Berners-Lee Finally Blogs

Bloggers are indebted to Sir Tim Berners-Lee for creating their space on the Web. He set up the first read/write Web site in 1991 ...and then promptly offered it free on the Internet. For this he was knighted. Researchers, educators and businesses around the world immediately capitalized on his invention. When the essentially hypertext-free Weblog (blog) version came online around 2003, wannabe journalists also got a free ride.
On his first blog earlier this month, the father of the Web says, "I intend it to be for semantic web stuff mostly." After scanning his 2nd post, the average blogger looks forward to other than the semantic "mostly." He tells us he has been writing geeky stuff on a MIT Web site (DesignIssues) for some time. Here's the guy who transformed geeky insight into foresight by facilitating creative space for border-less communal writing. Within a few days of writing his first post, he turned off congratulory comments when they surpassed 455.
The DesignIssues site has some dated comments on copywrite myths. Among bloggers and even blog providers there is a lot of confusion about "fair use" of links. In view of the emerging blog phenomena, perhaps Tim --or a media-savvy lawyer-- will provide clarification.
High-speed Internet is changing the document generation and retrival landscape. Last Century reclusives familiar with Microsoft Word but intimidated by publicly assessed Blogs, should have a look at a couple of recent entrants.
At Writely.com is a Web-based word processor which permits one to type, edit, save and share documents. Writely documents can be strictly private or made accessible to specified team members for editing. Writely brands its online word processor as: simple & secure document collaboration and publishing. It permits up-load of Microsoft Word documents and a one-click post to your blog. This online service should be a great creative medium for corporate project teams as well as students/teachers, and for members of writing groups who like reading and critiquing each other's work.
In spite of a catchy name, JotSpot is a high-octane WIKI workspace for institutional and commercial users. Here, early adapters are looking at a whole suite of customizable templates for collaborating on projects and written reports. managing written communications and records. See launch of a local initiative here.
Flickr,(from Vancouver)is an online photo sharing and organizing service that is catching fire around the world.
Thanks to pioneering work by Sir Tim, your creative words and pictures can now be parked on the Web safe from home computer crashes, natural disasters and vandals.
New technology is strengthening the sense of community and removing borders. Indeed, ever-increasing Web capabilities provide the workspace of choice for such onliners as educators, project teams , researchers and writers. They can now author, publish, interact and engage. In the near future, all of their files: data, text and music will be stored online.
September 2006 global celebrations mark the Web's 15th anniversary.
Sequel: Both Writely and JotSpot were bought by gorilla Google.