http://www.noplacetohide.net/
This is from the Center for Investigative Reporting, which did a radio and television documentary on the use of intelligence gathering on citizens by the government. It has a variety of interviews from the documentary. It is also a book by Robert J. O'Harrow, Jr. The existence of the networks to track people and their purchases doesn't surprise me. When you get a credit report to buy a car, or rent an apartment your landlord can see every credit card, student loan, or late payment. I wanted to listen to the documentary but it was only in Real Audio format and I don't have the Real Audio player installed on my computer. If you have a public blog, myspace, facebook or any other social networking site, its no longer astonishing to find out employers will look for these when hiring new employees, or that they may be used for data mining.
The website did not note the last time it was updated.
http://epic.org/privacy/profiling/tia/#introduction
Total (Terrorism) Infromation Awareness (TIA) Last update in 2005.
This is about system that would collect informaiton on citizens without any prior reason or wrongdoing. It wouldn't give people the right to be left alone. It would have housed peoples medical records, to their gait, and would have been able to recognize a persons face from a distance. The government cut the funding for this data mining program in2003. The article points out that it doesn't mean they have stopped producing this kind of database.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hS8ywG5M_NQ - This video is no longer avaliable due to a copyright violation.
Discussion Topic Readings:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hS8ywG5M_NQ - Is Privacy Dead?
Possible to protect privacy and security at the same time. One example is using the "naked' x-ray machine by projecting the contraband on a sexless manaquin. I thought it was interesting the point he made that people want to control their exposure and not their privacy. Even with the use of cameras, I know recently it was a hot topic in Pittsburgh. http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07178/797429-53.stm
Here is a link from a local blog on the project: http://pittsblog.blogspot.com/2007/06/pittsburgh-panopticon.html
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Final Post
I believe I have my 10 required readings, 10 muddiest points, and my 10 comments on other classmates' blogs. I have enjoyed keeping this blog. However, I noticed that when I was doing the readings and writing the blogs . . . I would travel to other websites. Readings that should have taken less time suddenly took more time to read. I recently listened to the NPR broadcast that kind of explained why it might be taking me longer to get readings done while on the internet. Here is a link: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=95524385
Muddiest Point Week 10
I have a question about controlled vocabulary, I realize this might be a little off topic. When a term in a controlled vocabulary is changed, do the indexers use a find and replace to update the term in the indexed documents? If a new term is added, is it possible to go back through a database and add the new term to other documents it might describe without rereading every document?
Not a muddy point, but a comment on Yahoo's old style of categories that was mentioned in class. . . I can remember in late 90's I had submitted a website to Yahoo's search engine. If I remember correctly, I had to select the subjects it fell under.
Not a muddy point, but a comment on Yahoo's old style of categories that was mentioned in class. . . I can remember in late 90's I had submitted a website to Yahoo's search engine. If I remember correctly, I had to select the subjects it fell under.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Muddiest Point Week 9
When an XML document is not well formed, what happens? Do you get an error message that lets you know what element might have been left out?
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Required Readings Week 11
Here is a link to the PA Digital Library.
http://padl.pitt.edu/index.php/index
Dewy Meets Turing
In this article the advantages gained by the computer science (CS) field and the library science (LS) world are discussed. These were a direct result of the National Science Foundations launch of the Digital Libraries Initiative (DLI). The DLI changed the way we use digital resources.
CS were able to impact the daily lives of library users, such as moving the card catalog from the shelf to the web. This has led to instant access/locateability of resources from around the world. It has also led to information being published at a greater speed. Instead of the lag between a scholarly article being accepted for publication and published being a year, it can now be published instantly.
Libraries thought they would be able to gain funding for these projects because of the DLI. However, they ended up feeling like the computer science field used all of the grants.
There were problems between the CS and LS fields. CS couldn't understand the importance of fields for metadata. They thought a simple search algorithm would take care of the problem.
Digital Libraries
This article describes the growth of digital libraries and the sources for funding. A major accomplishment of the DLI is the creation of standards in digital libraries. This program also had a hand in creating Google and the Open Archives Initiative for Metadata Harvesting (OAI-PMH).
The project at Illinois involved the use of scholarly journals on the web. Current online journals still use some of the innovations that came out of the project.
Institutional Repositories: Essential Infrastructure fo Scholarship in the Digital Age.
Universities are now keeping a repository of works authors publish. MIT developed open source software for repositories of papers, which lowers the cost of producing this type of database.
The author has concerns that policy might make placing information into the repository more work. However, these depositories will perhaps create standards for preservable formats, identifiers, and Rights Documentation and management.
When searching for a journal article that Pitt might not have, I never thought to look at the institution where a author works. I often searched to see if they had a web page.
http://padl.pitt.edu/index.php/index
Dewy Meets Turing
In this article the advantages gained by the computer science (CS) field and the library science (LS) world are discussed. These were a direct result of the National Science Foundations launch of the Digital Libraries Initiative (DLI). The DLI changed the way we use digital resources.
CS were able to impact the daily lives of library users, such as moving the card catalog from the shelf to the web. This has led to instant access/locateability of resources from around the world. It has also led to information being published at a greater speed. Instead of the lag between a scholarly article being accepted for publication and published being a year, it can now be published instantly.
