I've just finished creating a customized start page using the web 2.0 application netvibes. Prior to finding out about this application, I had created a start page using Google's "IGoogle". While perfectly adequate, I had no idea how much more one could cram into a personalized start page. In my case, I included a slideshow generated by Slide, a very cool application allowing for the ultimate flexibility in creating a personalized slideshow of your own images or images from other sites AND making it very easy to post the show on your blog or send it via email or IM to a friend. I also included Google News, weather specific to my hometown, a map search tool, my del.icio.us bookmark site, an image and video search tool, AND MORE. You can create tabs for this page which categorizes content, e.g. "General", "Interests", etc. You can easily create a "public page" which, I think, gives you the ability to connect with a wider audience through social networking ("friends"? "universe"? ) via publishing on this public page. I have to play around more to really get the hang of that. I admit I am overwhelmed by the magnitude of what is "out there". I just keep wondering, "how does one get the laundry done when you are so busy keeping up with your social networks on the web?"
Doing this exercise made me think about an article I read somewhere on someone's blog about how our students are evolving from retrievers of information to receivers of information. The example given was a teacher that had his world studies students create an IGoogle start page in which they added modules allowing for RSS feeds about notable world news. When a student goes to his/her google start page, he no longer has to search for current information about specific subject matter, the information comes to HIM/HER.
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