Web annotation
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A Web annotation is an online-annotation associated with a web resource (typically a web page). By using a Web annotation system a user can add, modify or remove information from a Web resource without actually modifying the resource itself.
The annotations can be thought of as being applied on a layer on top of the existing resource. Any particular annotation layer is visible to users who share the same annotation system¹ and can remain transparent to all others.²
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[edit] Uses of Web annotations
A Web annotation system is a type of social software tool and could play a role in the semantic Web vision.
Annotations can be used, for example:
- to rate a Web resource (by its usefulness, user-friendliness, suitability for viewing by minors)
- to improve or adapt its contents by adding/removing material
- as a collaborative tool: e.g. to discuss the contents of a certain resource
- as a medium of artistic or social criticism, by allowing Web users to reinterpret, enrich or protest against institution or ideas that appear on the Web
Some web annotation designs aspire to transform the whole Web into a Wiki by allowing annotation of any Web resource.
[edit] Web annotation systems
Web annotation systems are typically designed as part of standard web browsers. Those currently in release and under development include:
- Annosource: A prototype application based on an annotation server to customise content to match individual user’s needs, preferences and interests. Currently under development at La Trobe University, Australia.
- Annotate the Web for Firefox browser, currently in alpha testing.
- Annotea Ubimarks for Mozilla browsers
- Annotea for the W3C's Amaya browser.
- Annoty/eLAWS Web Service-based system.
- Annozilla for Mozilla browsers.
- DashNote for Web Annotation and Rich Bookmarks (Firefox and Internet Explorer). Does not require client-side installs, just a bookmarklet.
- Diginote cross browser system for adding sticky notes and other content to web pages
- Diigo for highlighting text & posting sticky notes on webpages
- Doodle Remote Tagging, Storage, Retrieval and Display of User Annotations within a Browser Environment. This is a toolbar for firefox browser.
- Fleck Use Fleck to add stick-it notes to webpages and share these with other people. Firefox Add-on (download) and Explorer Extension , Bookmarklet AND Web Based service for zero friction usage.
- E-Marked Fully featured easy to use commercial system.
- JumpKnowledge (jkn.com) is a free, web-based, cross-browser, registration-optional web page annotation tool. Annotations can be emailed, blogged, saved and printed. jkn.com supports annotating Frameset, secure webpages (https), and multiple web pages together. Optional FireFox extension can be used to annotate password-protected web pages. See example on Wikipedia
- Marginalia Adds text highlighting and margin note capabilities to web applications. Open sourced and JavaScript-based; works with Firefox and Internet Explorer (no plug-in required).
- Stickis with toolbars for Firefox and IE.
- TafAnnote is a research prototype that supports web page annotation and discussion threads (cf. IWAC'05 paper and talk). It is a toolbar extension of Firefox currently under developement at Toulouse University, France.
- Warichu for social annotation, bookmarking and researching (download). Allows users to add annotations to pages for both public and private use.(see example on Wikipedia)
- Wikalong for Firefox
- World Forum for all browsers (except Safari and MSIE for Mac). Creates a discussion forum on any homepage, document or ftp site. No plugin required. Client-side use JavaScript only.
- YAWAS Yet Another Web Annotation System. Light-weight, JavaScript, IE-specific but has been ported to Firefox.
