Saturday, December 5, 2009

Response

http://jennchaney.blogspot.com/2009/11/assignment-6-website.html?showComment=1260059030859#c317813275693345918

Muddies Point

I do not have a muddiest point from this past week.

Reading Notes - December 8

Online data mining and projects like TIA is like something out of a sci-fy thriller..but they were based at least partly in reality. There are so many social justice problems with gathering person information as well as just with personal information that individuals post themselves on the internet. By creating an intangible system (the internet) where we can post and collect information, these possible systems and fears were bound to pop up. Technology enters the political realm with this issue. Can we aggregate person information for the purpose of "security" whether regional or global? How far can we hold onto our own privacy?

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Notes for Nov. 24

I could not find the articles from David Hawkings.

The Michael Bergman article talked about the amount of the web that is found/used by any person and the amount that is uncovered (or only used by very few people). The deep web really shows how big and "deep" the web is a and, like the real ocean, how much of it is undiscovered.

The final article is about metadata tagging from users. They created a registry that has served useful to keeping track of who tags what and from that information, one can determine why and from what perspective they tagged. This can make it easier to determine if tags are being genuinely applied.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Assignment 6

My website URL: http://www.pitt.edu/~rsj3/

Monday, November 9, 2009

Assignment 5

http://upitt04-staff.kwc.kohalibrary.com/cgi-bin/koha/virtualshelves/shelves.pl

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Reading Comment

http://jennchaney.blogspot.com/2009/11/week-9-readings-xml.html?showComment=1257650445041#c2913414923739968580

November 10th Reading Notes

XML, as I understand it, is a format that one can use to manipulate the placement of documents and entities on a webpage that might be difficult or require additional software when using HTML. It allows the use of graphics and accompanying comments, as one example. I don ot fully understand how XML does this and why HTML does not. I am also confused about the different schema that goes along with XML. It seems like these different schema are needed to do things that one cannot do under normal HTML or XML format. It also seems like they come as addition software or something similar. How do all these languages work together and why can they not be combined as one?

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Muddiest Point - Oct. 27, 2009

I do not have a muddiest point from this week.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Response

http://jbullough.blogspot.com/2009/10/week-8-html.html?showComment=1256505025218#c2089079230892923038

Muddiest Point for Oct. 20

How do search engines search everything on the internet? Or is that not possible? Can a search engine only find things that it is connected to through links and networks? Do some things exist on the internet without ties/links to anything? How do companies like Google go about setting up its links?

October 27 Readings

W3schools HTML Tutorial

This website teaches you the basics of writing in HTML format. It goes through basic tags like headings, paragraphs, bold fonts, italics, colors, etc. It also shows the reader where to find the HTML format of the webpage they are looking at, which I did. It is very interesting to see the derivation of the text but also makes me thankful that I do not have to write in that longer form.

HTML Cheatsheet

This website leaves out the explanations that the W3schools Tutorial includes but provides, as they say, a "cheatsheet" for the different tags.

CSS Tutorial

This tutorial goes into how to style a website because the original HTML was not intended for that purpose. It explains the different ways style can be inserted and how it will appear on the webpage. It also gives specific directions on how to code for these types of styles.

Beyond HTML: Developing and re-imagining library web guides in a content management system.

CMS in the article is an attempt to allow researchers the ability to have more control over the design of their web based projects. So far, there are enough kinks in the system that require support staff to assist users, which defeats the purpose of creating a system that allows the users to create webpages without help. With time, as users become more accustomed to webpage design and as the systems become more user-friendly, these systems should be much more helpful and applicable.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Comments - Oct 20

http://annie-lis2600-at-pitt-blog.blogspot.com/2009/10/week-7-reading-notes.html?showComment=1256062607761#c7130668171360124667

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Unit 7

Google Video
I found two things very interesting about this video. The first was the global representation of the use of Google and the links that existed to get everyone the information they are searching for. The second point was their business model and what works, what hasn't worked, and that they try to give everything a shot.

"How Internet Infrastructure Works"
This a more micro-level view of what the google co-founders were talking about with the global network of connections. A lot of this we have learned over the past couple weeks, but a refresher is always good.

