Last Blog

Well this is my last blog...no, not forever, just for this class. Really, overall, the class was fun and useful. Except for the past three hours. And also when I was doing the Eprints3 project. Have a lovely summer, and I'll start posting again in September!

WORST THING EVVVER

So remember all those wonderful comments I made about KompoZer and FileZilla? Well they're untrue. KompoZer is the worst tool EVER IN THE WORLD. Three hours ago, I thought I was done this project. I had cracked my beer in celebration. Just a few edits, throw it in FileZilla, and bingo. DONE. Except that KompoZer saved all of my files and links and images just wherever the hell it wanted to. Well that minor buzz died instantly as I spent the next three hours FINDING my files and putting them where they needed to be, and then changing the html code to find them all again. Lost a few pages along the way, but in the end, well, I guess all I can say is I'm done. No amount of beer will make me EVER use KompoZer again. I will be investing in Adobe products from now on. Oh, and by the way, all of those open source programs that I downloaded? Well now I have spyware all OVER the place. RAAAHHHHHHHH.

OMG I'M DONE

I know I already posted something similar, but seriously I'm done. Well not really. I'm actually ALMOST done. I'm putting the finishing touches on my website.

I must say, as apprehensive I was about creating this website portfolio (and may I say totally reluctant?), I am really enjoying it! Now, that could have something to do with the fact that I'm relaxing on my couch and drinking a Sam Adams Summer Ale, but still, I am finally feeling my creative juices flowing!

And I'm really diggin' KompoZer. I know a lot of people chose to use Amaya, but from what I've hear from those people, I think I like KompoZer better.

Is it really over?

It's hard to believe we are so close to completing the semester. It wasn't easy, and I can't say it flew by, but I do feel a great sense of accomplishment in completing the first of 6 semesters of the program. Of course I shouldn't speak too soon. I still have to finish the last two assignments, and given the struggles I had the first time around with launching my website, I can't say I'm feeling terribly confident. Regardless, on Friday, it's all over!

A list of things I'm going to do with my spare time:
1. Clean the house (sorry, Chuck, it's been a mess I know).
2. Weed the garden (thanks, Chuck, for filling in)
3. Watch TV without a computer in front of my face
4. Cook dinner without feeling incredibly pressed for time. I usually love to cook!
5. Guilt-free Quizzo on Thursday nights!

I wanna be a librarian!

I've been reading job descriptions for librarians just so I can get a sense for what kinds of things might be in store for me when I complete this program, and I'm realizing how much I've learned already in this program! I now fully understand what it entails to add a book to the online catalog. I know how to make a web demo to show a user how to access a program or database (thanks, Jing!). I can not only edit a website, but I can make one. I have ideas on how to attract patrons, and understand that the purpose of library is shifting as physical books and journals are being replaced with online counterparts.

By no means am I fully qualified to run a library, but I feel like I'm well on my way! Even more encouraging, I actually think I will enjoy fulfilling the tasks required for these library positions. Whew. I made a good decision.

Copyright and Craziness

I've been listening to and reading all of these IP and Copyright law details and am realizing that, at least in the case of copyright, it seems to be too complicated to be useful. The many addendums to the law (sorry, my law vocabulary is relatively non-existant) seem to only close loopholes in favor to the copyright holders, rather than the creators.

I have been helping my brother in law to write a book, and we have often tried to figure out how we can use some non-fiction material as the basis of his novel. I can certainly see firsthand how the murkiness of this law is supressing creativity. The book is amazing, but is it worth publishing with the fear of infringing on copyright law? If the law confuses lawyers, how is it effective for creators? I am no expert (and apparently no one else is either), but this law no longer seems to serve its primary purpose.

I shall read on, and maybe someone can change my mind!

Internet Difficulties?

Ok I think my Internet is the problem... It keeps going in and out. I really hope that's the problem.

