Some pics by Boruvka, some not.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Friday, November 30, 2007
#23 Is this really the end? Or just the beginning ...
I hope it's the end... I have to leave my pc in about ten minutes!!!
Final reflections:
-I was a late starter with the course, so was kinda rushed on a few of the parts, especially the last two.
-I wish I had started earlier, because it was a fun week. It was also nice to be able to chat with colleagues about it, rather than each doing our own thing as we usually do we were all on the same task.
-I can't believe work paid me to explore YouTube... that's pretty nice!
-I am totally inspired to get going with my personal blog, I gave it a new layout already!
-I found a few things a bit twisty and a lot of work, but much of what was accessed was intuitive.
-I LOVE the internet.
Final reflections:
-I was a late starter with the course, so was kinda rushed on a few of the parts, especially the last two.
-I wish I had started earlier, because it was a fun week. It was also nice to be able to chat with colleagues about it, rather than each doing our own thing as we usually do we were all on the same task.
-I can't believe work paid me to explore YouTube... that's pretty nice!
-I am totally inspired to get going with my personal blog, I gave it a new layout already!
-I found a few things a bit twisty and a lot of work, but much of what was accessed was intuitive.
-I LOVE the internet.
#22 Audiobooks (or "The end is in sight ")
Audiobooks are something I never gave much thought to prior to working at the library; I knew talking books were available, but catagorized them as something for the elderly, rather than something for my to listen to on my mp3 player.
That they are downloadable is very cool, and even more library like than podcasts!
That they are downloadable is very cool, and even more library like than podcasts!
Thursday, November 29, 2007
#21 Podcasts, Smodcasts!
It's not surprising that 'podcast' was the word of the year, it's all over the place. I think there is some confusion that is created by this 'new-fangled' term, but the concept is simple: audio on the net. It doesn't get more simple than that, does it? (I hope not.)
I've elected to try podcast.net, and being me, checked out the 'entertainment section'. I wondered if I would find anything about the Hollywood Writer's Strike, but that wasn't to be. I couldn't find anything, so I just clicked on the television one and found a Heroes podcast.
To be honest, the podcast itself was kind of dull, but as a tool, podcasts are awesome and of the many many tools we have looked at in recent days, it's my opinion that these for libraries are one of the most useful and versatile.
I've elected to try podcast.net, and being me, checked out the 'entertainment section'. I wondered if I would find anything about the Hollywood Writer's Strike, but that wasn't to be. I couldn't find anything, so I just clicked on the television one and found a Heroes podcast.
To be honest, the podcast itself was kind of dull, but as a tool, podcasts are awesome and of the many many tools we have looked at in recent days, it's my opinion that these for libraries are one of the most useful and versatile.
#20 You too can YouTube
YouTube. Since I've had decent net at my place, YouTube has been my friend. I've used it for a few purposes- some friends made vids last year to share our Christmas with friends around the world, and... music video clips! Woo! I don't have a T.V. but I used to when I lived OS and was quite the MTV addict. Through YouTube I've been able to discover obscure clips for songs that were hits a few years ago.
This one is a fave of mine. A retrospective kind of piece looking at German identity. At the end of '04 you couldn't turn on the radio without hearing this one. Everybody loves home videos, YouTube just opens the doors for something more.
As for a wider use of YouTube; it's a bit like everything we've been exploring, really. Many things have multiple applications and open up doors and opportunities. YouTube may not have been designed with libraries in mind, but it's another way of recording info and therefore widening its audience.
This one is a fave of mine. A retrospective kind of piece looking at German identity. At the end of '04 you couldn't turn on the radio without hearing this one. Everybody loves home videos, YouTube just opens the doors for something more.
As for a wider use of YouTube; it's a bit like everything we've been exploring, really. Many things have multiple applications and open up doors and opportunities. YouTube may not have been designed with libraries in mind, but it's another way of recording info and therefore widening its audience.
#19 Discovering Web 2.0 tools
Here we see a list of sites which we have explored in recent days, let's look for something a little different...
Yelp is American based, which I didn't know on opening it; it is a travel site dedicated to talking about the good and not good of each location, a little more personalised than something big like the lonely planet site.
Already Boroondara Library Service has had an online travel demo talk/night/event. Sites like yelp could really be valuable in personalising a person's trip plans and giving them the chance to interact with people who have been to their destination.
Yelp is American based, which I didn't know on opening it; it is a travel site dedicated to talking about the good and not good of each location, a little more personalised than something big like the lonely planet site.
