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Gilroy
Library Computer Tips
Do online tutorials, get some hands-on tips, or
explore and expand your social networking
skills! |
Computer Instruction and Tips:
Very limited computer instruction can be provided at Gilroy Library due to the volume of patron questions.
The Gilroy Senior Center at 7371 Hannah Street (at Sixth) in Gilroy, provides extensive computer classes for adults. Call (408) 848-0465 for more information.
Online
computer tutorials:
Learn
more about Social Networking: What
is social networking? In a nutshell, social networking allows individuals to connect
and collaborate online by sharing mutual interests using some new Internet software
enhancements. One
major characteristic of social networking is the proliferation of virtual communities
involving group authoring and development of unique imagery, original video, and
digital audio, with text on the sites written and edited by the Internet users
themselves. While
Santa Clara County Library does not endorse or promote outside products or services,
you might take a look at these social networking resources (below) and form your
own opinion about the trend towards online communities and shared creative projects.
- Basic social networking information:
See
Wikipedia's user-created rundown of social networking topics at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_software
for one explanation of this movement and its technology.
- Learn to Blog:
Create
a free blog (online diary) and share your news and views with others online at
Google's Blogger: www.blogger.com.
- Micro-blog:
Post short, 140-character
messages on Twitter, to answer the question, "what are you doing right now?" A post (message) on Twitter is called a "Tweet," with tweets being searchable, so you can find posts on specific topics. But what if you want to post a long URL in your Twitter message? Try TinyURL, which converts long URL's into more compact web addresses, suitable for posting.
- Search Blogs by topic:
Search for
topics covered by other bloggers at Technorati: technorati.com
- View photos and share your own:
Share
your photos and images on Flickr: www.flickr.com
- Receive all your news and updates in one site:
Learn
about RSS feeds and set up a reader account filled with your favorite news and
sources of information on Bloglines: www.bloglines.com
- Have your favorite Web sites travel with you:
Take
your favorite Web sites on the road with social bookmarklets provided by Del.ici.ous: del.icio.us
- Collaborate in a writing project:
Share
an informational writing project with others or read what others have written about your favorite
topics, using Wikis. To read more about wikis and search for user-authored wiki
topics, try Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiki.
- Share your videos:
Visit
YouTube to share your videos (or view others) at www.youtube.com.
- Podcast your meeting or original music:
To learn how to podcast, visit www.how-to-podcast-tutorial.com
or create one at www.mypodcast.com.
- Create an online community of friends:
Learn what
the virtual community is hearing, posting, and viewing today on MySpace.com www.myspace.com, or, create your own meeting place online (and control who sees your information with privacy settings) at Facebook.com: www.facebook.com.
- Download audio or audio books:
To
learn about downloadable audio, visit en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audiobook
or learn how to download free audio and ebooks from the Santa Clara County Library in our Electronic Library 24/7 at www.santaclaracountylib.org/electronic_library.
- Explore a fantastic world while engaged in a quest, battle, or adventure:
Interested in gaming? World of Warcraft is one of the more popular social networking games on the Internet with gorgeous graphics and massive detail in levels of play. Groups of teen and adult users may form Guilds to protect each other during battles, share tips and lore, and achieve higher levels of play. Here is an introduction to WOW: www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/basics/guide.html.
- Create your double in a realistic world you and others have designed:
One life not enough? Many institutions of higher learning, non profits, governmental agencies, and individuals are purchasing virtual real estate, creating graphic replicas of their brick and mortar structures, and designing characters called Avatars who represent them in a virtual world called Second Life. Not really a game, Second Life provides the ability for users to live in a virtual world, which they and others have helped to create. View a tutorial on Second Life at wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/LSL_Tutorial or wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Video_Tutorials.
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