Here is my website!
http://www.pitt.edu/~lag77/index.htm.html
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Readings- 11/17/09
Web Search Engines-
Part 1 of this two part article address basics of how search engines work, how they crawl through web sites and spread their search load among different servers. These search engines, referred to in this article by the acronym GYM (Google, Yahoo, Microsoft), have politeness filters built in so they do not overwhelm any one site. The second part of this article talks about how the search algorithm works to index the web and find the best match to one's search. Many issues addressed in this article have been seen previously in past articles we have read about how Google was created and works. While informative, I did not feel that I was being told anything that I did not already know.
Current developments and future trends for the OAI protocol for metadata harvesting-
This article takes a look at the OAI, how it was developed, how it is now being used and what the future holds for the database. One of the most interesting things about the OAI database is that there are multiple contributers who archive for their specific communities. So while the metadata requirements are the same for all items archived in this database, each community interprets it a different way and while it does not end up to be complete chaos, there seems to be some confusion within the communities on how strictly each group must adhere to the rules. It was great to see different groups coming together and contributing towards a common goal of archiving information, and for there to be a central place for them to do just that.
The Deep Web: Surfacing Hidden Value-
This article delves deeper into the issues of the deep web and finding information located that far down in the web. There is a huge amount of information out there that we dod not have access to because of how search engines work. They merely skim the surface of things as opposed to searching deep down. Many of the websites located in the deep web are public sites, and those that are not are accessible by paying a fee, such as sites like JSTOR. With the wealth of information available below the surface of the web we have come to know, it is now time to start being able to search for that information. This article clearly lays out just how much we are missing and in a day and age where finding the most relevant information is imperative to many people, ignoring this recourse can only be detrimental to our learning process in the end. The graphs using boats and fish were also highly amusing.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Readings- 11/10/09
Introducing the Extensible Markup Language-
This article goes over the basics of XML. It is a markup language that specifically defines each element in a document so that the documents can be easily changed and transfered over the internet into different forms. It marks all the various elements within a document so you can easily find what you are looking for. They are defined by sets of tags and can be used not only for text but for images and other graphics as well.
A survey of XML standards: Part 1-
This article was a wonderful compilation of site for people beginning to navigate the world of XML. It separated all of the components of XML and provided resources and links for understanding and using these components. It gives you the basic idea of what is expected when using XML and then where to go to learn more. It is a amazing resource for anyone looking to expand their knowledge of XML.
Extending your Markup: a XML tutorial-
This article explains XML in simple and concise terms. Out of all the articles we read, it was this one that really helped me feel comfortable in my knowledge of XML. The examples that they give are clear and easy to follow and help illustrate the language. XML has many great attributes and uses and allows one to really customize and adjust the markup language to their personal needs.
XML Schema Tutorial-
This tutorial was the same as the ones for HTML last week, offering a further understanding of XML and giving a lot of examples to let those who are new to the language have a chance to see how it is written. Once again another solid tutorial for those of us who are new to the world of XML and markup languages in general.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Readings- 10/27/09
HTML Tutorial-
This was basically a beginners guide to how to use HTML. It took one through everything step by step with clearly laid out examples. While it was lovely to see and easy to go through, I still find myself completely terrified of HTML. No matter how simple it seems, I feel that it cannot be as easy as it looks.
HTML Cheatsheet-
This article I liked a whole lot more than the first one. It was just a basic run through of what each code does, separated by function. It was helpful and made me feel better about my knowledge of HTML. After reading this piece, I felt much better about going back to the first article and reading through it once again. Having this cheatsheet on hand helped me understand what the first article was talking about more clearly.
CSS-
Cascading Style Sheets is the next step up from basic HTML, helping to define the HTML elements and making websites look better. This article was just like the first HTML one, giving examples and allowing you to play around with the code so you really understood what was going on. It was more visually focused, adding onto your knowledge of HTML. I never thought I would be using HTML or CSS as a librarian, but I can see where they would be a valuable asset. With more people attracted to the more visually impressive websites, it is up to us as information professionals to attract patrons to us. In a world where technology is at the forefront of everything, us possessing even the most basic knowledge is no longer an option, it is a necessity.
