Are You Ready for Web 2.0?

by Larry Lippke

 

OK, you didn't even know there was a Web 1.0. All you know is that there is this thing called the World Wide Web that runs across a network of wire, fiber optics, and radio transmissions called the Internet.  And, you know that the Web is an excellent vehicle for distributing and collecting information.  And, oh yes, TExAS is a Web application - aren't you excited!! 

Since its inception, the Web has mostly been a one-way communication vehicle.  Someone puts some web pages on a web server somewhere, and around the world, people running web browsers download those pages.  Then, web developers figured out that they could provide ways for people to upload data (text, documents, pictures, credit card numbers, etc.), but the format is restricted to the rules established by the person creating the web page. 

Now, we are seeing a whole new generation of how the web is used.  As Beth Kanter recently stated in an eXtension online session, we now find people "using the internet to instantly collaborate, share information, and have a conversation about ideas we care about." (http://extension20.wikispaces.com).  The tip of the iceberg on the kinds of tools reflecting the Web 2.0 concept are wikis, blogs, and chat rooms, all of which we have available for use in Texas Cooperative Extension.  However, others like del.icio.us (for sharing bookmarks), Google Docs (collaborative work on a word processing document), Flickr (photo sharing), My Space and Facebook (social networking tools), RSS/ATOM (syndication protocols), and even podcasting are all examples of how the web is being used to bring people together around ideas we care about.  You can read some of my musings on Web 2.0 at http://tceblogs.tamu.edu/mt/larry/2007/04/promoting_web20_in_extension_1.html.

For an excellent glimpse of a wide range of Web 2.0 applications, some of which are rather mind boggling, check out SEOmoz's Web 2.0 Awards for 2007 at http://www.seomoz.org/web2.0.  You might even find something useful.

 MAY CONTEST!!! (CONTEST CLOSED)

You’ve all read in past TTnT articles about wikis that have been setup for TCE and for eXtension.    Wikis are a great way to collaborate and to share information; however they can be a bit intimidating at first.  That’s why the TCE wiki has a “Sandbox” – a place where you can play and practice your wiki’ing. 

 

This month, we’re encouraging everyone to explore the TCE wiki.  Go to http://tcewiki.tamu.edu and login.  If you don’t have a login, now is a great time to create one.  Once you login, click “Community Portal” on the left and find the “Sandbox”.  Be one of the first 5 to contribute (add your name, county and date of the entry please) and get a nifty prize!

 

 

 

 

 

Web Tips – Configuring a Better Browser

by Greg Thomas

 

Web browsers continue to evolve to help fit an ever changing internet. Mostly, this means additional features and capabilities are included with each revision. However, along the way, older features are sometimes dropped that may change the way we use our browsers. For example, the “Work Offline” and “Make Available Offline” components in Internet Explorer 6 didn’t find their way into the newer IE7. These features in IE6 were especially useful to those presenting programs that included visual presentations of web pages. Using Work Offline, a detailed demonstration of any web site could be presented without the need of a network connection at the meeting location. This may be a pretty good reason to keep IE6 on at least one notebook computer just for those occasions when your presentation calls for the internet —  but none will be available.

 

Another change in IE7 is a default search engine that installs as part of the browser. The new IE7 browser defaults to Microsoft as its search engine, but it will allow the default to be changed to other search engines.  All it takes is a quick browser configuration change. In IE7, left click on the down arrow next to the magnifying glass icon (Figure 1) and then select “Find More Providers.” This will take your browser to a web site listing many other search engines that can be selected. Clicking on one will prompt for permission to add it to your list of search engines.

 

Many users prefer the convenience and added security of the Firefox web browser. One such convenience is its ability to block unwanted advertisements found on web pages. Right clicking on a particular advertisement brings up a menu that allows you to block any further images or ads from that source. There are a lot of different sources for on-line advertisements, but by right clicking as you go most, if not all, can be eliminated from your web pages.

 

Another handy feature in Firefox is its "Bookmark Toolbar" that allows you to keep web sites listed as icons near the top of your browser. This makes often-used websites just a click away. To add a bookmark to the toolbar, browse to the web site you wish to bookmark and then highlight its address. Drag the highlighted address down to the "Bookmark Toolbar" folder and release.

 

Browsers are very configurable and can be made even more useful with a few easy modification.

 

Have a web tip you'd like to share? Send it to ajhughson@ag.tamu.edu! Please be aware that if a tip doesn't make it in right away, we'll save it for future use.

 

 

 

Helpful Links

Possible URLs to link from your Websites this Month:

Other useful links:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tip of the Month: Creating A Rule in GroupWise

by Jill Hughson

 

  1. Click Tools > Rules
  2. Click "New"
  3. Type a name in the Rule Name box
  4. Click the "When Event Is" pop-up list
  5. Click "New Item" and also select appropriate "And Items Are" option (e.g. Received, Sent, Posted, etc)
  6. Click one or more types of items you want the rule to act on in the "Item Types" list
  7. If you want to further limit the items affected by the rule, click "Define Conditions" > click the appropriate conditions > click "OK"
  8. Click "Add Action" > click the action you want the rule to perform (Some actions such as "Send Mail" and "Reply" require additional informtaion)
  9. Once all criteria has been set, Click “Save”