Social Networking / Feedback

Finally reached the end of the 23 things. I've had to rush through some things a bit, as I'm away on leave for a couple of weeks, and won't be able to access the internet.

Social networking: don't really like this myself. My daughters have all done the "myspace" and "facebook" thing, and I've discussed with them the aspects of privacy and details that should and should not be shared on such sites. They all like it though, and I know many senior citizens who use it as well. But I don't think I'll be one of them, even though I started up a page for the purpose of this project. But then again ............mmmmmmmmm..........you never know:-)

Some of the web pages I viewed where libraries had their own facebook page were amazing, and perhaps that's the way to go. There'll always be groups and organisations that use the internet extensively for networking and marketing. I know I use the net as a first port of call for information about almost everything. I was just discussing with someone recently that it's only been in the past 10 years or so that I've become so dependent on the net. Getting cable was a huge turning point. The internet holds endless possibilities for individuals and organisations to communicate, though at the end of the day, I hope we don't allow it to totally replace the human to human contact that everybody needs in this life.

MASHUPS

Working Holiday

http://bighugelabs.com/flickr/map.php




This is the code that was created when I indicated the countries I visited during my working holiday when I was 20-something:-) I'm not sure how it works at this stage. I don't think I've done this correctly - will have another look at it tomorrow.

I'm so stoked. When I previewed my entry, it worked.

Just to add some detail: I did the obligatory "working European holiday" which was one of the most enjoyable phases of my life. The world was a very different place back then, and this trip was the culmination of a desire I had harboured throughout my childhood. Although I returned home fairly "broke" I wouldn't have changed a thing!

Google docs

I've created a calendar for 2009 - nothing fancy, as time is of the essence. But I've added some colours for variation. You'll find it at http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=pbjJg4sPXPTrcAbRufRVFYw&hl=en#. I can see some value in the concept of sharing a document when a group is working together on a particular project. It's a time saving process and it's special value I think is that there's only one document floating around, and it's the final version. Saves lots of paper and time.

Answer Boards/Podcasts

I've looked at all these pages, and frankly I can't see myself adding answers to anything, or indeed, bothering to read anyone else's answers. It all seems rather unsociable really. These sites are replacing good old-fashioned face to face communication. That's rather sad I feel. It's just a bit too impersonal for my liking. But I don't really think I'll be spending much time on sites like Yahoo.answers. As an ex-teacher, I cringe when I read some of the written responses that appear on these sites. How the educational system has failed so many people!! Say no more!!

However podcasts can be educational and fantastic for catching up with items of interest that were broadcast during the times when unable to listen to the radio. This has great benefits for people who have access to the internet. But I can also appreciate that there are plenty of people who don't have this access at home and have to rely on libraries and internet cafes. So again there are limitations to the usefulness of these tools.

Delicious

I've now created another address on the "Delicious" page. My link is http://delicious.com/ramshackle

It's quite a challenge I find, creating new logins for all these different pages. I've tried using the same log in ID, but it doesn't always allow that, so there are slight variations throughout the different sites.

I've amazingly added all my bookmarks into this site - this is very new to me. I can't say that I'll use it much, as I have all my bookmarks on my "Favourites" tab anyway, but we'll see.

RSS feeds

Thought I would record my thoughts after completing this section. I thought I had finished this a while ago, as I had a page opened and added a number of - what I thought interesting - sites to follow. At the same time as I started adding these sites to keep me updated with interesting information, I felt as though my life was slipping away into cyberspace, and I would have to be spending all my life sitting in front of a computer just to follow these sites. But of course, in reality, I won't be doing that. I'll probably view them once in a while, by which time the news will be as stale as.....

Amazed-)

Well this journey continues to amaze me, as well as confound me! I added about 7 RSS feeds the other day to what I thought was my Blog page. However, I cannot get back to where that page is. Tonight, I discovered I had a Google page, and when I opened my "account" - there were my particulars - though I still can't find where I added those RSS feeds. I'm feeling very vulnerable at this point, as all these different user names and passwords for Flickr, Picasa etc are worrying! Just how is my privacy being invaded?? It's a little unnerving. I feel like a learner driver in charge of a high powered vehicle with very little understanding or knowledge of the dangers and difficulties I could get myself into!

video upload - butterfly

I can't believe this. Third time lucky. Not sure what happened before. It just disappeared.

Bears

So now I've embedded a video in my blog. My computer keeps doing a "crash/dump" and I lose everything I'm working on!! I'm sure it's Vista that's the culprit. As a result, this is the second time I've tried to upload a video. Not really sure how this sort of knowledge could be used in my job in the library. These things are more for personal use I think.

Flickr

I can't believe I'm creating so many new accounts! I've just created another with Flickr!

My thoughts on the photos of BSQ:

BSQ is an amazing structure and is well represented through these pictures. I'd hazard a guess that nowhere else in the world would there be such an inspiring structure for a library :-)


I'm looking forward to sharing some of my travel photos in the future. I find there are an infinite number of fantastic places to visit right here in our own country. I've been overseas and spent almost 2 years living and working there, and still believe Australia has vistas to match most other countries.

getting started again

Well I couldn't work out why I had done all these things and my course results continued to show "not attempted". I thought I had successfully negotiated my way through all the things I had to do. I've decided to go through methodically now, and I'm now hoping I'll get some recognition for what I've done! (in the eyes of the "course master" that is!)

The blogging is all very well, but I just feel it's making us all slaves to the computer world, as to keep up with blogs, and RSS feeds, etc etc, we'd be spending inordinate amounts of time in front of a screen. I'd much rather be fishing!!

Taylor

This is the first time I have uploaded photos to the internet. Usually I transfer photos from my digital camera to my computer and save either on the hard drive, or back up on dvd or cd. When I want to send photos to family or friends, I attach them to an email. I don't think I'll become a frequent user of this service. I preferred to upload this photo of my pet cat (who incidentally is rather cute:-) ) through "blogger". To use Flickr it involved creating another web address, and that's just another complication I do not need. I have so many user names and passwords at the moment that I have to keep a logbook otherwise I would never be able to access most of them as I'd forget these details.

getting started

Well having negotiated my path through the maze of URLs, account addresses, blog names, blog address........... I'm now just befuddled about what to write. I feel I've actually achieved a minor victory by reaching this stage, but not really sure how I'm going to fill empty spaces with intelligent thoughts daily! I know the youth of today spend an inordinate amount of time blogging their way through their daily lives, but I don't believe that I have anything much - at this stage - to report on. The internet has become an inanimate friend, sharing all kinds of thoughts and feelings. A bit reminiscent of an old dog, ever faithful.