I could not open the third reading.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Assignment 4

Video: http://screencast.com/t/AbovlQHOLr0

Photo 1: http://www.flickr.com/photos/42332389@N02/4009904459/

Photo 2: http://www.flickr.com/photos/42332389@N02/4010676050/

Photo 3: http://www.flickr.com/photos/42332389@N02/4009912153/

Photo 4: http://www.flickr.com/photos/42332389@N02/4010680912/

Photo 5: http://www.flickr.com/photos/42332389@N02/4009915681/

Monday, October 5, 2009

Assignment 3

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

I had a difficult time with two things.

1. I imported more than the 3 collections of 10 documents each because I didn't know how to leave the rest out. The additional sources I used as practice and for another class's paper.

2. At first, I could not figure out how to add two tags in CiteULike. One document I duplicated and tagged it once as "book binding" (which turned into two different tags int CiteULike) - this is why I have 10 CiteULike documents, two are the same.

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Reading Notes - Week 6

Local Area Networks - Wikipedia

LANs developed as computers got smaller and they were able to have more than one serving one function (multiple people/computers in an office working towards one goal). LANs are a type of computer network.


Computer Network - WIkipedia

Computer Networks are the basis of all that we know about online communication. These networks can be global or local (like LANs). They can be open or closed, private or public. They always require hardware for a computer to access the networks. They consist of nodal relationships that have their own specific characteristics.


YouTube - Common Types of Computer Networks

He spoke about the types of networks mentioned in the Wikipedia articles.


Management of RFID in Libraries

RFIDs are small devices that go on objects to track them. The check-out possibilities (and payment abilities) is very interesting and would free up the time of librarians who are stuck behind the desk checking books in and out. It seems like it would be a small problem that not all object in a library (CDs, DVDs, thin journals and children's books, etc.) can be equipped with the technology. Until RFIDs can go on all the libraries' belongings, it probably won't functionally change the library circulation system. However, only being on books does save time and energy.

Muddiest Point - Week 5

When does data compression actually take place? Does it happen every time I save a file on my computer? Or is it only when I send a file, or post it on the internet?

Monday, September 28, 2009

Week 5 Classmate Post

I posted on Rachel Nash's blog.

http://rachelnashintroit.blogspot.com/2009/09/week-5-reading-notes.html?showComment=1254187995442#c9075172501263771130

Friday, September 25, 2009

Muddiest Point - Week 4

Where does Excel fall in the world of databases? Technically, is it one?

Week 5 Readings

Data Compression:

We think that the web and digitizing documents solves our space problem, but we often forget that space and organization is an issue in the digital world also. With data compression, it allows us the opportunity to cut the corners when and where we can. The differences between lossy and lossless compression show us that sometimes we can get rid of data and get it back easily. Other times, with certain types of files, we loss a bit of the original digital file. Just like we can lose some of the authenticity when reformatting documents from paper to digital, the same can happen while staying in the digital format.


The "Imaging Pittsburgh" article was interesting because I was referred to the Historic Pittsburgh Image Collection website while at work today. I enjoyed reading about the collaboration required, especially concerning the metadata, to bring together information from all three organizations.


I think the ideas presented in the "YouTube and Libraries" article is obvious and unoriginal. It's as though the author has never used the internet before.

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Blog Responses

Week 3: http://mdelielis2600response.blogspot.com/2009/09/week-3-response-microsoft-vista.html?showComment=1253493587923#c6490556010606426145

Week 4: http://rachelnashintroit.blogspot.com/2009/09/week-4-reading-notes.html?showComment=1253494011297#c4272349486671973793

Friday, September 18, 2009

Muddiest Point

Most offices don't use open source or online email. What is the difference with libraries and other institutions using open source applications?

Week 4 Readings

Introduction to Metadata

This article started out very confusing and then cleared itself up with the tables of examples of metadata. Metadata is what librarians and archivists do. We are responsible for setting up these systems of metadata so that others are able to access the materials. The internet and very large collections would not be able to survive without metadata. It keeps us from searching around, hoping to stumble upon what we are looking for. It allows us to see a connection between two related objects. For the most part, the more metadata the better (at least in a digital world). The more information we track about materials and documents, the more we can track trends in use, accessibility, and preferences.

