| I asked a colleague from work today if he had any | | | | America, but the craze is spreading to other countries |
| news about new Internet phenomena that would be | | | | too. is a site that shows you all of the trains in Dublin, |
| cool to check out. He told me about the concept of | | | | Ireland, their destination, and where they are on their |
| social software. Social software is where someone | | | | route (in approximate real-time). |
| takes an existing computer program and combines it | | | | is a site link that takes you to a map where you can |
| with another idea to make it more personalized for | | | | click on hundreds of traffic cameras around Toronto, |
| people. A perfect example of this comes in the form | | | | Canada to actually see real photos of current traffic |
| of a new craze taking over the world: Google Map | | | | conditions in a specific area. is a cool site to see and |
| mash-ups. is already a cool site that has taken a | | | | download professional photos taken in different |
| personalized approach to many different ways of | | | | locations around the world. I had a quick look at the |
| helping people. For example, I typed in 'Pizza | | | | game called where you are asked to find certain |
| restaurants' into the finder with the name of the town | | | | images around our whole planet. It doesn't look |
| my father lives in near Atlanta, Georgia, USA and it | | | | easy!The list of links related to this single new form of |
| showed me exactly where all the pizzas were, the | | | | social software on is very impressive. I'm interested in |
| names of the restaurants, and contact details (if I | | | | finding out about other forms of combined software |
| wished to place an order over the phone). Pretty cool. | | | | that could help humanity in a social context. My friend |
| This is only the tip of the iceberg. Other people around | | | | mentioned that he'd read an article about a proposed |
| the world have taken the Google Map software and | | | | travel site that would rate the relevance of user's |
| combined it with their personal interests to create a | | | | comments in relation to your own personal statistics. |
| whole array of exciting maps filled with photos and | | | | For example, if your are a 20 year old male, a 60 year |
| information. The ultimate site to check some out is me | | | | old woman's remarks about a hotel will be rated as of |
| give you an idea of what people are doing out there | | | | less importance compared with another person who |
| on the Internet to make the world a more informed | | | | falls into a similar social category to yourself.This is an |
| place. I'm planning on going to live in Japan pretty soon. | | | | interesting and exciting craze. I can see clearly how |
| Well at I could find a map of the Kansai region (where I | | | | these specific idea-based maps will be able to help |
| will probably live) which showed me exactly where all | | | | humanity in so many ways. However, all things in life |
| the vegetarian restaurants are, the type of cultural | | | | are balanced so we do have to draw a line |
| food each was (E.g.: Sri Lankan), a photo of the | | | | sometimes. Another friend at work told me a story |
| establishment, as well as all the relevant | | | | about an angry mob that stood waiting outside a |
| information-including reviews. You can tell I'm a | | | | house that an Internet sex offenders' site informed |
| connoisseur, or at least I attempt to be one. Let's go | | | | them of a predator in their local neighborhood. The |
| elsewhere.The site has map categories like current | | | | thing is the site hadn't been updated when the |
| events, transportation, weather, wireless and mobile, | | | | ex-convict had moved from the house, so an innocent |
| housing and real estate, business, stats and | | | | person had their house picketed for something that |
| demographics, employment, recreation and fitness, | | | | was totally unrelated to them. On the positive side of |
| events and sport, travel and tourism, and even maps | | | | the coin, I do think that the possible future innovations |
| of crime and sex offenders-that's a little weird for me, | | | | even in this one area of Internet-mapping could in itself |
| but some people obviously are keen to keep their | | | | have awesome results for human society.By Jesse S. |
| families safe at all costs. There is also Google map | | | | Somer |
| games that people have created, and you can | | | | |
| download tools to create a map of your own.At you | | | | Jesse S. Somer is quite pleased that by simply turning |
| can see a map with some pictures of the best pubs in | | | | on the Internet he can now find a map with photos of |
| London. Under current events, and you know how | | | | the best sushi restaurants in Kyoto, Japan. |
| 'positive' current events are, at you can see a map | | | | Jesse S. Somer is a creative writer working at |
| with all of the places where avian flu outbreaks have | | | | M6.Net: 'The web-hosting company for humans.' |
| occurred. At you can look at a map of the USA and | | | | M6.Net is working hard to help humanity experience |
| click on houses for sale in a city you'd like to go to. | | | | the power and freedom to develop their own part of |
| You get the house's address, cost, and many of them | | | | the Internet, to share their information and connect with |
| have photos as well.There's a lot of this kind of thing in | | | | anyone, anywhere, anytime. |