Step To Knowledge Networking (NAPSA)—Even if you’re not yet into the online phenomenon of social networking, chances are you've heard about it. Social networking sites such as MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn and others provide ways for people to grow their personal and professional circles. The problem is, social networking comes with, well, problems. Users encounter lots of spam email and phishing schemes. They’re also bombarded with copious—not to mention sometimes __f_J_L_NhNN_N ASIIIANANNNN\AAXA LAAIIIANVNVAVVVNA LAMA. \A Ass ole so concerned about security that Online tools can help people use their computer to network for knowledge. cause they fear their real informa- you can form a community about identities. Perhaps mosttellingly, an editor where who’s interested in garden- inappropriate—advertising. Researchers say many people are they enter false information be- tion could be used to steal their of technology site CNET wonders, as do many others, what she can actually do once she’s joineda site. What’s the solution for people wholike the links with other peo- ple that social networking offers but want more?It’s the logical, yet infinitely more useful, next step in the evolution of online connection: knowledge networking. Instead of networking for networking’s sake, knowledge networking’s goal is sharing knowledge and growing your expertise on subjects you're passionate about—fly-fishing, pol- itics, Swing music, vegetarianism, you nameit. An easy-to-use online tool that already offers a great opportunity for knowledge networking is TrueThinker. Here’s how it works: Let’s say you’ve got a passion for gardening. With TrueThinker.com, gardening and invite anyone any- ing to join. In your community, you and other members share what you know about new varieties, planting schedules, garden design, pest control, etc. You can organize garden walks, send notices of horticultural events, chat using the messaging feature and more. You can also build a “KnowledgeBank” on gardening. Here, community members save and share relevant information like helpful or thought-provokingarti- cles, Web site links, photos, journals and much more. Ultimately, you can usethe site not just to connect with others but, most importantly, to grow what you and others know about nearly any topic. If you visit www.TrueThinker.com, you can sign up for a free, seven-day trial to take the site for a test-drive.
