I have to admit, I was a bit leery of any site that shares photos. I was thinking of it as a sort of extended MySpace for very visual people. Seeing as I'm still not that enthusiastic about MySpace, I wasn't expecting great things from Flickr.
But wow! I think I'm actually a convert! For one thing, it's actually a great site if I'm specifically looking for photos. I tried it out by typing in all sorts of esoteric search terms, and there were tons of hits. Perhaps not as many as I might get from Google, but they generally had closer relevance to my topic than Google results. The other thing, as people who have read my other posts will have figured out, is that I'm big on organization. And this site has it- I can put in my own tags on pictures, I can put tags on a map to show where they were taken, I can organize them by subject and then with subgroups... okay, enough salivating.
I think the only reason I didn't sign up for an account on the spot is that I don't have a lot of pictures. But since I'm working on fixing my camera, perhaps I'll remedy that situation and create my own little Flickr page!
Just for entertainment purposes, I'm including the link to a picture I found particularly great. It will give you an idea of what I consider important in life. Enjoy!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jocieposse/180653960/
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Monday, February 25, 2008
Library Thing... how descriptive.
I got started on my Library Thing catalogue, and I have to say that I like it. I'm always a fan when I get to share my favorite books and write my own reviews (i.e. I can stand on my soap boxes for a captive audience).
However, the format of the site somtimes confused me. For example, there should have been a way for me to create a "favorite authors" list, which I was somehow supposed to do through the "author's page". Sounds simple enough, except I couldn't find the "author's page". If it's there, it's not glaringly obvious. And I really need obvious.
In favor of Library Thing is the customizability of the cataloge. I have an account with Shelfari, and there I have far fewer options for organizing my titles. I also like how I can tag my books in addition to writing a review (although I usually just do the review, and to be perverse I put it in the "tags" box).
So that's been my experience with LibraryThing so far. I think it would make a great tool for libraries, mostly because it lets people express why they liked to didn't like something. Not only does that make people feel important (referring back to the soap box comment), but it gives the people who haven't read a particular book some clues as to whether they might like it, too.
By the way- for all interested parties, here's the link to my LibraryThing page:
www.librarything.com/catalogue/sjv0818
However, the format of the site somtimes confused me. For example, there should have been a way for me to create a "favorite authors" list, which I was somehow supposed to do through the "author's page". Sounds simple enough, except I couldn't find the "author's page". If it's there, it's not glaringly obvious. And I really need obvious.
In favor of Library Thing is the customizability of the cataloge. I have an account with Shelfari, and there I have far fewer options for organizing my titles. I also like how I can tag my books in addition to writing a review (although I usually just do the review, and to be perverse I put it in the "tags" box).
So that's been my experience with LibraryThing so far. I think it would make a great tool for libraries, mostly because it lets people express why they liked to didn't like something. Not only does that make people feel important (referring back to the soap box comment), but it gives the people who haven't read a particular book some clues as to whether they might like it, too.
By the way- for all interested parties, here's the link to my LibraryThing page:
www.librarything.com/catalogue/sjv0818
Friday, February 22, 2008
I though "Technorati" was a medical condition...
Well, you learn something every day. So not only have I learned that "Technorati" is really a site on the web which searches blogs, but I have learned that I'm having trouble wrapping my head around it.
I suppose it's rather like a youtube for blogs, but it seems to almost defeat the purpose to require special tagging/registration before Technorati can find a blog. In my experience, most people who tag their blogs are very motivated to spread some sort of message or viewpoint. So, the main hits off this site will likely be collections of blogs from extremists and activists. My personal attempts at searches tended to bring up political blogs (always identified as either very liberal or very conservative), plus a few that just seemed to have extreme opinions on everything.
Honestly, Google worked about as well, and the results were much more diverse.
