The Muddiest Point-Week 10

No muddiest point for this week.

Week 10 Comments

November 11, 2010 6:31 PM 

November 11, 2010 6:37 PM

Week 10 reading notes

Digital Libraries: Challenges and Influential Work

This article highlights the differences of providing access to digital collections and providing effective digital library services. It is very important to understand the role that federal funding had throughout the history of implementing digital library technologies and how this translates in developing and acquiring different important tools that will offer "effective and efficient access to the distributed information environment ." It is very clear how DLI programs have a key role in the field of digital libraries  and contribute to the progress of different projects.

Dewey Meets Turing: Librarians, Computer Scientists, and the Digital Libraries Initiative 

 Reading this article makes me think about how collaborative projects can always fall into the issue of every organization/individual/professional wanting to run his/her own agenda within the project. With this article you see that nevertheless it is possible to achieve the goal of collaboration especially after the "problems" they had to face with the emergence of the WWW.

Institutional Repositories: Essential Infrastructure for Scholarship in the Digital Age

I think that Lynch continues the discussion of digital library technologies and institutional repositories but with a critical eye. He  emphasizes that institutional repositories are more than just software and hardware and presents and interesting and informative essay of the importance of institutional repositories, the challenges and future directions. With scholarly communication changing institutional repositories are becoming means of providing access to information but information professionals must acknowledge the importance of treating these systems with caution and understand how scholarly communication will continue to change and new ways to deal with this will have to be considered.

The Muddiest Point-Week 9

No muddiest point for this week.

Week 9 Comments

November 4, 2010 8:24 PM

November 4, 2010 5:35 PM

Week 9 reading notes

XML Schema Tutorial

Again, I was very impressed with the tutorial just like the HTML one but I really feel that this is too much for me! I tried to grab all the basics but one has to be a little bit more experience with these Markup Language to thoroughly understand how they work.

Extending Your Markup:
An XML Tutorial

This short article/tutorial clearly states the benefits of XML and the different characteristics that make it more meaningful and useful. 

A survey of XML standards: Part 1

This was one of the most informative readings of this week. Recommended instructions and further reference might be helpful for people that are willing to try XML. I don't see myself working full-time with Mark-up Languages but I am bookmarking this, just in case :)

Week 8 Comments

I was wondering if Jeipu could provide us with a Jing instructional video for our last assignment. I know we didn't have "questions" but I find a little bit overwhelming all the instructions of constructing a website. I believe that a video will help cover the basics. Thank you!

Assignment # 5 Koha

Username: SEC77
List Name: Literature

http://upitt01-staff.kwc.kohalibrary.com/cgi-bin/koha/virtualshelves/shelves.pl

Week 8 Comments

October 29, 2010 8:16 PM  

October 29, 2010 8:18 PM

Week 8 Reading Notes

W3schools HTML Tutorial, HTML Cheatsheet and CSS Tutorial

I must say that I'm impressed with these tutorials and with the cheatsheet. After reviewing these pages and chapters I think that I might be able to create a webpage-someday I hope. :) I find the process a little bit tedious and maybe a little bit overwhelming at first but it can be done! These websites are very good resources for people that are not familiarized with HTML and the integration of exercises within the tutorials prove to be very handy when trying to understand all the tags, headings and elements. 

After expressing my opinions on HTML all is left to say is that with my lack of time I prefer to use Google Sites! 

The Muddiest Point-Week 7

I'm still not clear about the steps to take within the assignment.

Do we have to search the 10 books within the Koha system? Or from somewhere else?

Assignment # 4

Hi all,
This is my link for assignment #4
http://www.citeulike.org/user/diasporasubject

Week 7 Comments

http://jsslis2600.blogspot.com/2010/10/week-7-reading-notes.html?showComment=1287087102971#c3603387123424220679

Week 7 Reading Notes

Google Video

I love Google!!! This video is amazing! I have never seen the creators of Google, didn't know they were so young! With their funny but highly informative presentation they managed to explained what Google is about and the different projects they work with. I wonder if there is an up-dated version of the video since it was filmed in 2004 and since then Google has been pioneering and working with some cool stuff!

How Internet Infrastructure Works

This article was very helpful in providing basic explanations of how the Internet works. Reading this article made me think about Barabási's Linked and his discussion about networks. Reading this information enables you to actually stop and think about how a system of this kind works. The day has 24 hours and from those 24 hours I can say that I'm online more than half of the day either through my phone or computer but I usually don't stop to think about how the connections actually works. I can't say that I have a complete understanding of all the protocols that run the process but with this article I can at least have a basic understanding of IP addresses, Routers, NAP's, servers and URL's.


