Since much of the readership of this blog is the baby boomer generation..... I am compelled to ask occasionally as to whether you (regardless of your age, but particularly if you are over 35....) are keeping in touch with what our younger generations are thinking about and what words are surfacing that you should know (assuming you don't).
First of all, we used to use the word WIDGET in training to mean a small, hypothetical gadget. It actually meant a small, mechanical device, like a knob or switch. The term originated in the 1920s during the Industrial Revolution.
Now..... widgets are back... and they are cool.
Window gadget. The basic building block for a graphical user interface. A widget is a window with a particular appearance and behavior. "widgets" is the collective name for buttons, sliders, menu bars, title bars, and all the other paraphernalia that windows can have or contain
AVATAR: In Hindu mythology, it was the descent of a deity to the earth in an incarnate form.... now it is an image representing a user in a virtual reality space, such as Second Life.
Speaking of Second Life, have you seen this virtual, 3D world? Are you aware of the potential and possibilities for things like training delivery and coaching through this world? Definately something to look into - especially to see what Fortune 500 companies and retailers are getting on board.
Why is it important to keep up on this? The world is changing.... keep up or fall behind... the choice is yours. Thoughts?
Lori - Love the topic and web 2.0 dictionary. I can't begin to tell you how I've struggled to embed these new words and new meanings into my personal tool box. I hope you will write more on this topic!
BTW - I've added you to my blogroll (another new word). You can check it out at http://www.salesgravy.com/JebsBlog.php
Have an awesome week!
Jeb Blount
Author of PowerPrinciples
Posted by: Jeb Blount | July 20, 2007 at 06:27 AM