What is DELICIOUS?
I chose Delicious because this seemed like a good starting point for me - I loved the tutorial clip on it and what it proclaimed to do: clean up all my website bookmarks and make them accessible from the internet, not just my own computer. I added it to my toolbar and imported my existing bookmarks, which are not organised. Starting up on Delicious was easy - it was almost done automatically as I have a google email account, and off I went! Thank you Lee LeFever! I made the mistake of using the automatically assigned popular tags instead of creating my own, so now I have a second set of bookmarks that need cleaning up. Joy.
I havent managed to make my bookmarks social yet as I dont know people on Delicious per se, - have to find some. This could be great for people in music ensembles & instrumentalists - my fellow flute colleagues could share a collection of the worlds websites on flute and our artists. I do think that professionally this is a really useful way of sharing information for me. All the user needs is the URL, and a compatible web browser - it doesnt support AOL or Internet Explorer, but offers downloadable connections to help. I havent used EndNote yet unfortunately, so the only bibliographic item I can compare it with is iTunes - (you may laugh, but its a really important tool for me as it has my entire music library on it). Visually I still prefer my Mac's bookmarking interface as it can display the pages in a gallery, and in file format, which I also like. I guess this blue & white site will just take a bit of time for me to adjust to.
LibraryThing is a vehicle to help create a catalog of users books, so they can access it anywhere. It is a social site so people can connect and share if they have similar lists, and the reader can glean suggestions for further reading or additions to their collections. It appears to be a website unto itself, so no extra software is needed, provided your web browser works. Users can have an account for up to 200 books, afterwhich there is a small fee per annum or lifetime. The creator includes a very off-putting line in the starting up section: “I conservatively predict the revenue will enable me to recline all day on an enormous pile of gold.”
This is a site for the more serious reader or information collector, with the option to use LOC or Dui systems for cataloging.
I already use GoodReads (occasionally) on my Facebook, and currently dont see the use of operating multiple systems for my books– so I just joined up and entered 4 books as I had time, but would love to see what happens further – Ill do about 10 more & let you know if theres any developments. It was really easy to begin – just a user & password. Im looking forward to linking up with people who have similar lists. I think that once I get going with this site, it could be very useful socially.
Upon first glance, I thought "now this is my kind of library site!" (sorry Nuggen!) - it appeals to me visually as its bright & colourful, and is a global library facility so I can catalog my CDs & DVDs here as well. A one stop shop. Yessss!
AND the big bonus is how you can input the data – via your webcam with barcodes!! Its just like being at work in the bookshop only at home!!!
I tried to upload my iTunes files whilst checking some other sites , however I wont know if its successful or not for the next 6 days – as its saying thats how long it will take to check the items. Joy. So I guess I cant try it with books just yet as the uploading file is still going on the CDs. Bummer - I did things the wrong way around.
Its a lot simpler looking than the other sites – almost as if its made for kids (probably was!) This site is very bright and appeals to the visual user. I tried to use the webcam to scan in a book but it made my Safari suddenly quit twice, so for me, its not as convenient as it looked at first. Ill be getting a little barcode scanner I reckon – I dont like mucking around. This is a free site, and Im losing interest in it the more I try to use it. The social features are the same as LibraryThing, where your library is matched up with other users – the thing is, I guess each site attracts different users and it would be interesting to see what kind of people you meet on each site and how many people you match with.
Many more days are needed just to explore all the options and use these sites properly to find the right ones for me, but Ill keep on it because when the day comes that Ive got all my books, cds & dvds catalogued then everything will be perfect. I will sit very still and enjoy listening to the silence of everything being in order :)
