CSS Tutorial

I am amazed that the W3 School is willing to provide this information for free.  While this infomation is interesting, I cannot imagine myself creating a Web page using HTML and CSS.  Isn't there an easier way?  Oh wait, I just looked at assignment 6:  HTML authoring:  My 2600 page.  I guess I'll have to rethink my earlier assertion.  It looks like I will be creating a Web page with HTML afterall.

HTML Cheatsheet

Most of the comments posted on the Web site were very positive, but I noticed that some of the tags that were given were identified as out of date on the W3schools Web site, and the cheatsheet is only 8 months old.  Is XHTML going to dramatically change the codes for Web page design, or will old codes continue to work?

W3Schools HTML Tutorial

I'm not sure I ever needed to know that much about html, but I was surprised to learn it is very straightforward and dare I say, easy to understand.  I can't see myself actually doing it, but I think I could.  I do have one question--what is the point of the HTML comments if they are not displayed?  I didn't understand who the comments are important to.  The tutorial says the comments make the code "more readable and understandable" but I don't know how that is true if you can't see them.

Muddiest Point--Week 7

I don't understand what a DOI directory is.

Assignment #4

http://www.citeulike.org/user/mjohnston85

The three topics I searched:  school librarianship, school library collaboration and RFID in school libraries.  All articles imported to Citeulike are labeled "Zotero," and all articles found in Citeulike are labeled "Citeulike."

Comments--Week Seven

http://lostscribe459.blogspot.com/2010/10/week-7-readings.html?showComment=1287867128914#c2090419670215250988

http://dougappich-informationtechnology.blogspot.com/2010/10/923-notes.html?showComment=1287867435824#c5607574857291973119

http://nrampsblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/comments-for-unit-7-readings.html?showComment=1287867829625#c5022681505882981509

http://pittlis2600.blogspot.com/2010/10/week-seven-reading-notes.html?showComment=1287868104391#c4188212426786349132

How Internet Infrastructure Works

I hope Monday's lecture clears this up for me, because after the first few pages, I really got lost.  Which is too bad, because I did believe I had a handle on it at the beginning.

Dismantling ILS

I don't know a lot about ILS, but there are two things I do know about libraries, whether they are public, school or academic:  they never have enough staff and they never have enough money.  Whatever a library decides to do about ILS, it needs to be cheap and easy to implement, use and maintain.

Inside the Google Machine

Despite how interesting this lecture was, I couldn't pay attention after Larry Page said both he and Sergey had attended Montessori school.  As a teacher, I have always felt the Montessori method was bizarre--how could the children learn all that they needed to learn if they were permitted to do only those things interested them, neglecting everything else?  Yet here are two brilliant minds who have done quite nicely for themselves and their employees, and they are now running their company employing some of these same principles.  If someone out there is more familiar than I with the Montessori method, I'd love to know more.

Also, after seeing that picture of the skiing vacation, I wondered where I could get an application :)

Muddiest Point--Week Six (revised)

So I do have a muddiest point after all--well, maybe not a muddiest point but rather a cry for help.  My family bought a new computer in August.  It did not come with a wireless model installed, so we bought and installed one we thought would be compatible with Windows 7.  We are not experiencing success.  We can connect with the phone line (I should have mentioned this was DSL,) but that requires a 20 foot cable running from the kitchen to the computer in the next room.  Does anyone have a suggestion?  I've contacted our internet provider (Frontier,) and after multiple attempts to fix, it seems like the problem is with the modem.  Thank you in advance for your help.

Muddiest Point--Week Six

I have no muddiest point this week.

Week Six comments

http://dougappich-informationtechnology.blogspot.com/2010/10/rifd-rifds-are-very-complicated-but.html?showComment=1286853166996#c6782299607513936726

http://kcc18-lis2600.blogspot.com/2010/10/week-6-reading-notes.html?showComment=1286853415059#c2425171084087719846

http://skdhuth.blogspot.com/2010/10/week-6-notes.html?showComment=1286853790571#c7258702598308385044

http://nrampsblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/reading-notes-for-unit-6-computer.html?showComment=1286854029548#c4050223905170247073

Assignment #3: Working with Jing

http://www.screencast.com/t/YZx2apPUhcl

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mjohnston85/5067649749/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mjohnston85/5067669727/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mjohnston85/5068287962/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mjohnston85/5068344008/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mjohnston85/5067765417/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mjohnston85/5067770585/

RFID

For the sake of time, I have not yet had a chance to read and view the other items that have been posted on RFID, so I will save the questions I have concerning RFID until after I have.  But I did want to comment on two items that I found interesting in the Coyle article.  Number one concerns library security.  She remarks, "The reason to use RFID for security is not because it is especially good for it, but because it is no worse than other security technologies."  She also mentions that there is only a "modicum of security" in the library to begin with.  This begs the question, why spend so much time and money on theft protection if those who really want to steal from the library are able to do so with very little effort?  The second comment I would like to make concerns return on investment.  I imagine this discussion is held everytime the library looks to encorporate new technology, including the soon to be obsolete bar codes and scanners.  I'm not sure if a library could ever justify any purchase if ROI is the driving force.  What I think will happen with RFID is that it will become the standard, bar codes and scanners will go the way of the typewriter, and libraries will be forced to make the change, whether it is fiscally sound or not.

Computer Networks

I found this week's readings on networks to be enlightening.  I've seen the term LAN used, but I'll admit that I didn't know what it meant.  I also learned a lot concerning the connection of the networks.  There are many types of connections that I didn't know about, including the ITU-TG.hn technology that uses a home's existing wiring to connect at high speeds.  Connectivity is always an issue, and the more we can do with the wiring that already exists in a home, school or office will ultimately save money.  I visited a school library yesterday with all glass walls.  The connectivity problems in that space are daunting, and there are cables running everywhere.  It would be interesting to see if ITU-TG.hn technology could solve some of the problems they have there.

Muddiest Point--Week Five

I think Jiepu's lecture was great, but I'll be honest--it went way over my head.  What do I really need to know about databases in order to survive in my school library?

Week Five--comments

http://nrampsblog.blogspot.com/2010/09/unit-5-reading-notes.html?showComment=1285946258147#c279937476600702667

http://pittlis2600.blogspot.com/2010/09/week-five-reading-notes.html?showComment=1285946552407#c3577954086063117748

http://marclis2600.blogspot.com/2010/09/readings.html?showComment=1285947047011#c8595533152222577877