Week 13 Muddiest Point

Do you think sites like Wikipedia will continue to grow and prosper or do you think people's fear and lack of education about how it really works will "win out?"

Week 13 Notes

This week's readings were rather difficult to comment on as the youtube video was no longer available and the first article regarding the "No place to hide site" popped up the 404 error message... soooo, these notes are only regarding the article about EPIC Terrorism Information Awareness (Total).

Unfortunately, this web site was not very up to date. A lot of the information regarding gov't projects was interesting, but the "latest news" was from 2005... kind of bummed about this week's materials... :(

Week 12 Comments

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Comment 2

Week 12 Readings

The video discussing Wikipedia was very interesting. I think a lot of people shy away from it because of the open accessibility. Especially in academics, students are being taught that it is not a credible source to research basic information. I thought the operation discussed was actually very interesting and more organized than one would think. For example, I thought it was cool that changes are documented and looked over immediately and that you can see the changes made in red... I think people should take more time to learn about something like Wikipedia before jumping to their own conclusions based on what is pretty much heresay...

The two articles were neat in that its always interesting to see new things libraries can do to benefit their patrons, in this case through easier access to helpful databases and information through wikis...

Week 11 Comments

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Muddiest Point

Why are we reading older articles??? Is it to have the background or am I missing something? I know its late in the semester to ask this, but just got curious today...

Week 11 Readings

This week's readings talk about the digital library. The "Dewey Meets Turing" article was interesting to see the relationship between librarians and computer scientists, but the article was from 2005... now it seems like we are way past this idea of separation and librarians already realize and are adapting to the fact that they need to be not only informationally savvy, but technologically savvy as well...

With all of the articles though... it was interesting to see how digital libraries came to be... especially being able to see where they are today!!!

Assignment Number 6

My website :)

Week 10 Responses

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Muddiest Point

My muddiest point from this weekend's class is if xml schema is replacing DTD... what would happen if we still tried to use it... will it eventually just not even be an option... will changes like this (replacements) just continue...???

Week 10 Notes

This week's readings focus on the digital library. While one of the articles touches on the changes from the past to today's digital focus, both articles give interesting perspectives to the change. We've already discussed to benefits of open access for researchers and learners alike... the digital library discussion of these articles feel like filler to me... completing areas of the digital picture that we've been drawing all semester...

I also just wanted to make a quick comment about the on campus visit... it was so great to finally see everyone face to face and I actually feel more comfortable with this class and am enjoying it more now that we've all come together... :)

Koha Assignment

http://pitt4.kohawc.liblime.com/cgi-bin/koha/bookshelves/shelves.pl?shelfnumber=32&modifyshelfcontents=1&viewshelf=32&addbarcode=91011&modifyshelfcontents=1&shelfnumber=32

Responses to Week 9 Notes

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Muddiest Point

Are the HTML and XML codes open accessed? Can anyone add to or change these codes?

Week 9 Readings

This week's readings consisted of learning about XML compared to HTML. All three articles did their best to describe XML's benefits compared to HTML, but I still find that the tutorial helps me grasp these concepts a little better. I must be a hands on person. Actually, I know I am because reading about all the codes and everything continues to boggle my mind... After a couple reads though, I can see how XML is easier, especially for humans to read as their codes seem to make more sense with what they are creating then all the special letters and symbols for the HTML codes... I must admit though... still daunted by these two topics... not very into it this week :(

Week 8 Comments

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Muddiest Point

Why, when my cell phone has internet capabilities, does it not browse the same way the computer does... isn't it a mini-computer???

Week 8 Readings

I have never actually taken the time to learn anything about HTML before and I thought the tutorial was really fun... confusing a little bit, but I thought it was good that they had examples to try to we could kind of be "hands on" as we read about it. The Cheat Sheet will be an amazing friend to have, its nice to be able to print everything out and have it right next to the computer as we're trying different things and playing around (me anyway...)

CSS was a bit more confusing to me. Granted, I didn't spend as much time playing around with the tutorial as I did the HTML one. Also, probably because I still don't feel that comfortable with HTML and you're supposed to have at least a basic understanding of it before delving into CSS... I'm getting there, but I must comment... this weeks topic, while awesomely interesting, definitely rates under challenging =P

Week 7 comments

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Using Jing!!!