I suppose it's rather like a youtube for blogs, but it seems to almost defeat the purpose to require special tagging/registration before Technorati can find a blog. In my experience, most people who tag their blogs are very motivated to spread some sort of message or viewpoint. So, the main hits off this site will likely be collections of blogs from extremists and activists. My personal attempts at searches tended to bring up political blogs (always identified as either very liberal or very conservative), plus a few that just seemed to have extreme opinions on everything.
Honestly, Google worked about as well, and the results were much more diverse.
Mmmm... Del.icio.us!
First of all, my random brain has to take a moment and wonder what was going through their heads when they named a search-related site "del.icio.us". [Pause.]
Okay, that's done. Moving on...
I'm actually not convinced that del.icio.us is a particularly useful site. Perhaps this just stems from it not being particularly relevant to my life- if I needed to access a certain genre of sites a great deal for work or school, I suppose I can see that it would be very useful. And I do like that I can tag something and then access that tag from any computer with intertnet access. Not being able to do that has, on a few past occasions, been an annoyance.
There are some downsides, though: first, the slightest spelling error invalidates the search. So if I'm trying to look up a subject I don't know how to spell, perhaps because I'm new to it or because it's rather esoteric, this would not be a tool of choice. Also, the searches are relatively narrow. If I type in "Salt Lake City", it only gives me those documents that have been tagged with that complete phrase, or those with the complete phrase in the title. It does not pick up on partial phrases or hits in the body of the text.
However, I'll acknowledge that my assessment comes from a relatively quick and superficial examination. Maybe if I use it regularly for a while, I fill become more charitable, especially as I learn how to use it more efficiently.
Okay, that's done. Moving on...
I'm actually not convinced that del.icio.us is a particularly useful site. Perhaps this just stems from it not being particularly relevant to my life- if I needed to access a certain genre of sites a great deal for work or school, I suppose I can see that it would be very useful. And I do like that I can tag something and then access that tag from any computer with intertnet access. Not being able to do that has, on a few past occasions, been an annoyance.
There are some downsides, though: first, the slightest spelling error invalidates the search. So if I'm trying to look up a subject I don't know how to spell, perhaps because I'm new to it or because it's rather esoteric, this would not be a tool of choice. Also, the searches are relatively narrow. If I type in "Salt Lake City", it only gives me those documents that have been tagged with that complete phrase, or those with the complete phrase in the title. It does not pick up on partial phrases or hits in the body of the text.
However, I'll acknowledge that my assessment comes from a relatively quick and superficial examination. Maybe if I use it regularly for a while, I fill become more charitable, especially as I learn how to use it more efficiently.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
What the heck are "Wikis"?
Actually, I'm not quite as clueless as the title of this blog implies. But I guess I'm pretty close because I first thought that "wikis" just referred to Wikipedia. ("What do you mean, there's more than one?!")
As a college student, my peers (and especially teachers) do not hold wikis in high regard. Academia is more concerned with peer-reviewed scholarly journals and other sources of verifiable facts. So, although Wikipedia and similar sites may serve a very valid purpose, I have not been familiar with that aspect in the past. I therefore had to throttle my knee-jerk negativity upon hearing that I was going to learn about wikis. [Oh Horrors!]
While I still don't like to rely on wikis for information when accuracy is important, I really like the idea of using a book-lovers wiki on a library site. That would be a great way to stimulate discussion in the community, and objective truth doesn't really matter because it's about subjective opinions, anyway. I would certainly visit such a site, especially if I could find someone who liked my favorites and could recommend others.
However, having said all that, I do invite people to disagree. Especially if someone reading this would like to point out scenarios in which it would be fine to rely on information from wikis (remembering my scenario of accuracy being important), I would love to hear that feedback.
As a college student, my peers (and especially teachers) do not hold wikis in high regard. Academia is more concerned with peer-reviewed scholarly journals and other sources of verifiable facts. So, although Wikipedia and similar sites may serve a very valid purpose, I have not been familiar with that aspect in the past. I therefore had to throttle my knee-jerk negativity upon hearing that I was going to learn about wikis. [Oh Horrors!]
