Based on Learning 2.1, Thing 66: Directory 2.0

The world of the new web can be daunting. Sometimes the information overload of the newest, shiniest sites can paralyze even the most veteran web user.

There are two great sites out there that can help you navigate and organize your 2.0 and beyond journey. One of them pre-selects and organizes sites and one allows you to customize your 2.0 search portal experience.

All My Faves contains a staggering number of icons arranged by categories of Home, Entertainment, Kids, Shopping, Travel, and Weekly Faves. This site reminds one of Yahoo in the early days—someone organizes sites for your use. Perfect for the new Read Write Web person and great for grizzled veterans.

43 Marks also has a list of suggested Read Write Web resources but displays the names not the icons. The biggest difference is that 43 Marks wants you to customize the display to meet your needs. You are creating your portal from the suggested list of sites and can add RSS feeds from different places, add or delete specific site groups. Very nice interface indeed. If you don’t want to just dive in and create your own bookmarks page, you can view the tutorial, which walks you through step by step.

Tasks

1. Go to both All My Faves and 43 Marks. Search for your favorite sites and see how they are categorized.
2. Try clicking on two sites you have never visited and see if you agree with the categorization.
3. Sign up for 43 Marks and create your own personal start page. Write about the process.

Resources

• 43 Marks tutorial on YouTube