Video
http://www.screencast.com/users/micq13/folders/Jing/media/9d61d562-5a02-4122-85be-b3dab72ac2ed

Screen captures
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30173768@N06/2916722132/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30173768@N06/2915884093/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30173768@N06/2916732202/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30173768@N06/2916735944/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30173768@N06/2916740202/

Screen Capture set (all together):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/organize/?start_tab=sets

Muddiest Point- wk 6

What is the difference between Wireless and Bluetooth? Aren't they the same thing???

Week 7

I thought this weeks "readings" were very interesting (kind of a broken record here), but once again... the Google video was my favorite!!! I think I want to work for Google!!! I know it wasn't the whole point of their presentation all the things they do for their employees: the ski trip, allowing pets, etc... but it does really make sense that a happy environment would be more creative and forward moving!!!

Back to the point of Google operations, I think its really neat how they operate, trying new ideas and pulling them when they don't work (like the young man's blog popping up "I'm bored, etc.)...

Also, seeing the map of the world that shows Google searches helps put into perspective how vast the Internet is. We've been reading about open access, networks, metadata repositories, etc. but the Google world was just really neat to see how many people were really tooling around online...

Zotera and CiteULike libraries

http://www.citeulike.org/user/micq13

Week 6 Comments

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Muddiest Point- Week 5

When digitizing physical materials... like photographs in an archive collection... are we damaging the original with the scanning process and are we losing quality with the digital image, even though we can't see it with our human eyes? As these digital collections need to be updated for software updates, will we continue to lose quality with these photos in the future?

Week 6

I really appreciated the articles and the youtube video explaining networks. I like being able to have a listing of all the different networks for future reference.

The article I enjoyed the most was K. Coyle's "Management of RFID in Libraries." Working in the circulation area of a library everyday, I tried to invision the changes we'd undergo to switch to the RFID system. I can see both the advantages and the disadvantages of having the RFID system in the library. I really like the security feature of the RFID with the alarm being able to tell what is checked out and what isn't... also the added benefits to making inventory a whole new story all together!!! I don't like the idea of having self checkout stations set up though... I think RFID could improve the efficiency of the library operations without having to completely eliminate all social interaction! Plus... has anyone tried the self-checkout at WalMart or Tops??? You always get stuck behind someone who doesn't know what they're doing and the whole operation takes sooooooo much longer than just going through the regular line... I'm all for change, but lets not get carried away :)

Week 5 Comments

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Week 5

I really enjoyed this week's readings, especially the youtube article!!! I think reaching out to patrons/students in this way is just the neatest idea!!! I know a librarian that read an article about youtube and had no idea what it even was, meanwhile the patrons that frequent her library are all college age... kudos to the universities that are up and on these new opportunities!!!

I also enjoyed reading about Imaging Pittsburgh. I liked being able to read more about the processes of working on a project like that, just to get a little break from all of the technical terminology!!!

I also found it interesting (from the Data Compression article) that things like pictures and audios are slightly altered, but thanks to the "limitations of the human sensory system" we don't even know! I must admit... the technology monster is shrinking a bit for me... this week was really neat!!!

Comments on Wk 4 Readings

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Muddiest Point

Being that I haven't been able to access the video yet... my muddiest point from last week is about Linux... the only experience I have with it is completely old school and horrid to work with... I know they have made drastic changes to it, but I am still wondering why they think it is a good idea to have a program that multiple people can hack into and rework all the time... they think more hands will make this better... what about the negative? Sorry if class answered this...

Week 4

This week's readings focused on data: metadata, databases, etc. I must admit th majority of all three readings went right over my head... I think the bsic concept is that data and metadata is where access begins... having data about data is useful when it comes to finding the information, preserving it, etc. I think I understand that part about cataloguers and archivists... the Dublin Core Data Model article was completely lost on me... I think it explains the idea behind addresses and being able to find specific topics, etc... I'm not entirely sure though... I didn't realize there were multiple kinds of databases though, reading about their history was interesting.

Hopefully I'm not the only one that is feeling a bit lost with these readings...

Assignment #2

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30173768@N06/sets/

Week 3 Comments

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Week 2 Muddiest Point

The muddiest point that I'm having a hard time with after Week 2's class is with Moore's Law. I understand the concept of doubling and how far we've come since this law was established, but I want to know where this is taking us... the readings state that we're good to go for another 10 years... what happens after that?

