IT Notes

E-Textbooks On Demand

2008-09-25T09:49:00.001-04:00

Some college bookstores will be selling electronic textbooks. The textbooks will be available to download to CD from a kiosk.

Introducing . . . The Grid

2008-04-07T19:33:00.001-04:00

The Grid . . . a possible replacement for the Internet.

Online Storage Roundup

2008-04-05T18:00:00.000-04:00

A listing of various solutions for online backups.

Boston Still Not Done

2008-04-04T07:53:00.004-04:00

The city of Boston has been working on citywide wi-fi for 4 years, and they still haven't completed the project. It's not offered free to residents. In other cities, projects have also been scaled down as providers withdraw from the projects.

Students Win a Round in Court

2008-04-04T07:47:00.002-04:00

Boston University students have won a round in court against the RIAA. This doesn't mean the fight is over. It just makes it a little more difficult for the RIAA to prove its point because the court basically recognized the student's right to privacy. The article goes on to say intimidation is not working for the RIAA because students are still downloading music illegally.

The Newspaper - R.I.P.?

2008-04-03T11:23:00.002-04:00

Here's an interesting article from the New Yorker about the death of the newspaper.

Biographicon

2008-04-02T09:42:00.004-04:00

Biographicon is like Wikipedia except that persons don't have to be "notable" to be included. Persons who choose to include information on living individuals should be careful that their entries do not disclose too much personal information in Biographicon.

Google Docs to Be Available Offline

2008-04-02T09:39:00.001-04:00

After Zoho announced last month that folks would be able to use Writer offline, Google Docs is following suit this month.

Thoughts on the Music Industry

2008-03-28T21:25:00.004-04:00

Check out the comments made by Jeff Cornwall, a business professor at Belmont University. This comment of his sounds similar to what I speculated in class, but he's taken it a step further in the remainder of the article.

We may be witnessing the end of the structure of the music industry as we know it. The mass produced, mass marketed music is becoming a relic of the past.

Photoshop Express

2008-03-27T13:31:00.002-04:00

Photoshop is entering the free online photo-editing software market with a basic version called Photoshop Express. Accounts are good for up to 2 GB of photos.

Chumby

2008-03-10T19:28:00.003-04:00

Libraryman is raving about his new Chumby. The device sells for $179.95 (including shipping). It's already got its own Wikipedia entry. Be sure to read Geek.com's review before purchasing one. You might decide to wait on a cheaper alternative that's in the works. Engadget also did a review. So did the New York Times.

Zoho Writer Adds Features

2008-02-27T19:23:00.001-05:00

Zoho Writer now supports .docx format. They've also made improvements to headers and footers, to footnotes and endnotes, and added a thesaurus. Read about their new features.

Amazon's Kindle Reader at Church

2008-02-26T21:05:00.000-05:00

This caught my attention!

On Google Docs

2008-02-23T12:26:00.001-05:00

Someone made similar observations to the ones most of you made in class.

Document Sharing

2008-02-22T09:26:00.002-05:00

Create a document and share it. That's what iPaper allows users to do. It's being called a You Tube for documents. iPaper allows users to post essays for all the world to read. You can also find serious documents such as government documents and reports by institutions supporting higher education. There's even an 1870 edition of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain and a PowerPoint project on photosynthesis. Documents can be shared in any language.

Does You Tube have a downside?

2008-02-22T09:25:00.002-05:00

Yes, according to a student at Carnegie Mellon.

Just for Fun: Obsolete Skills

2008-02-21T09:44:00.003-05:00

There's a wiki out there that describes skills which are no longer in demand. Do you remember adjusting tracking on a VCR? How about changing tracks on an 8-track? Have you formatted a floppy disk lately? When is the last time you had to get up off your couch to change channels on the television? These and more skills are available for your enjoyment, and since it's a wiki, more obsolete skills can be added.

Flickr

2008-02-20T19:59:00.002-05:00

Here's a great PDF article on Educause's site about the popular Flickr photo-sharing site.