Beyond HTML-
This article was about a library switching over to a CMS system to allow them to manage every bit of their websites. There was a lot of collaboration between all of the specialized librarians and the web developers to make sure that the system created worked for everyone and made sense. The article mentions their forays into developing the site, looking at the option of open source before sticking with improving upon their own in house system. The article reiterates how it is important that a library website be functional and easy to navigate. A lot of time was spent making sure that it worked for all facets of the university.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Readings- 10/20/09
Internet Infrastructure-
This article was all about the actual structure of the Internet. For a system that I normally take for granted, there is a lot of action going on in the technological ether that I have never bothered to understand before. The focus was on how every computer eventually ends up being connected in a larger network, and it is routers, DNS servers and code that make sure everything is running swimmingly. Before this article, I had not given much thought to Domain Names and the fact that there is a complex and well organized system behind them. IP addresses I knew about, but all the information attached to a domain name turned out to be staggering. The process that one server goes through to connect and bring the information to your screen is impressive. It reminds me of back when Ted Steven's said, "The Internet is a series of tubes." I laughed, but never understood just how inaccurate that statement was until reading this article.
Dismantling Integrated Library Systems-
For me this article was another example of how technology has come to affect the library world. The process we formerly used to help manage our systems proved lacking in the face of rapidly developing technology. While this may have been to our advantage, allowing libraries to branch off from one main system and create systems that work best for their operation, it showcases how the push towards technology can rupture a smoothly operating system. This change, while in the end will be worked out, can cause havoc during the process.
Inside the Google Machine-
This video was from a talk back in 2004 given by the co-founders of Google. They basically talked about search patterns, how data was transfered, their employees and they briefly touched on the future of Google. The most informative part for me was the spinning image of the world that showed where Google searches were being performed and in what language. You really got a sense of the enormity of the Internet and how many people utilize it daily. When they showed data travel patterns and the slide of how much information is transfered in one second it was even more impressive. We have read about Google before, in terms of how it was created, but seeing its use being visually represented on a global scale was astounding.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Readings- 10/06/09
Local Area Network-
Wikipedia article about networks that exist on a small scale. Used initially for sharing expensive items like printers and disk space, now help in high speed transfers of information. This type of network is basically seen everywhere now, and most people deal with it daily, sometimes without even realizing it. Libraries will obviously have this type of network set up, assists in the faster transfer of information and helping better serve our patrons.
Computer Network-
This wikipedia article looks into the aspects of computer networks. A very self-explanatory title, computer networks are computers networked together. I knew that there were wired and wireless networks, as the article first explains, what I did not realize was the wide variety of computer networks that existed. Local Area Networks are just one of a wide variety of networks that can be created among computers. There is such a wide variety of options for how to connect not only the computers that exist locally but to also be able to connect globally is impressive. I was especially please by the color coated chart of a library network that was in the article.
Common Types of Computer Networks-
While the first two wikipedia articles did not confuse me that much, it was nice to be able to watch a video that explained exactly what was what. It was brief and to the point, but I appreciated the clarification that it gave me.
Management of RFID in libraries-
This article is about the use of radio frequency identification tags in library books instead of barcodes. While in principle the same concept, a system dedicated to identifying what items are being checked in and out of the library, there still are questions and hesitations surrounding its use. While it could ease the burdens on librarians, making inventorying processes easier, for example, there are a whole range of security issues and cost. I feel that just like libraries have had to deal with the influx of new technology, so will we have o deal with the upgrading of our systems to match. We have moved from card catalogs to online catalogs, and if the technology is there, which it obviously is, then it is time to start the upgrades in our barcode systems as well.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Readings- 9/29/09
Data Compression-
Simple wikipedia entry about data compression. The encoding has to be understood by all parties involved and depending on how important the data is different coding systems can be used. I was very amused by the term Lossy, especially because it is so simplistic and yet explains everything so well. In a field full of complicated technical jargon, the terms Lossy and Lossless were much appreciated. In our field, I cannot imagine using Lossy compression for anything but audio and video as the entry states is what is primarily used for. The data we provide is important to everyone in its own way, so the use of Lossless compression would be of the upmost importance.