Libraries thought they would be able to gain funding for these projects because of the DLI. However, they ended up feeling like the computer science field used all of the grants.
There were problems between the CS and LS fields. CS couldn't understand the importance of fields for metadata. They thought a simple search algorithm would take care of the problem.
Digital Libraries
This article describes the growth of digital libraries and the sources for funding. A major accomplishment of the DLI is the creation of standards in digital libraries. This program also had a hand in creating Google and the Open Archives Initiative for Metadata Harvesting (OAI-PMH).
The project at Illinois involved the use of scholarly journals on the web. Current online journals still use some of the innovations that came out of the project.
Institutional Repositories: Essential Infrastructure fo Scholarship in the Digital Age.
Universities are now keeping a repository of works authors publish. MIT developed open source software for repositories of papers, which lowers the cost of producing this type of database.
The author has concerns that policy might make placing information into the repository more work. However, these depositories will perhaps create standards for preservable formats, identifiers, and Rights Documentation and management.
When searching for a journal article that Pitt might not have, I never thought to look at the institution where a author works. I often searched to see if they had a web page.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Muddiest Point Week 8
I'm not sure I understand how to upload the html files for my webpage onto the FTP server at Pitt. Are there instructions for this somewhere on Pitt's webpage?
I am going to look and see if there are any, and if so I'll post a link to the information.
So far I have found this document: http://technology.pitt.edu/Documentation/html_inst.pdf
I am going to look and see if there are any, and if so I'll post a link to the information.
So far I have found this document: http://technology.pitt.edu/Documentation/html_inst.pdf
Monday, October 20, 2008
Week 9 Required Readings
All of the readings for XML left me confused. I felt like there was some simple part I was missing or was not explained. In the resources for the IBM reading on XML there was a link for a Intro to XML tutorial. I found doing this tutorial which is free, but you have to register with IBM, helped me understand just what the creation of XML was for.
A user can create specific tags with in a document to denote for example if it is a title or a postal code. This makes finding these elements of a document easier.
A tag is anything between brackets - < >
An element is a type of a tag. If you break down the tag, it could include <blue>, <red>, <green>, etc.
An attribute - is a name value pair. I can't think of a good example of this.
It enable records to be read faster by different pieces of software. It also makes the web easier to search. If you are looking for postal codes it will somehow know to only search for fields labeled postal code.
The document must follow a specific set of rules that would be set down in a DTD (document type definition).
XML is more strict than HTML. You need to make sure all of your elements are ended, in the right order, and they are case sensitive, otherwise you will get an error message.
Introduction to XML: http://burks.bton.ac.uk/burks/internet/web/xmlintro.htm
This gives some background on XML, but I didn't understand what they meant. I needed some physical examples. Which is why I liked the tutorial I did above, even though it too ended up over my head.
A survey of Standards: http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/xml/library/x-stand1.html
This gives a list of standards for XML that have been made over time by various authorities on the internet. I found the links in this document to be rather helpful.
Introduction to XML Schema: http://www.w3schools.com/Schema/schema_intro.asp
This is like the HTML tutorials from last week. It gives examples of what the XML documents would look like and examples of how to code them.
Extending Your Markup: An XML Tutorial
This is another explanation of the elements that make up XML.
A user can create specific tags with in a document to denote for example if it is a title or a postal code. This makes finding these elements of a document easier.
A tag is anything between brackets - < >
An element is a type of a tag. If you break down the tag
An attribute - is a name value pair. I can't think of a good example of this.
It enable records to be read faster by different pieces of software. It also makes the web easier to search. If you are looking for postal codes it will somehow know to only search for fields labeled postal code.
The document must follow a specific set of rules that would be set down in a DTD (document type definition).
XML is more strict than HTML. You need to make sure all of your elements are ended, in the right order, and they are case sensitive, otherwise you will get an error message.
Introduction to XML: http://burks.bton.ac.uk/burks/internet/web/xmlintro.htm
This gives some background on XML, but I didn't understand what they meant. I needed some physical examples. Which is why I liked the tutorial I did above, even though it too ended up over my head.
A survey of Standards: http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/xml/library/x-stand1.html
This gives a list of standards for XML that have been made over time by various authorities on the internet. I found the links in this document to be rather helpful.
Introduction to XML Schema: http://www.w3schools.com/Schema/schema_intro.asp
This is like the HTML tutorials from last week. It gives examples of what the XML documents would look like and examples of how to code them.
Extending Your Markup: An XML Tutorial
This is another explanation of the elements that make up XML.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Week 7 Muddiest Point
When I am in Downtown Pittsburgh, my IPod sometimes picks up a "Free Wi-FI" connection that I do not believe is the free two hours a day WiFi. When I looked it up online, I found out some of these may be up to nefarious things, and that when you are connected to most public wi-fi spots your computer may be at risk. Is their anyway to protect your computer and information? Also how can you tell the difference between a legit WiFi connection and one that is up to no good?
