Friday, January 30, 2009
More on Zoho Writer
As you can see, it did post to my blog successfully although I don't think the comment went through. I also tried e-mailing it to my work address, and that worked well also (although again it didn't take the comment with it). I think I could like this one!
Trial document
Zoho Writer
I'm using Zoho Writer for the first time to explore some of the features. I'm excited by the concept of sharing documents. I can already see some applications. For instance, I have some Board members who have trouble opening word attachments. I'm hoping that it might be easier for them to just go to a web address instead. I'll have to do some experiementing... OK, my first experiment was the spell checker. It highlight the misspelled word above (experiementing), but I couldn't see that it gave me any suggestions to change it to. Then I tried to use the help button but didn't find a search screen to find out about spell check.
Wow--that was exciting, the whole screen went to black when I clicked on the emoticon button! Let me try that again...
Now let's see if I can import a picture...
OK, it was easy to find it on my desktop. It came in pretty big, but I was able to resize with the handles, so here's our puppy, Bear, enjoying the Christmas wrapping paper. (Yes, I know NOW, that Labs are puppies for 2 years, too bad someone didn't tell me that 6 months ago!)
So, I added a comment, just to try it out. Turns out you have to click on the little icon in the lower right hand corner to actually read what it says. Could be a good tool when editing a shared document.
I can see that there are a lot of sophisticated style type tools that I don't usually bother with in Word, but it's nice to know they're there if I ever need them.
I looked at it in preview, and then re-edited to add a sentence. Also added tags, and saved it.
Now to the next adventure, let's see if I can publish this to my blog.
Technorati Tags dog,productivity,software,picture,tools,online
Adding to the CTLS Wiki
Well, this was a bit rocky. I think I was following the example in the directions, but the url did not convert to a link. I've e-mailed Kam to see if I'm missing something. I tried it several times thinking I just wasn't seeing a space before or after the but it didn't seem to make a difference, so I finally left it as is so that Kam could look at it. Oddly enough, when I put what I was trying to enter into my e-mail, that did convert!
I was able to add to the list of favorite vacation spots, but when I tried to add a url to see my favorite city in Mexico (using the brackets and the url), it didn't convert to a link either.
I'm hoping maybe it's a problem with the wiki rather than me, but I'm afraid not! Hopefully Kam will straighten me out!
More later...
I was able to add to the list of favorite vacation spots, but when I tried to add a url to see my favorite city in Mexico (using the brackets and the url), it didn't convert to a link either.
I'm hoping maybe it's a problem with the wiki rather than me, but I'm afraid not! Hopefully Kam will straighten me out!
More later...
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Checking Out Wikis
Random thoughts about the wickis I looked at:
SJCPL--Interesting concept, mixes lists of library materials in a given subject with programming and links to relevant websites. It also includes links to commercial sites (local). I wonder if they get a bonus for referring to them. I tried to check out the comment features but it said you have to login to edit. Maybe it works within the library?
Library Successes--Lots of interesting links here. Still ended up hitting some areas that said you needed to login to edit, even when I was just following links. Some subjects are better covered than others. I enoyed the sites I found under Readers Advisory. Like many sites covered in this program, too much to absorb!
Library Instruction--wouldn't connect
Annaheim conference--not sure why this is a wiki rather than just a website except maybe that allows the presenters to provide their own handouts?
ALA Wikis--boy, there are a ton of these--lots from different ALA divisions, roundtables, etc. Some are better than others. Some seem to have been started but not completed (RUSA Reader's advisory blog). Some of them still seem to me could have just been a regular web page, but maybe I'm missing something here.
Other Wikis--I looked at a bunch of these. Lots seemed to be works in progress (which I guess is the definition of a wiki). I liked the community information one from Washington State. I have a reference person who is interested in gathering all sorts of info on our area. I can see where this might be a good way to organize it as well as ask for community input.
Another tool that I need to see if I have time to use!!
SJCPL--Interesting concept, mixes lists of library materials in a given subject with programming and links to relevant websites. It also includes links to commercial sites (local). I wonder if they get a bonus for referring to them. I tried to check out the comment features but it said you have to login to edit. Maybe it works within the library?
Library Successes--Lots of interesting links here. Still ended up hitting some areas that said you needed to login to edit, even when I was just following links. Some subjects are better covered than others. I enoyed the sites I found under Readers Advisory. Like many sites covered in this program, too much to absorb!
Library Instruction--wouldn't connect
Annaheim conference--not sure why this is a wiki rather than just a website except maybe that allows the presenters to provide their own handouts?
ALA Wikis--boy, there are a ton of these--lots from different ALA divisions, roundtables, etc. Some are better than others. Some seem to have been started but not completed (RUSA Reader's advisory blog). Some of them still seem to me could have just been a regular web page, but maybe I'm missing something here.
