep up ...). My problem with the programme so far is that neither my work nor my personal situation really have much use for the tools, as far as I can see. Or rather, my personal situation (through my being intentionally computerless at home, and my nature) does not have much use for them, and my work situation might, but only with rather more resources and time than we have (and some personnel changes, maybe). I suspect that the audience for Twitter feeds, blogs, or fancy images and slideshare in my library would be limited in comparison to the time that it would take to set them up properly, and keep them current. Though I could be wrong.
I have stopped looking at Twitter. I only followed one Twitterer - CILIP - but so many tweets came up each day just from that, that I got overwhelmed. There was no way that I had time to sort through all the messages and follow the links forward and back to the pages with the full story. I certainly couldn't deal with any more people's messages, if I decided to follow more people (tweeple - ugh). I did not find that I had anything that I needed to say via this medium. If I want to communicate with a friend or acquaintance, I will send an email, not restricted to 140 characters. I don't have much need to blanket tweet information to a number of recipients, and anyway I can send emails to more than one person at a time. If my friends are on Twitter, they haven't advertised it (though this may be because they don't think that I would use it ...). I can see the use of Google calendar and Doodle in the right set-up. Mine just isn't that. I must confess that the designer in me is quite enjoying finding images to decorate my posts with since looking at Flickr, though it can take up spectacular amounts of time if you aren't disciplined about it. That is true of several of the tools so far, though, in my opinion at least. You can spend all day tweeting, all day looking for photos or videos or images, and create wonderful, well-organised lists of hundreds of bookmarks, which you will then either never find the time to look at again, or spend far too much time pursuing. Or pursuing links on the Delicious site to other sites that you would otherwise never have thought to look for. I can easily see why internet addiction has been a growing problem. And there is a certain anarchy about all of this. Tagging is great if done with care, consideration, and consistency, but there are so many times where it is misleading, inconsistent, or subject to the vagaries of spelling and/or typing.
It makes me think of Alice in Wonderland, which is perhaps a little how I feel about Web 2.0 to date. There are many wonders in the toyshop, and many aisles down which one could go, but how much is lights and mirrors, and how much is of real worth?
I guess that I started out with little knowledge about most of the Web 2.0 tools, and less enthusiasm (or perhaps interest is a better word?). I'd posted on a few forums, and used a photo site to create e-cards, but that was it. Not really because I lack confidence in my ability to use such tools (I'm not scared of computers), but because I wasn't interested in the instant and 24 hour communication world. This programme has forced me to look at some of them (with more to come). It has been easy to follow, and I have acquired a general idea of how the various tools work, and what they might offer, though I would not claim to have an in-depth knowledge of any of them yet, as that would take more time for exploring than I have been able to put in, with a new Thing always on the horizon (or several, given that I've never managed to keep up ...). My problem with the programme so far is that neither my work nor my personal situation really have much use for the tools, as far as I can see. Or rather, my personal situation (through my being intentionally computerless at home, and my nature) does not have much use for them, and my work situation might, but only with rather more resources and time than we have (and some personnel changes, maybe). I suspect that the audience for Twitter feeds, blogs, or fancy images and slideshare in my library would be limited in comparison to the time that it would take to set them up properly, and keep them current. Though I could be wrong.
I have stopped looking at Twitter. I only followed one Twitterer - CILIP - but so many tweets came up each day just from that, that I got overwhelmed. There was no way that I had time to sort through all the messages and follow the links forward and back to the pages with the full story. I certainly couldn't deal with any more people's messages, if I decided to follow more people (tweeple - ugh). I did not find that I had anything that I needed to say via this medium. If I want to communicate with a friend or acquaintance, I will send an email, not restricted to 140 characters. I don't have much need to blanket tweet information to a number of recipients, and anyway I can send emails to more than one person at a time. If my friends are on Twitter, they haven't advertised it (though this may be because they don't think that I would use it ...). I can see the use of Google calendar and Doodle in the right set-up. Mine just isn't that. I must confess that the designer in me is quite enjoying finding images to decorate my posts with since looking at Flickr, though it can take up spectacular amounts of time if you aren't disciplined about it. That is true of several of the tools so far, though, in my opinion at least. You can spend all day tweeting, all day looking for photos or videos or images, and create wonderful, well-organised lists of hundreds of bookmarks, which you will then either never find the time to look at again, or spend far too much time pursuing. Or pursuing links on the Delicious site to other sites that you would otherwise never have thought to look for. I can easily see why internet addiction has been a growing problem. And there is a certain anarchy about all of this. Tagging is great if done with care, consideration, and consistency, but there are so many times where it is misleading, inconsistent, or subject to the vagaries of spelling and/or typing.
So there isn't one tool so far that you'd recommend to a colleague?
ReplyDeleteI have talked about my situation, personal and my current job in this reflection, which is what the Thing seemed to be all about. The social impact is part of my reflection about Web 2.0, which I find in some ways quite worrying. I did not appreciate that I had to be positive about the ... phenomenon ... by signing up for this programme. I could have talked a lot more about my concerns about Web 2.0 in this post, for instance, about who is contacting who via the social networking sites, but decided that I should try to keep it a bit more focussed on libraries and my own experience. In the posts about specific tools, I have said that I could see them having applications that I wouldn't have. In this post, I have said that I could see the use of Doodle and Google calendar in the right situations, and that I have enjoyed using Flickr. Having justified myself (not quite sure why), I guess that I would say that I have not found any of the tools absolutely essential - everything can be done in other, quite often simpler and less time-consuming ways, and with tried-and-tested means of communication, rather than through networking sites which require people to sign up to be of any use. A proliferation of ways of contacting can be more annoying - or confusing - than just one.
ReplyDeleteDear Lotusflower,
ReplyDeleteSorry to make you justify yourself again - you're quite right that you were clear throughout your posts about which tools you can see potential for. I just wondered if this potential would translate into you recommending them in the future. No need to respond - I was just thinking out aloud.
Kirsty