Mark Conner's Space

Web Wonders – December 2009

Today we continue with our web wonders recommendations. Check out October and November's lists if you missed them. Here are some more:

1. CHRISTMAS. Tired of the commericalism of Christmas? Check out Advent Conspiracy for some creative alternative ideas about spending less and giving more.
2. PARCEL DELIVERY. Want to send something across town, interstate or overseas? Check out Interparcel for excellent rates via their online web site. They'll pick up from your house and even send you the labels ready to print out and attach.
3. REAL ESTATE. Interesting in buying, selling, renting or investing in property? Realestate.com.au is the place to go.
4. CHRISTIANITY. Interested in what's happening within the broader Christian community? Check out Christianity Today's excellent web site.
5. BIBLE READING. Want to set up your own Bible reading plan? Check out this web site for everything you need to get started.
6. TRAVEL. Going to another country and aren't sure what electricity current they have or what adapters you need? This web site has all the information. Here's a good currency converter web site too.

Happy surfing!

eBooks

Now that I am a Kindle user (yes, I received one from some good friends for my recent birthday!), I'm starting to learn a bit more about eBooks - or 'electronic books.' True, there is nothing quite like holding a book in your hands and flipping through its pages, but eBooks can open up an entire new world.

Amazon has a corner on the market for books dedicated to the Kindle, their own eBook reader. However, you can download other documents to the Kindle, as well as a variety of eBooks. You can also read eBooks on your computer via the aid of an eReader. A popular eReader is Mobipocket (they were bought out by Amazon a few years back, but don't let that hold you back from checking it out). Mobipocket is free and can be used to read eBooks on your computer or mobile phone. You can even create your own eBooks.

Another good thing about Mobipocket is that it can convert all sorts of file types (PDF, Office, HTML, text, etc) into eBook format (including for the Kindle). You can use it to read books, newspapers, magazines or reference materials. You can even learn another language with it.

Best of all, there a heaps of sites with free eBooks. Here a few for starters ...

1. Manybooks
2. Feedbooks
3. Free Tech Books
4. Google Books
5. Guttenberg
6. Mobipocket free eBooks - in multiple languages
7. A list of 20 web sites for downloading free eBooks
8. Another list of 25 sites

Happy reading!

P.S. For a few thoughts on the art of reading, click here. If you are struggling with 'information overload', click here for a few suggestions.

Web Wonders – November 2009

The World Wide Web is an amazing source of information and communication. However, it's becoming so huge and complex that you can easily get lost in it or miss out on some of spots well worth visiting. Last month I shared a variety of sites that may be if interest to you. Here are some more:

1. GADGETS. Visit www.productwiki.com for a thorough listing and review of all sorts of gadgets. For local price comparison here in Australia, check out www.staticice.com.au
2. GARDENING. Visit Gardening Australia at www.abc.net.au/gardening if you need help or inspiration for your garden. Also, check out www.thevegetablepatch.com, www.burkesbackyard.com.au and www.weekendgardener.net.
3. EATING OUT. Looking for somewhere to eat out? Visit www.webmenu.com.au for a list of restaurants in all Australian capital cities and then browse menus for most of them. Other details include maps and opening hours.
4. PERFUME. Looking for a special gift? Check out www.perfumeempire.com.au for some great fragrance bargains, with discounts up to 80% off the recommended retail price.
5. BOOKS. Visit www.amazon.com – this is the world's largest online bookshop (they also sell all sorts of other stuff too). Prices are very reasonable and they usually can post internationally. For many of the books you can have a look inside at the table of contents and first chapter, as well as the back cover. It's also a good place to read reviews of various books you may be interested in. In some cases, you can get a good overview of the entire book, without even having to purchase it. A good Australian online book site worth visiting is www.booktopia.com.au and a good UK site with free shipping worldwide is the book depository.

Happy surfing!

