It was a bit of a rush at the end (see Christian, I told you I'd finish), but I did managed to get there. In some ways I'll always be a wee bit of a luddite, but that said, I'm a practical computer user like every one else. It's a work tool to me, and a communication tool, and it's a big part of my life, BUT I would never be hooked on it as a recreational device (mark well those famous last words).
Learning 2.0 hasn't turned me into an expert by any stretch of the imagination, but it has been a huge eye-opener and made me feel much more aware and confident of the new world that's going on around us. I had a lot of fun doing the blog, and at least I know what an rss feed is now. It's helped me to see the internet in a new light on a personal level, and has excited my imagination about the possibilites in the library world. There are so many excellent examples of web 2.0 applications springing up in public libraries all around us - it's great. And it all kind of takes my breath away.
If I hadn't done learning 2.0, I would feel ever more left behind. I may not want to use most of it, but I sure love knowing about it.
Thanks so much for the opportunity.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Audiobooks
Man, is this NOT what I was expecting. I was picturing being able to easily download a nice mystery novel to my PC so I could stick it onto my iPod for my husband and I to listen to while travelling. Hmmm. I don't think so (said in a musical tone - you know what I mean).
Not only is Gutenberg full of boring old classics (apologies to all purists and literary snobs), but I had to try several times to download a Mark Twain title. No luck at all from the main site. I got a bit excited when a 3rd mirror site actually repsonded, but when it said "done" I'm afraid that there was nothing but a blank facility, and now that page has "sh-t itself" and frozen.
Things would have to get a whole lot easier than that before I would recommend this site.
You get what you pay for I guess. Looks like I'll be borrowing the real thing from our library to try to download that to my iPod (my next super challenge).
What a bummer - I feel a tad like a failure to be honest. Sigh.
Not only is Gutenberg full of boring old classics (apologies to all purists and literary snobs), but I had to try several times to download a Mark Twain title. No luck at all from the main site. I got a bit excited when a 3rd mirror site actually repsonded, but when it said "done" I'm afraid that there was nothing but a blank facility, and now that page has "sh-t itself" and frozen.
Things would have to get a whole lot easier than that before I would recommend this site.
You get what you pay for I guess. Looks like I'll be borrowing the real thing from our library to try to download that to my iPod (my next super challenge).
What a bummer - I feel a tad like a failure to be honest. Sigh.
Podcasting...again
Phew, I FINALLY got there with lesson 21. It sure is easier from home. I managed to get into my Bloglines account, and then, after several tries and stumbling around, managed to add an rss feed to my bloglines. Yahoo!!! (or should I say, yeehah)
I used Podcast.net this time, and I like it a lot better than the Yahoo. It's much more intuitive and has a better facility for browsing by category.
I used Podcast.net this time, and I like it a lot better than the Yahoo. It's much more intuitive and has a better facility for browsing by category.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Podcast tools
I was rather surprised to discover that iTunes can be used to search for podcasts. Waddya know.
I had a look at Yahoo Podcasts and wasn't having such a successful time, really, when I discovered that I hadn't clicked on the podcasts tab (doh!). That's more like it!
I guess I'm not searching for anything especailly inteersting, for I can't see the application of rss feeds to podcasts. I tend to think of podcasts as individual pieces so couldn't see the relevance, but then Christian explained that many podcasts are continually updated.
Now I can't remember my log-in to Bloglines so that I can complete the exercise. Sigh.
I had a look at Yahoo Podcasts and wasn't having such a successful time, really, when I discovered that I hadn't clicked on the podcasts tab (doh!). That's more like it!
I guess I'm not searching for anything especailly inteersting, for I can't see the application of rss feeds to podcasts. I tend to think of podcasts as individual pieces so couldn't see the relevance, but then Christian explained that many podcasts are continually updated.
Now I can't remember my log-in to Bloglines so that I can complete the exercise. Sigh.
YouTube - YouBetcha!
I confess that I'm cheating a bit here, coz of course I'm already a wee bit familiar with YouTube. Who hasn't seen the inspiring clip of Paul Watts' audition for the UK's You've Got Talent? Loverly. And of course, YouTube clips are attached to shared emails all the time (too bad if you're on dial-up!). A few of my family members are a bit addicted to YouTube, but I don't think I'd go that far.
