My Own Adventure

Webware is good for an Internet beginner with its well description on each category. It helps us to know why is useful and what we can expect to find on the websites they recommend. However, I'm impatience on those details, so I pick Web 2.0 Awards instead. I like it gives a brief summary on the websites they nominee rather than long reviews I saw on Webware. So, I'm interested in the category of Real Estate. The first prize on the Web 2.0 Awards goes to Zillow.com. But, I found their estimated market value is actually $5.000 lower than the real market price. The second prize goes to HousingMaps. However, I found this is useless for me. I like IIProperty, because I can manage my properties or be the agent for my rental properties. Even thought I need to pay for their premium services, it's still cheaper than working with an management firm or a realtor. As for the library, I like the KCLS Web Links. They are very useful. However, for patrons, they cannot bookmark their favorite websites in public computers. With del.icio.us added in, that would be a big help for them. Also, the KCLS could use PBWiki as a bridge to promote library programs, and the patron could leave their comments for current programs. For patrons who would like to keep a list of their favorite books, LibraryThing could be added in with My Account. We could add Google Maps in Find Your Library, so people not only get a direction from their houses to the library, they also can read the reviews about the library.

the labs of Google

The first service in Google Labs interested me is Google Reader since I have been using Bloglines for weeks. Compared with Bloglines, Google Reader can reflect actual color and link from the text. However, it's not easy as Bloglines in searching a site to subscribe. Bloglines is much more user friendly. The second one I was looking is Google Maps. This is fun to search an address especially for an organization. Other than giving a direction, it also provides an overviews on the details, reviews, photos and web pages of the destination. Guess it's time to say good-bye to Yahoo Maps and MapQuest. As for Google Trends, this might use for a research reference. It's good for analyzing the trend when comparing regions, cities, years, and countries with a chart. However, the information is not current enough.

Online Software

Google is marvelous! I love Google Docs. This is "WebMail 2.0!" Not only I can create a new document online, but I also can post it to my blog and in RSS. This is very cool. You know what!? For preventing the potential virus, my brother deleted all Microsoft applications from my computer. No matter what I say, he refuses to put Microsoft's back. From now on, I do not need to create a document in my email first. Google Docs is my saver. But wait! Not until I moved on Zoho, I felt I fall in love with its "WebMicrosoft applications 2.0" right away. See, I have to change what I have said earlier about Google Docs. Zoho is Chicka's real saver after all.

Library 2.0

"Never stops dreaming about the best library services." I like this slogan - very positive for our community. By adopting library or librarian 2.0, a library can expect itself as a leader within community. However, Web 2.0 is considered a new concept online. Not many people are aware of this although some people believe that lots of people are using it. Fifteen years ago, people started to enjoy browsing WWW, but not until five years later, people were truly crazy about the Internet. The fact should be this. They may know one or two, or some even know more about it, but it still has not come to the whole picture of it. Take MySpace as an example. Some libraries have created a profile to seek more patrons online or to connect more young patrons there. Honestly, I doubt the library really could build connections online where their users' live. They might add the library as their friends, but do they really want to spend time on library's MySpace? Speaking of "the library is human, because it makes the library a social and emotionally engaging center for learning and experience." Well, very true. Yesterday -- a Mother's Day in the library, a Russian-speaker patron got very angry and yelled at staff, only because she could not get a book right away. Then, she kept yelling at staff for not understanding English. No respect for a human and herself as well. One of the articles mentioned "We've seen a 55 percent drop in circulation rates over the past twelve years, making it harder and harder to justify the continued buildup of a large 'just in case' print collection." Luckily, this is not the case for the KCLS.

The Originator

Compare with Rollyo Search Roll, I like Goggle Custom Search Engine better. When I typed in "gaming programs" for the key words search, the former returned more irrelevant information such as College Degree in 1 Year, 2006 Preliminary Budget, and Gambling while the latter returned more results from the library program on gaming. My experience with Goggle Custom Search Engine was an OK. In Preferences of My search engines, I chose "Search the entire web but emphasize included sites" and hoped my favorite websites on my homepage would come up on the top or at least on the first page. But, only one website worked out the way I want. So, I guess the description of a website does play an essential role on this. As for a potential use for tools like this, I think it would work well only when we are pursuing a hobby.

Generator-themed sites

Me, Chicka as a South Park Character.