Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Fun with Blogs
I don't know if you noticed, but up on the header of most blogger pages is a link to "next blog". Click on it and it takes you to random (I guess) blogs. This will give you a sense of how large and diverse is the blogging community. Blogs from families, in foreign languages, different genders and ethnicity, all sorts and shapes of blogs.. Try it, you will like it.
Friday, August 8, 2008
New fun with wifi at branches
We at this large western area branch, and at other branches, are beginning to see patrons using their laptops with our wireless and using one of the Internet phone software. After being informed of that being against library policy some patrons want to argue that they are not using phones so they should be allowed to make their calls. Remember computers make you life simpler and easier.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Web 2.0 or What I did on my summer "vacation"
This summer the powers that be asked us to immerse ourselves in the web and new technologies. A few random thought about the process.
One of the main thoughts I have is the easiest to say, but perhaps the harder to understand. The Web and all of its positives and negatives require a computer, access to the Internet and time. Many people have a computer or access to one through public terminals, some do not. Many of those that have a computer have web access, but at an increasingly costly rate. I saw recently that AOL is ending dial-up service, once the only way to access the web. Now there are T1 lines, Fios, cable and other broadband. To do most of the Web 2.0 activities you need broadband, esp tools such as you-tube, the social networking, twitter, etc. The Web accelerates a digital divide, further splintering our society into haves and have-nots.
It had been my intention when starting this post to provide a laundry list of the requirements of Web 2.o and my actions/reactions to them. However, in the process of writing the first paragraph my thoughts and plans changed. So just some general ideas:
I have gone on enough about my thoughts on privacy and the web, (see previous posts), but it is good to realize that the Web is a thing, not a person. It will not care if you lose your privacy by too candid postings in blogs, social sites, etc. It is up to you to determine for yourself as to what liberties you allow yourself in postings on the web.
That said, I have enjoyed (mostly) blogging and hope to continue, esp helping others in their Web 2.0 adventures. I have always tried to be a part of the larger community, in grad school, in bicycling organizations, in reading groups, in volunteer activities. However, blogging is time consuming and there are books to read, bicycles to ride, cats to pet and people to talk to.
The Web 2.0 journey has caused me to post pictures for myself and others(on picasa, not flickr), start a on-line version of my book journals (on Gale's books and authors not Library thing), to look at and consign to oblivion social net work sites, twitter and most of wikis.
It has been and will be a long strange trip my friends.
Your humble servant
TomLATI
One of the main thoughts I have is the easiest to say, but perhaps the harder to understand. The Web and all of its positives and negatives require a computer, access to the Internet and time. Many people have a computer or access to one through public terminals, some do not. Many of those that have a computer have web access, but at an increasingly costly rate. I saw recently that AOL is ending dial-up service, once the only way to access the web. Now there are T1 lines, Fios, cable and other broadband. To do most of the Web 2.0 activities you need broadband, esp tools such as you-tube, the social networking, twitter, etc. The Web accelerates a digital divide, further splintering our society into haves and have-nots.
It had been my intention when starting this post to provide a laundry list of the requirements of Web 2.o and my actions/reactions to them. However, in the process of writing the first paragraph my thoughts and plans changed. So just some general ideas:
I have gone on enough about my thoughts on privacy and the web, (see previous posts), but it is good to realize that the Web is a thing, not a person. It will not care if you lose your privacy by too candid postings in blogs, social sites, etc. It is up to you to determine for yourself as to what liberties you allow yourself in postings on the web.
That said, I have enjoyed (mostly) blogging and hope to continue, esp helping others in their Web 2.0 adventures. I have always tried to be a part of the larger community, in grad school, in bicycling organizations, in reading groups, in volunteer activities. However, blogging is time consuming and there are books to read, bicycles to ride, cats to pet and people to talk to.
The Web 2.0 journey has caused me to post pictures for myself and others(on picasa, not flickr), start a on-line version of my book journals (on Gale's books and authors not Library thing), to look at and consign to oblivion social net work sites, twitter and most of wikis.
It has been and will be a long strange trip my friends.
Your humble servant
TomLATI
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
