Theodore Holm Nelson is a pioneer of information technology, because he was the first in coining the terms “hypertext” and “hypermedia” at the year 1963. He founded in 1960 the Xanadu Project trying to create a global computer network. He wrote two books “Computer Lib/Dream Machines (1974)” and “Literary Machines (1981)” exposing the xanadu concepts and ideas. Although the project failed was one of the mainly antecedents for the World Wide Web creation by Timothy Berners-Lee when he was created the HTML at 1989.
With the new browser version 9.5 Opera Software it tries to put itself to shot in the web browsers´s race, introducing new products for mobile internet too, with the Opera Mobile new beta.
Some of the improvements more highlighteds observed in the Opera 9.5 can be: Opera Link: Opera Link its a feature by means of which our preferences can be synchronized joining from another PC or our mobilphone. At the moment that you create a new opera account, you can log in on another computer throught File > Syncronize Opera and syncronize your browser preferences (Bookmarks, Notes, Personal Bar). Speed Diales: You can set tabs with your favouite websites for find quickly as a shortcut. Notes Panel: In the Panels section you have a “Notes” panel for manage notes with the posibility of sending by e-mail client too.
They add : “We’ve made the fastest browser in the world even faster with superior support for Web standards. Opera 9.5 is quicker to start, faster at loading Web pages and better at running your favorite Web applications.”
You can find a better explanation of the Opera newest features ate the official website .
We have implemented a wiki system to share resources, content and information related to elearning, Web 2,0 and 3d worlds. Through this fantastic resource of collective knowledge, as its wiki, the idea is to create a complete guide with detailed information under the topics before mentioned.
You can join our wiki through this link. So you are invited to contribute with your knowledge.
Active Worlds is a 3D platform borned in 1995 when the AlphaWorld was renamed Active Worlds. It isnt has know and popularity as Second Life, but users con chat with voice and use IM (Instant Message) too, and allow to the users to create their own spaces into de platform. The version 4.2 upgrade on June 2008, was accompanied with a best graphics engine and most customizable avatars.
So now, following the growing up surface of e-learning into a virtual worlds, was created at Active Worlds a community called AWEDU (Active Worlds Educational Universe) that offer the 3d technology to teachers, students and organizations for discover new concepts and possibilities into social learning, with differents prices for each one.
We are making a “Virtual Learning 3D Chronology” with the mainly historical facts, and birth of resources and developments related to e-learning into virtual worlds. This timeline was developed using the SIMILE (MIT Project).
Too we have considered as a relevant event the vinculation between Moodle and Second Life through birth of Sloodle, a module integration that enable the Moodle e-learning possibilities into the Second Life virtual enviroment.
Today, with a more powerful speed in the network connections, and advances in grapics cards, the virtual worlds related concepts are at the mainstream with the birth of new virtual communities like Second Life, There, Lively and others, that they come accompanied with others adds like a real life businesses presence and a new economic concept called “Metanomics” that explore the study of economics and policy in the virtual worlds “metaverse”. The advances are related too with the new learning methods based in this virtual worlds, and the new online possibilities growing at the e-learning platforms.
But now… what about the historical antecedents and the previews projects?
I recently found a very interesting documental project called “Virtual Worlds Timeline: the Origins and Evolution of Social Virtual Worlds”. In this historical review it is taken the Maze War (1974) like a first 3D networked virtual world initiative. Other project highlighted in this review is Habitat a virtual game developed by Lucasfilm Games in 1985 (running in Commodore 64 platforms) where for first time people was represented as avatars, and there was born the term “avatar”.
I order to know more on this stage of the virtual worlds evolution, you can read the book “Avatars!” (1997) written by Bruce Damers who realises a detailed historical review, with other books references (famous Neal Stephenson’s novel Snow Crash published in 1992) and projects descriptions and interviews, like a conversation with Mark Pesce (VRML creator).
