Word Play
A musing or amusing or maybe an amusing musing? A maze that will amaze? About a bout?
I created this with Google Docs. As well as sharing, collaborating, etc., it allows one to publish directly to your blog. Zoho also allows for direct blogging as well. So far Zoho seems to be more sophisticated than google docs.
Zoho!!! (Week 18: #19)
This is great! I love the fact that some of the sites out there will actually save in a format that can be used with Microsoft Office. For those who cannot afford the elite package that Microsoft offers, this gives them an opportunity to create presentations, documents, spreadsheets, etc. In addition, this allows individuals to work and collaborate on a project no matter where they are. Share with whom you want or keep it to yourself. This is a no-brainer!
Social Networking (Week 8: #18)
Uh oh, not my cup of tea, but it is a way to keep up with friends and meet new people. I am a private person who friends like to call "the hermit", but overall I can see the appeal for many people. Considering that many people move from place to place, this is yet another great way to stay in touch. I like the fact that just like many other sites, one has the option to keep an account public or private. Of those listed, I like those devoted to more specific themes such as http://www.infieldparking.com/. Still as someone else has stated before, much of this seems like "glorified email."
Technology (Week 7: #17)
- tech·nol·o·gy 1.the branch of knowledge that deals with the creation and use of technical means and their interrelation with life, society, and the environment, drawing upon such subjects as industrial arts, engineering, applied science, and pure science.
--Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Jorge Luis Borges...an unintentional metaphor for the internet (http://jubal.westnet.com/hyperdiscordia/library_of_babel.html ). Infinity, eternal life, have your brain uploaded (http://www.rense.com/ufo6/live.htm). Pop culture offers "The Matrix". Forbidden Knowledge: From Prometheus to Pornography by Roger Shattuck may offer insight. Hiroshima?
Technology is a tool. How will we use it?
Wiki (Week 7: #16)
As long as the information can be verified or the sources are trusted, a wiki is a great source of information. Why have one expert extol upon a subject, when ten experts from all over the world can participate? As far as libraries are concerned, it seems that there is a plethora of uses for a wiki such as a wiki devoted to local recipes, local history, or community concerns. In this day and age everyone wants to add their two cents: a wiki lets everyone do just that.
To a temporary place in time... (Week 6: #15)
Of the five articles, "To a temporary place in time..." had the most appeal. I always enjoyed visiting the library for research and leisure. Libraries are not as appealing to me anymore (this is more a result of the changing environment). When the Internet first began to encroach on library territory, I welcomed it. This was not because I did not like the library but because I had to drive to the library which meant walking through the rain, missing my favorite show, etc. Suddenly there was a tool right in my home, right at my fingertips. Since then the Internet has lost some of its appeal. In the beginning it seemed easier to find relevant information, but these days I wade through site after site looking for that tiny morsel of information that I really need. Dr. Wendy Schultz's article presented the ideal library where information will not be just at our fingertips but organized and at our fingertips.
Technorati (Week 6: #14)
I actually enjoyed this site. I have been looking for some personal perspectives on traveling to a certain destination. I was able to find a few blogs on Technorati. Just for fun I searched for "ihcpl" and several of the ihcpl blogs came up.
del.icio.us (Week 6: #13)
I think this site provides many useful tools. Being able to access bookmarks from any computer is a wonderful asset. Tagging is also advantageous considering that everyone has unique ways of thinking and therefore unique ways of labeling.
Elf (Week 5: #12)
Set up account. For someone who uses the library often, this seems to be a wonderful tool especially the text message sent to cell phones.
Library Thing (Week 5: #11)
I like this application. It is a good way to keep track of who and what I've read.
A Rant and a Few Comments
There have been a few comments concerning my earlier rant. I really did not expect any comments. They are, of course, welcome for everyone is entitled to an opinion. It is nice to see that the few that have perused this workshop have been affected to enough of a degree to respond. I fear though that I was somehow unclear in my rant (and remember it was a rant). My criticism was not directed at the usefulness of flickr, but the way it is most commonly used. My rant was less directed at the usefulness of flickr than it was at the users. Yes, it can be a powerful way to communicate, and maybe I am simply misguided, but it is not typically used to communicate with military personnel in Iraq. Believe me when I say I sympathize as my brother-in-law is being shipped to the Middle East as I write this. The use of video conferencing, email, etc. is an invaluable tool for my sister, my nephews, and my niece to communicate with their father/husband.
My rant was a result of my concerns. I look at society today and am saddened. We are in a war (politics aside please), and besides a bit of media coverage, it doesn't seem as if we are in a war. It seems that the only individuals concerned with what is happening in the Middle East are politicians and families who have loved ones serving. I look at youth today, and like any moment in history I am concerned. My rant was directed at society. So if I seemed negative, you got the message! But I did not mean to imply that sites like flickr had no usefulness. I simply used flickr as a platform to express a few of my concerns with today's values.
Who knows? Maybe I am the only one concerned.
(Week 5: #10) Image Generators
The header was taken from an image generator and then slightly modified. The website where I found the header is http://www.headerbar.com/.
A great many feeds...decided to embed NFL news at the bottom of the blog. Only complaint is:
The widget from Feedster doesn't appear to allow adequate space to read the headlines even if you place it in the footer where Blogger allows enough space.
If anyone knows a way to fix this, please let me know.
This is such a nice feature for anyone who craves current events but wants them streamlined. Away with the frills! Give me substance.
