Intro to Web 2.0

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Intro to Web 2.0

• Using Blogs, RSS and Wikis
• in the Workplace

Presented by Nicole C. Engard, Jenkins Law
Library PBIs 21st Century Law Office Management
-- July 24, 2006
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Background

• Berners-Lee envisioned a read/write web
• We werent ready in the 1990s for such a big
  step
• We started with a read-only web a place where
  everyone could read whatever they wanted, but
  only a select few (programmers) could write web
  pages. This was Web 1.0.

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Enter Web 2.0

• Web 2.0 or the Read/Write Web fulfills
  Berners-Lees original vision for the WWW
• The introduction of tools like blogs, wikis, and
  RSS have made it so that anyone can write to the
  web
• The question is how can you use these tools to
  better work-flow in your office?

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Blogs Wikis

• Blogs
• Updated by one or more set authors
• Regularly updated
• Used for journal-like content
• Made up of posts
• Posts sorted reverse chronologically
• Sometimes allows for comments
• Updates delivered via RSS

• Wikis
• Anyone can edit
• Updated as needed
• Used for collaboration on a single project
• Made of up of linked pages
• Little or no structure
• Sometimes allows for comments
• Updates delivered via RSS

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RSS

• Short for Real Simple Syndication
• Originally used to syndicate content from another
  web site on your own
• Now most commonly used to deliver web related
  updates
• Makes it easy to keep up with content from news
  sites, blogs, wikis, and web sites without
  visiting them every day
• Requires an RSS Aggregator to use

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RSS Aggregators

• Also known as RSS Readers
• Consider this your inbox for web content
• Come in online and desktop varieties
• Online readers allow you to access your
  subscriptions from any computer
• Desktop readers are only accessible from your
  computer
• Most popular reader is Bloglines

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Finding Blogs

• Ask your colleagues (word of mouth)
• See what others are reading
• Browse blog directories
• Use blog search engines

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Some Places to Start

• Search
• Blogdigger - www.blogdigger.com
• Bloglines - www.bloglines.com/search
• Google Blog Search - blogsearch.google.com
• Syndica8 - www.syndic8.com
• Technorati - www.technorati.com

• Browse
• Legal Blawgs (from Rutgers
• Law Blogs (from U of Akron
• Law Blogs (from Internet Public Library)
• Law Blogs (from Jenkins Law Library)
• Law List
• Legal Information Weblogs

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Start Your Own Blog

• There are 2 blogging options to consider

• Remotely Hosted
• Stored on someone elses server
• May have a cost associated with it
• Limited control
• Easy to learn

• Locally Hosted
• Technical skills required
• Your own web server required (will cost money
• Complete control
• More of a learning curve

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Blogging Options

• Remotely Hosted Free
• Wordpress.com
• Blogger.com
• Remotely Hosted Fee Based
• TypePad.com
• LiveJournal.com
• Locally Hosted Free
• WordPress.org
• Locally Hosted Fee Based
• Moveable Type (www.sixapart.com/movabletype/)

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Start Your Own Wiki

• Wiki packages offer the same 2 options that blog
  packages offer
• Remotely hosted
• Locally hosted
• Like anything else hosting your wiki locally will
  allow for more control over who can edit and read
  pages
• This option works very well for promoting
  collaboration in your office

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Wiki Options

• Remotely Hosted Free
• pbWiki.com
• WetPaint.com
• Locally Hosted Free
• MediaWiki.org
• PhpWiki (phpwiki.sourceforge.net/phpwiki)

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Conclusion

• Web 2.0 technologies have made it much easier for
  us to communicate and collaborate across borders.
  
• With the use of the technologies discussed here
  you will be able to keep up with the profession
  in a more organized fashion.
• Blogs Wikis are more than just a fad, theyre a
  new way to communication and collaborate
  effectively with others in our profession.

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Contact Information

• Nicole C. Engard
• Jenkins Law Library
• nengard_at_jenkinslaw.org
• Slides available online at
• www.jenkinslaw.org/about/bios/nicole.php