Comparing Diigo and Pinterest

Diigo and Pinterest are two websites that are used for social bookmarking (a.k.a organizing your favorite articles, pictures, websites, etc. that you will want to refer back to later). They have many similarities, but also some notable differences from each other that may persuade you to lean one way or the other.

* Can you highlight text in saved sites?
Diigo: Yes

Pinterest: No

Diigo has a unique feature that allows you to highlight and annotate web pages as you browse through them online, even PDF files! You can also add sticky notes to serve as comments or reminders directly on any web page. Unfortunately Pinterest has not implemented this feature.

* Can you use multiple tags?
Diigo: Yes
Pinterest: No

When you save a website to your library on Diigo, you have the option to add tags such as education, teaching, classroom, etc. to that item. You can later search for items that you've saved based on what tag(s) you associated to them. On the other hand, Pinterest does things a bit differently. Rather than using tags, you can create a "board" and save "pins" to a board based on any criteria you want. 

* Can you copy and paste from original article to appear in comments about site?
Diigo: Yes
Pinterest: Yes

From my understanding, you have the ability to freely copy and paste any information from a website you saved onto your comments section on both Diigo and Pinterest.

* Can others post comments on your site?
Diigo: No
Pinterest: Yes

Diigo only allows you to view another user's library and access any external websites they've linked in their posted items. You don't have the ability to comment on others' pages. However, Pinterest does allow you to comment directly below anyone's pin (as long as their profile is public).

* Can you follow others? Can they follow you? 
Diigo: Yes
Pinterest: Yes

Both sites allow you to follow other users, and they can follow you in return.

* Can you message people you follow? 
Diigo: No
Pinterest: Yes

There is no feature on Diigo that allows you to send a private message to another user. Pinterest does incorporate this feature, encouraging users to send messages as a way of sharing and swapping ideas.

* Are you offered suggestions for related articles?
Diigo: No
Pinterest: Yes

When you first log on to Pinterest, the first thing you will see is a bunch of "Picked for you Pins" (You have the convenience of opting out of these pins if you so please!). These are suggested to you based on both boards you've already posted and "Topics" you've indicated you are interested in when you first created your account. On the contrary, Diigo does not offer you suggestions. You only have the option to "Discover" bookmarks from the Diigo Community. Even so, you still have to manually type in a query using the search bar.

Overall, both websites have their advantages and downfalls and it is difficult to choose one site over the other. Personally, I am inclined to use both websites but for different purposes. Diigo seems to be a website that is great for personal, academic use. For instance, I can see myself using this website to take notes while reading or to collect references that I plan on using for a research paper. Adversely, Pinterest seems to place more emphasis on the social aspect of "social bookmarking". It is true that you can find very valuable resources for education and classroom technology on this site. However, it seems to me more like a visually-stimulating haven for those who like to find and share inspiring ideas for recipes, fashion, interior design, beauty, health etc. I am not here to say that you should choose one website over the other. Give both a try and don't be afraid to make your experiences on both sites as personalized as you want them to be!