Key Terms

Below is a brief glossary of terms which will be used throughout this course. Each definition also includes a link to the Wikipedia entry for the term so you can read more if you are interested.

Aggregator: In Web 2.0 terms, an aggregator is software which collects RSS feeds in one location. Rather than visiting multiple different sites to read blogs or other information, an aggregator brings all the content to you.

Blog: Short for “Web log,” a blog is a site where frequent, short posts are published. Many blogs are basically online journals of individuals, but others focus on specific topics such as politics, education, or business. Blogs usually include numerous links to other sources. Blogs typically include places where others can comment on individual posts as well.

Creative Commons License: A Creative Commons license on a work allows you to copy and distribute it under certain circumstances. You must (nearly) always include an attribution for the source, but other conditions may vary depending on the specific license used. A Creative Commons license is more restrictive than the public domain but less restrictive than a full copyright.

Folksonomy: Unlike a taxonomy where categories are structured and often include a hierarchy to classify information, folksonomies are informal systems of categorizing information developed by networked communities through tags. Folksonomies include keywords but do not generally include a hierarchy with multiple levels, and items frequently are categorized with multiple tags. Individuals may use the same tags for different purposes; the folksonomy is organic and allows the tags to develop as the community uses them. The classification is social because individuals can see how others have tagged specific items and which items have a specific tag.

Podcast: A podcast is an audio broadcast published regularly to the Web. Podcasts can be listened to using a portable mp3 player but may also be heard through a computer.

RSS: RSS stands for “Rich Site Summary” or “Really Simple Syndication,” depending on which source you consult. RSS is a way of easily distributing content which is regularly updated, like a blog or news site. Individuals can subscribe to the RSS feed, which is the information sent out from the source.

Screencast: A screencast is a broadcast of the contents of a computer screen. It is commonly used for software application training, but can be used for other purposes as well.

Social Bookmarking: Social bookmarking is a way to share bookmarks or favorites on the Web. Social bookmarking services include ways to “tag” bookmarks with specific keywords for classification.

Tag: Tags are a way of organizing content on the fly. You can create tags to label your content with keywords that make sense to you as you add content. You can also compare the tags used by others to organize content. Websites like Flickr, del.icio.us, and Technorati all rely on tags.

Web 2.0: Also called the “Read/Write Web,” this is a phrase used to refer to all emerging Web tools which allow individuals to easily create and distribute content. This includes blogs, wikis, podcasts, social bookmarking, and other tools. This is differentiated from the “read-only” Web where publishing content required specialized knowledge and was not easily accessible. Most individuals were consumers of content, not producers; with the Read/Write Web, individuals can easily post their own content.

Wiki: A wiki is a collaborative space where multiple people can contribute and edit content. The most well-known wiki is Wikipedia, an encyclopedia where everything is written, edited, and managed by anyone who wishes to contribute.