Definition of widget

From Wikipedia: A widget is anything that can be embedded within a page of HTML, i.e. a web page. A widget adds some content to that page that is not static. Generally widgets are third party originated, though they can be home made. Widgets are also known as modules, snippets, and plug-ins. Widgets can be written in HTML, but also in JavaScript, flash and other scripting languages that will be run when the page is called.
See Weather on right side of blog.

Online productivity!

Thing 19

Used Google Docs to upload a poem that I had saved on the wan.
Also added a widget for local weather. Found this on the Web 2.0 awards list.
Still not sure what the word widget means. Lots of useful and fun things to download or copy though.

A poem from Google Docs

Thing 18

Mother to Son

by Langston Hughes

Well, son, I'll tell you:

Life for me ain't been no crystal stair.

It's had tacks in it,

And splinters,

And boards torn up,

And places with no carpet on the floor-

Bare.

But all the time

I'se been a-climben' on

And reachin landin's,

And turnin' corners,

And sometimes goin' in the dark

Where there ain't been no light.

So boy, don't you turn back.

Don't set you down on the steps

'Cause you finds it's kinder hard.

Don't you fall now-

For I'se still goin' honey,

I'se still climben',

And life for me ain't been no crystal stair.

Playing in the Sandbox

Thing 17

I jumped into the Sandbox feet first! It was not all that simple the way the instructions said, but it was fun. I was confused between adding my own blog, Pooh's Place and then adding a new wiki page for Favorite Things, which turned out to be Favorite Dogs of course. Good thing I am not a cat in the sand box!

Wiki world...

Thing 16

Wiki's are nice. They might even be better than blogs. But I would not use a wiki to find specific facts or scholarly information. I have had several students tell me they are not allowed to use Wikipedia for any reports. The teachers do not consider it to be reliable. I agree. If everyone in the world can go into it and make changes it is bound to have mistakes or information that is too subjective in it.
I liked the Book Lovers' wiki. I can see any library using that as a way for people to comment on their favorite books. Maybe we could set one up for "The Big Read"?
The subject guide wiki from St Joseph Co. Public Library was good. But I wonder how many librarians actually contribute to it? Do just a few people end up having to keep it going and up-to-date?
The New Orleans ALA wiki was very good. It was helpful for those who needed to know what they were supposed to be doing and finding out where things were.
So wiki's are good for large groups of people to be able to contribute to a specific topic and keep it up-to-date.
Finally I like the word wiki because it is an actual real word from Hawaii meaning to go quickly...wiki wiki!