Over the 4th of July weekend I remembered that I had a cousin who could not say Grand Finale. Instead he would keep asking when he would see the Grand Jumbally. Of course as an adult that stuck with me and it makes me laugh everytime I think about it. Our initial reactions to change and technology also tend to stick with us, unless we have the opportunity to really get our hands dirty playing and inspecting new technologies. Think of it as mud pies for the mind. From You Tube here are some words of wisdom about technology.
Since this is the final week you have 3 quick assignments: (Thing #21) please give us your final comments. You can post them right here on this blog. (Thing #22) Take the exit survey by following this link. And for the Grand Finale, (Thing #23) please share your new skills with your fellow library workers and users. The greatest gift of all is not in knowing everything, but sharing everything we know. Now remember you have 2 weeks to continue working on assignments you couldn't get to or needed more time for. So pat yourselves on the back and many thanks for your participation! For fun here are some links on the 23 Things Wiki
Monday, July 20, 2009
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Week 11: Podcasting and Streaming Media
Podcasting! It seems like everyone is doing it. Libraries, radio stations, television shows, and the Whitehouse are using podcasts as a way to extend their message or brand to a larger audience. Not only can you listen to your favorite morning radio show from your computer, you can also subscribe to all the best bits using their podcast. Podcasting allows you to get President Obama’s weekly address delivered to you. You can hear it immediately, or when it’s convenient. In the past if you wanted to watch a video online or listen to a digital recording of a speech the onus would be on you to seek it out. Podcasting, or more specifically, RSS allows that content to be delivered to you. Before we get too far, let’s take a few minutes to understand the difference between downloadable and streaming media and their relationship with podcasting.
Streaming and downloading are two different methods of delivering audio or video content. To better understand this difference let’s use the example of a CNN’s Web site. When you visit CNN.com you can watch live news broadcasts. The content is delivered, or “streamed” from CNN’s servers to your computer. The broadcast is not saved to your computer; rather it is delivered to you only when you request it.
Downloading installs the audio or video content onto your computer. Unlike CNN’ streaming news broadcast, audio or video that is downloaded can be accessed at anytime and does not require you to be connected to the Internet. The file is saved on your computer's hard drive and it can be retrieved in the same way you would a Word document or digital photograph.
Podcasting distinguishes itself from the above formats by the ability to syndicate and subscribe to the content. If this sounds familiar then you were paying attention during Week 3 when we discussed RSS. In some cases the same newsreader that you use to read blogs can be used to subscribe to podcasts or vodcasts (video podcasts). You can listen to (or view) the podcast when it arrives, or you can download it to your computer or a portable device.
To learn more about podcasts, check out this video from the good folks at Common Craft.
This week we're asking you to locate a podcast and subscribe to it (Thing #20). A list of suggestions are available on the Wiki page for Week 11 or you can search for one on your own. You can use subscribe to the podcast using Google Reader or any other RSS reader that supports podcasts. You can also use one of the "podcatchers" mentioned in the above video. A directory of Windows and Macintosh podcast software can be found here. (Some of these podcatchers require you to download free software. In the event that it doesn't work, check with the eiNetwork Help Desk to get administrative rights for your machine.) To document your experience, include a comment below or a link to a blog post that describes your results. As always, include your name and your library. Good luck!
Streaming and downloading are two different methods of delivering audio or video content. To better understand this difference let’s use the example of a CNN’s Web site. When you visit CNN.com you can watch live news broadcasts. The content is delivered, or “streamed” from CNN’s servers to your computer. The broadcast is not saved to your computer; rather it is delivered to you only when you request it.
Downloading installs the audio or video content onto your computer. Unlike CNN’ streaming news broadcast, audio or video that is downloaded can be accessed at anytime and does not require you to be connected to the Internet. The file is saved on your computer's hard drive and it can be retrieved in the same way you would a Word document or digital photograph.
Podcasting distinguishes itself from the above formats by the ability to syndicate and subscribe to the content. If this sounds familiar then you were paying attention during Week 3 when we discussed RSS. In some cases the same newsreader that you use to read blogs can be used to subscribe to podcasts or vodcasts (video podcasts). You can listen to (or view) the podcast when it arrives, or you can download it to your computer or a portable device.
To learn more about podcasts, check out this video from the good folks at Common Craft.
