Comments on: Interesting beneficial uses of the Web? http://crookedtimber.org/2006/11/14/interesting-beneficial-uses-of-the-web/ Out of the crooked timber of humanity, no straight thing was ever made Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:56:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: greensmile http://crookedtimber.org/2006/11/14/interesting-beneficial-uses-of-the-web/comment-page-1/#comment-179485 greensmile Fri, 17 Nov 2006 17:26:35 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/11/14/interesting-beneficial-uses-of-the-web/#comment-179485 There are scattered reports of amateurs in archeology finding hints of ruins by studying Google earth or other web accesses satellite imagry. It is also a first responder's tool when trying to reach remote places [Kashmir earthquake comes to mind] after an earth quake...but governments that suppress certain features in satellite imagery for their "national security" are at odds with these benefical uses of the images. There are scattered reports of amateurs in archeology finding hints of ruins by studying Google earth or other web accesses satellite imagry.

It is also a first responder’s tool when trying to reach remote places [Kashmir earthquake comes to mind] after an earth quake…but governments that suppress certain features in satellite imagery for their “national security” are at odds with these benefical uses of the images.

]]> By: C. L. Ball http://crookedtimber.org/2006/11/14/interesting-beneficial-uses-of-the-web/comment-page-1/#comment-179205 C. L. Ball Thu, 16 Nov 2006 18:51:42 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/11/14/interesting-beneficial-uses-of-the-web/#comment-179205 My wife and I used the county auditor's on-line GIS database http://www.gis.co.polk.ia.us/default.htm to figure out how much would should pay for our house in the neighborhood we were thinking of buying in by being able to easily access sale prices, building quality, and square footage for houses adjancent to it or in the neighborhood. We have used other auditor's on-line GIS databases to look at housing quality-cost tradeoffs when considering job offers that would require moving. It would help if you would define the parameters of your query more explicitly. For example, I use kayak.com & expedia.com to compare airline, hotel, and car rental prices and schedules to travel. Often, I do not buy through the site, but use it to decide which airline's website to purchase from. I'm not sure if this is the service you mean, or if you mean non-sale on-line services that are used for other, real-world transactions or interactions. My wife and I used the county auditor’s on-line GIS database

http://www.gis.co.polk.ia.us/default.htm

to figure out how much would should pay for our house in the neighborhood we were thinking of buying in by being able to easily access sale prices, building quality, and square footage for houses adjancent to it or in the neighborhood. We have used other auditor’s on-line GIS databases to look at housing quality-cost tradeoffs when considering job offers that would require moving.

It would help if you would define the parameters of your query more explicitly. For example, I use kayak.com & expedia.com to compare airline, hotel, and car rental prices and schedules to travel. Often, I do not buy through the site, but use it to decide which airline’s website to purchase from. I’m not sure if this is the service you mean, or if you mean non-sale on-line services that are used for other, real-world transactions or interactions.

]]> By: tzs http://crookedtimber.org/2006/11/14/interesting-beneficial-uses-of-the-web/comment-page-1/#comment-179191 tzs Thu, 16 Nov 2006 17:36:12 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/11/14/interesting-beneficial-uses-of-the-web/#comment-179191 Remember that the Internet (and postings on a BBS) was one way the NGOs were able to jump in quicker than the gov't was right after the Hanshin earthquake. Remember that the Internet (and postings on a BBS) was one way the NGOs were able to jump in quicker than the gov’t was right after the Hanshin earthquake.

]]> By: sanbikinoraion http://crookedtimber.org/2006/11/14/interesting-beneficial-uses-of-the-web/comment-page-1/#comment-178947 sanbikinoraion Wed, 15 Nov 2006 11:18:56 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/11/14/interesting-beneficial-uses-of-the-web/#comment-178947 www.triphub.com is what we're using to organize our skiing holiday between a geographically discrete group of people. http://www.triphub.com is what we’re using to organize our skiing holiday between a geographically discrete group of people.

]]> By: Alex http://crookedtimber.org/2006/11/14/interesting-beneficial-uses-of-the-web/comment-page-1/#comment-178946 Alex Wed, 15 Nov 2006 11:11:35 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/11/14/interesting-beneficial-uses-of-the-web/#comment-178946 <a href="http://www.kathryncramer.com/photos/new_orleans_flooding/index.html" rel="nofollow">Kathryn Cramer et al's Katrina flooding photo overlays?</a> Kathryn Cramer et al’s Katrina flooding photo overlays?

