http://jonas4444.blogspot.com/2010/09/reading-notes-for-week-5.html?showComment=1285769834549#c4997447413268464744
http://bds46.blogspot.com/2010/09/reading-notes-week-5.html?showComment=1285769022699#c6490518575473671795
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Reading Notes- Week 5
This week I decided to take traditional notes on the readings rather than comment on each of the readings. I hope we are allowed to post these kinds of notes.
Database- Wikipedia
- Every major organization uses operational databases.
· - Those who don’t have access to the operational data use the data warehouse. The data from the operational database is summarized and put into the warehouse.
· - Analytical databases are used to analyze the information that is in the data warehouse.
· IMDB is an external database. External databases are not used by a single organization.
· The entire web is a hypermedia database.
· Object database model is used to ensure that databases and programs of the same industry used the same “type system.”
· The most common type of storage for databases is B+ trees and ISAM.
· Indexing improves performance- makes queries run faster and more cheaply.
· Replication- keeping multiple copies of the database on different computer hard drives. –Allows for better access.
· Locking a database ensures that a file isn’t changed during a transfer.- there are multiple types of locks.
· Deadlocks- when a transaction tries to change information that has already been locked.
· IMDB is an external database. External databases are not used by a single organization.
· The entire web is a hypermedia database.
· Object database model is used to ensure that databases and programs of the same industry used the same “type system.”
· The most common type of storage for databases is B+ trees and ISAM.
· Indexing improves performance- makes queries run faster and more cheaply.
· Replication- keeping multiple copies of the database on different computer hard drives. –Allows for better access.
· Locking a database ensures that a file isn’t changed during a transfer.- there are multiple types of locks.
· Deadlocks- when a transaction tries to change information that has already been locked.
I have found that databases are very complex systems and, at times, confusing to those unfamiliar with how databases work.
Anne J. Gilliland. Introduction to Metadata, pathways to Digital Information: 1: Setting the Stage
· - Metadata- data about data
· Provides information for accessing collections in libraries.
· Context, content and structure of data are described by metadata.
· Metadata describes “administration, accessioning, preservation, and use of collections.”
· User-created metadata
· More metadata is applied to something over its lifetime.
· Provides information for accessing collections in libraries.
· Context, content and structure of data are described by metadata.
· Metadata describes “administration, accessioning, preservation, and use of collections.”
· User-created metadata
· More metadata is applied to something over its lifetime.
Eric J. Miller. An Overview of the Dublin Core Data Model
· Dublin Core Metadata Initiative (DCMI) works toward making digital metadata universal throughout the world for every field.
My metadata notes are much shorter than my notes on the database article, because I felt confident in my understanding of the metadata article. My notes for The Dublin Core Data Model are short for the exact opposite reason. With all the coding, I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to be getting out of this reading. I am interested to understand these concepts, but I am currently lost on this topic. I hope there will be some clarification in class.
Assignment 3- Jing
Here are the URLs for assignment 3. I chose to make a video about Netflix.com
Tutorial:
Annotated Screen Captures:
Tutorial:
Annotated Screen Captures:
Muddiest Point- 9/27
I am confused about vector images. Are there no pixels in vector images, or are the pixels merely aligned in a way that the image looks clean to the human eye?
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Reading Notes- Week 4
Data Compression
Before reading about data compression, I could make a fairly decent guess as to what data compression was- making a file smaller. Lossy and lossless compression seems like it will play an important role in our future careers as we digitize documents. In our field, we will have to decide whether we are willing to lose data in our files in order to conserve space in our hard drives, or have larger files with less loss of data when the document is decompressed. As for the longer article, I wonder if we will ever come across an instance where we would need to write this kind of compression, or if the compressor will always do it for us. It is interesting to see how it works.
Edward A. Galloway, “Imaging Pittsburgh: Creating a shared gateway to digital image collections of the Pittsburgh region” First Monday 9:5 2004.
This article on the photo digitization project was interesting. Being in the archives tract, the project discussed in this article might be similar to a project that I do in the future.
Paula L. Webb, YouTube and libraries: It could be a beautiful relationship C&RL News, June 2007 Vol. 68, No. 6
The link that was provided on courseweb didn’t work for me, so I figured I would post the link that I found:
Integrating Youtube into the library system could be beneficial to libraries, but I don’t know how practical it is. The video that web discusses on “How to Find the Reference Desk” for Valdosta State University might be useful to some people, but how often would it really be used? A patron at the library wouldn’t know that they can’t find the reference desk until they are already in the library and probably aren’t sitting at a computer. Obviously, there are other instructional videos libraries could upload that would be more helpful, like a video on how to use the online journal databases. I can’t think of other videos that a library could upload, but that could be because I never associate youtube with libraries. Maybe this is a technology that libraries will start using in the near future.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Muddiest Point- 9/20
I just wanted to clarify what direct manipulation is. Does direct manipulation refer to having icons available on the desk top so a program can be accessed directly as to eliminate the need to search through the computer to find the specific program?