Already Boroondara Library Service has had an online travel demo talk/night/event. Sites like yelp could really be valuable in personalising a person's trip plans and giving them the chance to interact with people who have been to their destination.
#18 Web-based Apps: They're not just for desktops- part ii
See below for evidence of posted doc from zoho!
Zoho doc.1 v.1
Welcome to Zoho Document the first, written by Boruvka.
Unfortunately said correspondent isn't really sure what to say. She is, however, very happy, for several reasons:
Amazon delivered Veronica Mars dvds yesterday.
The evil housemate is moving out.
It's summer.
The night market at Vic Market is back and was fun yesterday.
She is going to Sydney for the weekend.
Life is good.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
#18 Web-based Apps: They're not just for desktops
This is totally neat. For ages I have used email drafts on my google account to write documents which I will later need on my PC, when elsewhere. On top of this, the opportunity for shared authoring in a document is of the good.
Glancing through just at a little list of the names is impressive, with google and zoho leading the way.
Posting wasn't easy. It would have been, but I think I made it more complicated than it had to be, forgetting the difference between my online name, and my user name, which for blogger is my email address.
See above to see if it worked...
Glancing through just at a little list of the names is impressive, with google and zoho leading the way.
Posting wasn't easy. It would have been, but I think I made it more complicated than it had to be, forgetting the difference between my online name, and my user name, which for blogger is my email address.
See above to see if it worked...
#17 Playing around with PBWiki
I'd love to say I love it, but the instructions on inserting the link confused me. A lot. And then it turned out after this really complicated little speech in the podcast, referring us to the funny dashed lines about the '\' (), that all you had to do was a) type in the url, or b) use a little linky button exactly like we do here. You know, that cute little picture of the world and a chain/link...
But yes, I added a favourite or two. And yes, this was in the fave TV shows section.
But yes, I added a favourite or two. And yes, this was in the fave TV shows section.
#16 So what’s in a wiki?
In a way this is the one I had been waiting for. I mean, I use wikipedia quite a lot normally. It's a good site for looking up spoilers for Grey's Anatomy when I just can't wait (which is every week).
In terms of advantages and disadvantages, wikis mean that everybody can contribute, which is obviously both good and bad. While wikipedia, from a scholarly point of veiw, can be viewed with disdain, I think this is something of a generalisation stemming from the idea that print equals verification, and like anything, if you're investigating something important to you, scholarly or not, chances are you'll check multiple sources anyway. Certainly I have other sources for info on Grey's Anatomy too. So I would suggest the wikipedia is the best thing since sliced bread, and a great source for all sorts of things as well as pop culture.
The idea that wikis can be manipulated, in my opinion, is almost naive, since anything that is written, published or not, is written with an agenda in mind. The onus is on the reader who needs to be discerning in using the source.
How to use wikis in the library- a totally neat way for customers to interact, something like an online book group, really. Princeton Public Library has a wiki which does just this, and it's rather good in terms of options. User names are displayed, meaning a librarian may have more authority than someone called 'anonymous', but there's still a place for everyone.
In terms of advantages and disadvantages, wikis mean that everybody can contribute, which is obviously both good and bad. While wikipedia, from a scholarly point of veiw, can be viewed with disdain, I think this is something of a generalisation stemming from the idea that print equals verification, and like anything, if you're investigating something important to you, scholarly or not, chances are you'll check multiple sources anyway. Certainly I have other sources for info on Grey's Anatomy too. So I would suggest the wikipedia is the best thing since sliced bread, and a great source for all sorts of things as well as pop culture.
The idea that wikis can be manipulated, in my opinion, is almost naive, since anything that is written, published or not, is written with an agenda in mind. The onus is on the reader who needs to be discerning in using the source.
How to use wikis in the library- a totally neat way for customers to interact, something like an online book group, really. Princeton Public Library has a wiki which does just this, and it's rather good in terms of options. User names are displayed, meaning a librarian may have more authority than someone called 'anonymous', but there's still a place for everyone.
"I think we're going to have to ring I.T."
If I had a dollar each time I heard that...? I probably couldn't quite retire, but I'd have a nice meal out, that's for sure.
I digress.
I digress.
#15 On Library 2.0 & Web 2.0 ...
The web used to be a game. Convincing one's parents it was 'totally necessary' for school work. As if! We chatted with strangers on yahoo chat using ridiculous pseudonyms, simply because we could. We laughed at the idea of meeting with these people in real life and scoffed at the idea of relationships that arose from meeting on the net.