Data Compression Basics-
This article expands upon what the wikipedia entry talks about, going into detail about different types of Lossy and Lossless compression. I can honestly say that I thought I was going to be totally lost reading this article, and am very thankful for the author deciding to describe everything in simple terms. The first two encoding systems he explains, RLE and LZ77-LZW, made sense to me. The Huffman system, however, continues to baffle me. The idea that given numerical values, a decoder would figure out the right piece of data confused me. Despite re-reading the section several times, I still do not fully understand. I never got to read the Lossy part, part 2, because my computer kept saying that there was a bad server response. I shall try on other computers, but mine will not open the page. Part 3 was the video coding portion, which I was actually quite interested in. The fact that depending on what type of video you are looking at depends on what code is use, i.e. differences between animation and live action, and that all of these techniques can build upon each other is wonderful.
Imaging Pittsburgh-
This article was great at illustrating how everything we are learning in this class comes together and will help us in the long run. The fact that in was a wide variety of institutes getting together to create one huge joint photo gallery website brought a lot of things into perspective. To have that many big institutions, all with there own photo galleries organized in their own ways having to come together was wonderful, but also has so much potential for problems. The discussions over metadata and determining what scheme to use, which brought in Dublin Core and cemented that in my opinion as a brilliant universal system. Tying in with other articles from this week with issues of image quality and knowing that to get the best image there had to be a discussion about data compression. While they never directly mention it, storing that many photos means wanting to maximize space without losing data, so I assumed that they went with a lossless system.
Youtube and Libraries-
While reading this, all I could think about was how we use Panopto for recording class lectures and other pertinent information. Those recordings are always available to the students, and have proven to be very useful in going back for clarification or to find information you missed the first time around. Youtube to me has always been a place for watching silly video clips and at one point, Disney's Tarzan in 9 minute intervals. Seeing how useful the Panopto videos have been, and the fact that i have found how-to instruction videos on Youtube before make me strongly agree with Paula Webb's ideas. There are basic questions about libraries that sometimes are not asked because of embarrassment over lack of knowledge. People feel silly not knowing the basics and therefore will not ask. Using Youtube as a way to educate would ensure that instead of someone staying away from the library or being unable to find information, they would have another tool at there disposal to help. Since Youtube is pretty simple to use, they could explore on their own and would therefore get much more use out of our resources.
The Muddiest Point- Week 4 (9/22/09)
My muddiest Point for this week was just for some clarification on exactly how a crosswalk works. Is it just a table that shows you how to translate the difference on your own? Or can you actually input data and how it converted for you?
Monday, September 21, 2009
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Readings- 9/22/09
Databases-
First of all, there are so many types of databases, more than I ever imagined. I do not even know why that surprises me, but it totally does. I guess I just figured a database was a database, and that was not specialization within the software. My main question on this article is really a clarification. Around the beginning they use the acronyms RDBMS and ODBMS. Do R and O stand for relational and object respectively?
Introduction to Metadata, pathways to Digital Information: 1: Setting the Stage-
I found this article to be extremely enlightening. In a day and age where Wikipedia seems to reign supreme in how a person access information, it was wonderful to read an article about how now everyone is contributing to creating data, and not just information specialists. The web has brought about a information revolution, whether we like it or not, and this showed how that revolution was making those of us involved in the Information profession step up to the plate. Even though anyone out there can now access and contribute to the creation of metadata, it is up to us to make sure that it is accurate and searchable. Librarians are not being phased out of this process, rather we are more important than ever. With the overload of data, it is up to us to take control and start organizing everything into a usable form. Already the article pointed out smaller cases of metadata systems being created to provide access and understandability to out old databases. This is work that we need to continue so that in a world filed with data, we can make sure that a person can find what they need.
