Where did twelve weeks go?
I've come out the other end of the 2.0 experience a little wiser, I believe. There is a lot of stuff that I would have seen or tried out otherwise!
Now the question - what will happen to this blog? ... If nothing else, it'll be good for keeping in touch with other people who use this blog service. (But, I still like my lj better XD)
Catch you later~
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Week 11 is tweet-tweet-twit-
I don't have a twitter account of my own, but I take care of the one for Country Hills, so I know only a little about the whole twitter thing.
I was surprised how many hits came up for the searches I did. People really do talk about everything! (And more tweets appeared mere seconds after my search...!)
The library tends to tweet almost exclusively about programs or resources of the library. A couple of the TeenZone tweets broke the mold (like the one about the trend of naming babies after vamps - for real? >.<).
I once read a really excellent article about the diversity of topics and ideas available in tweeting "How your library may not be using twitter but should", and I feel it's a shame that the library won't go 'outside the box' a bit more with their tweets.
We could post about interesting articles, events or video clips that might be of interest to our patrons as well as fuel intelligent discussion (...as much as people 'discuss' on twitter).
Doing twitter at our library is a pretty new thing, but I hope that in time we'll develop a good base of community through it and make it more than just a one-way communication tool to talk about ourselves.
I was surprised how many hits came up for the searches I did. People really do talk about everything! (And more tweets appeared mere seconds after my search...!)
The library tends to tweet almost exclusively about programs or resources of the library. A couple of the TeenZone tweets broke the mold (like the one about the trend of naming babies after vamps - for real? >.<).
I once read a really excellent article about the diversity of topics and ideas available in tweeting "How your library may not be using twitter but should", and I feel it's a shame that the library won't go 'outside the box' a bit more with their tweets.
We could post about interesting articles, events or video clips that might be of interest to our patrons as well as fuel intelligent discussion (...as much as people 'discuss' on twitter).
Doing twitter at our library is a pretty new thing, but I hope that in time we'll develop a good base of community through it and make it more than just a one-way communication tool to talk about ourselves.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Week 10. ...They couldn't call it something other than 'thing'?
Just when you thought that social bookmarks weren't amazing enough, here comes a whole social library.
If you're a total book-lover and if you love to review and read reviews, I imagine this site is the place for you.
I like books well enough, but maybe not this much ^.^o
Librarything was interesting to peruse through, with lots of jumping-off points to check out related books. I checked out "The Gathering Storm", which led me to Brandon Sanderson. However when I wanted to check what books he had listed in his library, I could not find the way to do that. Perhaps you need to be logged in?
I found the site moderately easy to use. If there are features that you can only access while logged in, it'd be nice if they mentioned that. This site is much more reliant on users to fill in information, and some books I looked up had nearly all blanks.
Although I don't see myself using this site above, say, Novelist to find recommended reads, it is another alternative and I'm sure that they each recommend different things.
If you're a total book-lover and if you love to review and read reviews, I imagine this site is the place for you.
I like books well enough, but maybe not this much ^.^o
Librarything was interesting to peruse through, with lots of jumping-off points to check out related books. I checked out "The Gathering Storm", which led me to Brandon Sanderson. However when I wanted to check what books he had listed in his library, I could not find the way to do that. Perhaps you need to be logged in?
I found the site moderately easy to use. If there are features that you can only access while logged in, it'd be nice if they mentioned that. This site is much more reliant on users to fill in information, and some books I looked up had nearly all blanks.
Although I don't see myself using this site above, say, Novelist to find recommended reads, it is another alternative and I'm sure that they each recommend different things.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Week 9 is full of tools. (--no, wait...)
There are an amazing amount of ways to stay connected.
...I guess you can't hide from anyone anymore - even your calandar can be visible to the world.
I believe that programs like "Google Docs" are already well on their way to replacing the commercial "Word" and "Excel" (I use the free "Openoffice" on my computer.)
I don't mind paying for something useful, but Microsoft's Office package is way expensive, imho.
So bring on the free!