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Assignment 5 - Koha
Here is my link to assignment 5. My topic of interest was books for a Consumer Health Library.
http://pitt4.kohawc.liblime.com/cgi-bin/koha/bookshelves/shelves.pl?viewshelf=8
http://pitt4.kohawc.liblime.com/cgi-bin/koha/bookshelves/shelves.pl?viewshelf=8
Week 8 Required Readings
http://www.w3schools.com/HTML/ - W3 HTML Tutorial
This is a tutorial teaching the elements of html. It introduces them slowly, one by one. Each building on the other. The first and last time I used html was in 1997. I had just stolen bits of code from other source codes on websites. This gives a clear example of what each piece of html is and does.
The article points out that upper vs. lower case letters are unimportant, but the WC3 thinks that lower case letters should be used, just in case they ever change their minds.
A lot of the commands in HTML are pretty straight forward, italics is represented by an "i", subscript is "sub" and so forth. I liked that "try it" editors were available to mess with the code in a hands on fashion.
HTML Cheatsheet - http://www.webmonkey.com/reference/HTML_Cheatsheet/
This document provided a list of easy to use HTML codes.
3.) Learning CSS: http://www.w3schools.com/css/css_intro.asp
CSS stands for Cascading Style Sheet, this coding was developed to take care of the problem with using font formats in html. Apparently this was expensive for web designers to use.
Using a style sheet seems to make the coding of colors and backgrounds easier. Instead of having to redo that code in every web page, these are files where they can be inserted, and will show the font how they want it to be displayed. This page is a good example of how this works.
It works like the HTML tutorial by giving specific examples to each element of a web page.
Beyond HTML
This articles looks at an academic library that let their librarians run free with Front Page to create web pages about their part of the library. I initially thought this would lead to creativity in each department. Everyone would have their own unique online voice. However, they were given little to no training. This lead to every page being different, which made it difficult for students to use the webpages to locate information. The new CMS uses CSS coding. This innovation led to a more uniform approach to the librarians web pages. It also made it easier for the students to navigate.
The way they went about implimenting it, I thought was practicle. It is hard to switch everyone over to a new system at once, so doing it piecemeal made sense. Also, they were training people how to use it, which was a step ahead of the old Front Page system.
This is a tutorial teaching the elements of html. It introduces them slowly, one by one. Each building on the other. The first and last time I used html was in 1997. I had just stolen bits of code from other source codes on websites. This gives a clear example of what each piece of html is and does.
The article points out that upper vs. lower case letters are unimportant, but the WC3 thinks that lower case letters should be used, just in case they ever change their minds.
A lot of the commands in HTML are pretty straight forward, italics is represented by an "i", subscript is "sub" and so forth. I liked that "try it" editors were available to mess with the code in a hands on fashion.
HTML Cheatsheet - http://www.webmonkey.com/reference/HTML_Cheatsheet/
This document provided a list of easy to use HTML codes.
3.) Learning CSS: http://www.w3schools.com/css/css_intro.asp
CSS stands for Cascading Style Sheet, this coding was developed to take care of the problem with using font formats in html. Apparently this was expensive for web designers to use.
Using a style sheet seems to make the coding of colors and backgrounds easier. Instead of having to redo that code in every web page, these are files where they can be inserted, and will show the font how they want it to be displayed. This page is a good example of how this works.
It works like the HTML tutorial by giving specific examples to each element of a web page.
Beyond HTML
This articles looks at an academic library that let their librarians run free with Front Page to create web pages about their part of the library. I initially thought this would lead to creativity in each department. Everyone would have their own unique online voice. However, they were given little to no training. This lead to every page being different, which made it difficult for students to use the webpages to locate information. The new CMS uses CSS coding. This innovation led to a more uniform approach to the librarians web pages. It also made it easier for the students to navigate.
The way they went about implimenting it, I thought was practicle. It is hard to switch everyone over to a new system at once, so doing it piecemeal made sense. Also, they were training people how to use it, which was a step ahead of the old Front Page system.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Assignment 4 Jing Project
In my screen cast I teach people how to use the Drug Identification Wizard. My flickr screen shots show how to install the HON Code Toolbar.
Links to Flickr
1. http://www.flickr.com/photos/27567778@N08/2916271653/in/set-72157607582455477/
2. http://www.flickr.com/photos/27567778@N08/2917166484/in/set-72157607582455477/
3. http://www.flickr.com/photos/27567778@N08/2917178296/in/set-72157607582455477/
4. http://www.flickr.com/photos/27567778@N08/2916387559/in/set-72157607582455477/
5. http://www.flickr.com/photos/27567778@N08/2917221320/in/set-72157607582455477/
Link to Jing Project
http://screencast.com/t/B3sJ9KOVF
Links to Flickr
1. http://www.flickr.com/photos/27567778@N08/2916271653/in/set-72157607582455477/
2. http://www.flickr.com/photos/27567778@N08/2917166484/in/set-72157607582455477/
3. http://www.flickr.com/photos/27567778@N08/2917178296/in/set-72157607582455477/
4. http://www.flickr.com/photos/27567778@N08/2916387559/in/set-72157607582455477/
5. http://www.flickr.com/photos/27567778@N08/2917221320/in/set-72157607582455477/
Link to Jing Project
http://screencast.com/t/B3sJ9KOVF
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Week 7 Comments
Week 7 Comments
My Little Petunia
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4906315101547628497&postID=3123593231848830249
Intro to Information Technology
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5700113582796394224&postID=1743467246102870253&page=1
My Little Petunia
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4906315101547628497&postID=3123593231848830249
Intro to Information Technology
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5700113582796394224&postID=1743467246102870253&page=1
Week 6 Muddiest Point
Would the world ever run out of IP addresses? Since all computers and websites have IP address, and with the replacement of computers along with exponential increase of information on the web, is it possible? And what will happen when they run out?
