Unit 9 Readings, part 2

After reading the Martin Bryan article, I still believe that the tutorial helped me understand it better but it was good to read.  This article did explain it better than the original one posted on CourseWeb.

Unit 9 Readings

Introducing the Extensible Markup Language (XML)

            This program sounds like a good idea.  Sadly, I agree that with the cost of CDs and DVDs going down and Internet access going up this program lost steam.

A survey of XML standards: Part 1

            It seems like the creators of XML are creating different tools to expand the markup language.  Some seem to be working, others need more improvement before more people will use the product again or support it.

Extending your Markup: a XML tutorial by Andre Bergholz           

            This article explained XML and the various additions to it much better than the IBM article. I still have some confusion about it, but I think that smoothing out the confusion will only go away after using the markup language. 

XML Schema Tutorial

            This tutorial helped me gain a better understanding of what XML is and how it is used.  I will need to go through this tutorial a few more times before I am fully comfortable with the language, but it is a good start

My overall question for this is how would this be incorporated into libraries?  Would we use in OPAC systems or something else?  I find it easier to learn things when they are put into prospective. 

Unit 7 Muddiest Point(s)

I do not have any questions about class this week.

Unit 7 Readings

How Stuff Works: Internet Infrastructure

            I am glad that we no longer us IP addresses to go to various web pages.  Remembering all of those addresses would be impossible.  The invention of Domain Names was a great thing.  It is easier to remember lots of DN’s than it to remember lots of IP addresses.  Either way people still bookmark their favorite sites so they do not have to remember the addresses.

Dismantling Integrated Library Systems

            The end of this article rings true, “In the end, it may be necessary for librarians and vendors to dismantle the ILS in order to rebuild it.” The current systems only go so far and can only be modified so much.  To fully make everyone happy and enable them to modify their systems to their needs, a new system will have to be built from scratch, erasing the old one.  Hopefully these new systems will be easier to use from the end-user end as well as from the programmers end.

Inside the Google machine

            It was interesting to learn how Google operates and how they keep their employees happy.  It seems like they learn from their mistakes and how they plan for the future.  If something does not work, then they take it off.  The try to make their employees happy by letting them work on their own things during 20% of their time and by taking them on vacation once a year.  By keeping people happy and by allowing them to make outside work friendships, work relationships and work will be done quicker and better.  

Assignment 4

Assignment 4

Unit 8 Comment

Comment

Unit 8 Muddiest Points

I do not have any muddy points about the readings.

Unit 8 Readings

W3schools HTML Tutorial

The HTML tutorial was an easy way to relearn HTML and how to make websites.  In the computer class I took in my undergrad we were taught HTML and created our own websites.  I did not fully understand it at the time, but this tutorial has helped me understand it better.  I think that understanding HTML and creating websites only comes through doing and use.

HTML Cheatsheet

This cheatsheet helps keep all the different HTML codes in order. The codes are easy but because there are so many of them it can get confusing as to which does which.  Having the cheatsheet will keep them all in order and be there for easy accessibility.

W3 School Cascading Style Sheet Tutorial

CSS was not covered in the computer class I took in undergrad so this tutorial helped me understand what CSS is and how it works.  It will also be useful to come back to this to refresh my memory when I get confused or forget what the difference is between HTML and CSS.

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

It is good to see how other institutions are handling technology and the transition from one technology to another.  Georgia State University set up a system and timeline to transfer their existing web-page creator to another one.  It was done in a timely manner, which seems haphazard for those departments with large database systems.  I think that more time should have been given to them to convert their materials so they did not have to copy-paste their existing materials.   This makes it seem like they will not learn the new features of the new system, although I know that they will once the system is in place.  It is up to the department, though, to go back and update their page once this has happened, which may or may not occur.  Things at GSU seem to be moving in a good direction and the way they went about converting their system is one that could be followed by other institutions. The way that different departments worked together to make this happen shows how working together can get something done quickly and easily. 

Jing Project: About

For the movie portion of my project, I did it silently.  In the movie, I am showing you about Twitter.  I show where to create an account and where to sign in if you already have an account. I also go through the basics: how to post a tweet, retweet, check various things, like messages and mentions.  This service is a simple one but one that allows you to quickly see what everyone is doing. Unlike Facebook, you can see what everyone is doing but without seeing their Farmville updates.  I personally enjoy Twitter because it allows me to see what various authors are doing, what businesses are advertising, and getting daily jokes from people like Stewie Griffen and Michael Ian Black.

I try to show those who do not have a Twitter account what can be done in the system.  Although it is not a service like Blackboard, it does allow users to know what people and things are doing.  Yes, this is a little stalker-ish, but it is entertaining to see what some people are saying. Also, some businesses are using Twitter to put out sales.  For instance, a local restaurant in my home town uses Twitter to put out a secret code word.  When this word is said at the restaurant, or bar, the sayer gets the sale. This may be a free pint of the new beer on tap or half priced nachos.  This video allows those who are not Tweeters to see how to sign up and what the service allows once they do this.

Unit 6 Comment

Comment

Jing Project

Movie

Picture 1

Picture 2

Picture 3

Picture 4

Picture 5

Unit 6 Muddiest Points

I have no muddy point for this week.

Unit 6 Readings

Local Area Network

            This article helped explain what the Local Area Network was.  I learned this in a computer science class I took in my undergrad, but revisiting it is good.

Computer network and Common types of computer networks

            Both of these articles helped remind me of what all of these networks are. The video did a good job of explaining these networks in layman’s terms. The article had nice diagrams to explain what they are.  Revisiting them has helped me understand them better.  I also began to thing about how libraries could be set up in different network types.  A small, local library would be a PAN, but a college library would be a WAN. 

Management of RFID in libraries

            This author of this article poses some good suggestions and reasons why RFID tags should and shouldn’t be used in the library.  All of her points I agree with.  I think that the technology is a good one and that it would be a good thing for libraries to have, but I am still on the fence about actually implementing the technology into libraries.  Since, some patron information can be placed into the tag, I’m scared that this will give patrons a “big brother” feeling.  Although, this technology would be a good one for library workers, it may scare patrons off.  More research is required before I am 100% behind this technology and the implementation of it in libraries.