This changed. Like I said, I am sending snail mail cards to my friends this year, friends with obscure nicks which are not meaningless but offer a window into the personality of the very real person on the other side of the unwired world.
Where am I going with this? Ah, yes. Technologically speaking, generally speaking. The use of the net used to be a novelty, as were mobile phones. Now they're organically part of our lives and equally, web 2.0 will organically become part of the library scope. Baby steps at the moment means that discussions about in the work room "remember, write down your password. write it down. are you writing it down!!!???", "are you doing this blog thing?", "what's web 2.0?" and "access seems to have been blocked.", "i can't access this podcast." "what was my username!?"
But, surely, not too long from now... this will all be normal.
Just remember... don't forget to remember your username, password and email address. From there, the world's your oyster.
"Librarian 2.0 makes good, yet fast decisions This librarian recognizes how quickly the world and library users change with advancing technology."
Agreed. It changes, it grows, and at some point it becomes normal.
This changed. Like I said, I am sending snail mail cards to my friends this year, friends with obscure nicks which are not meaningless but offer a window into the personality of the very real person on the other side of the unwired world.
Where am I going with this? Ah, yes. Technologically speaking, generally speaking. The use of the net used to be a novelty, as were mobile phones. Now they're organically part of our lives and equally, web 2.0 will organically become part of the library scope. Baby steps at the moment means that discussions about in the work room "remember, write down your password. write it down. are you writing it down!!!???", "are you doing this blog thing?", "what's web 2.0?" and "access seems to have been blocked.", "i can't access this podcast." "what was my username!?"
But, surely, not too long from now... this will all be normal.
Just remember... don't forget to remember your username, password and email address. From there, the world's your oyster.
"Librarian 2.0 makes good, yet fast decisions This librarian recognizes how quickly the world and library users change with advancing technology."
Agreed. It changes, it grows, and at some point it becomes normal.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
#14 Getting not-so-technical with Technorati
"So now that you’ve been blogging for a while, you might be wondering just how big the blogosphere is."
To be honest, no, not really.
Sorry, was that too blunt? What I meant was, I feel pretty unsuprised by the fact there are so many blogs out there, but the reality could well be that there are still many that aren't updated often. And many run by various people. I have three, two of which are active, including this. The third is a summer project, but actually when I know html well enough to justify paying for a domain, they'll be obselete in a way, beyond online diary use.
Anyway, my feelings about getting your blog tracked/looking for blogs on a particular topic: fine if you have a lot of time on your hands.
Now, LJ, on the other hand, is really a funny place full of individuals and communities, and that's cool, you can join communities so you get something like RSS feeds, so you're always part of the whole if you want to be. Then you add someone as your friend, can see their friends, all spiderwebbing out until everyone interested in the one thing are all connected. Blogger is much more isolated, and looking for content much more work compared to LJ.
Equally, if I joined a community on LJ I would know people wanted to read my stuff, but just offering it out there to technorati in case someone wants to read my thoughts on web 2.0...? Not so much.
Having said that, I had a play on technorati and checked out search options- searching for posts without authority, the word 'Boruvka' appears a whole bunch of times, including mine, which is kinda neat, and if the search is changed to blogs of 'authority' we come up with Bored in Brno who mentions the word. Which is cool.
To be honest, no, not really.
Sorry, was that too blunt? What I meant was, I feel pretty unsuprised by the fact there are so many blogs out there, but the reality could well be that there are still many that aren't updated often. And many run by various people. I have three, two of which are active, including this. The third is a summer project, but actually when I know html well enough to justify paying for a domain, they'll be obselete in a way, beyond online diary use.
Anyway, my feelings about getting your blog tracked/looking for blogs on a particular topic: fine if you have a lot of time on your hands.
Now, LJ, on the other hand, is really a funny place full of individuals and communities, and that's cool, you can join communities so you get something like RSS feeds, so you're always part of the whole if you want to be. Then you add someone as your friend, can see their friends, all spiderwebbing out until everyone interested in the one thing are all connected. Blogger is much more isolated, and looking for content much more work compared to LJ.
Equally, if I joined a community on LJ I would know people wanted to read my stuff, but just offering it out there to technorati in case someone wants to read my thoughts on web 2.0...? Not so much.