I doubt this will happen. . . http://www.endoftheinternet.com/
I doubt this will happen. . . http://www.endoftheinternet.com/
Week 7 Required Readings
1.) http://computer.howstuffworks.com/internet-infrastructure.htm/printable
This article describes how information is transmitted from around the world to your home computer.
2.) Dismantling the Integrated Library System
The interoperability of systems in the library is more myth than reality. The ILS systems don't (usually) work easily with each other. If they do it is only after the libraries IT staff works to integrate them. Even if they are used with open source, staff will still have to work to get them to work the way the library needs it too.
I know where I work at a law firm. . . when a new data management system was put in place it took months before our old database worked in conjunction with the new system. Nearly two years after starting to use the new software bugs are still being worked out.
3.) Sergey Brin and Larry Page: Inside the Google Machine
This 20 minute video explains how programs are developed at Google. Such as you can use 20% of your time to work on personal projects. This produced the Google News application and a social networking site. Google remains free, so that anyone with access to power and the internet can use their applications. They fund this through the use of advertising. Through this use of advertising they are able to donate to various organization through The Google Foundation.
This article describes how information is transmitted from around the world to your home computer.
2.) Dismantling the Integrated Library System
The interoperability of systems in the library is more myth than reality. The ILS systems don't (usually) work easily with each other. If they do it is only after the libraries IT staff works to integrate them. Even if they are used with open source, staff will still have to work to get them to work the way the library needs it too.
I know where I work at a law firm. . . when a new data management system was put in place it took months before our old database worked in conjunction with the new system. Nearly two years after starting to use the new software bugs are still being worked out.
3.) Sergey Brin and Larry Page: Inside the Google Machine
This 20 minute video explains how programs are developed at Google. Such as you can use 20% of your time to work on personal projects. This produced the Google News application and a social networking site. Google remains free, so that anyone with access to power and the internet can use their applications. They fund this through the use of advertising. Through this use of advertising they are able to donate to various organization through The Google Foundation.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Week 5 Muddiest Point
With the use of TIFF's I did not understand how it would be used in combination with JPEG compression.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Week 6 Required Readings
1. Wiki - LAN http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_Area_Network
Local Area Network (LAN) connects computers together. This took off once computers needed to be hooked up to printers and shard memory. An example of a LAN is if you have a DLS router in your house. If so all of the computers that are connected to it, are then connected to the internet.
2. Wiki - Computer Network - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_network
This article provides a summary of networks and the hardware needed to run them. I discovered why Internet always is misspelled in MS Word when I write it as "internet." It is to distinguish it from generic networks.
Examples of Networks:
PAN - Personal Area Network - Example: Bluetooth with a cell phone or printer, or a printer hooked to a computer via a USB chord
LAN - Local Are Network - small geographic region (home or office) with the use of ethernet chords, they do not need to lease telecommunications lines
CAN - Campus Area Network - connects two or more LANs
MAN - Metropolitan Area Network - does not extend beyond the boundary of a city or town
WAN - Wide Area Network - broad geographic area
GAN - Global Area Network - supports mobile communications over many networks
Internetwork - Contains - Intranet, Extranet, Internet
3.) Management of RFID in Libraries
Radio frequency identifier (RFID) tags can be used in libraries to track the collection, it also has privacy concerns for the users, the article does not deal with privacy issues. It is a barcode that is read by a electromagnetic feild. There are a variety of RFID chips and technology. The thought is that these can reduce the cost of taking an inventory of the library and help produce a ROI. These seem like a good idea for libraries, but the privacy issues and the possibility this would eliminate some library positions concerns me, if i library would be 100% self checkout.
Local Area Network (LAN) connects computers together. This took off once computers needed to be hooked up to printers and shard memory. An example of a LAN is if you have a DLS router in your house. If so all of the computers that are connected to it, are then connected to the internet.
2. Wiki - Computer Network - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_network
This article provides a summary of networks and the hardware needed to run them. I discovered why Internet always is misspelled in MS Word when I write it as "internet." It is to distinguish it from generic networks.
Examples of Networks:
PAN - Personal Area Network - Example: Bluetooth with a cell phone or printer, or a printer hooked to a computer via a USB chord
LAN - Local Are Network - small geographic region (home or office) with the use of ethernet chords, they do not need to lease telecommunications lines
CAN - Campus Area Network - connects two or more LANs
MAN - Metropolitan Area Network - does not extend beyond the boundary of a city or town
WAN - Wide Area Network - broad geographic area
GAN - Global Area Network - supports mobile communications over many networks
Internetwork - Contains - Intranet, Extranet, Internet
3.) Management of RFID in Libraries
Radio frequency identifier (RFID) tags can be used in libraries to track the collection, it also has privacy concerns for the users, the article does not deal with privacy issues. It is a barcode that is read by a electromagnetic feild. There are a variety of RFID chips and technology. The thought is that these can reduce the cost of taking an inventory of the library and help produce a ROI. These seem like a good idea for libraries, but the privacy issues and the possibility this would eliminate some library positions concerns me, if i library would be 100% self checkout.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Muddiest Point Week 4
When talking about the Relational Model it was referred to as a "secure structure" in relation to Boolean operators such as "And" or "OR." Does this mean that the searches will provide a straight forward answer to the query given?
