Real Time Collaboration and Web 2.0 tools, tips, and reviews

Here's a European-owned entry in the personal networking category - OpenBC (Open Business Club). They've recently hit the 1 million member mark, and I've registered with them as a technology writer and instructional designer.

I like the clean look of the user interface. It has a professional, yet friendly feel to it with all the menu choices in plain view. I also like the international flavor that's present. There are members from quite a few different countries represented.

My OpenBC home page includes a To-do list of things that I can use OpenBC for. It's sort of a list of pending suggestions. There's also a couple of Top 5 lists: Contacts of my contacts, and the 5 Latest Group Articles.

There's a very impressive number of discussion groups, probably in the hundreds, and covering a broad range of topics in a variety of different languages. This is a nice touch because I've found discussion groups and e-mail lists to be a great way to network.

OpenBC is free to join. Check it out at www.openbc.com. I'll keep you posted on my experiences with them.