Having said that, I had a play on technorati and checked out search options- searching for posts without authority, the word 'Boruvka' appears a whole bunch of times, including mine, which is kinda neat, and if the search is changed to blogs of 'authority' we come up with Bored in Brno who mentions the word. Which is cool.
#13 Tagging, folksonomies & social bookmarking in Del.icio.us
Tagging. It's a tool I underuse, I have to say. I am however, familiar with the concept, so let's see where this takes us...
*Fade to black, then fade back in, with subtitle 'a few moments later...'*
Not very far, apparently.
You see, my top secret password that I have happily applied to the many many (hundreds? thousands?) of sites I have had to join in recent days, has at last been rejected. And I don't really feel the urge to change passwords. Not that I want to divulge my password, I will say "may not contain any part of your username or full name " was the problem... No, my password is NOT Boruvka!!!
Second try: my second choice of user name has already been taken...
Third try: Taken.
Okay. This is ridiculous. Next topic, will return if I have time.
*Fade to black, then fade back in, with subtitle 'a few moments later...'*
Not very far, apparently.
You see, my top secret password that I have happily applied to the many many (hundreds? thousands?) of sites I have had to join in recent days, has at last been rejected. And I don't really feel the urge to change passwords. Not that I want to divulge my password, I will say "may not contain any part of your username or full name " was the problem... No, my password is NOT Boruvka!!!
Second try: my second choice of user name has already been taken...
Third try: Taken.
Okay. This is ridiculous. Next topic, will return if I have time.
#12- Rollyo...
Okay, this sounds complicated.
Well, let's just create another account- good thing I use the same name and password every time- and here goes:
My take is that for study it's all well and good, and kinda cool if you want to search through particular sites, but my fear is that searching like this could close doors as well. I am the kind of person who actually has a meticulously organized favourites folder on my own PC, with catagories such as "Photoshop helpers", "LJs I like" and "Useful sites", the last of which covers things like metlink and currency converters.
To me, it's hunting for the sites in the first place, and then gathering them into faves.
Ah well, here's a little travel one:
Well, let's just create another account- good thing I use the same name and password every time- and here goes:
My take is that for study it's all well and good, and kinda cool if you want to search through particular sites, but my fear is that searching like this could close doors as well. I am the kind of person who actually has a meticulously organized favourites folder on my own PC, with catagories such as "Photoshop helpers", "LJs I like" and "Useful sites", the last of which covers things like metlink and currency converters.
To me, it's hunting for the sites in the first place, and then gathering them into faves.
Ah well, here's a little travel one:
#11 The LibraryThing Continued From The Sidebar
The post on the side lists the books I have liked in the last year or so, just a quick snippet, really. Neat that it creates the coding to carry into the blog. I must learn html so I can make my own website.
*makes mental note for summer indoor fun*
This is the first time I have added something to the side, and that was quite fun!
*makes mental note for summer indoor fun*
This is the first time I have added something to the side, and that was quite fun!
Monday, November 26, 2007
#10 Playing around with images
http://www.glassgiant.com/snowglobes/
This is fab.
Except it's not working at the moment. It should save, then give me the coding to put it in this post.
So now I have tried http://www.imagechef.com/ which has told me it's linked directly here, but would have given me code too.
This is fab.
Except it's not working at the moment. It should save, then give me the coding to put it in this post.
So now I have tried http://www.imagechef.com/ which has told me it's linked directly here, but would have given me code too.
#9 Finding Feeds
Not sure how, but I guess I got out of order there.
Finding feeds? Again, not a tool that I really feel like I love. I see its usefulness, but it just doesn't float my boat. So be it.
At the end of the day- I have 'my' sites that I go to when I have a chance, being told they have been updated doesn't change my time to view them. This said, I would subscribe to my fave blogs/ljs in my private life. But I wouldn't look for sites to subscribe to for the point of subscribing. That's the key thing for me.
Feedster- out of action at time of posting.
Technorati- had a little look around for feeds about Kevin 07- a bit of a mixed bag, lots of comments all the same.
Finding feeds? Again, not a tool that I really feel like I love. I see its usefulness, but it just doesn't float my boat. So be it.
At the end of the day- I have 'my' sites that I go to when I have a chance, being told they have been updated doesn't change my time to view them. This said, I would subscribe to my fave blogs/ljs in my private life. But I wouldn't look for sites to subscribe to for the point of subscribing. That's the key thing for me.
Feedster- out of action at time of posting.
Technorati- had a little look around for feeds about Kevin 07- a bit of a mixed bag, lots of comments all the same.