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Week 5 Required Readings
1.)You Tube and Libraries
This article expounds on positive uses of YouTube (its not just for uploading videos of teenagers beating each other up). With a free account a library could open the eyes of their patrons to all of the services they offer. They would be able to show people how resources can be accessed, at all hours of the day and night. If its 2AM and a student needs help on learning how to use a database, its there even if the reference librarian is not. It would benefit visual learners as well as night owls.
However, I've never been able to get a youtube video to run smoothly, start to finish. So if you have an impatient patron, they may not wait to watch the entire video (you can't please everyone). Its still an interesting idea that seems to be have been successfully used at libraries. However, when checking the citations the video for the "Library Mystery Tour" is no longer there. When checking joemnscu's profile, the user hasn't logged in for ten months. "How to Find the Reference Desk" link no longer works as well. Where did the videos go(granted I didn't do a search for the video title)?
2.) Imaging Pittsburgh - http://www.firstmonday.org/issues/issue9_5/galloway/index.html
I have used this collection before, I find it fascinating to see all of the old pictures of Pittsburgh and to be able to visually see how a street or community has changed. It is really a fabulous collection, if you haven't played around with it, I suggest you do. http://digital.library.pitt.edu/pittsburgh/
It is a collection of images that are held by the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Museum, and the Western PA Historical Society. It lets users search across these collections. Searches can be conducted by keyword, explore by time period, location, collection, and you can even order reproductions, which I think are affordable.
The differences of opinion with the three organizations take on cataloging was interesting. It reminded me of the differences in metadata.
3. Data Compression - Wikipedia Data is stored in fewer bits by using compression. Examples: zip files or stuffit files. The person sending the data and the person receiving the data need to have the same type of program for decompressing the data.
The next article goes into more detail on the specifics of compression.
I make no guarantees that the notes I have taken are correct.
4.) Data Compression Basics
Part 1
This is how you get more information to travel across the same space as though its less information. Acronyms are an example of compression. For example, MLA stands for the Medical Library Association. This is lossless compression, the item is compressed and then decompressed, thus resulting in the same image.
RLE (Run Length Encoding) - is one way to compress data. It is useful for images that have only a few colors in them. It does not work very well with text except in case studies. It would increase the size of a file instead of shrinking it.
When talking about the use of RLE for images with colors, if you have ever worked with Adobe Illustrator or any other program that lets you "mix" colors using numbers, the compression as so many parts of color x,y,and z makes sense to me.
The Lempel-Ziv Compressor - this works like using an acronym in professional writing. You only need to define an acronym once so you don't have to keep repeating it. After you have identified the American Library Association as the ALA, you can continue to refer to it as the ALA through out your writing. This compressor works similarly, it replaces repeated data. The LZ compressor wants to eliminate redundancy.
Entropy Coding - shorter codes are assigned to common data elements and longer codes are assigned to those that are not common
Huffman Coding: each code has its own unique beginning - this eliminates the need for a special marker
Arithmetic Coding: data is coded between the numbers 0.0 and .1. It works using percentages.
Prediction and Error Coding: Pictures usually have a slow change in colors at the level of the pixels. So this compression stores the error, by what it thinks the next color should be.
Part 2
Lossy compression of Stills and Audio: Your original object will not be the same after the object is decompressed. It preserves perceptible information.
If an object is decompressed and then recompressed several times with a lossy compressor, it will eventually cause a noticeable difference between the original and multiply compressed image.
I think an example of this is when you upload a picture to facebook or flickr, but when you download it, its quality is crappy.
The writers on these compression programs have to take into consideration the range of human sensation and perception. A computer doesn't know which part of a sound recording is more important, the person talking or the noise of the tape.
Part 3
Video Compression:
Video has to be compressed because it would take a long time to load and view.
This article expounds on positive uses of YouTube (its not just for uploading videos of teenagers beating each other up). With a free account a library could open the eyes of their patrons to all of the services they offer. They would be able to show people how resources can be accessed, at all hours of the day and night. If its 2AM and a student needs help on learning how to use a database, its there even if the reference librarian is not. It would benefit visual learners as well as night owls.
However, I've never been able to get a youtube video to run smoothly, start to finish. So if you have an impatient patron, they may not wait to watch the entire video (you can't please everyone). Its still an interesting idea that seems to be have been successfully used at libraries. However, when checking the citations the video for the "Library Mystery Tour" is no longer there. When checking joemnscu's profile, the user hasn't logged in for ten months. "How to Find the Reference Desk" link no longer works as well. Where did the videos go(granted I didn't do a search for the video title)?