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Digitization Assignment- Flickr
I digitized some of my photos by scanning them into my computer for this assignment.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Reading Notes- Week 3
1) Machtelt Garrels. “Introduction to Linux: A Hands on Guide” Section 1
(only need to read section 1, but you are welcome to read the whole document)
I found this reading does not seem like it was intended for someone who isn’t familiar with computer operating systems. If someone wanted to learn what Linux was from reading the “What is Linux” section with no previous knowledge of it, there would have to be a lot more information. In the first few paragraphs, I was already wondering what POSIX, and UNIX are.
“Modern Linux not only runs on workstations, mid- and high-end servers, but also on "gadgets" like PDA's, mobiles, a shipload of embedded applications and even on experimental wristwatches. This makes Linux the only operating system in the world covering such a wide range of hardware.” With this statement in the text, I wonder how often I have come across Linux with out even knowing it. Before reading this section in Garrels’ book, if I had been asked if I have ever used Linux I would have said that I have never used it before. According to the document, Linux is “an important player on the desk top market.” I wonder if this is still a true statement, as I haven’t come into contact with it knowingly.
If our assigned reading for Linux was too little information to help me understand Linux, then the kernelthread reading had far too much information for me to understand anything about Mac OS X. I am glad the Wikipedia article was also assigned. This is the operating system that I am the most familiar with. Learning a little more about the operating system that I utilize was beneficial.
3) Paul Thurott “An Update on the Windows Roadmap”
This newsletter doesn’t focus on the more technical aspects of the Windows operating system like the other articles focused on. It was more easily understandable than the other articles because it was targeted toward the average user of the system. It also felt more like an advertisement by Windows because it didn’t discuss the negative aspects that windows is notorious for, like being susceptible to malware.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Week 2 Reading Notes
Computer Hardware- Wikipedia
Although I have been using computers for most of my life, I have never really thought about the hardware that makes computers work. While I have heard the terms motherboard, and RAM, I probably couldn’t have correctly defined either of these terms, and many other of the other components. It’s interesting that I am more familiar with the external pieces of a computer than the more important components like the CPU, which Wikipedia refers to as the “brain” of the computer.
Moore’s Law- Wikipedia and Christie Nicholson’s “60 Second Science” video
Moore’s Law is a trend that I have never heard of before, but it sounds logical. Early computers were so large that they took up entire rooms, but following the trend that Moore’s Law defines, today we are able to carry around iPads or even our phones as our computers that have more capabilities than the first computers. It is expected that Moore’s Law can’t continue indefinitely. Although we might not need to make our devices smaller, since the paper clip-sized phones that Nicholson suggested in the video might not seem practical, why couldn’t the size of the devices remain the same while the technology keeps doubling its storage space?
Computer History Museum
When visiting this website, I spent most of my time going through the Timeline of Computer History Exhibit. I was amazed by the size of the Complex Number Calculator completed in 1939, until I saw the Harvard Mark-1 calculator, which was completed in 1944. It’s incredible that something that large a size was needed for something most of us have as an application in our cell phones. Even if we were to carry around a separate calculator, it would easily fit in our pockets.
Another interesting fact that I came across was that the first email was sent in 1971. I thought it would have been more recently.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Muddiest Point- Week 1 (again)
Looking at the schedule of classes in the syllabus, fasttrack weekend is unclear. When will our class be meeting on fasttrack weekend?
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Week 1 Reading Notes
OCLC report: Information Format Trends: Content, Not Containers (2004):
The findings of this report make a lot of sense. Even with it being a little out dated, information found in a container is still more important to its use than the type of format in which the information is kept. The cost and convenience of using a specific container determines the frequency the format is used. About six years after the OCLC findings were reported, online resources have gotten even more accessible. With the “massive shift to electronic media” that the report predicted to continue, I wonder how close the projected numbers for the change in daily volume of content are to the actual numbers from 2009. How accurately did they predict the amount of text messages and blogs? This report shows that libraries have to evolve with technology in order to provide the most convenient containers for the content.
Clifford Lynch, “Information Literacy and Information Technology Literacy: New Components in the Curriculum for a Digital Culture”
Clifford Lynch’s position paper discusses the necessity for education in how to work technological systems along with traditional literacy today. Even if someone has the ability to read and write, one might not be able to communicate and learn new information if they are unable to use technology. People must continue to learn to use technology throughout their lives because of the continuous changes in technology. Not only people in the field of information science need to be able to use information technology.
Vaughan, J. (2005). Lied Library @ four years: technology never stands still. Library Hi Tech, 23(1), 24-49.:
This article is interesting because it shows how libraries need to constantly be updating their use of technology. Vaughan explains the changes that the Lied Library needed to make, and will continue to make, in order to stay current with the technology and provide the best environment for its patrons to use technology. Libraries need to update their current software, and implement new systems as the technology advances. Vaughn discusses the difficulties that arise with technology, which include: cost, temperature, space, and theft.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Muddiest Point- Week 1
Looking through the syllabus I noticed that it says "Assignment # is out" for each of the six assignments. Does this mean that the assignments will be due at 12 PM on the monday after it is out?
Also, should the readings have been read before the lecture that it is listed on or should they be read by the following week?
Also, should the readings have been read before the lecture that it is listed on or should they be read by the following week?
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