While I still don't like to rely on wikis for information when accuracy is important, I really like the idea of using a book-lovers wiki on a library site. That would be a great way to stimulate discussion in the community, and objective truth doesn't really matter because it's about subjective opinions, anyway. I would certainly visit such a site, especially if I could find someone who liked my favorites and could recommend others.
However, having said all that, I do invite people to disagree. Especially if someone reading this would like to point out scenarios in which it would be fine to rely on information from wikis (remembering my scenario of accuracy being important), I would love to hear that feedback.
Monday, February 4, 2008
Musings on My Space
As part of my education, I'm learning about the use of My Space. The part that interests me is the debate as to the wisdom of using such extremely public forums for information-sharing and discussion. To me, it looks like most of the protest against such use stems from fear that someone unscrupulous will see our information and use it to bad ends. And this is one I can appreciate.
Even if we don't venture into debating the actual validity of these fears, they are real feelings that every electronic predator intenisifies. I myself am reluctant to put personal information online. When I was a young teenager, I heard a story (no telling how true it is) that a police officer in the vice squad conducted a test: he gave his daughter's screen name (which, by the way, did not contain personal info) to their squad's computer expert, and within an hour that expert could tell the first officer his daughter's name, age, and home address.
Now, this was almost 10 years ago-- by now, I don't have any objective knowledge as to how true this may be in its own right, much less how it applies generally. But ever since, I have carried the message with me that sharing information online, any information, is dangerous.
What do you think? Is this danger real? Or is the true risk being exaggerated by media and urban legends?
Even if we don't venture into debating the actual validity of these fears, they are real feelings that every electronic predator intenisifies. I myself am reluctant to put personal information online. When I was a young teenager, I heard a story (no telling how true it is) that a police officer in the vice squad conducted a test: he gave his daughter's screen name (which, by the way, did not contain personal info) to their squad's computer expert, and within an hour that expert could tell the first officer his daughter's name, age, and home address.
Now, this was almost 10 years ago-- by now, I don't have any objective knowledge as to how true this may be in its own right, much less how it applies generally. But ever since, I have carried the message with me that sharing information online, any information, is dangerous.
What do you think? Is this danger real? Or is the true risk being exaggerated by media and urban legends?
Friday, February 1, 2008
Getting Started
Where to begin? Ah, the freedom of such gloriously blank space!
This blog should be a place rich in ideas and fodder for discussions, largely because I am in that peculiar stage of life where I am about to leave the hallowed halls of college, but I do not yet see myself as a true "adult". This may mean that the next few months will find me exploring some of the resulting intillectual questions/quandaries on this site...
...which should, at the least, provide ample amusement for any readers.
As you may have guessed from this short introduction, I try not to take myself too seriously. I may wax eloquent once in a while on some topic important to me (and heaven forbid, but I have a soapbox or two). Still, I do make a serious effort to have an open mind and consider other perspectives. I value open and free communication, so I particularly welcome replies that will stimulate discussions, further questions, etc... all on a friendly basis, of course.
Sometimes I may pose questions that puzzle me. Other times I'll just write quick updates on significant (or marginally so) events in my life. Who knows what this blog will become? At this point, the possibilities are endless.
This blog should be a place rich in ideas and fodder for discussions, largely because I am in that peculiar stage of life where I am about to leave the hallowed halls of college, but I do not yet see myself as a true "adult". This may mean that the next few months will find me exploring some of the resulting intillectual questions/quandaries on this site...
...which should, at the least, provide ample amusement for any readers.
As you may have guessed from this short introduction, I try not to take myself too seriously. I may wax eloquent once in a while on some topic important to me (and heaven forbid, but I have a soapbox or two). Still, I do make a serious effort to have an open mind and consider other perspectives. I value open and free communication, so I particularly welcome replies that will stimulate discussions, further questions, etc... all on a friendly basis, of course.
Sometimes I may pose questions that puzzle me. Other times I'll just write quick updates on significant (or marginally so) events in my life. Who knows what this blog will become? At this point, the possibilities are endless.
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