Mark

Web Wonders – October 2009

The World Wide Web is an amazing source of information and communication. However, it's becoming so huge and complex that you can easily get lost in it or miss out on some of spots well worth visiting. Here are a variety of sites that may be if interest to you.

1. BIBLE. Visit www.biblegateway.com for an excellent site with multiple Bible translations, all for free.

2. ENCYCLOPEDIA. Visit www.wikipedia.com – the world's largest online encyclopedia with a wealth of information on just about anything.

3. FREE IMAGES. Visit http://commons.wikimedia.org – a massive collection of more than 5 million free-to-use images. Also check out: http://freerangestock.com/index.php and http://images.google.com.au 

4. ONLINE AUCTION. Visit www.graysonline.com.au – this is an online auction group based in Melbourne. They sell all sorts of items, usually being liquidated. You can get some excellent deals here. They add a 15% charge to most items as well as shipping costs, so be sure to keep that in mind. Of course, there is always www.ebay.com.au, the biggest online trading spot for just about everything. Why not take some time to clear out your garage and turn some unused items into some handy cash? Remember, one person's trash is another's treasure!

5. PERSONALISED HOMEPAGE. Create a Google account at https://www.google.com/accounts/newaccount then go to www.google.com/ig, sign in and get started setting up your own iGoogle page, which can include all sorts of things such as gadgets, themes, calendar, to dos, email, a clock, and Google Reader (for reading RSS feeds).

Happy surfing!

Mark

New Blog Commenting Guidelines

When I began my blog just under two years ago (August 17th, 2007), I had a number of experienced bloggers advise me to not allow any comments. They had chosen to close off their blogs from any comments or to only allow approved comments to be published. Why? Because in each case, their blog had been somewhat hijacked by a few individuals who tended to dominate the conversations and/or who bullied other people.

I heard their advice but decided to go with open comments on my blog. So far, it's gone pretty well with just under 2,864 comments on the 514 posts I have made. To this point I have only had to delete a few comments due to their profanity. Overall, the dialogue and interaction has been helpful and informative. None of us have the full perspective on any topic and I believe that we learn best by interacting respectfully and in a spirit of humility with those who have different points of view.

Unfortunately, with the recent blog post on the topic of 'Homosexuality', the commenting section degenerated to a point where it became un-constructive. This really disappointed me. 

As a result I have created some new guidelines for commenting on this blog. Here they are:

All visitors are welcome to post their own personal comments on the majority of my blog posts. However, there are a few basic guidelines (these are also now displayed on the upper left hand side of the blog):

1. I reserve the right refuse comments that are inappropriate, that use offensive language, or that are a personal attack on myself or other people.

2. Comments should be brief (preferably under 100 words), polite, constructive, and relative to the topic.

3. You must state your real full name to have your comments posted.

4. I will continue to read all comments posted but, as previously, will not be able to respond to each one of them.

If you are happy to abide by these simple guidelines, then I welcome your comments.

Mark Conner

P.S. You can now Search this entire blog for any content. Simply type a word or topic in the upper right hand corner search box and hit Enter or click Search. I also hope you like the new graphics design. Enjoy!

 

Cool Toys - The Smart Pen

While we're talking about cool toys, I have to mention the 'smart pen.' One of my friends living in the USA has one and showed it to me. There are a variety of smart pens on the market. The one I saw was the Pulse Smart Pen created by Livescribe. It is quite amazing what it can do [for a video demo click here]

I see that Office Works has the 1GB version available here in Australia. There is also some software that you can use with this smart pen to translate your notes into your computer.

What will they come up with next?

Cool Toys - The Kindle

I once heard that "the difference between the men and the boys is the price they pay for their toys." It's true and of course, women have toys too :)

Recently, while in the USA, I met a woman who had a 1st generation Kindle, created by Amazon. It's a really cool e-book reader. The latest version, the Kindle DX, has a bigger screen and holds up to 3,500 books. [Click here for a video demo. For a few recent reviews of the Kindle DX, click here and here]

Amazon stated goal is to put every book in print into digital form. So far, there are over 300,000 titles available for purchase from their Kindle web site, along with a host of newspapers and magazines. Some are saying that the Kindle will become the iPod for books. Sony also has an e-Reader. Will Apple bring something similar out soon?