]]> By: ian http://crookedtimber.org/2006/11/14/interesting-beneficial-uses-of-the-web/comment-page-1/#comment-178944 ian Wed, 15 Nov 2006 10:37:56 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/11/14/interesting-beneficial-uses-of-the-web/#comment-178944 Dvaid Wilcox' <a href="http://partnerships.typepad.com/civic/" rel="nofollow">blog</a> has lots of posts on various social networking applications amd other topics like e-democracy. He mat be able to give you case studies. Dvaid Wilcox’ blog has lots of posts on various social networking applications amd other topics like e-democracy. He mat be able to give you case studies.

]]> By: Kenny Easwaran http://crookedtimber.org/2006/11/14/interesting-beneficial-uses-of-the-web/comment-page-1/#comment-178928 Kenny Easwaran Wed, 15 Nov 2006 06:29:08 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/11/14/interesting-beneficial-uses-of-the-web/#comment-178928 If you're looking for specific band/MySpace connections, I've heard that the Arctic Monkeys had their success in the UK largely due to MySpace. Here's an article: http://prblog.typepad.com/strategic_public_relation/2005/12/myspace_helps_b.html If you’re looking for specific band/MySpace connections, I’ve heard that the Arctic Monkeys had their success in the UK largely due to MySpace. Here’s an article:

http://prblog.typepad.com/strategic_public_relation/2005/12/myspace_helps_b.html

]]> By: Quo Vadis http://crookedtimber.org/2006/11/14/interesting-beneficial-uses-of-the-web/comment-page-1/#comment-178894 Quo Vadis Wed, 15 Nov 2006 01:31:02 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/11/14/interesting-beneficial-uses-of-the-web/#comment-178894 I've been developing software since before the Web came into existence. The ready access to open source code and freely available instruction and expertise has completely changed the way I develop software. I spend a lot less time reading reference books and writing code than I used to and a lot more time researching on the web and glueing bits of open source software together. My #1 productivity tool for software development is a Web browser. I’ve been developing software since before the Web came into existence. The ready access to open source code and freely available instruction and expertise has completely changed the way I develop software. I spend a lot less time reading reference books and writing code than I used to and a lot more time researching on the web and glueing bits of open source software together. My #1 productivity tool for software development is a Web browser.

]]> By: vkri http://crookedtimber.org/2006/11/14/interesting-beneficial-uses-of-the-web/comment-page-1/#comment-178884 vkri Tue, 14 Nov 2006 23:22:50 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/11/14/interesting-beneficial-uses-of-the-web/#comment-178884 Here is a link to the use of information technology for land registration (this is to a conference on the topic). This may seem unimportant, but actually has a tremendous value due to enhanced transparency etc: http://www.fig.net/commission7/india_2006/index.htm Here is a link to the use of information technology for land registration (this is to a conference on the topic). This may seem unimportant, but actually has a tremendous value due to enhanced transparency etc:

http://www.fig.net/commission7/india_2006/index.htm

]]> By: vkri http://crookedtimber.org/2006/11/14/interesting-beneficial-uses-of-the-web/comment-page-1/#comment-178883 vkri Tue, 14 Nov 2006 23:17:36 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/11/14/interesting-beneficial-uses-of-the-web/#comment-178883 Hi, Here are a couple of links about the use of IT based tools for agriculture (in India again): http://www.stockholmchallenge.se/projectdata.asp?id=1&projectid=461 http://www.asianlaws.org/cyberlaw/library/india/general/agri.htm I hope these help. Hi,
Here are a couple of links about the use of IT based tools for agriculture (in India again):
http://www.stockholmchallenge.se/projectdata.asp?id=1&projectid=461
http://www.asianlaws.org/cyberlaw/library/india/general/agri.htm

I hope these help.

]]> By: Cryptic Ned http://crookedtimber.org/2006/11/14/interesting-beneficial-uses-of-the-web/comment-page-1/#comment-178879 Cryptic Ned Tue, 14 Nov 2006 22:32:17 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/11/14/interesting-beneficial-uses-of-the-web/#comment-178879 I'm sure there are a lot of people who use blogspot for purposes that are not diary- or blog-like in the least. I use it to keep a record of the playlists of my radio show. It's quite handy because I don't have to do any formatting and I can update it from any computer without actually going to the trouble of downloading, editing and uploading files. I’m sure there are a lot of people who use blogspot for purposes that are not diary- or blog-like in the least. I use it to keep a record of the playlists of my radio show. It’s quite handy because I don’t have to do any formatting and I can update it from any computer without actually going to the trouble of downloading, editing and uploading files.

