Kathryn Powell's Website

http://www.pitt.edu/~kip14

Here is the link to my website.

Assignment 5

 Link to my Virtual Bookshelf on Koha:
http://jade.exp.sis.pitt.edu:8080/cgi-bin/koha/virtualshelves/shelves.pl?viewshelf=22

Username: kip14
Bookshelf Name: Assignment 5 - Kathryn Powell

Notes for Week 12

The first articles about Web Search Engines was unavailable as it they were required to buy, and I'm not paying $19 twice to buy articles I'll read once. Sorry.

I was surprised to find that the "deep web" is so much deeper (like 440-550 times) than the surface web, I mean it makes sense, it just surprised me. I got a bit confused with the explanation of what qualifies as a deep web.

Current developments and future trends for the OAI Protocol for Metadata Harvesting, I got lost when reading this article. I couldn't understand anything that it was talking about. Hopefully class will clear it up tomorrow.

Muddiest Point - Week 11

I had no muddiest point for this week.

CiteULike Assignment 4

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

The submission for assignment 4.

Notes for Week 10

An Introduction to the Extensible Markup Language (XML) by Martin Bryan

This article was very helpful in starting off stating that XML is not a type of HTML. I had always been under the impression that XML was the same thing as HTML but improved on/better version of it. I did get confused towards the end where it was talking about the codes for the XML.

A survey of XML standards: Part 1 by Uche Ogbuji

I was rather confused by this article. I couldn't figure out the codes for the XML writing, and it was just difficult to focus on.

Extending your Markup: An XML Tutorial

Out of the last few tutorials we've had in the past couple of weeks, this one is probably the worst that I read yet. It did nothing to help me understand the XML at all.

Muddiest Point - Week 9

I didn't have a muddiest point for this week due to the fact that I already knew most of what was being discussed.

Notes for Week 9

I really loved the CSS Tutorial from w3schools. I've been wanting to learn how to use CSS for a while, and this really provided a gateway into that designing.

The second reading was also great for my purposes of wanting to design my own layouts with the CSS and HTML web sheets.  After spending a while playing around with the CSS and HTML, I can say this is an very interesting and helpful site.

The chapter of the book was also very informative and improved upon the previous two tutorials. This helped explain more of the finer details of writing your own CSS.

Muddiest Point - Week 8

No muddiest point for this week.

Notes for Week 8

The HTML tutorial was a nice refresher course on writing HTML. I found it a nice reminder of how to differentiate between paragraphs, headings, and super-elements.

The HTML Cheatsheet was a great resource for having the different codes in one place. I will definitely have to favorite this so I can find it again.

The Article was an interesting read. I was interested in the section called 'Designing a usable CMS research guide template for students and librarians', I found it interesting how they did the research of how to make things primary, secondary, ect.

Muddiest Point Week 7

No muddiest point for this week.

Muddiest Point - Week 6

No muddiest point for this week.

Jing Project - Assignment 2

Photo 1: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lomedraug/6214013997/in/set-72157627824316782

Photo 2: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lomedraug/6214149991/in/set-72157627824316782/

Photo 3: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lomedraug/6214695896/in/set-72157627824316782/

Photo 4: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lomedraug/6214182037/in/set-72157627824316782/

Photo 5: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lomedraug/6214819496/in/set-72157627824316782/

Video: http://screencast.com/t/d1OZ7l6QpGaJ

Week 6 Reading Notes

LAN article - I already had a slight idea of what LAN was before reading this article, however it was nice to have something expand on the concept. I was impressed to learn that it was the Xerox company was the one who created the Ethernet cable in the 1970s.


Computer network - Again, I had had a faint idea of what this was before reading the article. It was interesting to see the different types of networks used by the computer in a list. It was also interesting to see the amount of technology and knowledge needed to put one together.

Management of RFID in Libraries - RFIDs is a very interesting idea, and I find it sad that it's seen as a throw-away technology in the retail market. I do find it nice that it is being utilized in libraries, and I think it would help keep track of everything.

Muddiest Point - Week 5

I don't have a muddiest point.

Notes for Week 5

Introduction to Metadata

This source of writing was really heavy, making it slow reading. The charts did help clarify and expand on what exactly Metadata is and the different types. Very interesting.


