Tools for searching the enigmatical blue

Well well, aren't we getting fancy with the customized search tools? Fun though!

I tried a few that were already created, but there are already so many (like Matapihi, Community Archive, New Zealand Libraries Catalogue etc.) that making more in a similar vein seems like a bit of a waste of resources...There would have to be a specific need for a specific search to make it in any way worthwhile.

Down to the blue depths...

It's all about discovery and seredipitous learning apparently...

I did try one of the recommended search tools - Anzwers.com, especially for ANZ use. Nice interface. However, when I searched for "Parker Hulme" and later "marmite", the results were startlingly similar to a simple Google search...

The only glimmer of lighter blue was when I searched for "gumboots" and there was an amount of more specific/useful stuff in the Anzwers search.

I think the name is the cleverest bit, of course taken off Answers.com - which was, incidentally, one of the first websites I ever used...ah, those were the days! When it was an incredible thrill to actually find what one wanted using the Internet.

I think information is very much taken for granted in these post-millenial days.

Doogle Gocs

You have no idea how hard I found it to say that! "Doogle Gocs"...Small things!



So here I am typing in Google Docs just because I can..lol!

To be honest, I went through ticking most of the tasks in "In the Cloud..." because I'd already done them.

Google Docs I only used fairly recently, granted, and not in a work situation but I'm confident that I could easily transfer that experience if I wanted/needed to, which is the main thing. I have looked at Zoho writer (looks good!) but I'm afraid Google products are easier and faster for me to use...

As for LibraryThing, I joined that years ago (seemingly before it was quite so huge and well-known) and had some fun, but it wasn't so enthralling for personal use that I felt I should keep using it. I'm glad libraries are though! It makes perfect sense to use a resource like LibraryThing as much as it does to use OCLC & WorldCat.

I love using WorldCat, mostly because the interface is so nice & simple & easy to use (again, small things!) and it was quite useful for ILLing overseas...


On second thoughts, I might just create a doc anyway and invite my group to view/edit it. It would be a good exercise for me to think about a few specifics that I've learnt from the CCL learn programme, and I'm sure the others would be happy to add :-)

Flickr apps p'aps

COLOURS

I LOVE "flickr color pickr"!!
I'm sure I've seen it before, but I've just rediscovered it :-)

Mappr is ok, and I do like Montager, as I've noted before, on my other blog...hmmm.
and looking forward to other toys

Making the blue even more fun!!

COLOURS

Inside St. Walburgis

Inside St. Walburgis
Originally uploaded by dutchveryess

One of the most beautiful cathedrals I've ever seen!!

We got to see it when we were in Europe in 2006 - the ornate interior is simply breathtaking.

(This photo is much better than any we took, but I'll try to get around to uploading some of ours to flickr anyway...)

This is a very handy flickr.com feature, whereby one can post directly to one's blog from a photo on flickr - I like it!

Wikis wikis everywhere - like snowflakes in the blue

I still like wikis! Despite not being able to set up an account at Mediawiki (no matter which username I used to create an account, that username never existed when I tried to actually log-in...)

I have enjoyed the wiki module.

Because of technicalITs, I added a page to the PBworks wiki instead of Mediawiki...I'm sure nobody will mind. I found PBworks generally much nicer to use anyway.

In the past I have edited an entry on Wikipedia, but the going was slow. I haven't bothered in a long time. Maybe I should try again :-)

As the ultimate place for sharing information, I think wikis are one of the most useful points of this programme on a professional level.

I referred to wikis as snowflakes because, well, they look amazing, are quite pretty, very intricate, and one thread leads to dozens more!!

I like wikis.

Wikipedia - the ultimate wiki...so far anyway