UKNetWeb Blog

There has never been a better time to explore the many free applications, software, online services and networks available on the web.

With many companies, organisations and individuals generating new content all the time it is worth taking the time to see how each may improve the way you do business, research or networking online.

In this post I have attempted to catalogue some of the many sources I have found useful in my role researching and advising companies at uknetweb on the possibilities presented by Web 2.0.

Some of the links refer to other list blogs cataloging the best of the web, others are my own selections and some are link to directories I found useful when browsing the web.

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I was interested to read a blog entry by Chris Wilson on Slate entitled ‘The Wisdom of the Chaperones – Digg, Wikipedia, and the myth of Web 2.0 democracy.’.

The entry looks at how sites like Wikipedia and Digg, which purport to be web democracies actually work more like an oligarchy, where a small segment of users are responsible for the majority of content and the sites general direction.

Where I find problems with Wilson’s view starts in his title. It is clear that there may be an argument to show that sites such as Digg and Wikipedia are in the control of a select bunch of users. However, these users have not been selected, appointed or employed but have risen through the ranks (so to speak) through active participation, knowledge and the support of other users.

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I just wanted to submit a quick post acknowledging Orange’s outstanding new ‘Unlimited’ site. For those of you who are yet to visit it check it out here.

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These last few days I have fallen a little bit quiet and I can put this down to 2 reasons. 1) I have been rather busy in my day to day work and 2) I couldn’t think of anything useful to say.

While I have sat around wondering what the next blog should be I have learnt a couple of things that I thought justified maybe just a quick intermission blog to show I hadn’t fallen off that amazing balcony into the sea. (see ‘about uknetweb’)

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I discovered the Flock browser at the beginning of this year after noticing that friends on Facebook were joining up as fans.

A dedicated user of the Mozilla Firefox system, I had my reservations of moving to yet another browser and all the issues in cross browser compatibility on badly developed sites I was sure to have.

On download, I found a browser well beyond my expectations and one that I believe enhances my online experience and my efficiency in carrying out research and networking online. Using the same image rendering as Firefox (according to my techie friends in the office), I don’t need to worry about any new browser compatibility issues at all.

So why do I recommend Flock?

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Owning your own network online could never be simpler than through www.ning.com, a white label social networking site that enables individuals to create their own social networks at no cost.

Never one to miss an opportunity to test a new web application, I created a group for members of the network and referral organisation, the BNI, and joined a local business network created by friend, Alan Jones, for business people in the South West (UK).

So will sites such as Ning lead to the creation of ‘nethoods’, a trend prediction from Trend Watchers extraordinaire – Trendwatching.com, where smaller networks are likely to focus on small real life suburbs, villages or even streets as people search to merge life on and offline?

If you have your own social network why not include it in a comment on this blog? I have.
Visit BNI

Hi my name is Aren Grimshaw and I am the Project and Account Manager of Cornish based web development company, uknetweb.

My role within the company is to research emerging technologies, liaise with clients and potential clients, and manage some of the projects coming in.

I have started this blog to share some of our work with the world and help businesses locally or further afield tap into the many new tools emerging on the web. I will post as often as I can with links to great sites, information or tools for those interested in the internet, other emerging technologies or growing their business. (more…)