Google Maps

I like Google Maps, especially the 'Get Directions' facility. I have used this feature a number of times and it has been a great help.

Social Networking

I first looked at MySpace about 2 years ago primarily because a lot of bands had MySpace URL's. I found that the site was incredibly convoluted and nearly impossible to navigate. I've recently had another look to see if there have been any significant changes - guess what? I still don't like it.

I have just recently done a bit of reading in relation to Facebook. Whilst I recoginise that these sites are not going to go away anytime soon, and I can even see the value of Academic Institutions, Businesses and Social Groups using Facebook for advertising, promotional and general communication with their client base, I don't see any value in me having a facebook account. I value my privacy and while they appear to be relatively secure and you have sites such as the Australian Communication and Media Authority detailing how to stay safe online, the ultimate way to stay safe is don't set up an account.

So with that in mind I will not be setting up a Facebook account. I thought of setting up a false account but that is an abuse of Facebook's terms of use so I'm uncomfortable doing that. So any social networking I will be doing will be done face to face.

Google Reader

Can't say I'm a huge fan of google reader. I tried it out for a couple of days but it just doesn't do it for me. Being a Firefox user I much prefer Sage Reader. I've been using this one for a while now and I just prefer the aesthetics of it. Nice clean lines and an orderly appearance.

Library Thing

I quite like LibraryThing. It's a fun site for people who enjoy reading and it can lead you on to numerous other books that you may otherwise not have come across.

The only problem I have is that there is not enough time in the day to do all the reading I would like.

Image Generators

Here is the most thumbed book on my bookshelf.
It is essential to me and I don't know where I'd be without it.

Flickr

There are some amazing images on Flickr and I could see how you could get lost in this site for days, weeks or even months, emerging at the end of it very bleary-eyed.

The most amazing thing to me was that there were 4,665 images uploaded in the last minute. I have no idea if this is an average upload, but if it is just think about this. If 4,665 images are uploaded every minute for a year you end up with 2,451,924,000 images being uploaded in one year.

That's one large photo album.

The first post

Last year in conjunction with a Liberal Arts teacher I set up a blog entitled From Footscray to the Ganges. This blog was for Tradition and Modernity students to share their ideas and promote on-line discussion about their course.

It wasn't as successful as we had anticipated and we were not really sure why. Was it because the students were uncomfortable with posting something the whole world could see? Or did they have the attitude of 'why post my good ideas and share them on a blog when I could save them for my end of year essay'? Or were most students a little bit intimidated by another student?

It was probably a combination of all three.

My role in this endeavour included posting links to that weeks reading e.g, assisting students setting up their google accounts and helping the teacher invite students to make postings onto the blog, etc.

Well this year we decided to try again. This years blog is titled Curry up and don't be late. It's only been going for a couple of weeks, thus there are not too many postings as yet.

I would be interested in any thoughts or comments you may have.