The Internet is primarily a communications tool. While most people are familiar with email, there are dozens of other ways to communicate and share on the Internet. Social software enables people to rendezvous, connect or collaborate through computer-mediated communication and to form online communities.
Discussion Boards - Discussion boards are tools that let a group of people discuss a topic. Most require registration. Many boards are moderated. Some delay posts until they are approved by a moderator.
Blogs - Blogs are online web logs (or journals). Owners can easily add content, with readers often allowed to comment. Blogs vary widely, from small personal sites to those of major celebrities. Some have become serious political gathering spaces. Some allow all registered users to post, making them similar to discussion boards. You can subscribe to a blog using RSS (Really Simple Syndication) and receive them as email.
Wikis - Wikis are collaboratively created resources, that is, many people (sometimes everyone) can add to or edit them.
Instant Messaging - or IM 4 shrt. Instantaneous simultaneous chat. Main players are AOL, MSN and Yahoo, though the library uses Meebo that aggregates all three of them in one account. It is possible to IM/chat without downloading any software or even getting an account. Both Im and Chat often use Leet-speak and other abbreviations.
Chat - While IM usually involves one on one communication, IM software often gives the option of using "rooms", either established subject oriented one or newly created ones.
Photo / Video Sharing sites - These range from sharing your photos with friends at Walgreens to sharing with the world Flickr and Youtube.
Sharing Opinions - Many sites let you write product reviews.
Social Networking Services
Social Bookmarking - Social bookmarking involves putting bookmarks of your favorite websites in a web directory to share with others
Virtual Worlds and Multiplayer Games
Tips for Youth
Tips for Parents