Digital Libraries: Challenges and Influential Work
I think this article discusses the origins of how some libraries created digital libraries and how those early efforts affected future internet use. I think.
I felt like this article was a little disjointed and hard to follow, even though it was so short. Although, that could be entirely contributed to the cold I have right now affecting my attention span and reading comprehension.
Dewey Meets Turing
This article touches on the partnership between librarians and computer scientists when the idea of digital libraries was first introduced. Apparently, the internet came along and ruined all their best laid plans, and time revealed irreconcilable differences between computers scientists and librarians. I guess they think different, or something. But as new language is introduced in dealing with digital libraries and information gathering, the two fields are able to understand each other a little more.
The tone of this article was kind of flippant and irreverent and fun. I enjoyed it!
Institutional Repositories
What is this article even saying?? Is it in English? Oh wait, I think it's about the importance of libraries collecting their information in digital repositories? Oh, it's about "an organizational commitment to the stewardship of ... digital materials." Which apparently also includes lesson plans and concert programs. This guy means business, when he talks about preserving and organizing information! Okay, catalog and digitize the history of an institution, make it a living organism that is always growing and changing. Got it.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Friday, October 24, 2008
Week 9 Readings
An Introduction to XML
So, what exactly is XML? A mark up language, okay, but do you use it to write webpages? Or open documents online?
This article is really dense, and I'm having a really hard time getting through it. The author doesn't explain what he's talking about, so this introduction requires an even more basic introduction.
A Survey of XML Standards, pt 1
I can already tell that this will be another one that is difficult to follow. My eyes start to glaze over when the articles get too technical.
Extending Your Markup
This reading makes XML a little more accessible, but I am still having a hard time grasping the concept. There's just a lot of jargon involved that I don't understand, and that no one is really taking the time to explain.
So, what exactly is XML? A mark up language, okay, but do you use it to write webpages? Or open documents online?
This article is really dense, and I'm having a really hard time getting through it. The author doesn't explain what he's talking about, so this introduction requires an even more basic introduction.
A Survey of XML Standards, pt 1
I can already tell that this will be another one that is difficult to follow. My eyes start to glaze over when the articles get too technical.
Extending Your Markup
This reading makes XML a little more accessible, but I am still having a hard time grasping the concept. There's just a lot of jargon involved that I don't understand, and that no one is really taking the time to explain.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Friday, October 17, 2008
Week 8 Readings & Week 7 Muddiest Point
HTML Tutorial
I LOVE having hands on practice with what we're reading about! This is definitely the kind of thing that helps me really learn and retain information. I already know a few super easy HTML tags from blogging, but its cool to learn a more about it and more practical uses. I also learned that the strike-through tag I've been using is no longer appropriatedoes it still work? I guess so, but the delete tag is better.
HTML Cheatsheet
This will definitely come in handy for our website assignment. There's not really much else to say to that. Some of the stuff I still don't really understand its purpose, but I suppose experimentation will help with that. :)
CSS Tutorial
I am really glad we've got a tutorial for this, because I am pretty sure I would not have gotten it otherwise. As it is, I'm having a bit of trouble grasping it, though the many examples is helping make sense of it. Unfortunately, this tutorial isn't as hands on as the HTML one. I wish it had all the text editing practice pages. I really like being able to see the code right next to what it would look like.
Beyond HTML
This article discusses library Content Management Systems (CMS), and how it provides more flexibility and allows librarians to add and manage content on a website without having to know HTML markups, putting the focus on what the page says rather than how it looks. A CMS also allows librarians to reuse the content, without having to create entirely new HTML or anything. A CMS can grant access to many different people to update a website and keep the same presentation standards. This is definitely helpful in maintaining a professional appearance and prevents people from getting carried away with "neat" HTML tricks, which can be extremely distracting.
The article moves on to discuss how the university in question (Georgia State) moved to a CMS and the specific technology they used. The first section is definitely the most helpful in understanding what a CMS is.
Week 7 Muddiest Point
So is Telnet just a remote connection? Is it the most up to date technology for that? Or is there something better than a technology that simulates dial up?