Award winning travel 2.0
Oops, it's been a while.
Today I took a peek at one of the Award nominated Web 2.0 sites, and of course chose travel. I checked out Realtravel.com and it's great. It's very comrehensive and easy to use (rather sophisticated really) and on a faster server than we have here at work, I reckon I would use this a fair bit. I will definitely check it out at home for our next trip in May, especially if the new edition of the LP Canada doesn't publish in time (I refuse to buy a 2005 edition just because I'm a couple of weeks too early).
Today I took a peek at one of the Award nominated Web 2.0 sites, and of course chose travel. I checked out Realtravel.com and it's great. It's very comrehensive and easy to use (rather sophisticated really) and on a faster server than we have here at work, I reckon I would use this a fair bit. I will definitely check it out at home for our next trip in May, especially if the new edition of the LP Canada doesn't publish in time (I refuse to buy a 2005 edition just because I'm a couple of weeks too early).
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Web apps III
Had a go with Google instead of Zoho. It was faster and infinitely easier to use as far as saving, locating and managing the applications. I'd prefer to use the Google apps than the Zoho, no doubt about it.
The spreadsheet: it was missing a few formatting features & functions that are common to XL (and that also appeared in Zoho) - it took a fair bit of hunting around to figure some of it out.
As for Google Word, I found both good and bad:
The good: there's a good spell check down the bottom. What's really cool is that you can spell check in a whole lotta different languages. That's better than Word!!!! The spell check gives you the options to correct in the usual way by right clicking.
The bad: no correct as you type function. That would drive me absolutely nuts. I NEED NEED NEED the autocorrect. Nor can I find any punctuation tool.
The spreadsheet: it was missing a few formatting features & functions that are common to XL (and that also appeared in Zoho) - it took a fair bit of hunting around to figure some of it out.
As for Google Word, I found both good and bad:
The good: there's a good spell check down the bottom. What's really cool is that you can spell check in a whole lotta different languages. That's better than Word!!!! The spell check gives you the options to correct in the usual way by right clicking.
The bad: no correct as you type function. That would drive me absolutely nuts. I NEED NEED NEED the autocorrect. Nor can I find any punctuation tool.
Web-based apps
I can see that Zoho would be really useful if you didn't have your own PC - it would be useful to tell library users about, as it's a way for them to work on public and shared PCs without having to save to disk. The problem is that it's much slower of course than using a PC application, so you would need good connectivity.
I had a go at using the Zoho spreadsheet too. It wasn't too bad - a bit clunkier than XL (esoecially with the cell formatting etc) and kinda slow, but the basic functionality was there. It sure had prettier colours on offer!
I tried to export it to my computer, but it was blocked - no doubt our Web Marshall at play. The end result is that I seem to have lost my spreadsheet (I had saved it, honest). So my big question now is.... where the heck do you find your stuff?
I also tried to open the Writer but it seems to be a bit corrupted right now and looks quite off-putting in its present form. Oh well, I tried....
I had a go at using the Zoho spreadsheet too. It wasn't too bad - a bit clunkier than XL (esoecially with the cell formatting etc) and kinda slow, but the basic functionality was there. It sure had prettier colours on offer!
I tried to export it to my computer, but it was blocked - no doubt our Web Marshall at play. The end result is that I seem to have lost my spreadsheet (I had saved it, honest). So my big question now is.... where the heck do you find your stuff?
I also tried to open the Writer but it seems to be a bit corrupted right now and looks quite off-putting in its present form. Oh well, I tried....
Web-based apps
I'm all delighted with myself, not just because I have tackled another challenge, but also becuase I have done my first ever presentation (never having used Power Point before - can you believe it?)
PBWiki - summer sandbox
I must say I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was only 5 weeks since I last worked on my Web 2.0. It feels like it's been months. Just had a play in the sandbox of PB Wiki - how easy and fun was that! Of course, I got a bit cocky and didn't read the instructions properly, so I had to go back and stick the brackets around my blog entry in the Favourite Blogs to make the link. That'll learn me for thinking I was a smarty-pants!
This is the first time I have done any Web 2.0 at work, being January and quieter and all. But our internet is so slow today it is driving me crazy. I own't complain about my home speed again.
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