Integrated Library Systems

After reading this short article a question still lingers in my head: Why is interoperability in libraries more a myth than a reality?

The Muddiest Point-Week 6

No class. No muddiest point for this week.

Assignment # 3

Video
http://www.screencast.com/t/drPbfDXRJ

Images

http://www.flickr.com/photos/diasporasubject/5069460275/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/diasporasubject/5069458667/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/diasporasubject/5070056226/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/diasporasubject/5069472329/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/diasporasubject/5069491597/

Week 6 Comments

http://jonas4444.blogspot.com/2010/10/reading-notes-for-week-6.html?showComment=1286395857316#c61
95338717343125377

http://rjs2600.blogspot.com/2010/10/readings-for-10-11-10-15.html?showComment=1286396222180#c7534041474293207193

Week 6 Reading notes

Common types of computer networks (YouTube Video)


Listening to an actual person explain different kinds of networks proved to be more entertaining and clarifying than reading the Wikipedia articles. I found particularly interesting his explanation of PAN networks where you have a basic computer network between your computer, printer or PDA. I've been planning to enable my Remote Desktop Mobile, will that be considered a PAN network? My knowledge of networks was basically LAN or WAN (and that is knowledge of existence not of how they actually work) so the video is very helpful.

Computer network and Local Area Network wikipedia articles


My comment for these two readings is going to be brief because I was overwhelmed with all this talk of layers, protocols, wired technology cables, etc. Again, I have a basic understanding of LAN and WAN as computer networks that will help share different resources with your peers or co-workers but the actual explanation with the technical jargon is to much for me to understand. That being said, even though I didn't actually catch some of the important terminology the section of Types of Networks was enlightening and made me think of all the potential uses and benefits computer networks have. The development of LAN networks was interesting as well: "1983 as the year of the LAN". WOW I wasn't even born!


Management of RFID in Libraries


I have strong security concern with the use of this type of technology for Libraries or for other environments. But as the author clearly states Libraries should not completely ignore new emerging technologies but should weigh their benefits with the operational system of the institution itself. If RIFD chips are eventually going to replace bar codes, what are we supposed to do then? Will other technologies emerged before that happens?

Muddiest Point-Week 5

My muddiest point for this week has to do with the difference between data models for DBMS's. How can I differentiate between rational, object-oriented, object-relational or multidimensional?

Comments

http://marypatelhattab.blogspot.com/2010/09/week-4-reading-notes.html?showComment=1285456523193#c8197343390514291069

Notes on Week 4

You Tube and Libraries

I believe the concept of using YouTube is a magnificent idea for improving advocacy issues of your library and/or archive. It provides various benefits through the use of RSS Feeds and the ability to link videos to blogs. Posting guides, providing better visual access and the use of instructional videos are just a few of the benefits this social media software brings.

Imaging Pittsburgh

I loved this article! It is a clear example of the importance of partnerships in these types of projects. Collaboration makes possible the achievement of all the tasks related to the project. Even though there were challenges in various aspects such as communication and workflow they still were able to overcome those and continue with the project.

 Data Compression and Data Compression Basics

Lossy compression I could understand with the example of digital cameras. With lossless compression I need assistance please!!

The Muddiest Point-Week 3

This week I don't have a muddiest point. I was planning on posting about the embedded software but ended up asking the professor instead. I was wondering if embedded software from PDA's could be change or replaced, for example from Windows Mobile to Google but Dr. He told me this was not possible.

Linux

Before reading the Introduction to Linux all I knew about the system was that it features a funny penguin and that if I saw that penguin in some computers or laptops it was likely that they were running Linux. It seems very interesting the way the operating system was developed and how its popularity has increased over the years. In the Social Life of Information the authors discuss that while some of the pros that Linux offers such as the ones mentioned in the reading (free, stable, portable) are important, one crucial thing to consider is the way it was developed: by different coders and people that integrated their knowledge. This was built within a spectrum of social interactions. I have friends that use Linux and they can't seem to go back to the "old ways" of Mac and Windows. Maybe I should try it and see how it goes...

