Module B - LO1

Today I have been thinking about the online communities I currently use and the ones I have used in the past. Obviously over the years I have used many in one form or another, many as just one off's. However, I realised that there are certain online cummunities I use regularly, for instance:

Facebook - A social utility used to connect people all over the world. Great for keeping in touch with family and friends living huge distants away. This community offers the benefit of real time chat too, which, subject to time differences can make for great contact with family and friends anywhere in the world. Though this is fantastic for communicating, its downside is that everyone using it seems to insist on sending out weird and wonderful applications to all and sundry. These can be very very annoying, unless they happen to be something you are really interested in. At present I have almost 50 applications waiting to be opened, all of which I have no desire to look at. I have learned that applications claiming to be for 'meeting new people' are nothing more than flirt applications. Unfortunatley there are way too many of these. Facebook also seems to have the need to let everyone know that someone in their friend list has a crush on them. Why??? This crops up all over the place and can be very, very annoying.

Myspace - An international site offering email, blogging, forums, video's and music. A good site for anyone seriously interested in music, and following their favourite bands. This is one of my favourite sites as I am mad for music. I find that I can listen to tracks I have never heard before. If you are subscribed to your favourite bands myspace site, you can get early information of their up and coming concerts. Also being able to chat to people who are equally as interested in the various artists as you are is great fun and great for sharing information on the artists.

Friends Reunited - An online community used for finding long lost relatives and friends. I have used this site for many years, and as a result I am now back in touch with 2 guys that I was in primary school with, all those years ago. I have also been able to contact other old school friends to simply say hello, and catch up on where their lives took them. Very nostalgic.

Genes Reunited - A geneaology site used for tracing your family tree. I began using this site several years ago when I decided to trace my family tree. As well as locating information about my ancestors, it also help to put me back in touch with a living Uncle whom I had not seen for approximatly 10 years. This in turn sparked a whole string of events leading to me making contact with many living relatives not seen for many years.

Microsoft Messenger - A web messenger used for chatting in real time to friends anywhere in the world. This site is great because you have to add people to your buddy list to be able to chat to them. First you send a request, and if denied, they cannot message you. This allows you to only add people you know, and is therefore a much safer chat application for children to use.

Anbody There - An online community for anyone interested in the paranormal. The site is home to many forums and live chat. Its a great site for learning about the paranormal as well as discussing any unusual things you may have experienced.

Pursuit of guidance - Another site for any one interested in the paranormal, however, I personally did not find this a terribly good site as everytime I entered the chat rooms they were trying to carry out readings on me, and I was told some rather worrying/nasty things. I advise anyone using this site to do so with caution.

Simply Discus - A forum for anyone interested in tropical fish, but more specifically discus fish. This site is very informative and helped me to sort out a nasty problem I had with camalanus worms in my fish tank, a problem that no aquatics shop could help with.

E-Folio - An online community used by the college I work for. This site is used for putting the students homework on, for adding reasources the students may need, for staff resources and email. The students all have their own email account and can therefore email the teachers when they have a problem with their homework, or email their friends when they wish.

Plone - An online community used by Anglia Ruskin University for the benefit of the students studying online with Ultraversity. This site is used for uploading completed assignments, downloading modules ect.

First Class - Another comunity though not actually accessed online. Its like a mail client, with the added benefit of the forums area for exchanging ideas about the work, or researching information. The site also has an instant chat facility allowing you to talk in real time to one of the cohort. As this site is not actually found online, it is only available to the students in the university cohorts, which means that needless chat is kept to a minimum, and the site can be used strictly for the degree.

I am currently in the process of trying out Photobucket, an online community used for uploading and sharing photographs. I have only just signed up for it, so it early days yet, but I will keep you up dated on how it goes.