An Overview of the Dublin Core Data Model-
This model was mention briefly in the previous article and I was glad for a chance to read about it further. It seems that this model was looking to united disciplines in their labeling of their metadata in a way that made in universal and easily accessible. These are in fact requirements for being part of the DCDM, along with making everything as clear as possible, including identifying vocabulary that is profession specific. I was hoping that this article would clear up more about this system for me, because the beginning was so straight forward. I will confess to becoming lost once all the computer commands started coming into play, and it took me longer than I expected to fully understand what was going on.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Comments
Week Three Postings:
http://preservingtim.blogspot.com
http://jfilipek2600.blogspot.com
Week Two Postings:
http://christaruthcoleman2600.blogspot.com/
Week One Postings:
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Readings- 9/15/09
Introduction to Linux: A Hands on Guide-
During my first year of undergrad, I had a neighbor who swore by Linux. He was coding on his computer constantly and kept telling me that if I would only put Linux on my computer, I would see the errors of my Windows ways. Needless to say, the prospect was daunting and I shied away from all the complicated coding and stuck with what I know. This article made me realize that it might not have been the giant undertaking I made it out to be. Starting out as a system created to make operating systems universal and adapting to each system makes it seem like the best option. When everything from computers to cell phones can be run with Linux, it makes sense to want the system that can cross the most boundaries and do it well. It was odd to find, however, for a system based on a universal use principle, that when it was moved to an individual usage it became more exclusive. The idea that you needed advanced computing knowledge and skills is what kept me away from the system, and as this article reads, kept many others away as well. Though the article does do a good job at pointing out the changes to Linux, and that it is now a more user friendly system, replicating the look of Apple and Windows so that the user is comfortable. Unlike other systems, it is customizable and adaptable to a huge extent, allowing users to go into the core of the system. It also has huge firewalls and safety features that come standard with the package. Looking back on previous articles where virus protection, updates and cost were important factors in updating a libraries computer systems, on starts to wonder if perhaps Linux is the better option? It can be downloaded for free, customized to your specifications, and as amazing security. Any updates that needed to happen would also be free, and all one has to do is spend sometime learning the system, a process they would go through for any new software. Would Linux be a better OS for libraries with the new digital movement?
Mac OS X-
The Mac Os is certainly the prettiest of the operating systems, given that Linux and Windows have copied the design aesthetics. This design edge makes Mac OS X appeal automatically to graphic designers and artists, something that was pointed out in Amit Singh's article as being a preconceived notion of the system. His article goes into the nitty gritty of the system, talking about layers that no one really ever sees under the polished look of X. I took for granted that the system was so easy, never thinking about everything that happens within the computer. Apple is the company that many are familiar with today, with the popularity of the iphone and the ipod it is visually recognized by most and user friendly.
An Update on the Windows Roadmap-
This article focused on addressing concerns with the Windows Vista operating system. While windows is easily usable and found on basically every PC, it seems that Vista caused more problems than expected. Microsoft was focused on making sure the OS was compatible with as many people as possible. this was probably the reason behind releasing so many versions of the OS, such as Vista Business and Vista Ultimate. In a sense, it was like Linux, where you download what you want and can go adjust the core system but without needing the computer knowledge, the system is customized for you. They made an effort to figure out how customers were using the OS and making sure it was updated to suit their needs. In the end it just seems like an OS was released before it was ready, causing a lot of pain and frustration for Windows users. If these users had been libraries, what could have happened? Would there have been a need for multiple updates of the system almost immediately? Or could the library do as the article suggest and exercise their "downgrade rights" to get back to a system that works?
Assignment 2- Flickr
The URL for my flickr account is : http://www.flickr.com/photos/letishagoerner/
The Muddiest Point- Week 2 (9/8/09)
My muddiest point for this week was RAM. I am still unclear as to what it does and how it works.