The Kindle isn't available for sale outside of the USA (although there are ways to bypass the system - click here).

As an avid book lover, I'm tempted ... but haven't bought one yet :) However, I talked my brother-in-law, who lives in the USA, into getting one, so I'll see how he enjoys it first.

P.S. Amazon now ships the Kindle to Australia (as of October 20th, 2009). Click here and here for two reviews.

The Twitter Trend

Blogging, Facebook, and now Twitter, the SMS of the Internet. Technology continues to drive human interactions. Everyone seems to be getting in on the action - from news reporters to pastors to celebrities. Twitter use went up 43% after Oprah sent her first Tweet.

To find out more about (or to join) Twitter, click here. Click here for an article on what makes a good tweet :) For a humorous look at the Twitter craze, check out this You Tube video clip.

What do you think about it all?

Can real 'community' happen over the stratosphere?

Can it happen online?

Christian blogger, Anne Jackson has some insightful thoughts on online connections. See her article here.

Welcome to Recent Visitors

If you've just visited my blog for the first time in recent weeks, welcome!

Here are a FEW TIPS that you might find helpful ...

1. The 50 latest posts are in the centre of the blog. You can access them by simply scrolling down.
2. To access earlier posts you can either click a Category (these are found on the upper right hand side of the blog home page) OR you can go to previous month's Archives (these are found also on the right hand side of the blog, but a little lower down).
3. Longer blog posts are divided into two sections. The second section can be viewed by clicking on 'Continue reading ...' at the end of the first section.
4. Blue text within a post indicates a link to further material - either a web site or a down-loadable file.
5. Feel free to make a comment on any post. Simply click 'Comments' at the bottom of the post. You can also interact with other people's comments too.

Also, here are the answers to some FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ...

Mark's BLOG Update

I entered the world of blogging on August 16th, 2007.

It's been quite a journey and I've enjoyed sharing a few thoughts on most days, as well as interacting with people's opinions on a variety of topics.

Here are some statistics for your interest (as of Dec.25th, 2007):

1. Total blog posts - 147
2. Total page views since launch - 57,357
3. Average page views per day - just over 441
4. Total comments - 515 (an average of 3.5 per post)

Feel free to give any constructive feedback about the blog, including content, frequency of posts, length of posts, and topics covered so far.

I've enjoyed blogging ... I hope you've enjoyed being a part of the experience!

Mark

P.S. For your interest, according to the latest data from Technorati (the popular blog search engine), there are more than 110 million blogs already and 175,000 new ones are created every day!

How to Get the Most out of this Blog

Here are 7 tips for getting the most out of this blog:

1. Bookmark this page in your internet browser and return to it regularly to check for new posts (a 'post' is a blog entry). I try to add a new post every few days.

2. Read the latest posts. They are in the left column of the blog. You can scroll down to read all the latest posts OR click on any post title under 'Recent Posts' in the right column (just below the Categories section).

3. Click on any Category of interest (in the upper right hand column) to view posts grouped by topic.

4. Click on any link within a post to find additional information, resources, or related web sites. Any underlined word is a link to additional material.

5. Click on 'Comments' under any post to read other people's comments about that particular post or to make a comment yourself about the post or about someone's else's comments. I try to read every comment. It isn't practical for me to respond to every comment, but I do try to answer any questions and make occasional comments on any developing conversation. [Be sure to check out the commenting guidelines for this blog]

6. Feel free to tell others about the blog and encourage them to join in the conversation too.

7. If you are really keen, you can subscribe to this blog, which enables you to receive notifications each time a new post is added. You will need to do this through a blog reader such as Google Reader, Bloglines or Newsgator. You will need to copy the URL of this blog into whichever blog reader you choose. Click on 'subscribe' in the right hand column of this blog (just under the Category section) to save the URL, then copy it into the blog reader. Of course, it is simple to unsubscribe at any time.

