Web 2.0

This one from Hugh here to me signifies what Web 2.0 is all about. While at it go read The Hughtrain.

AJAXified Timelines

I was trying to look up some way to present some data to a client when I stumbled upon this AJAX widget by SIMILE project run by a group at MIT. The group works on semantic web technologies and besides Timeline, has tools like Babel, to convert data, and Exhibit, which is a publishing framework.

Timeline allows you to create simple scrollable timelines using an XML or JSON data source using their javascript and some very simple and highly customisable options. Do check out their websitewhich has some pretty cool stuff using their tools.

Web2.0 and Manifestos

Check out the Devil’s Dictionary and it’s definition of Web2.0. Pretty hilarious stuff out there. Particularly liked the definition of e-mail.

A method of electronic communication, primarily used to inform you that your penis is too small.

Also came across this collection of manifestos and other writings on entrepreneurship on the web at ChangeThis. This is what they say about themselves.

ChangeThis is creating a new kind of media. A form of media that uses existing tools (like PDFs, blogs and the web) to challenge the way ideas are created and spread.  

Stuff by people like Hugh MacLeod, of Gaping Void fame, marketing guru Seth Godin, and Guy Kawasaki, a former Apple evangelist and entrepreneur par excellence. Damn nice stuff to read up there. I suggest you sure pay a visit.

Kamal Hai!

Quillpad is an online transliterator (complete with AJAX and the works, with a very Web2.0 feel) which I have started liking immensely. An Indian startup, it does a pretty decent job and provides you a very very clean and simple interface. It also supports Kannad, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi and Malayalam. Below is a sample, lyrics of the song Tere Bin from Bas Ek Pal. Since my Hindi is not great I do not know if the spellings are alright but they seem decent.

तेर बीन मैं यूँ कैसे जीया
कैसे जीया तेरे बीन
तेरे बीन मैं यूँ कैसे जीया
कैसे जीया तेरे बीन
लेकर यादें तेरी रातें मेरी कटी – 2
मुझसे बातें तेरी करती है चाँदनी
तन्हा है तुझ बीन रातें मेरी
दीन मेरे दीन के जैसे नही
तन्हा बदन तन्हा है रूह नाम मेरी आँखें रहे
आजा मेरे अब रूबरू
जीना नही बीन तेरे
तेरे बीन मैं यूँ कैसे जीया
कैसे जीया तेरे बीन
तेरे बीन मैं यूँ कैसे जीया
कैसे जीया तेरे बीन

क़ब्से आँखें मेरी राह में तेरे बिच्छी – 2
भूले से ही कही तू मील जाए कभी
भूले ना मुझसे बातें तेरी
भीगी है हैर पल आँखें मेरी
क्यूं साँस लूं क्यूं मैं ज़ीयू
जीना बुरा सा लगे
क्यूं हो गया तू बेवाफ़ाा मुझको बता दे वजह
तेरे बीन मैं यूँ कैसे जीया
कैसे जिया तेरे बीन …
तेरे बीन मैं यूँ कैसे जिया
कैसे जीया तेरे बीन …