Free Books

2008-02-20T19:23:00.001-05:00

. . . and they are on the Internet. Check out this Freakonomics blog post for more info.

Singing the Praises of Linux

2008-02-20T19:18:00.001-05:00

Denise is singing the praises of Linux, Firefox, and Open Office.

Free Software for Students from Microsoft

2008-02-20T10:00:00.002-05:00

Available free is Microsoft Visual Studio 2008, Microsoft Expression Studio, Microsoft Windows Server 2003, and XNA Game Studio 2.0. They are calling the package DreamSpark. These are "developer" tools.

Twitter

2008-02-17T14:54:00.000-05:00

New York Times has a good article describing Twitter.

Computer Backups Made Easy

2008-02-16T13:24:00.002-05:00

Yahoo!'s tech blog has some great information about backing up your computer.

E-Books

2008-02-11T22:07:00.000-05:00

Lifehacker shares why you should read e-books.

Union University Uses Facebook

2008-02-11T19:24:00.000-05:00

Union University used Facebook to keep folks informed in the aftermath of last week's tornado!

Computer Thief Caught

2008-02-11T18:28:00.000-05:00

A New York City computer thief is caught!

College Data Loss Increased in 2007

2008-02-11T18:27:00.001-05:00

More than 1,000,000 student records were breached in 2007.

Georgetown Data Breach

2008-01-31T10:00:00.001-05:00

Georgetown University has notified students and others of a data breach which threatens their security.

Search Engine News: Mahalo

2008-01-11T16:27:00.000-05:00

Mahalo.com is a fairly new search engine, but it's popularity is rising.

Printing Public Domain Books

2008-01-11T16:22:00.001-05:00

Here's a run-down of ways to get a printed copy of books in the public domain without spending a fortune.

Facebook News

2008-01-11T16:20:00.000-05:00

You know how cluttered Facebook gets when you add lots of apps? Well, help is on the way.

Photo Sharing Video

2008-01-10T20:21:00.000-05:00

Here's a video entitled Online Photo Sharing in Plain English. What are some reasons to share photos according to this video?

Free Videos for the Intelligent

2008-01-09T09:14:00.000-05:00

Sharpen the mind with some intelligent videos at Big Think. The brainchild of some Pennsylvania professors, the service features videos by academics. There are also two-minute interviews with politicians (in case you don't get enough on the networks these days), business persons, and artists. (via Wired Campus Blog)

Need to Improve Your Keyboarding Skills?

2008-01-03T11:27:00.000-05:00

Try the exercises at keybr.com. (via Lifehacker)

Passports & Privacy

2008-01-01T20:09:00.001-05:00

New electronic passports are raising privacy questions.

Is It Illegal to Rip Your Purchased CDs to Computer?

2007-12-30T16:16:00.000-05:00

I'll let this article speak for itself. Many people see this as the beginning of the end for the music industry as we presently know it. I've read several bloggers who say that even the artists disagree with the RIAA's stand on this issue and that many of the artists will leave the big labels and go independent.

Improved Zoho

2007-11-26T20:59:00.000-05:00

It's added offline functionality with Google Gears.

Need to Catalog Books, DVDs, etc.?

2007-11-26T20:22:00.000-05:00

Over 20 sites are listed at Mashable that will help you do that.

Top 100 Blogs for Getting Breaking News

2007-11-26T09:53:00.000-05:00

Carnegie Mellon did a study. Instapundit came out on top.

Another Web 2.0 Alternative to Microsoft Office

2007-11-24T10:12:00.000-05:00

Live Documents is getting some attention this week. It's a new web-based alternative to a productivity suite that can also be utilized offline by downloading a client. Dick Eastman has a good summary. For another look at it, check out Read/WriteWeb.

Kindle

2007-11-19T09:58:00.000-05:00

Amazon has just announced its new ebook reader Kindle. You can read your favorite newspapers, the latest bestsellers, and your favorite blogs through this device that connects with the same type of technology as advanced cell phones. It's very light-weight and works with e-ink technology.

