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The web - taking part

Here are some web spaces that you can use for free.  You’ll need to register for most, which usually is very quick, then you can get going.  You’ll often have to provide a username and password – these don’t have to be your OU ones.  These sites are all web-based so you can access them from anywhere and there’s no software to download.  You decide who else can see your material.

  • Access your favourite websites from wherever you are by adding sites to Delicious .  You can categorise sites and search for the ones you want, as well as see what other people find interesting. If you'd like to know more watch a YouTube movie about social bookmarking .
  • Save and rate your own personal copy of web pages on FURL .
  • Lists can help you keep organised, and you’ll always know what still needs to be done.  Ta-da lists let you set up several lists if you want different topics, and then prioritise, add, edit or share your items.
  • If you want notes as well as lists, want to write documents online and arrange email or text reminders, try Backpack .
  • Select and share news, videos on podcasts on Digg , where users decide the site’s content.
  • Stay in touch with other people by using MySpace , Bebo or Facebook . Check out the OU area on Facebook . You can put in your thoughts and photos and invite other students to join. If you'd like to know more watch a YouTube movie about social networking .
  • Flickr is a place to store and share your digital photos with friends or family.  You can set up a group area if several people want to keep their photos together.
  • YouTube lets you show your own video to others, or you can search topics for other people’s material. Watch The Open University movie on YouTube for a tour of the main campus.
  • Odeo lets you listen, download and subscribe to podcasts.  You can also upload your own audio. If you'd like to know about podcasting watch this Common Craft movie .
  • Wikipedia is a huge online encyclopedia.  It is a wiki, which means that it uses collaborative authoring to keep information up-to-date – anyone can add, change or delete material.  Search for any topic in a number of languages.  However, note that there is some controversy about its reliability as a reference source. If you'd like to know more watch a Common Craft movie about wikis .
  • Google Docs & Spreadsheets provides free web-based word processing and spreadsheet software that allows you to share documents with others. If you'd like to know more watch a YouTube movie about using Google Docs .
  • If you want to create a blog try Blogger , which is also usable with your mobile phone. If you'd like to know more watch a Common Craft movie about blogging .
  • To find and subscribe to other blogs, news feeds, email groups and websites, Bloglines lets you search for what you want and save your information in one place.
  • To find out what your friends, family and colleagues are doing try Twitter . If you'd like to know more watch a Common Craft movie about using Twitter .
  • To search through the ever-changing content of blogs and other user-generated sites, try Technorati .
  • You can explore, build and socialise in a virtual economy created by the residents of Second Life .

Next: Using mobile devices

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