Pearltrees is a very visual tool sophisticated but free edition (or even proxy) to organize content in clusters of data, depending on a particular theme. These clusters of data, called beads, come to form a tree (the theme), hence the name "tree of pearls" or Pearltrees .
The Trustee content is seeking a publisher, filters, organizes and presents information according to expectations and contexts. (If you are unfamiliar with this term, see my post about it here ). The attorney content is primarily qualitative objectives, strategic and social. Pearltrees makes this special treatment of information.
To see what it is, here are my beads organized according to one of my favorite themes entitled Curator content. Click on image to enlarge.
We note that as user Pearltrees , my thematic content Trustee "as my avatar at the center are placed in a pearl larger than the others. Periphery, there are various smaller beads or web resources (blogs, articles, reviews, etc.). I sorted and that I consider relevant. It includes also pearltrees other users with whom I share an affinity for the subject matter.
Thus, the bottom of my avatar on the left, we find the Pearltree (and the avatar) of Patrice Lamothe entitled "Curation Content" as well as that of Francis Rocaboy (his avatar is a banana) entitled simply " Curation." Note that Lamothe and Rocaboy respectively CEO and Director of Marketing for Start-Up French.
Here another of my pearltrees created following the Wikileaks case in December 2010:
Note to the right of the screen my 16 beads connected to the Wikileaks case (I could add other since ...). On the left, this is my profile that contains data about my Pearltree : number of beads, views, comments and taken etc..
A decision is when someone else picks one of my beads to enrich its own tree ... pearls.
An example of notification of decision-pearl. I receive this message by email.
Notice the blue puzzle piece - at the bottom of my picture / avatar of the second image from the top - with the words Teaming . Since mid-December 2010, Pearltrees allow via Twitter , Facebook or email, invite friends or customers to partner in developing a Pearltree . This feature collaborative work remains one of the most interesting and opens the way for the construction of a proxy several real-time.
Here is a sample invitation via Twitter:
course, the tool lets take a look at one of the pearls selected (by mouse-over ). Below is a note from Clay Shirky part of my beads.
Each of the beads can also be annotated or discussed in order to offer more Background to curation .
There will therefore be understood that the ambition of Pearltrees is to provide, among other things, a web organized by the human mind, or even entire aisles devoted to particular themes: the blue period of Picasso, French cinema of the early 20th century, various forms of meditation, quantum physics, etc.. Sky's the limit! We can organize the Web in a large personal library (consisting of Pearltrees ) in which the rays (and thematic issues) can be enriched and shared.
How to develop trees with pearls?
can do this in several ways:
Since the application itself ...
From the account of someone else when you're in search mode (you must be logged in), one need only "take" a pearl (or several) and put in the basket ... then to replace it in its own tree ...
From widget ( bookmarklet ) integrated into the browser (one of the best solutions) ...
The first (among the blue buttons from left to right) adds a pearl in a topic already open (during a work session Pearltrees ), the second selects exactly where we want to put the pearl (following a chance discovery, for example) and the last to open his account.
The internal search engine to Pearltrees provides access to other users of pearls, pearl affinities, but it goes without saying that exhaustive search must appeal to a multitude of engines and directories. Moreover, Pearltrees mark a return to the human organization of research and sorting, a bit like Yahoo! did in its infancy.
There are now so many information, particularly because the phenomenon of user-generated content (UGC ), he must now rely on the quality of information rather than just quantity. That's what the curators of content: provide relevant information at the right time, right people and depending on variables and particular contexts.
Pearltrees: a tool for the general public?
Because he must first tame the map interface (which I've been doing for nearly a month) that do not rely on a traditional format list, alphabetically or Timeline , Pearltrees is not for the impatient or people in a hurry. The learning curve is still pretty steep and it takes time to understand the basic functions and modus operandi . It will appeal against by researchers, cybrarian , analysts and the watchers who want to take the trouble to understand a very sophisticated social tool attorney.
To access my Pealrtrees : http://www.pearltrees.com/lerouxpa
Finally, I thank Francis Rocaboy who was kind enough to grant me an interview in late November 2010.
Additional information
Pearltrees in Wikipedia
Pearltrees (TechCrunch Disrupt)
The era of "curators" have it off?
Thanks for reading and Happy New Year 2011!