Update 11/26 - For an amusing comparison of the Kindle to the traditional book see this post at Valleywag.

DocStoc

2007-10-30T19:51:00.000-04:00

Read Write Web has a review of DocStoc.

Flickr to Get Better

2007-10-27T11:06:00.001-04:00

Photo-editing capabilities will be expanding in Flickr.

Future of Electronic Paper

2007-10-18T16:28:00.000-04:00

Abstract:

Thirty-five years in the making, electronic paper is now closer than ever to changing the way we read, write, and study — a revolution so profound that some see it as second only to the invention of the printing press in the 15th century. Made of flexible material, requiring ultra-low power consumption, cheap to manufacture, and—most important—easy and convenient to read, e-papers of the future are just around the corner, with the promise to hold libraries on a chip and replace most printed newspapers before the end of the next decade. This article will cover the history, technology, and future of what will be the second paper revolution.

The Right to Take Photos

2007-10-11T10:51:00.000-04:00

. . . is being challenged more than ever. For a discussion of photographer's rights and a downloadable brochure, visit Bert P. Krages, Attorney at Law.

Web 2.0 As Emerging CyberThreat

2007-10-09T09:50:00.000-04:00

Web 2.0 is the top emerging cyberthreat according to GTISC.

TiddlyWiki

2007-10-06T11:53:00.000-04:00

MoultrieCreek tells about her experience using TiddlyWiki.

Mozy Purchased by EMC

2007-10-05T21:37:00.000-04:00

Online storage utility Mozy has been purchased by EMC. EMC is a large public company.

Using Diigo to Create Blog Content

2007-10-05T21:33:00.000-04:00

One blogger shares how she uses Diigo to post content to her blog.

Learn About Phishing

2007-10-01T16:59:00.000-04:00

. . . with Anti-Phishing Phil.

Microsoft Vista & Voice Recognition

2007-09-29T12:29:00.000-04:00

For a review of Microsoft Vista's voice recognition capabilities, see Jasia's comments.

What are Facebookers Doing?

2007-09-27T19:26:00.000-04:00

Here are the stats.

Online Applications

2007-09-24T20:54:00.000-04:00

We've already mentioned Google Docs and Zoho as options for online Office-like suites. You may also want to check out ThinkFree.

Get Microsoft Office Ultimate for $60

2007-09-21T10:10:00.000-04:00

This offer is for students until April 2008. It's a real bargain! (Prof. Terrell sent this link along for posting!)

How many friends do you have?

2007-09-14T09:21:00.000-04:00

Real friends, 5; Facebook, hundreds. That's what a new study says.

Evolving E-Book Technology

2007-09-07T09:43:00.000-04:00

There's news on the e-book front. Apparently this fall Amazon.com will launch Kindle which is a reader that connects with Amazon.com. It will sell for $400 to $500. Also, Google will begin charging for access to some of the books for which you can now only view snippets as publishers set their prices. The Sony reader which sells for about $300 and will hold 80 books and works on e-ink technology is doing well. Its battery will last for up to 7500 page turns. It apparently does very well with commuters and with frequent flyers.

Facebook Profiles

2007-09-06T21:10:00.001-04:00

You may want to review your Facebook Privacy settings if you don't want non-Facebookers to find your profile.

Fred Gets I.T.

2007-09-06T20:35:00.000-04:00

A Wired Magazine blogger is praising presidential candidate Fred Thompson for his awareness of information technology issues.

Has Tagging Lived Up to Its Promise?

2007-09-06T09:21:00.001-04:00

The Chronicle's Wired Campus Blog has a few thoughts on the matter.

Facebook Feud

2007-09-05T09:19:00.001-04:00

Who created Facebook?

History of Computer Viruses

2007-09-02T19:24:00.000-04:00

An interesting article about computer viruses from the Knoxville News Sentinel.

Future of Television?

2007-08-28T16:41:00.000-04:00

Does television have a future? Or will it become more iPod-like?

Nightmare on Yahoo! Account

2007-08-27T19:55:00.000-04:00

One blogger shares what happened when her Yahoo! account was hacked.