8. To search for a particular topic within the blog, type your topic or word of interest in the Search Box in the upper right hand corner of the blog and hit 'Enter'. A window will open up with a list of the most relevant hits.

Enjoy!

10 Reasons Why I Blog

Here are 10 reasons why I started a Blog:

1. It's a chance for me to share a variety of things that I think and feel that I don't always have a forum for or time to speak about. A blog is essentially a unique communication tool. It's a bit like a free-flowing coffee shop conversation - casual, friendly and open.
2. It's enables people to get to know me a bit better. Through my blog, I can tell some of my own story and journey. This is especially important in a large growing church where I can't spend time with each person one on one.
3. It's an opportunity for me to share what I am learning.
4. It gives me the ability to pass on resources to other people that may help them. I like to write a few brief things on a topic then provide links where people can find out more information or recommend books for people to do further reading. A blog is about knowledge sharing.
5. I like to hear feedback on various issues and topics. That's why I try to read every comment that is posted on my blog. Although I can't answer them all, I can keep a listening ear to what other people are thinking and feeling.
6. It provides a forum for people to engage in a conversation about a topic of their interest. I enjoy stimulating people's thinking and then listening in to what they have to say. Blogs can connect people and build community.
7. Amazingly, it enables me to connect with people all around the world. It's a global communication tool.
8. I enjoy writing and putting my thoughts into words.
9. I like new technology and I enjoy learning new things.
10. It's fun!

Some people ask about how much time it takes me, especially when I'm already so busy. Essentially, making a single post is as simple as writing an email. You type in a subject or title, then the body of the text, then press 'post' and presto ... there it is on your blog (or you can choose to have it published at a later time - enabling you to write a bunch of posts at one time and release them a day at a time, which is pretty cool). I use a blog program called TypePad, as it's simple to use and professional looking.

For those that want to learn a lot more about the world of blogging, I recommend The Blogging Church by Brian Bailey and Terry Storch, a publication by Leadership Network that has just been released. I found it very helpful and gleaned a lot of ideas for making my blog even better. 

My Favorite Technology

I use a DELL laptop with Vista and Microsoft Office software.

Outlook 2007 is my favorite program for keeping my life organised.

I sync my Outlook files (email, calendar, contacts, and tasks) to my Nokia E71 mobile phone, so I can send and answer email wherever I am as well as keep in touch with other key information.

I also really like the Microsoft OneNote 2007 program, which is a terrific place to create folders for keeping track of all the areas of your life and ministry.

My favorite Bible program is PC Study Bible, although I also have the Logos Libronix Digital Library System, which is the grand-daddy of Bible software (I had this donated to me).

Other good reference software includes Encylopedia Britannica.

iTunes is great for managing music for my Apple iPod.

For financial management I use Quicken and Quickbooks.

For blogging I use TypePad software, which is very easy to use, yet professional looking. I also use Microsfot WORD 2007, which has a blogging feature that links directly with TypePad so you can post from WORD, after you have added in pictures or graphics, etc. Worth checking out.

[Updated: July 2009]

The Blogging World

According to wikipedia, a blog (a portmanteau of web log) is "a website where entries are written in. 'Blog' can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog. Blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject such as food, politics, or local news; some 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. The ability for readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important part of many blogs."

I've been visiting a few blogs for a while now. Some of them have a host of great information and discussion. A few pastors that have interesting blogs are:

1. Phil Baker

2. Dave Ferguson

3. Craig Groeschel

4. Tony Morgan

For some good lists of interesting blogs, check out these sites:

1. Christians Blogs Worth Reading

2. 10 Blogs Worth Visiting

3. More Blogs