Distance is no barrier for a group

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Here are a handful of services and resources you and your group could use to aid communication and reduce the distance barrier.

How can you communicate with your group?

Instant Messaging I Skype I Forums I Social Network Services I Blogs and Wikis I Open Source

Click once on any inks below (underlined) and web pages will open up in a new window.

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Messaging

Instant Messaging (IM) is a form of real-time communication between two or more people based on typed text. The text is conveyed via computers connected over a network such as the Internet. There are many services, AOL and Yahoo are widely used as well as Windows Live Messenger.

Windows Live Messenger an easy way to communicate or is it difficult?

By most accounts this is an easy to use tool, but like much of technology, improvements and changes mean regular downloads of upgrades, which can be frought with problems. Good review on Windows Messenger in Wikipedia.

Skype

Skype is a software programme which allows users to make telephone calls over the internet to other Skype users free of charge and to landlines and cell phones for a fee. Additional features include instant messaging, file transfer, short message service, video conferencing and its ability to circumvent firewalls. Source Wikipedia (last accessed 04 mar 2008)

Skype what is the hype?

An impressive technicalogical achievement but what about the ethics of it, its safety and its impact on costs? Good article about it in Skype in Wikipedia.

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Internet Forums

Web forums, message boards, discussion boards, (electronic) discussion groups, discussion forums, bulletin boards, fora (the Latin plural) or simply forums. The terms "forum" and "board" may refer to the entire community or to a specific sub-forum dealing with a distinct topic. Messages within these sub-forums are then displayed either in chronological order or as threaded discussions. Source Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_forum (last accessed 04 mar 2008)

Google Groups is a free service from Google where groups of people have discussions about common interests. Internet users can find discussion groups related to their interests and participate in threaded conversations, either through the Google Groups web interface, or by e-mail.

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Social Network Services

A social network service uses software to build online social networks for communities of people who share interests and activities or who are interested in exploring the interests and activities of others. Most services are primarily web based and provide a collection of various ways for users to interact, such as chat, messaging, email, video, voice chat, file sharing, blogging, discussion groups, and so on. Source Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_network_service (last accessed 04 mar 2008).

Yahoo 360 Yahoo 360 Wiki I myspace myspace wiki I facebook facebook wiki

Elgg is an open source social platform based around choice, flexibility and openness: a system that firmly places individuals at the centre of their activities.

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Blogs and Wikis

A blog is a website where entries are commonly displayed in reverse chronological order. Many blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject; others function as more personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, web pages, and other media related to its topic. Source Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blogs (last accessed 04 mar 2008).

Have a look at Blogger

A wiki is software that allows users to create, edit, and link web pages easily. Wikis are often used to create collaborative websites and to power community websites. Source Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiki (last accessed 04 mar 2008).

Have a look at twiki

Open Source

There are many open source products which may provide groups with a very cost effective solution. Open source software (OSS) are built and maintained by a large network of volunteer programmers. Prime examples of open source products are the web-server “Apache”, the internet address system “Internet Protocol”, and the internet browser “Mozilla Firefox”. Yet, one of the most successful programs is the “Linux” operating system, the open source software variant of the UNIX operating system. Source Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_source (last accessed 04 mar 2008).