Monday, July 14, 2008
JaxCat Search Gadget
I now have the search gadget on my blog and igoogle page. What could be the purpose or usefulness of this? If I had a blog about what I am reading or what books I recommend, then a local reader of my blog could use the gadget to see if JPL had the book available. A reader who does not live near enough to use JPL could use the gadget to get further information about a book so that he could go to his local library or book store.
librarything
It's an interesting site. I started my "library" with a couple of books I know I own. If I had more time I can see that this would be a useful site. I could see talking with others about our similiar reading choices.
Here is my library
http://www.librarything.com/home/kdsbooks
Here is my library
http://www.librarything.com/home/kdsbooks
Generators
I found most of the generators to be silly and time wasters. I did like wordle though. I make something from comic strip generator (http://www.txt2pic.com/toons/). I saved the image to my blog.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
FInding Feeds
Which Search tool was the easiest for you?
I thought Technorati was the easiest to use of the ones listed to use. I was able to find a couple of blogs that I think I had not found before.
Which was more confusing?
Syndic8 was the most confusing. Being that I am new to RSS and searching for ones to include, I wasn't familiar with Syndic8's format. I wasn't sure was "awaiting approval" meant. I also tried Topix - not as easy as it should be. Topix pulled up weird stuff from a search for "hurrican bertha". Bloglines seemed to pull up more news feeds and blogs.
What kind of useful feeds did you find in your travels?
I like to read blogs about Disney as you can get all sorts of opinions, advice and advance news through fan based sites. I wouldn't say anything I found was more useful than a site I've used for over a year though.
I'm not sure how I feel about this exercise. I am now aware of what RSS is, but I don't know how much I'll really use it in the future.
I thought Technorati was the easiest to use of the ones listed to use. I was able to find a couple of blogs that I think I had not found before.
Which was more confusing?
Syndic8 was the most confusing. Being that I am new to RSS and searching for ones to include, I wasn't familiar with Syndic8's format. I wasn't sure was "awaiting approval" meant. I also tried Topix - not as easy as it should be. Topix pulled up weird stuff from a search for "hurrican bertha". Bloglines seemed to pull up more news feeds and blogs.
What kind of useful feeds did you find in your travels?
I like to read blogs about Disney as you can get all sorts of opinions, advice and advance news through fan based sites. I wouldn't say anything I found was more useful than a site I've used for over a year though.
I'm not sure how I feel about this exercise. I am now aware of what RSS is, but I don't know how much I'll really use it in the future.
Monday, July 7, 2008
RSS feeds
I have created my blogline account and subscribed to the requiste 10 feeds. I think about four of them are other JPL 2.0 participant blogs.
What do you like about RSS and newsreaders?
Too early to say what I like about RSS. Right now I feel it creates more work than it helps with. I only frequent a couple of sites on a consistent basis. Some are news sites like: cnn, first coast news and channel 4 news. These I don't really need to know about updates as I am generally cruising the site to see if there is something I need to know or might be interested in. Another site I visit daily does have blogs, but I like so much about the site that I enjoy going directly to the site. Other sites are message boards that you have to log in to view.
How do you think you might be able to use this technology in your work or personal life?
I don't really see a use or need in my personal life at this time due to the reasons described above. It is too early in learning about RSS to see what use it may be in my personal life.
How can libraries use RSS or take advantage of this new technology?
Once again, it is too early for me to tell as I don't have much experience with RSS.
What do you like about RSS and newsreaders?
Too early to say what I like about RSS. Right now I feel it creates more work than it helps with. I only frequent a couple of sites on a consistent basis. Some are news sites like: cnn, first coast news and channel 4 news. These I don't really need to know about updates as I am generally cruising the site to see if there is something I need to know or might be interested in. Another site I visit daily does have blogs, but I like so much about the site that I enjoy going directly to the site. Other sites are message boards that you have to log in to view.
How do you think you might be able to use this technology in your work or personal life?
I don't really see a use or need in my personal life at this time due to the reasons described above. It is too early in learning about RSS to see what use it may be in my personal life.
How can libraries use RSS or take advantage of this new technology?
Once again, it is too early for me to tell as I don't have much experience with RSS.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Things to do with flickr
I played with the "spell with flickr". I found it interesting but not sure how to get it to appear elsewhere. I liked how you could change an individual letter if you didn't like its appearance. I didn't use the mappr but think it looks interesting.
I did create a badge on Big Huge Labs as well. I used a picture of a lamb I took in New Zealand.
I did create a badge on Big Huge Labs as well. I used a picture of a lamb I took in New Zealand.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Technology
I found two of the posts on Library Bytes to be interesting. Here is the link for one of them - http://www.librarybytes.com/2008/06/web-date-1934.html
The other concerned wordle - which really looks neat and I can use it on a scrapbook page.
Technology is great in many ways. Some of it is quite beneficial while others are simply useful. My fear about technology is that society is becoming obsessed with the latest and greatest. They are not concerned if it is actually beneficial so much as "look what I have". For example, I scrapbook as a hobby. I own the original Cricut that will cut out letters and shapes up to 5.5 inches in height. There is now a larger Cricut out that can cut up to nearly 24 inches. While a really neat shapes cartridge comes only with the larger Cricut, I do not need something that can cut shapes that large. So I will stick with my "small" machine for now. Others I know had to have the larger one even though they too have the "small" one. Why? Because it was new and big and they "had to have it".
I can also point to some of the new "and improved" toilets in Japan. Do we really need a toilet seat warmer? Is it really necessary to have a instant odor remover when a plug in does fairly well. Ok, I will concede that some people may need this - :). I can't remember some of the other "features" but that is part of my point. Why get the "latest and greatest" when the original does the intended purpose just fine.
The other concerned wordle - which really looks neat and I can use it on a scrapbook page.
Technology is great in many ways. Some of it is quite beneficial while others are simply useful. My fear about technology is that society is becoming obsessed with the latest and greatest. They are not concerned if it is actually beneficial so much as "look what I have". For example, I scrapbook as a hobby. I own the original Cricut that will cut out letters and shapes up to 5.5 inches in height. There is now a larger Cricut out that can cut up to nearly 24 inches. While a really neat shapes cartridge comes only with the larger Cricut, I do not need something that can cut shapes that large. So I will stick with my "small" machine for now. Others I know had to have the larger one even though they too have the "small" one. Why? Because it was new and big and they "had to have it".
I can also point to some of the new "and improved" toilets in Japan. Do we really need a toilet seat warmer? Is it really necessary to have a instant odor remover when a plug in does fairly well. Ok, I will concede that some people may need this - :). I can't remember some of the other "features" but that is part of my point. Why get the "latest and greatest" when the original does the intended purpose just fine.
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