An Overview of the Dublin Core Data Model

This page is a very interesting read, telling about a model of data storage that gives the reader both codes and explanations of the Dublin Core Metadata Initiative (DCMI). This is an international effort to expand the understanding of people in all professions through all the disciplines. 


EndNote X5

I was very confused by this link to be honest. I didn't understand why we were looking at this, or it's purpose. I really hope this is covered in class on Thursday.

Muddiest Point Week 4

I didn't have a muddiest point for this week.

Assignment 1: Flickr Project Link

Here is the link to my flikr project. http://www.flickr.com/photos/lomedraug/sets/72157627713818950/

Notes for Week 4

The one source for this week proved to be an interesting, but long read. I spent a fair amount struggling to remember what the different acronyms meant. I was rather surprised at the number of different database types. This article was nice but I'm looking forward to class to learn more.

Muddiest Point for Week 3

You mentioned that the human voice varies in predictable ways, what makes it so predictable?

Notes for Week 3

I found the Wikipedia article about Data Compression to be informative but slightly heavy in technical terms. It was very slow to read and I kept having to stop and click on terms that had links to them to see what they meant.

The data compression basics helped clear up the wikipedia article, giving far more indepth articles. I liked the notes that were added giving depth such as how the RLE in literature. I like the graphs and examples given in this explanation and found it most useful.

The article about the shared gateway was very interesting. It's very interesting to see what's been done in the past in Pittsburgh at the University inparticular. It's eyeopening to see that not even this went smoothly, and had a fair number of communication problems.

 The last article link was a bad link and lead to nothing.

Muddiest - Week 2

I didn't have a muddiest point for this week.

Notes for Week 2

Wikipedia: Computer Hardware/Software

• Motherboard - the main component inside a computer.
• Things attached to the Motherboard:
• CPU- central processing unit, the "brain" of a computer, does most of the calculations that allow the computer to function.
• RAM - the memory of the computer, stores parts of the OS and open applications
• BIOS - sometimes replaced with UEFI in newer computers. Includes the booting firmware and power management.
• The power supply unit converts the AC power to low-power DC power for the internal compenents of the computer.
• Removable compents of the computer include
• CD (compact disc)
• CDROM-Drive - a drive that can read the CDs
• CD Writer - a device used to both read and write CDs
• DVD
• DVD-ROM Drive - a device that reads the information on DVDs
• DVD Writer - a device used to read and write DVDs
• DVD-RAM Writer - a device that is used to rapidly read and write a special type of DVDs.
• USB Drive - a flash memory data storage device.
• Secondary Storage
• Hard disk
• Solid-state Drive
• RAID array controller
• other important pieces of hardware:
• Sound Card
• Keyboard
• Mouse
• Computer software is a collection of computer programs and related data that provide instructions of what to do and how to do it.
• The idea of software was first proposed in 1935 but it would be 1958 before the term "software" would be used in print. The 1980s would be the first decade however to actually see software.
• Software includes all various forms and roles that any program may play in a computer's functions.
• There are three types of software
• system software - controls the basic functions of a computer
• programming software - allows a user to write computer programs
• application software - developed to aid in any fuction of the computer that might speed the computer up
• Faults and Errors are called "bugs". Any bugs in a system might cause a person's work to be lost.

Digitalization: Is it worth it?

• There are benefits and disadvantage to digitization things within a person's collection. To rely totally on a digital interpretation of information is folly, for if a server crashes, the information is gone if not backed up somewhere.
• another problem is the cost to digitalize large amounts of information.
• Some of the benefits of digitalization are increased access to the information and people anywhere in the world can see the image and download it to their own computer.
• There's no definite answer of whether or not the Digitalization of information will prove useful enough to outweigh the cost, only time will tell.

European Libraries Face Problems Digitalizing

• European libraries decided to create their own database to counteract Google's domination of everything. Originally, this library was going to rely on the limited government funds, however reality quickly set in and they began seeking out new deals with both Google and other private venues. 
• The matter is, there isn't enough money to digitalize everything that people want digitalized. 

A Few Thoughts on the Google Books Library Project

• By placing books on computers, we're not making the books obsolete, but making them more widely available.
• Having books and magazines online help students of all ages from elementary to graduate level. 
• These books give access to treasure troves of knowledge for students all over the globe, where they can read and research on their own.
• problem arise both ways, but it is easier to find a solution for reloading a book than having to find a hard copy of the same book.

Muddiest Point - Week 1

I don't have a muddiest point for this week.