2.) Imaging Pittsburgh - http://www.firstmonday.org/issues/issue9_5/galloway/index.html
I have used this collection before, I find it fascinating to see all of the old pictures of Pittsburgh and to be able to visually see how a street or community has changed. It is really a fabulous collection, if you haven't played around with it, I suggest you do. http://digital.library.pitt.edu/pittsburgh/
It is a collection of images that are held by the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Museum, and the Western PA Historical Society. It lets users search across these collections. Searches can be conducted by keyword, explore by time period, location, collection, and you can even order reproductions, which I think are affordable.
The differences of opinion with the three organizations take on cataloging was interesting. It reminded me of the differences in metadata.
The way they have dealt with the copyright issues of the images I thought was creative. If you need to really use an image you can contact the institution it is from just to make sure you are not violating a copyright."Our museum friends tend to view their image collections as works of art with intrinsic value as a photograph. The academic archives tend to view their image collections for utilitarian purposes with minimal description, while the historical society’s practice has been to provide contextual information that not only describes the image, but informs the reader about the history and impact of an area or person depicted by the image. All this is to say that it has taken time to build a common dialogue for discussing critical elements of the project."
3. Data Compression - Wikipedia Data is stored in fewer bits by using compression. Examples: zip files or stuffit files. The person sending the data and the person receiving the data need to have the same type of program for decompressing the data.
The next article goes into more detail on the specifics of compression.
I make no guarantees that the notes I have taken are correct.
4.) Data Compression Basics
Part 1
This is how you get more information to travel across the same space as though its less information. Acronyms are an example of compression. For example, MLA stands for the Medical Library Association. This is lossless compression, the item is compressed and then decompressed, thus resulting in the same image.
RLE (Run Length Encoding) - is one way to compress data. It is useful for images that have only a few colors in them. It does not work very well with text except in case studies. It would increase the size of a file instead of shrinking it.
When talking about the use of RLE for images with colors, if you have ever worked with Adobe Illustrator or any other program that lets you "mix" colors using numbers, the compression as so many parts of color x,y,and z makes sense to me.
The Lempel-Ziv Compressor - this works like using an acronym in professional writing. You only need to define an acronym once so you don't have to keep repeating it. After you have identified the American Library Association as the ALA, you can continue to refer to it as the ALA through out your writing. This compressor works similarly, it replaces repeated data. The LZ compressor wants to eliminate redundancy.
Entropy Coding - shorter codes are assigned to common data elements and longer codes are assigned to those that are not common
Huffman Coding: each code has its own unique beginning - this eliminates the need for a special marker
Arithmetic Coding: data is coded between the numbers 0.0 and .1. It works using percentages.
Prediction and Error Coding: Pictures usually have a slow change in colors at the level of the pixels. So this compression stores the error, by what it thinks the next color should be.
Part 2
Lossy compression of Stills and Audio: Your original object will not be the same after the object is decompressed. It preserves perceptible information.
If an object is decompressed and then recompressed several times with a lossy compressor, it will eventually cause a noticeable difference between the original and multiply compressed image.
I think an example of this is when you upload a picture to facebook or flickr, but when you download it, its quality is crappy.
The writers on these compression programs have to take into consideration the range of human sensation and perception. A computer doesn't know which part of a sound recording is more important, the person talking or the noise of the tape.
Part 3
Video Compression:
Video has to be compressed because it would take a long time to load and view.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Week 3 Muddiest Point
The lecture notes state that by defragmenting a computer the programs will run faster. It has been my experience with PC's that I have used in the past, they would run S-L-O-W-E-R. I was just wondering, if there would be any reason why this would happen?
Monday, September 8, 2008
Week 4 Readings
1.) An Overview of the Dublin Core Data Model
I felt the author could have written in plainer language, I had to get out a textbook from a previous class to refresh my memory of the Dublin Cores metadata standards.
The Dublin Core (hailing from Dublin, Ohio) brings together disparate information via their use of metadata. It is a system that works with different languages and cataloging systems to possibly have a unified catalog. There are specific pieces of information that each person creating the metadata needs to fill in. For example, Title, date, publisher, etc. Things like date are standardized because some people write the month first while other write the day of the month first. It is essentially a standard way to describe things. They are working to include other cultural definitions of things such as censorship with qualifiers.
The DCMI oversees the use of the standards made by the Dublin Core.
2.) Introduction to Metadata - data about data
I should have read this article first. . . it gives a good over of what metadata entails.
Metadata does not mean the same thing to everyone. It is a way to increase the access to the information a library has. Two examples: Library of Congress Subject Headings and MeSH - Medical Subject Headings.
3 features of an information object:
Content - what it contains, intrinsic information
Context - who, what, why, where - extrinsic
Structure - formal set of associations among info objects
Because metadata means so many different things to different people, systems are needed to make metadata interoperable. Such as the Dublin Core's system.
I felt the author could have written in plainer language, I had to get out a textbook from a previous class to refresh my memory of the Dublin Cores metadata standards.
The Dublin Core (hailing from Dublin, Ohio) brings together disparate information via their use of metadata. It is a system that works with different languages and cataloging systems to possibly have a unified catalog. There are specific pieces of information that each person creating the metadata needs to fill in. For example, Title, date, publisher, etc. Things like date are standardized because some people write the month first while other write the day of the month first. It is essentially a standard way to describe things. They are working to include other cultural definitions of things such as censorship with qualifiers.