Week 3

Operating Systems

This week’s readings discussed the operating systems that are in our future. Linux, an implantation of UNIX, has been around the longest and seems the most complicated to me. Luckily it has come a long way in being user friendly, rather than just being for the experienced. Checking out some of the web sites that give examples of how Linux will look on the desktop (http://kd.org/screenshots/) I think it looks really neat! I like how the setup is easy to see all your windows at once and then have the one you want zoom in for you when you click on it… Mac OS X (Leopard) is also UNIX based and it looks very similar. I don’t have a Mac, but I like the looks of Leopard, especially the new additions like the Finder feature that lets you search through your files like your itunes…

Windows Vista is also moving in the same direction, though they’re already talking about releasing Windows 7 in a few years…

I should probably be embarrassed that I haven’t actually upgraded to any of the systems that we read about this week… still using XP… but I think the new looks are very appealing and, just like anything else, one familiarized with navigation using them would be fun!!!

Week 2

It looks like I was one of the confused students who didn't quite get through the whole video in time to realize I'm posting this late... lo siento.

I enjoyed the Week 2 readings much more than Week 1. Wikipedia's explanation of the Computer Hardware will be really helpful as we delve further into technology information. As I was reading through all the definitions and examples, it reminded me of when I was researching my laptop. You go through the site and are able to pick exactly how you want your computer built, but you have to go searching for explanations of what everything means before knowing what you really need and what you'd just be paying extra for (i.e. RAM size, gaming features, etc.).

For the Moore's Law wikipedia page, I liked being able to watch the video clip along with it. Reading through how far we've come and that within the next 10 years (by the articles predictions) we'll be coming up on seeing how far is to far... does anyone know more about this to have any ideas of what might happen?

I also really liked navigating through the Computer History Museums site. There exhibits are just so neat to be able to see how gargantuan the first computers were (lol!) I also really liked the layman layout of the site. The first thing I clicked on was the history of the Internet and Danny Cohen's quote of the creation of the Internet in the same layout as the creation of the world was great!!!

Muddiest Point: Where is Moore's Law taking us?

Week 1 Responses

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Week One- LIS 2600

I enjoyed the different aspects of each article as they helped me understand technology's role a little better. I wouldn't call myself a tech. ignoramus, but I will admit it is a little daunting.

I liked Lynch's article because he tries to explain why knowledge is power with technology and that helped open my brain up to the other two articles a little bit more. I think Lynch puts the purpose of understanding technology into perspective when he says, "Information technology literacy limited to a set of largely route skills will limit not only career opportunities but also one's ability to function intelligently in society." In order to move forward, we must be willing to adapt and change and in order to do so successfully, I think Lynch is making the statement that we need to step it up in our collection of data and information so we can become knowledgeable and wise to our modern day lives (like how I worked in the pyramid from class :) ?)

Lied Library spells out a very in depth (and jargon heavy) outline of how libraries can help their patrons continually have access to the most current technologies... the only problem with this articles was all the detail. While this article would be extremely helpful in contributing to the physical maintenance of a library, it doesn't really help in the understanding of technology, especially being an older article. Many of the "improvements" they were so proud of themselves for making are now standard in most academic libraries.

The OCLC article was interesting... especially because we are already to the time period of their prediction charts. I'd be interested to see their prediction numbers next to today's actuals. I think the idea of containers related to the structure of the library is a complex one. I think since this article was published, libraries have come a long way in making sure they are still leaders in technology and services. For example, having im chat sessions available where students can im a reference librarian while studying from their dorm or being able to text message a question from their phones. OCLC's idea of adapting to the "containers" available to people and trying to make sure that they are receiving "context" is well on its way to being adapted into our everyday lives.

Muddiest Point: to be honest... I thought the OCLC article was trying to make the point that libraries need to make sure their students/patrons are receiving the best information in the fastest possible way (i.e. new mobile devices, etc.) but I'm not sure they actual said that or if I was projecting that on to my reading... I think I tie in all three articles are showing us how important technology is in our every day lives and the importance of the library to educate and maintain the newest and most efficient technologies... what did everyone else think?