Category Archives: What’s Out There on the Web

Blogs we read, Web 2.0, What's Out There on the Web

A bit of fun with generators – on the web

No, we aren’t talking nuclear or coal fired power generators here. These generators leave a relatively small carbon footprint and can have both a serious and educative aim, and others are, well….just a bit of silliness really…

The “generators” we speak of are those that can be found on the web and can do all manner of things like:

  • Making personalised signs, posters, movies etc based on images that are already pre-loaded on the particular generators site, or it is done via the uploading of the visitors own image(s);
  • Generating text based lists, names and phrases;
  • Creating games, mazes and other activities;
  • Making personalised calendars, charts and other tools.

As we find some fun and useful generators we will post them here – here is a start of a list:

Mazes

Maze
Personalised bars of soap:Signed soap
Punk rocker personalised signs
Punk
The Internet, Web 2.0, What's Out There on the Web

A Web 2.0 directory

Web 2.0 is the buzz. They are the “new generation” of websites that provide new ways of collaborating online (well known Web 2.0 examples are Wikis, and social networking websites like MySpace, FaceBook, Twitter and on, and on, and on)….

There are some very serious Web 2.0 sites around – and the not so serious..

Kerpoof! – Fun for all ages (but mainly for kids!)

Magmypic – ever wanted to be on the cover of The Rolling Stone? Well here you can!

Gizmoz – have some fun and get animated!

The Go2Web directory is in itself a great Web 2.0 example – it lists a great many Web 2.0 sites – contained in an innovative interface. Go and have a play!

What's Out There on the Web, wikis

Quick – get a Wiki

In Hawaii wiki means “quick”. On the web it’s a wiki you goto to find the information you need – now! (Idle Thought: Just how many people answer questions on radio quiz shows while key-tapping on a Wiki or Google? I have sometimes searched for an answer to a puzzler – but not as a participant!).

The most well known Wiki is of course Wikipedia. It’s essentially an online encyclopedia that has been around since 2001 and has become a very popular way to get some quick facts and figures. It is often criticised for being inaccurate, with concerns over the “independent” nature of the edits made by anonymous contributors. There have been some interesting “edits” made on Wikipedia. Like Pepsi changing some adverse comments on the effects of Pepsi on your health; someone at the New York Times adding the word “jerk” many times in an entry on George Bush..and many more. How were these edits found out? Well try WikiScanner – a site that allows you to check what IP address made anonymous edits on Wikipedia and then that IP address can be linked to a particular organisation. Wikipedia itself has a good article on the WikiScanner.

But Wikis can be much, much more. Anyone can set up a Wiki. You can even get one hosted for free. I have personal experience in using Wikis. I am helping build an Oral Histories Wiki for my local community. All that are involved can log in and make edits and additions. In another example, our community are doing something local in relation to Climate Change by establishing a Wiki network where information can be exchanged – like car-pooling, buying fresh food locally and so on – visit the Channel Community Network Wiki.

Wikis are these days increasingly used by all manner of groups, organisations and businesses for collaborative access and contribution to a diverse range of data. A good blog that covers many of the issues relating to the rise and rise of Wikis is Grow Your Wiki – it has a great range of articles on Wikis and Web2 – well worth a look.

To get you started here is a short list of free Wikis:

Wetpaint

Wikispaces

Wikidot

PBWiki

Zoho

What's Out There on the Web

NOTCOT

There is so much to see on the web! And so little time to actually getting around to seeing it…

Here begins a new category that will build to be (hopefully) a useful list of the unusual, the weird, the fun, the educational and the down right strange – all out there on the web…ideas and suggestions welcomed!

First cab off the rank is NOTCOT.org – I like the approach and there are some excellent design and art links – together with some interesting content across a range of topics – mostly “picture posts” with links to the original source.

NOTCOT is a fascinating repository of design and ideas. This is what NOTCOT say about themselves:

NOTCOT Inc is a growing network of design sites currently including NOTCOT.com and innovative community contributed sites NOTCOT.org + TasteSpotting.com + NotCouture.com.

NOTCOT is a visual filtration of ideas + aesthetics + amusements. NOTCOT’s two sites have become the daily sources of inspiration for creatives everywhere, fighting the good fight against “creative block” since 2005 with visually stunning imagery, the latest in international trends, and a passion for all things well designed.

NOTCOT.ORG is a community of creatives, design lovers, and trendsetters – where .org serves as the studio bulletin board gone digital – each image and caption brings you to a place worth visiting. It’s about sharing what inspires you. Bookmarks, del.icio.us, digg, blogrolls, etc. make you read, search and think. This is the PICTUREBOOK to their novel. NOTCOT.COM is the editorial face of NOTCOT, offering in-depth features on products, artists, technology, innovation, and up-and-coming trends….