Commoncraft is a very special company, because its product is the explanation. Yes, the work of Sachi and Lee Lefever is to make explanatory videos, mainly for services 2.0 as wiki, google services and more. The technique to make these videos is quite particular and original also, characterized by its manuality and simple materials like papers, cutter and drypens.
Then we are making a commoncraft videos special presentation in our virtual space “web social café” all this week, so you will be able to put comfortable in our sofas and see this greats videos.
We are releasing our virtual space that we denominated “Web Social Café” based on the Lively platform developed by Google. It is possible to be acceded to our space from here, or also our menu of pages exists a direct link. In order to be able to enter our virtual room, you must be a Gmail user, as well you need download a small application. Once it is entered is possible to be created and to be modified the appearance (avatar) as you desired to interact virtually.
As you can see in the image attached to this post our room is in construction, nevertheless already it is possible to be entered her, where it is had thought to realise different events and exhibitions, many of they, besides the possibility of virtual interaction 3D, we will present/display different media content, like videos and audio, and virtual meetings with people related to the social Web.
———————————————————————————————- Abrimos nuestro “web social café” virtual
Estamos estrenando nuestro espacio virtual que denominamos “Web Social Café” basado en la plataforma Lively desarrollada por Google. Se puede acceder a nuestro espacio desde aquí, o también existe un enlace nuestro menu de páginas. Para poder entrar en nuestra sala virtual, se debe ser usuario de Gmail, así como también se debe descargar una pequeña aplicación. Una vez que se ingresa se puede crear y modificar la apariencia (avatar) que se desea para interactuar virtualmente.
Como verán en la img adjunta a este post nuestra sala esta en reformas, de todas formas ya se puede ingresar a ella, donde se tiene pensado realizar diferentes eventos y exposiciónes, muchos de los cuales, además de la posibilidad de interacción virtual 3D, presentaremos diferentes contenidos multimedia, como videos y audio, así como charlas virtuales por parte de personas relacionadas con la web social.
Finnally we can install correctly the 1.8.5 version of Moodle in our servers hemos, keeping available our online course room, that will function as a e-learnnig platform, for begin with our learning sessions framed in the net using this platform and exploring the capabilities. Beginnig registering the installations steps and the possibles problems during installation, for later begin to use the platform tha we make for online distant courses, inviting to keep in alert about our future posts, to the people interesed in this e-learning platform, and the learning using new tecnologies.
Finalmente hemos podido instalar correctamente la versión 1.8.5 de Moodle en nuestros servidores, quedando ya habilitada nuestra sala de cursos online, que oficiará como plataforma de e-learning, para comenzar con nuestras sesiones de pruebas de aprendizaje enmarcado en la red usando esta plataforma y explorando las posibilidades que se pueden dar en ella. Empezaremos registrando los pasos de instalación y los posibles contratiempos que pueden originarse en los mismos, para luego empezar a utilizar esta plataforma que hemos creado para la realización de cursos a distancia, invitando a mantenerse al tanto de nuestros futuros posts a aquellas personas interesadas en incursionar en aprendizaje mediante nuevas tecnologías, así como también a aquellos que ya estan usando esta plataforma en centros de estudios aplicando pedagogía constructivista.
According to New York Times in the recent news, Steward Butterfield, founder of the service Flickr to share photos, acquired by Yahoo! in the 2005 has resigned to this company along with its wife Caterina Fake also founding of the popular service. The decision was taken, like two executives who carried out stops positions in the company since the pioneering company rejected the supply of $47,5 billiones offered by Microsoft Corporation.
————————————————————————————————- Fundadores de Flickr abandonan Yahoo!
Según confirma el New York Times en reciente noticia, Steward Butterfield, fundador del servicio para compartir fotografías Flickr, adquirido por Yahoo! en el 2005 ha renunciado a esta empresa junto con su esposa Caterina Fake también fundadora del popular servicio. La decisión fue tomada, al igual que dos ejecutivos que desempeñaban altos cargos en la empresa desde que la empresa pionera rechazara la oferta de $47.5 billiones ofrecida por Microsoft Corporation.
photo by bowbrick