Blog About Technology
As a side note, I can now listen to podcasts- whatever needed to happen to my PC for this to happen, has happened.
"We have all come along way using technology in a very short time. Can you remember learning to use a computer and a mouse (!!!), and having to send an email instead of faxing a memo?Imagine now having to cope without these technologies"
Okay, this is a fave topic of mine, but I'm behind the game so I'll keep it brief. I LOVE technology. I heart it. I think the internet rocks and I love using it in my private life. This year I am sending real Christmas cards via snail mail to friends I met online. I like it.
I remember when my net connection was so slow it made the work ones look speedy- I would open a browser- *has memories of using netscape, which she hasn't seen for years*- and simultaneously opening solitaire, for those moments the pages took too long to load.
I went camping and was smsed each hour election updates.
I don't remember learning to use a mouse. There are terms, something like technology natives and technology migrants, referring the the generations who have acquired PC/tech use, and those which have learnt it. The problem is, when does this change? At what point do I have to migrate?
"We have all come along way using technology in a very short time. Can you remember learning to use a computer and a mouse (!!!), and having to send an email instead of faxing a memo?Imagine now having to cope without these technologies"
Okay, this is a fave topic of mine, but I'm behind the game so I'll keep it brief. I LOVE technology. I heart it. I think the internet rocks and I love using it in my private life. This year I am sending real Christmas cards via snail mail to friends I met online. I like it.
I remember when my net connection was so slow it made the work ones look speedy- I would open a browser- *has memories of using netscape, which she hasn't seen for years*- and simultaneously opening solitaire, for those moments the pages took too long to load.
I went camping and was smsed each hour election updates.
I don't remember learning to use a mouse. There are terms, something like technology natives and technology migrants, referring the the generations who have acquired PC/tech use, and those which have learnt it. The problem is, when does this change? At what point do I have to migrate?
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
RSS Feeds
Yet another account... this time bloglines.com.
Am sure to join soon.
Edit. Okay. Have joined. Check.
Am currently subscribed to The Age. It's probably not going to change the fact that this is a site I visit when I feel like it...
http://www.bloglines.com/public/boruvka
It took a few goes, but this now public, which was needed to make it accessible from here.
My thoughts? The theory of RSS feeds is all well and good, but using a version of IE that doesn't really support the feeds is a little lame. Firefox all the way, imho.
Am sure to join soon.
Edit. Okay. Have joined. Check.
Am currently subscribed to The Age. It's probably not going to change the fact that this is a site I visit when I feel like it...
http://www.bloglines.com/public/boruvka
It took a few goes, but this now public, which was needed to make it accessible from here.
My thoughts? The theory of RSS feeds is all well and good, but using a version of IE that doesn't really support the feeds is a little lame. Firefox all the way, imho.
Flickr; part ii
Supposedly my pics will be scanned for location tags, at which point this data will be put into the map... which at the time of putting this in hadn't happened. But this is a neat tool which I would use for a travel blog, for sure. It's good that it gives you the coding to simply add into your journal. You can find it at http://www.flickrmap.com/.
Flickr
Flickr. Check.
Hmm, messing around with photos online is always fun. Personally, I find facebook an easier way of sharing photos, since there is more or less an automatic feed notifying friends of new photos. This is especially true when facebook friends are in pictures you upload and you then tag them. Plus, it's super easy to put the link into emails to non facebook friends.
The difference seems to be that flickr has more anonymity and more chance of people meeting strangers with common photographic interests, whereas facebook is more of a social networking tool for people who know each other in real life rather than virtually... of course, there is room for overlap!
The cool thing is the linking to a blog feature, which means that there's no need to be on blogger. LJs and other online journals are fine.
But really, to mess around with digital photos...? Photoshop all the way!
Hmm, messing around with photos online is always fun. Personally, I find facebook an easier way of sharing photos, since there is more or less an automatic feed notifying friends of new photos. This is especially true when facebook friends are in pictures you upload and you then tag them. Plus, it's super easy to put the link into emails to non facebook friends.
The difference seems to be that flickr has more anonymity and more chance of people meeting strangers with common photographic interests, whereas facebook is more of a social networking tool for people who know each other in real life rather than virtually... of course, there is room for overlap!
The cool thing is the linking to a blog feature, which means that there's no need to be on blogger. LJs and other online journals are fine.
But really, to mess around with digital photos...? Photoshop all the way!
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
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