WebCT Workaround for Office 2007 Files

2007-08-27T10:46:00.000-04:00

Please see this support message for a workaround for difficulties you may encounter when working with .docx, .xlsx, and .pptx files in WebCT.

Good Link for Your Privacy Assignment

2007-08-27T09:37:00.001-04:00

In your upcoming privacy assignment, I have suggested that you search government databases at the state level. There is a great wiki that provides such links at http://wikis.ala.org/godort/index.php/State_Agency_Databases.

Web-Based Presentation Software

2007-08-15T15:16:00.000-04:00

Need an alternative to Microsoft's PowerPoint? Try Preezo.

How Social Bookmarking Works

2007-08-07T21:37:00.000-04:00

Common Craft Show has released a video showing how social bookmarking with del.icio.us works.

Google Docs & Spreadsheets

2007-08-02T11:28:00.001-04:00

Dick Eastman has a great review of Google Docs & Spreadsheets.

Will Facebook Replace E-mail?

2007-07-16T09:46:00.000-04:00

Some thoughts on the subject at Publishing 2.0.

MySpace vs. Facebook

2007-06-26T20:39:00.000-04:00

An interesting article which essentially talks about a study which says Facebook is used by preps and MySpace by the fringe.

Word Processor Review

2007-06-25T23:00:00.000-04:00

An interesting review of 14 word processing software packages.

Connection Speed

2007-06-25T22:53:00.000-04:00

There's an interesting report on connection speeds in the United States [PDF] in comparison to other countries done by Speed Matters.

Books and Social Networking

2007-06-18T20:55:00.000-04:00

There are several services for the social networking of books. LibraryThing is perhaps the best-known and most widely used of these. Others include goodreads, WhatsOnMyBookshelf?, and Shelfari. There's a great blog article on these literary social networks.

The Future of Newspapers

2007-06-02T16:58:00.000-04:00

I'm on semi-hiatus status on this blog while school is out. I'm only linking a few articles here, but I ran across a blog post that deserves attention. This post at Invisible Inkling addresses the future of newspapers.

The End of The Cassette

2007-05-09T22:19:00.000-04:00

Apparently there is a prediction that stereos offered at this coming Christmas will not include cassette decks. Guess it's time to convert all those to digital format!

Mobbing

2007-05-09T08:37:00.000-04:00

Blogging has created a phenomenon called mobbing.

Pew Internet Study on Technology

2007-05-08T20:34:00.000-04:00

There's a very interesting Pew Internet Study that was released May 6 that shows that about half of all Americans are rare users of the Internet. One blogger is challenging the report's findings as dated since the survey was over a year old at the time the report was released. He makes an interesting case showing all the changes in technology (and society) that have occurred since the survey was taken. I'm not sure that the results would be that much different if taken today or if the same technologically-oriented folks are the ones using the newer forms of technology. I'll have to admit that the statistics did surprise me a bit as I would have thought it would have been closer to 60-40, but with so many things competing for one's time, I'm probably not as surprised as some folks. I do think that MP3 use might drive the stat slightly higher if the survey were repeated today. My question is: Why did it take over a year to report the results of the survey? Pew tends to publish online. It seems that a more timely report and survey could be made.

Map of Online Communities

2007-05-03T21:56:00.000-04:00

LINK - It's a rather interesting map!

Students Don't Understand Copyright

2007-04-27T09:09:00.000-04:00

A study by law professors reveals that students are ignorant or misinformed about copyright. Most cannot define the doctrine of fair use.

The Lawsuit Is Over

2007-04-18T19:49:00.000-04:00

The last week or so, the blogosphere has been abuzz about a lawsuit that JL Kirk was bringing against Katherine Coble. Bill Hobbs has a good summary which links to the history of the lawsuit. He then reports on the settlement and provides a link to other sources reporting on the settlement.

Google to Offer PowerPoint Alternative

2007-04-18T15:29:00.000-04:00

Google offers applications comparable to pricy Microsoft products. Although its presentation software is yet to be named, it is scheduled to release this summer.

