The invention of the Web signified a revolution in accessing content. Thanks to the existence of links, suddenly any type of information was just a click away. Almost twenty years later, can we make this access even easier? Can we reverse the communication initiative, making it possible for the information to go to the user instead of the user having to go to the information? Can we, in short, open up the information and allow it to travel to the communities of users, where it is enriched through its combination with other content?
Idescat (Statistical Institute of Catalonia) has already taken steps in this direction. Its latest project has involved the development of widgets, i.e., small applications that make it possible to incorporate external information into a web page by copying a few lines of code. Idescat’s first widgets are those which feature the Indicators of the day, which provide customizable updated information for monitoring the Catalan economy.
However, Idescat has not created a monopoly on the development of widgets based on its information, but rather has built them with an open design. They are based on an application programming interface (API) that offers methods which allow third-party programmes to obtain information from Idescat and incorporate it into other services. Thus, anyone can use it to develop their own widgets or applications. [+ info]
Have you looked at gencat’s Facebook page? Since it was set up its main purpose has been to give information about Government of Catalonia projects and experiences, mainly related to the internet, and it now has over 1000 fans.But why use a page as a corporate solution rather than a profile or a group?What do you think each of the options offers?
Institutions, companies, and other types of business can set up pages on Facebook rather than profiles, which are more suitable for individuals or groups, and designed for organising activities for specific causes. In fact Facebook has the power to close down any profile that does not belong to an individual. However, the characteristics of a profile are not the same as those of a page, which is subject to some limitations. Have you got a page? What do you find when you go to it? Do you think Facebook is a good vehicle for corporate information and communication? [+ info]
In a digital environment which is fundamentally collective and cooperative, but also competitive, it is important to be aware of the key ideas which facilitate leadership. Public institutions also need to consider how they can be competitive on the net, according to a coherent previously defined on-line and off-line strategy for what they say, what they do, and so on.
You can help us to make this web session an event to which everyone contributes! How? Ask Antoni Gutiérrez Rubí about any doubts you have, ask about real cases, describe your own experience, and put forward any other ideas via this blog.
All this information will help to shape the content of the 19th website session on March 9. So, what will it be about?
Archaeology needn’t be boring. Take a look at the mummy of Peter the Great.
Art, architecture and archaeology are full of fascinating stories that can be told using the new tools the internet makes available to us. And this has been the aim of patrimoni.gencat during its first year of life. From the start, the aim was to attract new people to culture and our heritage using innovative approaches. To achieve this the portal has made special use of audio-visual resources such as video, gigaphotos, panoramic views, and 3D reconstructions . To reach these new audiences (young, non-specialist) we have tried to avoid stiff, academic language and use a fully contemporary style, and we are doing our best to encourage them and make it easier for them to visit and enjoy our heritage, providingdiary, routes, search engines, reports, etc.
Patrimoni.gencat has been developed as a joint project and it is designed for open access. We have worked together with institutions and members of the public who are enthusiastic about our heritage to create content through pat.club and through the contacts we have made via social networks thanks to our presence on Facebook, Flickr, YouTube and Twitter. [+ info]
Many of us have arrived at work to realise that we’ve left behind our USB holding those all-important documents for the day’s work. Or maybe we have wanted to send an attachment (such as a text document, image or presentation) but have been unable to send it by e-mail because the file size was too big. The internet offers some useful solutions to these everyday problems.
Online file storage enables you to store documents, images and other files on a platform and then access them from a website. It is known as “cloud storage”, an alternative to hard-drive networks, and is also used for backup copies of personal files.
Do you use them? Which do you like most? For our part, we’ll show you a few of them… [+ info]
Looking for a school, a museum, a hospital or a library? Now you can find them easily thanks to the Government of Catalonia’s new facilities portal, giving contact details and specific information on a wide range of different facilities. Just enter a key word to run a search, or look for the facility via the different menus on the page, or using the advanced search function. The results can be viewed in list format and on a map. Contact details are also given, including the address, telephone and fax numbers, website, e-mail address and other useful information, depending on the type of facility. For example, the information on museums, includes details on the museum’s contents, summer and winter opening hours, if there is a library available, guide and cafeteria services, entrance fees and disabled access.
