Glossary for the new Web
Web 2.0
Referring to social networking software tools that allow users to form online communities. It can be one-to-one (emails, instant messaging), one-to-many (blogs) or many-to-many (wikis, forums).
Weblog
A website that allows an author(s) to instantly publish text, audio and images.
http://www.blogger.com http://wordpress.org
Podcast
Audio content that is easily created distributed and downloaded. It makes use of Really Simple Syndication (RSS) by sending audio directly to an iPod or mp3 player.
RSS
Really Simple Synciation. This allows users to subscribe to sites that offer feeds of new content.
Wikis
Online database that can be structured, created and edited by anyone. Most famous wiki is the encyclopaedia “wikipedia”.
http//en.wikipedia.org
Social bookmarking
Allows users to display and share their lists of bookmarked webpages. Content is organised by “tags” that are defined by user.
http://del.icio.us http://www.furl.net
MySpace
An interactive website allowing user to build a personal profile, share music, blogs and videos.
www.myspace.com
Flickr and YouTube
Allows user to upload, view and share photos and/or videoclips for free.
www.flickr.com
www.youtube.com
Advice for parents
It is important to allow your child to utilise and explore Web 2.0, but involve yourself to ensure it is done with care and caution. Keep in mind that in most cases, you cannot control who views the information that is shared on the Web.
Remember to talk to your child about these new technologies. Discuss the type of material and information that should not be shared and the possible dangers of sharing inappropriate and personal information. Have a look at the web pages your child is both accessing and creating.
The following glossary will help you understand some of the new terms you will ne hearing.
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