Really what I wanted to blog about though is how nice it is to be on campus! The only experience I had with Pitt was a visit I took 11 years ago when I was exploring universities for my undergrad degree. I spent a total of 8 hours visiting all the Pittsburgh colleges/universities. You can imagine it was a whirlwind, and I remember thinking how big Pittsburgh felt.

Upon this second visit, this is a very pleasant city, easy to navigate, and the Pitt campus is so clean and beautiful! Not that looks are what make for a great university, but it's certainly a plus. And everyone in the cohort seems very friendly. I wish I could take a class or two on campus!

Technical Difficulties

I'm shocked that this is the first time 'technical difficulties' has been the title of a post. But I think I am truly having technical difficulties! I was so proud of myself to have finished using Kompozer to do my html assignment. I even did it in a notepad file too! I tested it, and it opened perfectly from my computer. And then I downloaded Filezilla...

I read our Db posts, and uploaded just exactly as I was instructed. My file transferred perfectly every time, no problem. The file transferred successfully. But it's still not published up on the Pitt system. I tried it again. I tried my notepad file instead. I tried a different file name JUST IN CASE. I had Coreena walk me through what she did (THANK YOU!!!). Still not working. This is the first time that I have really struggled with any of the assignments. The others I found easy, even if long and somewhat tedious at times.

At least I'm on campus for a change. Hopefully someone can help me fix my technical difficulties!

Blog Blog

I don't know if it's ok to blog about another blog, but I was reading "Wired" Magazine's blog posts and came across a viewpoint that I happen to agree with: http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2009/05/stop-the-google-library-nets-librarian-says/

The author explains why Google should not go forward with its attempt to build a "digital library and bookstore of the future". Rather, he argues, such an endeavor should be a "shared, public endeavor", and not limited to the Google search. This puts a large amount information in the complete control of Google. This isn't to say that digitizing books isn't a worthwhile endeavor; it should just be managed in the hands of those whose goal it is to provide open access to all of millions of titles. Read it!

The Internet

I was reading Albert-Laszio Barabasi's Linked, and was fascinated by the idea that we don't really know how the Internet works anymore; that is, we cannot render a map of the Internet to use as a guide. So I googled 'map of the Internet, and found 101,000,000 results, all of which are just theories of what it might look like, more as a concept than an actual guide. Here are a few of my favorites:

Networks vs Hierarchies

Before I embark on the subject of this blog, I would just like to point out how dedicated I am to my studies. I am at the beach, the weather has never been more beautiful, but here I am in the beach house writing a blog while everyone else is watchin the Pfightin Phils, drinking beers and sitting out on the deck. Yet I blog on...

As I read on and on, I cannot get past what I learned when reading Glut by Alex Wright, when he explained the difference between networks and hierarchies how they relate to the organization of society, and how these two have shifted back and forth in importance in human society. In times dominated by networks, information seems chaotic; and in times of dominating hierarchies, too much order limits information. In between (and most often), a balance is met between hierarchy and network.

We are moving into a time dominated by networks, and hierarchical institutions find themselves unsure of how to evolve and subsist. This presents an opportunity to reform the old hierarchies that are no longer relevant to how we now exchange information. By being strategic, thoughtful and accepting to the shift to a networked society, we can enhance all the benefits of networks, by implementing the right kinds of hierarchies to support the network.

The Future

I've been reading fervently for class to complete my paper, and I came across this quote in Yochai Benkler's The Wealth of Networks: "There is no guarantee that networked information technology will lead to the improvements in innovation, freedom, and justice...That is a choice we face as a society. The way we develop will, in significant measure, depend on choices we make in the next decade or so."

Whenever someone asks me what I do for a living, I always answer that I'm studying to become a librarian. The next question is always "...so what will you do?" To be honest, sometimes I stumble over the answer, but I think the quote above reminds me that what I do is very much up to the profession. I think to continue to be relevent and useful, we absolutely must immerse ourselves in the network of the Internet, and find ways to make the ever-growing vastness of the information available have some order, searchability and lifespan.