I LOVE having hands on practice with what we're reading about! This is definitely the kind of thing that helps me really learn and retain information. I already know a few super easy HTML tags from blogging, but its cool to learn a more about it and more practical uses. I also learned that the strike-through tag I've been using is no longer appropriate
HTML Cheatsheet
This will definitely come in handy for our website assignment. There's not really much else to say to that. Some of the stuff I still don't really understand its purpose, but I suppose experimentation will help with that. :)
CSS Tutorial
I am really glad we've got a tutorial for this, because I am pretty sure I would not have gotten it otherwise. As it is, I'm having a bit of trouble grasping it, though the many examples is helping make sense of it. Unfortunately, this tutorial isn't as hands on as the HTML one. I wish it had all the text editing practice pages. I really like being able to see the code right next to what it would look like.
Beyond HTML
This article discusses library Content Management Systems (CMS), and how it provides more flexibility and allows librarians to add and manage content on a website without having to know HTML markups, putting the focus on what the page says rather than how it looks. A CMS also allows librarians to reuse the content, without having to create entirely new HTML or anything. A CMS can grant access to many different people to update a website and keep the same presentation standards. This is definitely helpful in maintaining a professional appearance and prevents people from getting carried away with "neat" HTML tricks, which can be extremely distracting.
The article moves on to discuss how the university in question (Georgia State) moved to a CMS and the specific technology they used. The first section is definitely the most helpful in understanding what a CMS is.
Week 7 Muddiest Point
So is Telnet just a remote connection? Is it the most up to date technology for that? Or is there something better than a technology that simulates dial up?
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Monday, October 6, 2008
Friday, October 3, 2008
Muddiest Point & WK 7 Readings
Muddiest Point: What exactly is the point of being able to encode extra bibliographic information onto the chip? You still need a reader to access that information, and you can link a barcode to a record in the computer system that has all that information.
Inside the Google Machine
What a great video! I really enjoyed the peek inside Google. I think its really great how involved with charities they are and how much they obviously care about their employees. Sergey and Larry certainly made me wish I had the skills to get a job there! Also, the 20% rule is good idea. If 20% of the time, your employees are working on something they think is important or that they want to do, they are going to be more satisfied with the 80% of crap they have to do. This is the kind of company I can get behind.
Dismantling Integrated Library Systems
I am not 100% sure that I completely understood what this article was talking about, but it seems to discuss how libraries are facing a much greater demand for online services, and the technologies they are obtaining to help cope with that demand don't work with the technologies they already have in place. Which means they either have to switch everything over to new systems that are super expensive (and may not all work together either) or sort of just "make it work." Either option includes headaches and frustration. So what's the point of getting this fancy new technology that doesn't work with what you've already got? Isn't there some way to just make what you've already got a little better? Or do current library systems just not have the capabilities for handling increased online services or other things today information consumer is looking for?
How Internet Infrastructure Works
Everything is a part of a network!
POP=point of presence-where local users access large networks
NAP=network access point-connects really big networks to each other
So I guess the internet is just lots of really huge networks all connected to each other through NAPs. Internet needs routers to control traffic. A router is a lot like a traffic light or police officer directing traffic, making sure there aren't any traffic jams or accidents.
Where does all the information on the internet live? Does is all just exist on someone's server somewhere? Who numbers the ports on a server? How do you know what the numbers are?
Inside the Google Machine
What a great video! I really enjoyed the peek inside Google. I think its really great how involved with charities they are and how much they obviously care about their employees. Sergey and Larry certainly made me wish I had the skills to get a job there! Also, the 20% rule is good idea. If 20% of the time, your employees are working on something they think is important or that they want to do, they are going to be more satisfied with the 80% of crap they have to do. This is the kind of company I can get behind.
Dismantling Integrated Library Systems
I am not 100% sure that I completely understood what this article was talking about, but it seems to discuss how libraries are facing a much greater demand for online services, and the technologies they are obtaining to help cope with that demand don't work with the technologies they already have in place. Which means they either have to switch everything over to new systems that are super expensive (and may not all work together either) or sort of just "make it work." Either option includes headaches and frustration. So what's the point of getting this fancy new technology that doesn't work with what you've already got? Isn't there some way to just make what you've already got a little better? Or do current library systems just not have the capabilities for handling increased online services or other things today information consumer is looking for?
How Internet Infrastructure Works
Everything is a part of a network!
POP=point of presence-where local users access large networks
NAP=network access point-connects really big networks to each other
So I guess the internet is just lots of really huge networks all connected to each other through NAPs. Internet needs routers to control traffic. A router is a lot like a traffic light or police officer directing traffic, making sure there aren't any traffic jams or accidents.
Where does all the information on the internet live? Does is all just exist on someone's server somewhere? Who numbers the ports on a server? How do you know what the numbers are?
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