Readings- 9/8/09
Personal Computer Hardware Wikipedia-
I am thankful that this article was stripped down and straight forward. Coming from a background with technical knowledge in electrics, it felt weird to not have basic computer knowledge. Have a much better grasp of the inner workings now, though I am still confused by RAM. I followed the link on the page to the RAM wikipedia entry, but even that did not alleviate my confusion. If the memory accessed is random, and wiped out when the computer is shut off, then exactly what functions does the RAM run? Is it being utilized to run programs on the computer, or is it being used to remember items like pages opened in an internet explorer?
Moore's Law Wikipedia and Video-
This law makes a lot of sense, especially when looking at it along side the growth of the internet. Both the charts, the on shown in class tracking web size and the one on the wikipedia tracking Moore's law show the same exponential growth. With technology continuously improving and our needs for everything to be better, faster and stronger, we drive the creation of newer technology until we reach a peak. Since Moore's law does have a natural plateau around 2015, there will be a point when we have improved as much as we are able too. The video did a wonderful job of helping one visualize Moore's law, and explaining the reason for the end of the shrinking of electronics. Though it did make me wonder how small technology could get realistically without being completely useless.
Computer History Museum-
Out of everything on this site, I was drawn to the computer restoration program. I found it interesting in a world full of people who want everything to be smaller and portable that efforts to better understand the history of technology were being made. After seeing old technology thrown to the wayside it was great to see it being refurbished and even functioning. Looking at the world's first disk drive in comparison to disk drive's of today shows how far we have come in such a short span of time. The women in the Moore video said that 40 years may seem short, but in actuality big change have been made.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Readings- 9/1/09
OCLC report: Information Format Trends-
This article highlights the change in how information is gather and perceived. More often, people turn to the internet for blogs, wikis, etc., that can offer them instant information gratification. The human race has a driving need to know things now, and they will take it from the first available source. That is not to say that they won't pay for content, as the article does point out. In this modern day and age there is a war going on between what is accessible versus what is reliable and accessible wins. With a computer/mobile phone in everyones hand, anyone can find the answers to their questions. Anyone can also publish their own store of knowledge and it can be downloaded by anyone. We are world full of informers and the uninformed all at once. This articles study of the rise of e-books and online publishing only serves to call attention to the end point. Everyone knows that libraries need to change how they are perceived. All we have to decided is how. How does one uphold the high standards people have for libraries when it comes to information quality with the new found need to make it digitally accessible? Libraries need to become a presence in the new digital information scene instead of a background player.
Information Literacy and Information Technology Literacy-
The author stresses the difference between information literacy, which to them is anything that contains information, be it text, video, mp3, etc., and information technology literacy, which they define as understanding the technology itself. As in the Lied article, there is a focus on how fast technology changes. This author however, brings to light the fact that ones knowledge must be constantly updated as technology updates. The changing times require the information professional to be improving as much as their systems. While in the Lied article the author seems to take for granted how hard it is to have to be in a state of perpetual re-learning of systems, this author offers solutions. It goes beyond just teaching how a system works, to teaching why a system works. Giving people a base jumping off point from which they can continually expand there own knowledge in a contextual way. Once you understand how something works in a more in-depth manner, the constant updates start to become more understandable. This seems so basic, but is it as easy as it seems? The upcoming generation is used to constant changes in technology, but what about the previous ones? Does technology risk alienating those who use it?
Lied Library-
This article for the most part detailed one library's initial acquisition and then continuous evolution of their technology. It was a university library that had the luxury of time and funding to implement all of the changes they desired with little to no need to disrupt the library's basic functions or patrons usage of their services. Reading this article was a jarring in a sense for me, there was reference to updating to Windows XP, wireless internet was just beginning to be introduced, it was a great reminder that technology is constantly evolving. While a university library has the ability to for the most part keep up with constant changes, other libraries do not have this same luxury. Technology these days is seen as a given and not a perk. What does one do for the library that cannot afford the new computers? Or the staffing? While UNLV is certainly seen in this article as a model for the modern digitized library, what does this mean for libraries in general? With the push towards technology, and with the digital world changing not only every day, but every hour, will it become impossible to provide the best resources that one can? Technology has become such an integral part of our society that in some cases our own technological resources outclass those of our local library.
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