We came across a new set of libraries (API - application programming interface) called www.Elgg.org - which help you to create a social networking application. The components seem very comprensenvie, offer many different services including: Activities, Notificiations, Groups, Blogs, Files, and so on.

Elgg, started in 2004, is an open source social engine which powers all kinds of social environments - from education and business to martial arts and rugby. If you are looking for a professional social intranet or want to run a site for your organisation, Elgg is a great choice.

We came across a nice collection of RSS Web Icons perfect for your website!

Here is Feedsessive, a free, simple and elegant RSS icon pack for you to use however you wish, in either personal or professional projects, with no restriction

An excellent collection of nice and professional icons in many different colours including some black and white high contrast versions. They are available in key professional formats including EPF, PDF, and PNG image file formats.

http://blogsessive.com/blogging-tools/feedsessive-free-rss-icon-pack/

We always like it when a large news organisation such as the New York Times utilise new technology and release free media players (especially those that use RIA technologies such as Adobe Air or Flex).

This desktop application is a fairly unique concept of streaming newspaper services into a PDF on the desktop (eg Adobe Air). Its from the New York Times and its called, obviously,  the Times Reader.

“It reads like a newspaper. Updates like a Web site. And delivers like The New York Times. The new Times Reader 2.0 delivers the entire day’s Times in seconds, so you can carry it wherever you go.”

Adobe Air Installation

In order to use this application you are going to have to install Adobe Air - which is basically the desktop version of Adobe Flex - both of which are very useful as more and more key players are developing media (RIA) applications; Just work through the dialog boxes installing everything as default.

As you can see it really it really is the NYT (USA edition, you could say), very useful for non-US residence for viewing on how ‘they are being represented in foreign news outlets’.

You can download the NYTimes Reader Software for free.

When we first started to lean technology it was always an uphill struggle; Employees expected us to know tools such as Rational Rose, Oracle and say Visual Studio Enterprise - however with the cost of these tools running into the tens of thousands of pounds clearly this was never going to be a realistic option.

Now Microsoft has done somthing about this (rather than letting people download cracked versions) and has setup the Start up Zone - for students and other people that need access to Enterprise level tools.

At present the software they have on offers is as follows:

• Visual Studio 2008 Express Edition
• Visual Studio 2008
• Microsoft Visual Web Developer 2008 Express Edition
• SQL Server Express Edition
• SQL Server Compact Edition
• SQL Server 2008
• Windows Server 2003 R2
• Windows Small Business Server
• Microsoft Dynamics CRM
• Microsoft Dynamics GP
• Office Live Basic Edition
• Windows Embedded CE
• Windows XP Embedded
• Windows Embedded for Point of Service
• Microsoft Popfly
• ASP.net Downloads
• Microsoft Search Server Express
• XNA Game Studio Express 1.0
• Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5

By the way, if you dont know what most of these are, then you probably wont need them! However if you are currently or about to start, a Computer Science degree or Microsoft Certification then you probably will.

You can access the Microsoft Startup Zone  and its unique setup of downloadable software here: http://www.microsoftstartupzone.com/Software/Pages/Try_a_Product.aspx