searching for tags or tagging your search

I searched the sites that were mentioned on this weeks blogs. What do I say about the results that were achieved? Firstly Google and Zuula produced so many that I couldn't be bothered to look. MU's catalogue was no help... UQ had four. The others all came up with much smaller numbers, with varying degrees of academic relevance. I liked the tags that were available in del.icio.us, citeulike and connotea. They could be useful... but I can't get past the feeling that it would be a mistake to rely on the information that others have found on the search that I did. There may be a lot more stuff out there that is a lot more relevant to me. I think I'd like to investigate Kart00 a little more. I like the idea of the hierarchies of information that it creates.

But the problem for me is that there are so many ways to go about the same thing and no one resource will give the same result. For those short on time or enthusiasm, what is the best one to use? And will there be another new one that is worth exploring next week? This dilema is one of the issues that web 2.0 throws up for me. Maybe I need to go and talk to a librarian to help me through the maze!

Del.ic.ious I want to explore further. Other than its searching and tagging capabilities, it might actually be a useful tool to help me keep my 'stuff' (both work, pleasure and leisure) in some sort of order, without limiting me to the one computer (or making sure by bookmarks are saved when I move to a new one). We will see.....

Collaborating around the world

Now that the world is so very small in lots of ways, where people can join together on projects from all corners of the globe, I can see that google docs would be invaluable as a tool for helping that collaboration. It's easy to use, so I could see myself using it if a situation like that arose. In my personal life.... I'm not so sure. I probably don't use the Internet enough at home for it to be useful. But I'll have to think about that a little. I'm sure there are possibilites that haven't even occurred to me as yet.

The Wonderful World of Firefox

Having been involved in a loose sort of way with getting information about LibX on our website I was aware that Firefox offered some interesting options for us to use, but I had no idea just many many there were. What am I likely to use .... Well I think Aaron's 23 Things toolbar will be very handy. This way i don't have to search through my bookmarks to get to the places I need access in order to be able to get to the end of 23 Things. I have already mentioned the LibX toolbar to my Murdoch student son. But can't wait to tell him about Zotero. As an undergraduate I think it will be terrific for him. Not as sopisticated as Endnote, but he probably couldn't 'be bothered' trying to deal with that.