This week we're asking you to locate a podcast and subscribe to it (Thing #20). A list of suggestions are available on the Wiki page for Week 11 or you can search for one on your own. You can use subscribe to the podcast using Google Reader or any other RSS reader that supports podcasts. You can also use one of the "podcatchers" mentioned in the above video. A directory of Windows and Macintosh podcast software can be found here. (Some of these podcatchers require you to download free software. In the event that it doesn't work, check with the eiNetwork Help Desk to get administrative rights for your machine.) To document your experience, include a comment below or a link to a blog post that describes your results. As always, include your name and your library. Good luck!
Monday, July 6, 2009
Week 10: Firefox
Double-clicking on the big blue "E" is only one way to access the world wide web. This week's exercises are designed to introduce you to Firefox, a web browser made by Mozilla.
Mozilla uses open-source software to design its products, and it's worth taking a second to explain what that means, because it's a phrase that comes up over and over again in library world these days. Open source software, as defined by the Open Source Initiative, is software with code that can be shared, modified, and even spun off into other works, freely, among other things. That means anybody with time, interest, and an idea can play with open-source programs to make them better, or write new programs by modifying the existing language in which the program was written.
In very practical terms, this means that open-source software tends to be more flexible, is updated more frequently, and invites more participation and collaboration. Instead of sitting around waiting for a software company to release a new version of its product, you could be actively writing your own code...or, at the very least, submitting your ideas to the programmers to see what they can make for you. If you're interested in this, I suggest checking out What I Learned Today, a blog written by Nicole Engard, self-appointed Open Source Evangelist (she knows a lot of great stuff about other emerging technologies, too).
But, to return to the main point, Firefox: how is it different from other browsers, and what can it do for you? There seems to be no end to what you can do wtih this browser, but two important aspects to highlight are tabs and add-ons. The following short tutorials cover these elements at greater length:
Working with Tabs:
Using Add-ons (also called "extensions"):
See Week 10 of the wiki for more "Firefox 101" videos, and other helpful information.
Your assignments this week are:
Thing #17: Experiment with tabbed browsing and record your experiences in your blog, or a comment below.
Thing #18: Find an add-on that would enhance your web-browsing experience and install it. If that sounds intimidating, you might want to check out the lists of popular and recommended add-ons. If all else fails, who doesn't need another search engine? Report back on the experience.
Thing #19: See if you can find the features that let you change browser text size within Firefox. How do they compare to the settings in Internet Explorer? Record your observations.
Firefox keeps evolving, so it's the sort of tool you'll want to play with on a regular basis, to see what new features have been added. One great example of this is the recently-launched collections feature, which lets you add groups of useful add-ons. What would you like a web browser to be able to do? What kinds of features would be most helpful for our users?
Mozilla uses open-source software to design its products, and it's worth taking a second to explain what that means, because it's a phrase that comes up over and over again in library world these days. Open source software, as defined by the Open Source Initiative, is software with code that can be shared, modified, and even spun off into other works, freely, among other things. That means anybody with time, interest, and an idea can play with open-source programs to make them better, or write new programs by modifying the existing language in which the program was written.
In very practical terms, this means that open-source software tends to be more flexible, is updated more frequently, and invites more participation and collaboration. Instead of sitting around waiting for a software company to release a new version of its product, you could be actively writing your own code...or, at the very least, submitting your ideas to the programmers to see what they can make for you. If you're interested in this, I suggest checking out What I Learned Today, a blog written by Nicole Engard, self-appointed Open Source Evangelist (she knows a lot of great stuff about other emerging technologies, too).
But, to return to the main point, Firefox: how is it different from other browsers, and what can it do for you? There seems to be no end to what you can do wtih this browser, but two important aspects to highlight are tabs and add-ons. The following short tutorials cover these elements at greater length:
Working with Tabs:
Using Add-ons (also called "extensions"):
See Week 10 of the wiki for more "Firefox 101" videos, and other helpful information.
Your assignments this week are:
Thing #17: Experiment with tabbed browsing and record your experiences in your blog, or a comment below.
Thing #18: Find an add-on that would enhance your web-browsing experience and install it. If that sounds intimidating, you might want to check out the lists of popular and recommended add-ons. If all else fails, who doesn't need another search engine? Report back on the experience.
Thing #19: See if you can find the features that let you change browser text size within Firefox. How do they compare to the settings in Internet Explorer? Record your observations.
Firefox keeps evolving, so it's the sort of tool you'll want to play with on a regular basis, to see what new features have been added. One great example of this is the recently-launched collections feature, which lets you add groups of useful add-ons. What would you like a web browser to be able to do? What kinds of features would be most helpful for our users?
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