BBC WebWise

This article is about the website. For the advertising service, see Phorm.

BBC WebWise is both the BBC's archived guide to the internet for computer novices as well as some videos. Created in 1998, it consisted and on the archive, consists of a series of articles and videos.^[1] It also incorporates elements of another BBC website, BBC raw computers.^[2] All BBC websites are required to link to WebWise when using content which requires a plug-in.^[3]

BBC WebWise

Type of site	Learning
Available in	English (UK)
Owner	BBC
URL	http://www.bbc.co.uk/webwise (part offline)
Commercial	No
Registration	Was required for official course content
Launched	1998
Current status	Online, but for some parts, offline

History

BBC WebWise was created in 1998 to encourage new users to explore the internet, as part of a wider BBC campaign which included TV and radio programmes.^[4] By December 1999 it consisted of articles, columns, a blog, message boards and a Q&A section.^[5] A wide range of freelance writers were attached to the project, including Charlie Brooker and Bill Thompson^[6] (resident columnist with WebWise until 2008^[7]).

In 2004, WebWise launched a 10-hour accredited course, called Becoming WebWise.^[8]

Current features

WebWise was completely redesigned and relaunched in September 2010,^[9] with articles on a variety of computer-related subjects written by well-known technology writers such as Bill Thompson, Wendy M. Grossman and Jack Schofield. It formerly contained new courses, and also has a weekly column, and a large A to Z of technical terms.