Web 2.0 and Business

2007-04-04T11:12:00.000-04:00

All indications are that businesses are adopting Web 2.0 technologies in increasing numbers this year.

Alternative to Wikipedia

2007-03-29T14:42:00.000-04:00

Conservapedia is an alternative to Wikipedia. Its founders maintain that Wikipedia has a liberal bias.

Humor . . . New Computer Feature

2007-03-28T09:53:00.000-04:00

See the new feature that ensures that you don't spend too much time on the computer. Believe me . . . I have one of these, and it works VERY VERY well.

Need More E-Mail Storage?

2007-03-28T09:44:00.000-04:00

Resource Shelf says that Yahoo will soon provide unlimited storage, but gives a few other providers with large capacities also.

Web Site Life Span

2007-03-28T09:39:00.000-04:00

It's short, according to Librarian of Congress James H. Billington. Here are a couple of excerpts of his speech:

There is a widely-held but false assumption that digital materials
accessible today on one's PC or Blackberry will necessarily be available in the
future. That is not the case. The average life of a Web site has been estimated
to be 44 to 75 days, and information not actively preserved today could
literally be gone tomorrow.

. . . a sample set of 56 primary sources identified by the Congressional
Research Service to support research on Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and 2006, 21%
were no longer available on the Web in 2007. Web sites relating to the national
elections of 1994-the first time the Web played a role in such elections—have
also vanished. It was not until 2000 that the Library began preserving election
Web sites. Political scholars wishing to write the history of how the Web has
influenced politics will have to do so without important pieces of the
puzzle.

Alternative to Word for Mac Users

2007-03-28T09:35:00.000-04:00

NeoOffice is an alterntative to Microsoft Word for Mac users. They've just released version 2.1

Stats on Password Cracking

2007-03-27T21:42:00.000-04:00

Lifehacker has a rather interesting post regarding how long it takes to crack passwords.

Update: Dick Eastman offers tips on creating passwords.

Was DMCA a Failure?

2007-03-26T21:29:00.000-04:00

A person responsible for its authorship says yes.

iPods - the heartbeat

2007-03-26T17:58:00.000-04:00

LINK - Doctors who listen to common heartbeats on iPods are more likely to be able to diagnose murmurs.

Personal Information

2007-03-24T09:32:00.000-04:00

A U.S. Attorney reminds us that posting personal information online is dangerous. (via Sun Herald)

Technology and Persons with Disabilities

2007-03-20T14:39:00.000-04:00

LINK - A report entitled Over the Horizon: Potential Impact of Emerging Trends in Information and Communication Technology on Disability Policy and Practice provides a look at adaptive technologies.

Beware of Phishing Schemes

2007-03-20T13:51:00.001-04:00

LINK - Another good government document! This one gives advice on phishing.

Security Awareness and Identity Theft

2007-03-20T13:48:00.000-04:00

LINK - A good two-page summary on the topic from the government!

State Government on the Internet

2007-03-19T09:48:00.000-04:00

LINK - A brief from NASCIO on the state of the presence of state government on the Web.

The Great Flood (Digital, that is)

2007-03-07T09:01:00.000-05:00

Digital content is growing at a very high rate.

It would take 161 billion gigabytes of storage space (or, for those who
like their standards of measurement more tangible, an equal number of iPod
Shuffles) to hold all the digital material created in the last year, according
to a new study.

Doctors on Text Messaging

2007-03-06T16:35:00.000-05:00

Their advice - moderation!

Bible as E-Book

2007-03-03T19:17:00.000-05:00

Interesting article in the Hattiesburg American about the willingness of people to adopt the Bible as an electronic book.

Best Buy's Unethical Practices

2007-03-03T17:52:00.000-05:00

Best Buy has acknowledged that they have a secret intranet site that keeps folks from getting the best price on certain things according to an article in the Hartford Courant. (Thanks to Glenn for the tip.)

Cone Charts

2007-03-03T16:49:00.000-05:00

Mr. Excel tells us the truth about cone charts.