Other Wikis--I looked at a bunch of these. Lots seemed to be works in progress (which I guess is the definition of a wiki). I liked the community information one from Washington State. I have a reference person who is interested in gathering all sorts of info on our area. I can see where this might be a good way to organize it as well as ask for community input.
Another tool that I need to see if I have time to use!!
Library Trends
As part of exercise 15 I read the chapter in the Library Technology Reports Sept./Oct. 2007 publication on Technology Trends for a 2.0 world. I had mixed feelings reading it. I could see wonderful vistas opening up for libraries, but I also felt exhausted just thinking of trying to keep up with all that is out there.
I could definitely relate to the concept of encouraging the participation of patrons in the life of the library. I did find the idea of camera phone pictures being posted willy nilly a little daunting. We have all had patrons who are less than rational with us, and the thought of them having this forum to shout their displeasure to the world is a little daunting.
On the other hand, the idea of using YouTube to advertise the library is exciting, and we're beginning to work on that now.
Ways to make our catalog more inclusive are very intriguing. I think it will come down to how easy it is for non-techies to implement that sort of thing. Many of our libraries to have IT departments, and even those of us who do usually have to share them with the rest of the city/county, so ease and cost will be important factors I believe.
Everything I've read and explored thus far in 23 Things seems to lead to other things--all very exciting but somewhat overwhelming. I'm afraid I could spend so much time exploring that I wouldn't actually get anything done! Presumeably there's some kind of happy balance that we'll all have to find.
I could definitely relate to the concept of encouraging the participation of patrons in the life of the library. I did find the idea of camera phone pictures being posted willy nilly a little daunting. We have all had patrons who are less than rational with us, and the thought of them having this forum to shout their displeasure to the world is a little daunting.
On the other hand, the idea of using YouTube to advertise the library is exciting, and we're beginning to work on that now.
Ways to make our catalog more inclusive are very intriguing. I think it will come down to how easy it is for non-techies to implement that sort of thing. Many of our libraries to have IT departments, and even those of us who do usually have to share them with the rest of the city/county, so ease and cost will be important factors I believe.
Everything I've read and explored thus far in 23 Things seems to lead to other things--all very exciting but somewhat overwhelming. I'm afraid I could spend so much time exploring that I wouldn't actually get anything done! Presumeably there's some kind of happy balance that we'll all have to find.
Technorati
I did some playing around with this site. Seems like there are several ways to search it. When you click on advanced search it kind of looks like a search in a library catalog! That was the place I found to search in different places (whole blog, tags). If there was another way to search by tag I didn't find it. I looked through the directory, but didn't find a way to actually search it per se. However, it is in categories, so by looking in the technology section I did find the learning 2.0 blogs.
As far as comparing the blog search to the tag search, I did see some overlap, but it seemed like the blog search also pulled in some other things on "learning" without the 2.0.
I thought the directory was interesting just for browsing the different subject areas. Some of the categories were rather broadly drawn. For instance, I looked under lifestyle at the travel list, and although they all were about a geographic place, I wouldn't have called them all travel blogs. Gossip about Paris Hilton in London for a new TV show didn't seem like travel writing to me!
My overall impression of technorati is that it shows how many blogs are out there in the world. Without having a specific need to search for, it was pretty overwhelming. However, I will try to remember to use technorati when doing research in the future.
I didn't claim my blog or try to index it since it's really just an exercise and I didn't feel like it is really very useful for anyone doing research. However, in the future if I did a "for real" blog with a purpose, it's good to know that possibility exists.
As far as comparing the blog search to the tag search, I did see some overlap, but it seemed like the blog search also pulled in some other things on "learning" without the 2.0.
I thought the directory was interesting just for browsing the different subject areas. Some of the categories were rather broadly drawn. For instance, I looked under lifestyle at the travel list, and although they all were about a geographic place, I wouldn't have called them all travel blogs. Gossip about Paris Hilton in London for a new TV show didn't seem like travel writing to me!
The popular section was also interesting. I looked a few websites. I have to admit I was most interested in the ones that weren't aimed at techies. The PostSecret blog which was an art project with artistic postcards sent in anonymouslywith secrets on them was especially compelling.
I didn't claim my blog or try to index it since it's really just an exercise and I didn't feel like it is really very useful for anyone doing research. However, in the future if I did a "for real" blog with a purpose, it's good to know that possibility exists.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
De.licio.ous
I tried looking through Kam's delicious site and looked at some of her book marked sites and the tags and then looked at some of the other people's tags that her sites led me too. It seems like you could wander indefinitely from there (I ended up looking at a person's recipe websites). So, I decided I needed to try it for myself. So, I set up an account and went to some of my "favorites" sites and bookmarked them. Definitely looks like it has possibilities. The real test will be using the bookmark list to find sites later. We'll see how it goes. Anyway, I'm glad to have a chance to try this out.
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