But as for keeping my days organized, I'll stick to a traditional 6$ pocket calandar. It's cordless, powerless, and works off-line. Wow ^.~
...I guess you can't hide from anyone anymore - even your calandar can be visible to the world.
I believe that programs like "Google Docs" are already well on their way to replacing the commercial "Word" and "Excel" (I use the free "Openoffice" on my computer.)
I don't mind paying for something useful, but Microsoft's Office package is way expensive, imho.
So bring on the free!
But as for keeping my days organized, I'll stick to a traditional 6$ pocket calandar. It's cordless, powerless, and works off-line. Wow ^.~
Monday, May 3, 2010
Week 8 is audio-visual!
I mean, Flickr and YouTube.
I have accounts to both services as I used them while overseas to share pics and video with people back home. I got a surprising amount of hits for the tour of my tiny apartment...
Both services are quite easy to use. It would be nice if YouTube had some of the sorting capabilities that Flickr has!
The major downfall of Flickr is that you are only allowed to have a certain number of pictures visible. Once you pass that limit your older pics are not able to be seen. Not even as the moderator of my own account can I go back and see those older pics! (Unless there is some secret they are keeping from me?) Happily, the links that I made to certain pictures in my journal entries still work.
Of course, the other alternative is actually paying for the service so that you can have unlimited access to the pictures.
But who wants to pay for stuff? ^.~
YouTube, while infamous for silly and mind-numbing videos (and darn that 'related videos' box!) also has a great assortment of relatively educational things. For example, when preparing for a voice audition, I was able to find several videos in a series showing vocal exercises. And when I needed to change a flat bicycle tire, YouTube was there for me.
There are also lots of very beautiful things too.
The simple but lovely animation "Bad Apple" has been reimagined with paper printouts and even with lasers! What will people think of next...?
In short, both have great entertainment value, and even some moderate educational value. Both are easy to use, and you don't even need an account to enjoy them. And that's pretty sweet.
I have accounts to both services as I used them while overseas to share pics and video with people back home. I got a surprising amount of hits for the tour of my tiny apartment...
Both services are quite easy to use. It would be nice if YouTube had some of the sorting capabilities that Flickr has!
The major downfall of Flickr is that you are only allowed to have a certain number of pictures visible. Once you pass that limit your older pics are not able to be seen. Not even as the moderator of my own account can I go back and see those older pics! (Unless there is some secret they are keeping from me?) Happily, the links that I made to certain pictures in my journal entries still work.
Of course, the other alternative is actually paying for the service so that you can have unlimited access to the pictures.
But who wants to pay for stuff? ^.~
YouTube, while infamous for silly and mind-numbing videos (and darn that 'related videos' box!) also has a great assortment of relatively educational things. For example, when preparing for a voice audition, I was able to find several videos in a series showing vocal exercises. And when I needed to change a flat bicycle tire, YouTube was there for me.
There are also lots of very beautiful things too.
The simple but lovely animation "Bad Apple" has been reimagined with paper printouts and even with lasers! What will people think of next...?
In short, both have great entertainment value, and even some moderate educational value. Both are easy to use, and you don't even need an account to enjoy them. And that's pretty sweet.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Week 7 is RSS - Rich Site Summary!
I didn't know that RSS stood for “Really Simple Syndication.” ^.^o
I've seen those orange logos. I've even tried using an RSS feed display that is a gadget with my Windows Vista. (Lasted a whole day, that.)
I just didn't get them working right somehow, and I don't have that many sites I visit daily that have feeds.
All the same, I'm glad to finally have sat down and got this RSS thing working.
It took me a whole minute to sign up with Bloglines and set up my feeds. No problem at all.
I don't know that this makes my information gathering simpler (as mentioned, I don't go to that many sites that have feeds), but it's great to know it's there and can be used if I do end up going to more sites that have RSS.
I really like the sites that have some of the content attached right into the feed, like a comic with its commentary. Beats having to even go to the site!
I've seen those orange logos. I've even tried using an RSS feed display that is a gadget with my Windows Vista. (Lasted a whole day, that.)