The DCMI oversees the use of the standards made by the Dublin Core.
2.) Introduction to Metadata - data about data
I should have read this article first. . . it gives a good over of what metadata entails.
Metadata does not mean the same thing to everyone. It is a way to increase the access to the information a library has. Two examples: Library of Congress Subject Headings and MeSH - Medical Subject Headings.
3 features of an information object:
Content - what it contains, intrinsic information
Context - who, what, why, where - extrinsic
Structure - formal set of associations among info objects
Because metadata means so many different things to different people, systems are needed to make metadata interoperable. Such as the Dublin Core's system.
It was interesting to learn about the various definitions of metadata and their uses by different professions. The most important part of metadata is that it organizes information to make sure what it is describing is able to be retrieved and used.
3.) Database - Wikipedia Article
This article was over my head. While I understood the basic design elements behind setting up a database, eventually that was lost in all the discussion of rows and columns. After the Hierarchical model, which reminded me of an index or thesaurus, I was lost. If pictures or graphical representations had been used I might have had a better understanding all all the differences between the databases.
I didn't understand why each tuple in a relational model was given an atomic value.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Week 3 Comments & Course Web
Lori's LIS 2600 Blog:
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=6958200230416907745&postID=5091243347574691611&page=1
Jean in LIS 2600 Blog:
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4527425204800506090&postID=8427445099349409461&page=1
Melanija's Blog: Muddiest Point
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=8029602389736197544&postID=753882181822681955&page=1
Courseweb Comments:
I commented in the Week Two Discussion Point on Digitization.
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=6958200230416907745&postID=5091243347574691611&page=1
Jean in LIS 2600 Blog:
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4527425204800506090&postID=8427445099349409461&page=1
Melanija's Blog: Muddiest Point
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=8029602389736197544&postID=753882181822681955&page=1
Courseweb Comments:
I commented in the Week Two Discussion Point on Digitization.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Assignment 2 - Digitization - Stevenson Family Photographs
http://www.flickr.com/photos/27567778@N08/sets/72157607146796781/
Here is the link for the 2nd assignment. These are family photographs that have been stored in an footlocker for over 80 years. They date back to the 1920's, and were taken all over the world. Enjoy!
Here is the link for the 2nd assignment. These are family photographs that have been stored in an footlocker for over 80 years. They date back to the 1920's, and were taken all over the world. Enjoy!
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Week 2: Muddiest Point
I might have missed this in class, but my question is on the slide for common printers, slide 69. I was wondering what is the definition of a nonimpact printer? Do nonimpact printers have a counterpart, such as an impact printer? If so, what is the difference?
Week 3 Readings - Linux, Mac & Windows
1. Chapter 1. What is Linux?
Before reading this article, I had a limited knowledge of Linux. I knew that it was an open source software, and that it has a large online community of users. I didn't realize that Linux and Unix were similar programs, or that on a daily basis I use programs that use this code. Such as Firefox that uses Linux, or that Macs run on a Unix program.The online community that has been built around the use of Linux is fascinating, one example is that a bug can be corrected in just a few hours. While I understand it is an operating system with a large web based community, I don't understand how I would go about using the system on my computer. Do I just download the code, install it, and I suddenly have a new OS? Or do I have to build a computer system from the hardware up? I have just always been used to turning on a computer and having it ready to be used.
2. An Update on the Windows Roadmap
&3. What is Mac OS X?
From the blog on Windows, this creeped me out:
One of the key investments we made in Windows Vista was to create a comprehensive "telemetry system" that lets us gather anonymous information about how real customers are using Windows Vista, and what their experiences are with real applications and devices running on real systems. This has helped us prioritize the work of our development teams and of our hardware and software partners to make sure we have support for devices and applications. It also guided our work in Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1).
I looked up telemetry system on wikipedia to see what it really was, and it is a wireless system of transferring data. While it may be anonymous and help with the problems in certain applications, what data are they collecting?
With Mac & Windows, both of these operating systems have had trouble with compatibility between older and newer versions. I found it interesting that the next version of OS X, snow leopard, will focus on stability of the operating system. This is nearly the same as the statement from windows wanting to make the transition from XP to Vista with windows 7 an easy transition.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Course Web Comments
https://courseweb.pitt.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_9047_1%26url%3D
In Tech Discussion in Response Susan Geiss' question on a Blog List.
In Tech Discussion in Response Susan Geiss' question on a Blog List.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Friday, August 29, 2008
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Week 2 Readings
This summer I was sitting in a lecture at the Municipal Library of Prague. The speaker took out a 2 GB SD USB memory card, and declared 8,000 books could fit on it. More books, he claimed, than anyone could read in a life-time. A sculpture in the main entrance (the picture to the right) was made of 8,000 books to illustrate the difference in size. If you looked inside, two mirrors projected into infinity.
The observation by Moore on the continuing advances with the size of transistors can take what fills a story of a building and put it onto a disk that is less than an inch long.
Here are some thoughts on the articles read for class, not nearly as interesting as the pictures above.