]]> By: magistra http://crookedtimber.org/2006/11/14/interesting-beneficial-uses-of-the-web/comment-page-1/#comment-178877 magistra Tue, 14 Nov 2006 22:12:03 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/11/14/interesting-beneficial-uses-of-the-web/#comment-178877 Two minor but personal examples: 1) I'm adopted and in the early 1990s I traced a birth parent (living overseas) via computer databases. I could do that at the time because I was a trained librarian with access to some expensive dial-up services. Now, anyone could do similar things with Google and the like. 2) In the late 1990s I used online discussion groups to help me learn Latin. A group would agree to do the exercises from a particular book and post them together at the same time. It provided extra motivation and advice and enabled me to learn a minority language in a town that had absolutely no other support for doing that. Two minor but personal examples:

1) I’m adopted and in the early 1990s I traced a birth parent (living overseas) via computer databases. I could do that at the time because I was a trained librarian with access to some expensive dial-up services. Now, anyone could do similar things with Google and the like.

2) In the late 1990s I used online discussion groups to help me learn Latin. A group would agree to do the exercises from a particular book and post them together at the same time. It provided extra motivation and advice and enabled me to learn a minority language in a town that had absolutely no other support for doing that.

]]> By: Martin James http://crookedtimber.org/2006/11/14/interesting-beneficial-uses-of-the-web/comment-page-1/#comment-178846 Martin James Tue, 14 Nov 2006 21:21:17 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/11/14/interesting-beneficial-uses-of-the-web/#comment-178846 Its fairly simple app but I had a friend whose teenager was having major heart surgery and the hospital facilitates web pages for each family so friends and relatives stayed informed and provided support. He lives in India but had the surgery in Boston and his family and friends were in over 10 different countries. Its fairly simple app but I had a friend whose teenager was having major heart surgery and the hospital facilitates web pages for each family so friends and relatives stayed informed and provided support.

He lives in India but had the surgery in Boston and his family and friends were in over 10 different countries.

]]> By: Eszter http://crookedtimber.org/2006/11/14/interesting-beneficial-uses-of-the-web/comment-page-1/#comment-178844 Eszter Tue, 14 Nov 2006 21:18:55 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/11/14/interesting-beneficial-uses-of-the-web/#comment-178844 Aidan - yes, you're right that it is a very general question. That was partly on purpose, although certainly not with the intention of stifling discussion. Most of people's comments above have to do with discussion groups, which is interesting in and of itself. It reminds me of the <a href="http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/06/a-great-resource/" rel="nofollow">post </a> I wrote last year about the Mr.Excel forums. I tried to be specific by pointing out that I was looking for examples with real-life benefits as opposed to pointers to resources that are set up to help people, but we don't necessarily know whether they actually do. For example, Zabuni mentions the use of MySpace by musicians, which is a great point. On that note, what I would *really* like to see is a story about a singer or band reflecting on how they think use of MySpace helped their musical career. That is, we know lots of artists use MySpace to get their work out to audiences. But how many of these result in any fame or fortune (and I'm willing to be flexible in defining those terms)? So I'll be more specific in this comment: does anyone know of such a success story? (And we'll set aside for the moment the difficult issue of isolating particular factors as causing success.) Aidan – yes, you’re right that it is a very general question. That was partly on purpose, although certainly not with the intention of stifling discussion.

Most of people’s comments above have to do with discussion groups, which is interesting in and of itself. It reminds me of the post I wrote last year about the Mr.Excel forums.

I tried to be specific by pointing out that I was looking for examples with real-life benefits as opposed to pointers to resources that are set up to help people, but we don’t necessarily know whether they actually do. For example, Zabuni mentions the use of MySpace by musicians, which is a great point.

On that note, what I would really like to see is a story about a singer or band reflecting on how they think use of MySpace helped their musical career. That is, we know lots of artists use MySpace to get their work out to audiences. But how many of these result in any fame or fortune (and I’m willing to be flexible in defining those terms)? So I’ll be more specific in this comment: does anyone know of such a success story? (And we’ll set aside for the moment the difficult issue of isolating particular factors as causing success.)

]]> By: India http://crookedtimber.org/2006/11/14/interesting-beneficial-uses-of-the-web/comment-page-1/#comment-178840 India Tue, 14 Nov 2006 21:12:37 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/11/14/interesting-beneficial-uses-of-the-web/#comment-178840 I know a book jacket designer who uses blogs to present comps (sample designs) to his clients. He has a separate blog for each publisher and posts a separate blog entry for each title, usually presenting three to ten comps per entry. The client can then review the samples whenever is convenient and post comments. This way both designer and client avoid a lot of file-transfer headaches, as well as having to deal with a zillion separate image files. I know a book jacket designer who uses blogs to present comps (sample designs) to his clients.

He has a separate blog for each publisher and posts a separate blog entry for each title, usually presenting three to ten comps per entry. The client can then review the samples whenever is convenient and post comments.

This way both designer and client avoid a lot of file-transfer headaches, as well as having to deal with a zillion separate image files.

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