I just didn't get them working right somehow, and I don't have that many sites I visit daily that have feeds.
All the same, I'm glad to finally have sat down and got this RSS thing working.
It took me a whole minute to sign up with Bloglines and set up my feeds. No problem at all.
I don't know that this makes my information gathering simpler (as mentioned, I don't go to that many sites that have feeds), but it's great to know it's there and can be used if I do end up going to more sites that have RSS.
I really like the sites that have some of the content attached right into the feed, like a comic with its commentary. Beats having to even go to the site!
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Week 6 is Google, taking over the universe
For all that Google shows up often as a product placement in movies and TV and is so popular it's now a verb, I'm still astounded at how far-reaching it's influence is. (I didn't know that youtube was under the Google umbrella. When did that happen?)
Like just about everyone I use Google every day (seriously). How ever did I get by without 'Google Maps' or 'Image Search'? I'm also a fan of 'Google Earth', as I enjoy using street view to walk the streets of Japan where I'd lived nearly two years ago. I've also often used the 'Translate' feature, for all that it's pretty sketchy.
And check out this other stuff. I knew that Google had a vast variety of 'tools' in it's arsenal, but 'SketchUp' and 'Books', which I browsed, are pretty impressive.
Google owns the 'net, I guess! Other search engines are hard-pressed to become as powerful in more ways than one. (I've tried bing, but for what I was searching for at the time it didn't quite work.) So I'd recommend it, for even just the fact it works, and there's some super-cool stuff in here, like 'Google Earth'.
I suppose there's not much bad to say about it, unless you loathe multi-million dollar corporations or something. XD
Besides, for some applications you probably won't even realize you're using it. (Sneaky, this taking over the universe business.)
Like just about everyone I use Google every day (seriously). How ever did I get by without 'Google Maps' or 'Image Search'? I'm also a fan of 'Google Earth', as I enjoy using street view to walk the streets of Japan where I'd lived nearly two years ago. I've also often used the 'Translate' feature, for all that it's pretty sketchy.
And check out this other stuff. I knew that Google had a vast variety of 'tools' in it's arsenal, but 'SketchUp' and 'Books', which I browsed, are pretty impressive.
Google owns the 'net, I guess! Other search engines are hard-pressed to become as powerful in more ways than one. (I've tried bing, but for what I was searching for at the time it didn't quite work.) So I'd recommend it, for even just the fact it works, and there's some super-cool stuff in here, like 'Google Earth'.
I suppose there's not much bad to say about it, unless you loathe multi-million dollar corporations or something. XD
Besides, for some applications you probably won't even realize you're using it. (Sneaky, this taking over the universe business.)
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Week 5 is Social Networking. Minus the social?
Ah, facebook. I'm so not a fan XD
A couple years ago I got my account, acquired just over 100 friends (somehow), and only log into it about twice a month - usually to wish someone a happy birthday. (Now that, it's good for.)
Social networking sites are good at what they are meant to do. If you want to reach all your friends at once, if you want to find everyone from your high school class, if you want to keep in touch with quick messages, sure!
I guess I just see it as a big time-sink. I can't tell you how many games my friends are playing on facebook (and therefore how many appeals for help with barn-raising/cake-baking/sheep-feeding I've received...)
If I want to talk to my friends, 9 times out of 10 I'll want to do it in a forum where everyone else can't see my message.
It's strange who you can meet and connect with on a social networking site. Amazing, even. But for me, facebook's just not my favourite way to go.
A couple years ago I got my account, acquired just over 100 friends (somehow), and only log into it about twice a month - usually to wish someone a happy birthday. (Now that, it's good for.)
Social networking sites are good at what they are meant to do. If you want to reach all your friends at once, if you want to find everyone from your high school class, if you want to keep in touch with quick messages, sure!
I guess I just see it as a big time-sink. I can't tell you how many games my friends are playing on facebook (and therefore how many appeals for help with barn-raising/cake-baking/sheep-feeding I've received...)
If I want to talk to my friends, 9 times out of 10 I'll want to do it in a forum where everyone else can't see my message.