Database - Wikipedia

A database holds information and can access/re-access it via metadata. I find myself very confused about the architecture and components of a database management system. It seems that the entire database is a function of commands (as with all computer systems and applications), but the database is designed to hold onto the information (for however long it is designed).

An Overview of the Dublin Core Data Model

This article, more than anything, stresses the importance of a common (or easily translatable) language of metadata so that users can find information in different collections or databases. It mentioned ways in which it's system can translate other system's metadata however, I would think that will have to be a human led initiative forever. The system will forever need directions on how to make connections between new words and types of information.

Friday, September 11, 2009

Link to comment from Week 1

http://zacharymclaughlin.blogspot.com/2009/09/week-1-readings.html?showComment=1252677610536#c506490783861316337

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Muddiest Point

The muddiest point for me during the September 8 class was when talking about the life of a digitized object. What about the computer hardware wears about any why can these things not be duplicated to last for an infinite amount of time?

Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/42332389@N02/

Week 3

“Introduction to Linux: A Hands on Guide”

The guide, although helpful and fairly comprehensive in its explanation of the system, speaks with the tone of an expert. It’s like someone who has mastered the Pittsburgh public transportation system telling a newcomer that it’s “easy.” It’s slightly condescending but with an air of encouragement and honesty. There must be a reason that the free Linux system has not caught on with the masses. Despite that, the guide provides new or possible users with basic information on how to start out.


http://www.kernelthread.com/mac/osx/ : Mac OS X

This article as much more technical in nature but also much more comprehensive for all users (as long as the beginner doesn’t get lost in the technological information). Most of it was over my head, but being a Mac user, I learned more about how my system operates and about applications I have yet to access. The author did a good job in explaining who should use each of the different systems as well as explaining the pros and cons of all the systems.

“An Update on the Windows Roadmap”

Different from the previous two articles, this one was directed at users and how they can troubleshoot the upgrade to Windows Vista. As noted with the tones of each article, the Linux and Mac systems seem to be generally compatible with most other programs, whereas an upgrade with Microsoft seems to knock out some of the programs compatible with previous versions. Mac, and more so Linux, had to do a lot more convincing about the quality of their systems in the respective articles. I supposed that Microsoft has to do the least convincing to do because they are the most widely used system.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Week 1

Response to Readings

Information technology is necessary to the sharing of information. As with any medium in which we do things, we have to have an understanding of the devise that allows us to act. To call someone on the telephone you need to know how to use it. To ride the bus you need to be able to read the map. Communicate between people these days requires the knowledge to navigate different arenas on the web. With many of these arenas being created everyday and replacing former modes of communication, it has become necessary for everyone to learn much more than how to type and surf the internet. We now need to know about the technology of information in order to utilize the tools that make possible different forms of societal interaction. Although, just because we take the time to teach ourselves the emerging tools does not mean they are here to stay. This posses problems for established systems like libraries (as discussed in the article about the Lied Library at UNLV) but also has positive points in that it encourages growth and creativity.

The idea that it is the content that matters more than the container in which it comes to us (2004 Information Trends: Contents, not Containers) is encouraging to me because it suggests a lack of loyalty to the provider (as said in class). This requires that we have an understanding of how the infrastructure works so we can use the new systems that form everyday. It provides us with a greater flexibility to grow as a technical community and be less dependent upon systems created by established providers. However, this makes information harder to locate, which is where libraries have traditionally come into the picture but currently search engines like Google have filled that role. Innovation lies where it lies, which is why Google has done so well, but it seems to me that if libraries had had the capacity and saw the need for a unifying "information getter" then they would have filled that role instead.


"The Muddiest Point"

I understood most of the principles in class and look forward to discussing them further. The only point that I am unclear on is the measurement of digital information (terabytes, etc) and how it translates into physical space, digital space, cost, etc..