Week # 3 Comments

http://kaitmlyons.blogspot.com/2010/09/reading-notes-920.html?showComment=1284856900897#c670222879995497918


http://elviaarroyo.blogspot.com/2010/09/week-3-operating-systems.html?showComment=1284857279757#c4774702908150573195

The Muddiest Point-Week 2

My muddiest point for this week has to do with the Binary Representation. I didn't understand the 0 and 1 number system and how the combinations are made.

Assignment # 2

Hello everyone:

Follow these links and you will see my scans uploaded in Flickr.

Screen Display Versions

http://www.flickr.com/photos/diasporasubject/sets/72157624840655263/

Thumbnail Versions

http://www.flickr.com/photos/diasporasubject/sets/72157624965277274/

Please let me know if the links work.

Week # 2 Notes

Personal Computer Hardware

This was a very basic article of the components of computer hardware but helpful to students like me that are not familiar with terms such as: Iomega Zip drive or RAID array controllers. I also didn't know that HD DVDs were discontinued.

Moore’s Law

This article and specifically the video helped me understand how different technologies come to be. The concept of "doubling" couldn't have been better explained as Christie Nicholson did in the video. Moore's predictions are evident today and equally important is to say that this trend is developing at such a high pace that we just can't keep up. I wonder what will happen when the transistors reach their limit of "miniaturization"

Computer History Museum

WOW. I must applaud the efforts and achievements of the Computer History Museum. They are extremely dedicated  to the preservation of computer artifacts and to the development of computing knowledge. I particularly liked the Exhibits section. Their online exhibits gives us a glimpse of the wonderful wonders one might find in the museum.  Computer History Timeline, Internet History and Mastering the Game are just awesome!

Facebook page

Hello. I have created a new Facebook page that will be dedicated entirely to the posting of Archives, Library and Information news. Also other news as well. You are welcome to add me.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/profile.php?id=100001528760507&v=wall

Additional notes on readings-Week 1

I. Lied Library @ four years

This was an extremely interesting and useful article to read and to have as a future reference. As I was reading I became curious of how everything started and noticed that in the author's references he includes a couple of articles published in 2002 that are part of a Special Issue Library Hi Tech dedicated to this project. I still haven't read them but I know that they will serve as a good case study and example to follow for my future institution. My plans are to create an Archival Institution in Puerto Rico holding Puerto Rican diaspora collections and my desire is to be able to manage the technology needs and expectations of the users.

II. Content, Not Containers

When reading this article I started to think about the preferences of reading formats that I have. When e-books came to the scene I was reluctant of using e-readers or desktop readers to enjoy a book. But I began experimenting and realized that I could manage a balance between the two of them. I have no particular standards of what books to read with my Nook Reader or which ones to buy (except for my profession's books and references) but I was able to try both venues and the results have been amazing; I've been able to save a lot of money too since there are lots of e-books that I can access for free or at a very low cost.
The following is a link for an interesting article about the preferences of reading formats- traditional printed books or e-books-and how couples and families manage their different preferences. I saw my boyfriend and myself in this article :)

 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/02/technology/02couples.html?_r=1

Notes on Information Literacy and Information Technology Literacy

 This article provides  basic, clear and easy to understand  definitions of what is Information Literacy and Information Technology Literacy; most important and what I found most interesting is that it explains why it's important for human beings that are not specifically studying computer science or computer-engineering science, to have knowledge on these forms of literacy. As a Humanities/English/Archives student, or I could say as a student alone, there are numerous of times when my laptop has shut down or I can't download programs that are essential for my educational experience, any just minor technological problems that limit the effective outcome of my daily projects and tasks that I have to perform using a machine and using the Web. Given my bad luck I started to try to master some skills in the use of different tools but realized that most of the time I just needed to know why that particular problem was happening in order to understand how it could be resolved. I wanted to do my own trouble-shooting! This article confirms my thoughts and beliefs on the importance of having knowledge, basic as it might be, of information technology literacy:

"Information technology literacy limited to a set of largely route skills will limit not only career opportunities but also one's ability to function intelligently in society" (Lynch 1998, 4)

The Muddiest Point-Week 1

Hello!
This week I don't have a question or an exact unclear point to post, but I will comment on a specific topic that was mentioned in class. During the discussion of the definitions of information, Dr. He talked about how is possible for animals such as ants and bees to create information (Slide 11 of Power Point Presentation). Ants and bees as social insects have an extraordinary ability of organizing their colonies and work; even a sense of cooperation and learning from each other. I had never thought of their daily activities as producing information. Interesting!