I for one am getting concerned about some aspects of the internet, rather than it moving forward with quality content and entertainment is is for a large part an ocean of rubbish. In my quest for information for reviews and interviews I am often forced into the murky world of Facebook and MySpace, two sites that have the charm wit and repartee of a pit viper. Most MySpace pages are just headache inducing, many seem to have been created while the owner was on some hallucinogenic recreational pharmaceutical. Facebook, while not quite having the same coma inducing quality is just as much an anathema to me.
Then came Twitter, who really cares if someone just fed the cat, or has taken the garbage out? Obviously I am in the minority because millions apparently do care. I do have a Twitter account, but it’s sole purpose in life is to send out notices about upcoming radio programs, and that function is entirely automated. Maybe the most baffling aspect of Twitter is the business model. The service is valued at some huge mega million dollar amount, but how does it make money? Or how will it ever make money?
For the most part these social sites are just baffling to me, and how they increase the usefulness of the Internet escapes me.
A while ago I read an announcement about Google’s latest project, something called Wave. I ignored it because I could not understand what on earth it was designed to do. Mostly I like Google products, they have a function and they do it well. I use Gmail as my main email account because for the most part it fits my needs. I use Google Search because it is far and away the best search engine available. I sometimes use Google Docs when I am in the situation where I need several people to contribute to a document or spreadsheet. And what is not to love about Google Maps? Yes folks, I am a convert to the cloud. The fewer items I have stored locally the happier I am. I am not hung up on my computers, they are tools, if an OS gets on my nerves, I dump it and move on.
Right now I am using Ubuntu, but next week I might try something else.
Oops, I have digressed, lets get back to Google Wave. An acquaintance of mine sent me an invitation to join the invite only Beta test. Out of curiosity I accepted. A click later I was one of the ‘in crowd’. I can even invite other people!
But, what does Google Wave do? I am completely in the dark. It is not quite email, it is not quite an Instant Messaging system, and it is not quite Twitter. I am sure that it is destined to become the next great Internet innovation, but for the life of me I do not see the value.
I spent some time Googling Google Wave and read a number of glowing reviews, but I could not find a single real life application for it. If someone can illuminate me on exactly what Google Wave does do, I would appreciate it.
I guess I am just too old to appreciate these new fangled things 🙂
Simon Barrett
3 users commented in " Google Wave – The Next Tsunami – But What On Earth Is it? "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackI can’t believe I’m about to comment in answer to your plea for someone to tell you what real world use Wave might have because that is exactly why I googled “Wave” in the first place and how I found your blog.
I am not at all sure, but I think it will revolutionize, ah, something on the internet.
OK, OK, I just now have learned about wiki’s and how they can be used in k-12 education. I think that it seems Wave can be used as a wiki on steriods! I can get my class signed up for it, start a blip (?) on say, examples of figures of speech, invite all my class to be a part of it, and produce a great compendium of information for future classes.
Or, we could have ongoing discussions about the story or book we are reading. It is safe (I think) for kids to use because even though it is open and many can contribute, only those who are invited (ie, part of my class) will even know about the existence of it.
What do you think? Am I on the right track?
best of the best technology
first, lol: your own tweeple read your twitter for one of its best uses: to quickly, easily, on any device or platform, at their convenience, w/no obligation of any sort, get a link to something of value (your program, in this case). other valuable things: apps become free, breaking news that impacts you now, tech support (my personal fave), contests and giveaways, weather, meeting local people for personal or professional reasons, as a totally custom feed reader….not a single one of the hundred i follow tweets about their meals, lol!
ok, wave: i was stumped too…i figured it had some sort of business use (it does) but then…i realized i could embed video into a wave in two seconds, and immediately share it with any friends in that wave *immediately* (if they were in wave too), or they could see it later. for me, this is really a nice use.
i’ve shared demos of great webware and browser finds with friends, who saw, tried, liked, and then shared with their friends. one of the ppl my friend added to a wave has given me some blow-by-blow help with my mac. the real-time factor was almost like having the person there helping me (even tho they’re across the country). if i didn’t understand something, they could post a picture or explain to me, no waiting like with email.
so now you have two uses: the education/wiki thing, and quick, easy, immediate video/image/info sharing.
but i will say this: after a certain length, you’ll want to start a new wave because the interface gets cluttered.
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