It's strange who you can meet and connect with on a social networking site. Amazing, even. But for me, facebook's just not my favourite way to go.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Week 4 is Wiki. Wicked.
Ah, Wiki. I'm a fan. Like Heather mentioned, it's great for pop-culture-type things, and I use it a lot for information about anime and manga (animations and comics from Japan).
In the spirit of the 'knowledge of the masses' that makes Wiki work, I set out to edit the article about Eden of the East, an animated show that aired in Japan last year. At the climax of the show, thousands of "NEETs" (an actual term, not fictional!), submit their ideas to a website about how to stop an impending missile attack. The chance that one out of those thousands of people will have the most victorious idea to stop the missiles is the hope of the city. The knowledge of the masses!
Very ambitiously, I aimed to add a whole new section to the article: I added some interesting related trivia, a brief few sentences.
...
About three hours later, my work was completely deleted.
So, how 'bout that question for the week.
It's not particularly hard to find an article in need of a spellcheck or tweak to it's grammar. For the kind of articles I browsed, the information seemed to be accurate. However! What a bummer to spend the time trying to figure out Wiki's manual of style and odd assortment of html-like tags -- then to only have your work disappear!
...I think you'd have to be a harder-core editor or Wiki-fiend than I to actually get very far with any edits or additions of significance.
In the spirit of the 'knowledge of the masses' that makes Wiki work, I set out to edit the article about Eden of the East, an animated show that aired in Japan last year. At the climax of the show, thousands of "NEETs" (an actual term, not fictional!), submit their ideas to a website about how to stop an impending missile attack. The chance that one out of those thousands of people will have the most victorious idea to stop the missiles is the hope of the city. The knowledge of the masses!
Very ambitiously, I aimed to add a whole new section to the article: I added some interesting related trivia, a brief few sentences.
...
About three hours later, my work was completely deleted.
So, how 'bout that question for the week.
It's not particularly hard to find an article in need of a spellcheck or tweak to it's grammar. For the kind of articles I browsed, the information seemed to be accurate. However! What a bummer to spend the time trying to figure out Wiki's manual of style and odd assortment of html-like tags -- then to only have your work disappear!
...I think you'd have to be a harder-core editor or Wiki-fiend than I to actually get very far with any edits or additions of significance.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Week 3 is delicious. (Yum?)
A "social bookmarking" site? So that's what it is! Whoever dreamed up delicious was sure going out on a limb, I think. Who knew bookmarks could be social?
The advantage of delicious I suppose lies in its ability to share a potentially huge amount of information (that is, the bookmarks) with everyone. And once you get used to how the interface works, with the dovetailing arrows of subjects leading you on, you can get exploring some pretty interesting things.
The disadvantage that I notice nearly right away when using it is that I have to rely on other people attatching 'tags' to the bookmark that make sense and fully describe the content of the site it's pointing to. (I noticed one that was tagged "A" "Look" "At" "Canada". Not very networking-friendly.)
I'm afraid that delicious might not be my first stop in order to find a site when researching, depending on what I'm looking for. (I did use it successfully a couple of times for finding information for immigrants.) However it can be difficult to sift through all those subject headings. But as a "social bookmarking site", it works rather like youtube - you can follow one subject to another to another until suddenly two hours have dissappeared...
The advantage of delicious I suppose lies in its ability to share a potentially huge amount of information (that is, the bookmarks) with everyone. And once you get used to how the interface works, with the dovetailing arrows of subjects leading you on, you can get exploring some pretty interesting things.
The disadvantage that I notice nearly right away when using it is that I have to rely on other people attatching 'tags' to the bookmark that make sense and fully describe the content of the site it's pointing to. (I noticed one that was tagged "A" "Look" "At" "Canada". Not very networking-friendly.)
I'm afraid that delicious might not be my first stop in order to find a site when researching, depending on what I'm looking for. (I did use it successfully a couple of times for finding information for immigrants.) However it can be difficult to sift through all those subject headings. But as a "social bookmarking site", it works rather like youtube - you can follow one subject to another to another until suddenly two hours have dissappeared...
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