1.) Computer Hardware
This article was a quick overview of what is inside a computer and how the internal parts are connected, and why they are important. On a personal note, I had a computer in the mid-90's where the internal fan broke. No one in the house could figure out where the smell of melting plastic was coming from, until we touched the CPU tower. As we waiting for the new fan to arrive in the mail (it was still under warranty), we came up with a novel solution to the broken internal fan. We removed the CPU case and put a small personal fan next to the CPU. When the computer was turned on, the fan was as well.
I wish the Bus Controllers would have been better defined, even though some of them are outdated or being phased out. Speaking of being phased out, recently I was looking into buying a new laptop and I noticed that getting a modem is now an option I would have to pay for ($44.00 if you use your student discount on apple.com). I found that shocking, but also understandable. Less people have dial up because of the amount of data they may be downloading.
2.) Moore's Law - wikipedia & video - the doubling of transistors
When thinking about this law in relation to digital camera's it makes perfect sense. From my first camera to the one I have now the prices were around the same, but I went from 3.0 mega pixels to 8 mega pixels in six years. When I got my first camera in 2003 I don't remember seeing ones with that resolution.
3.) Computer History Museum
I was unaware, but not surprised such a place existed. It is located in California, and it is free to the public. I liked their online exhibits. The visual examples of the dramatic changes in the size of computers was fascinating, to see the change from Babbage Engine to a tiny computer chip.
I also have a question, is there a way I can put all of the blogs into one blog feed?
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Week 1, Assignment 1
1.) OCLC report: Information Format Trends: Content, Not Containers (2004).
The article mentions how people are moving away from "packaged content to social information about location, presence and community...Mobile communication tools are shifting...allowing for increased many-to-many interactions..."(p5).
On the topic of social information and interacting, I recently came across a website that works with your mobile phone to find out where to go and what to do in Pittsburgh (www.spot.deeplocal.com). It works via text message, where if you send a text to 27126 with the word SPOT, or with another keyword you are supposed to receive a text with information about your surrounding location. I've never tried it, but I thought it was a good example of the use of social information.
2. Leid Library
I thought the policy they had for find an avaliable computer for a student was a great idea. Being able to see how long someone has been logged in, if they are a community user, and if a staff person needs to ask them to leave. While I have waited in lines for computers here at the several computer labs across campus, it's never been a long wait, but it still can be annoying. I am pretty sure Pitt has a policy where they can ask people to leave if they aren't doing school work, I've never asked anyone to leave.
I was also impressed with how the Leid Library was able to hav,e what appears from the articles description, a seemingly quick fix if a computer goes down.
3. Information Literacy and Information Technology Literacy
First off their are all kinds of literacies. You can be literate and able to read, literate in health information, and cultrualy literate. So it doesn't surprise me that just being information literate won't automatically give you IT literacy. Right now I would fall under the information technology literacy of someone who knows how to use the tools, such as word processing and spreadsheets.
Muddiest Point:
I have a comment on a question that was asked in class. One student stated that they did not have web access at home. I believe the University does provide a free dial up service. While it is dial up, and it probably is slow, it is free. Here is a link to a pdf of how to access the dial up service via a PC, http://technology.pitt.edu/Documentation/VistaDialup.pdf and for a mac http://technology.pitt.edu/Documentation/Dialing_into_PittNet_Using_PPP_with_MacOSX_Leopard_FINAL.pdf
The article mentions how people are moving away from "packaged content to social information about location, presence and community...Mobile communication tools are shifting...allowing for increased many-to-many interactions..."(p5).
On the topic of social information and interacting, I recently came across a website that works with your mobile phone to find out where to go and what to do in Pittsburgh (www.spot.deeplocal.com). It works via text message, where if you send a text to 27126 with the word SPOT, or with another keyword you are supposed to receive a text with information about your surrounding location. I've never tried it, but I thought it was a good example of the use of social information.
2. Leid Library
I thought the policy they had for find an avaliable computer for a student was a great idea. Being able to see how long someone has been logged in, if they are a community user, and if a staff person needs to ask them to leave. While I have waited in lines for computers here at the several computer labs across campus, it's never been a long wait, but it still can be annoying. I am pretty sure Pitt has a policy where they can ask people to leave if they aren't doing school work, I've never asked anyone to leave.
I was also impressed with how the Leid Library was able to hav,e what appears from the articles description, a seemingly quick fix if a computer goes down.
3. Information Literacy and Information Technology Literacy
First off their are all kinds of literacies. You can be literate and able to read, literate in health information, and cultrualy literate. So it doesn't surprise me that just being information literate won't automatically give you IT literacy. Right now I would fall under the information technology literacy of someone who knows how to use the tools, such as word processing and spreadsheets.
Muddiest Point:
I have a comment on a question that was asked in class. One student stated that they did not have web access at home. I believe the University does provide a free dial up service. While it is dial up, and it probably is slow, it is free. Here is a link to a pdf of how to access the dial up service via a PC, http://technology.pitt.edu/Documentation/VistaDialup.pdf and for a mac http://technology.pitt.edu/Documentation/Dialing_into_PittNet_Using_PPP_with_MacOSX_Leopard_FINAL.pdf
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