Final Thing #23

Well... this is my last post for the Learning 2.0 project. I have learned and re-learned many skills throughout the blog session. I had a lot of fun with the flickr tools because there are so many of them and so fun to do. The most usefull resource I learned is the use of Del.icio.us. I had no idea befor learning 2.0 that such a thing existed. I'm not sure how many of the other 23 things I will use in the future but I will definately use this one. If another discovery program like this one was to be offered again I would participate. It is fun to learn new things...throughout a lifetime!

Thing #22

There are many advantages and disadvantages to using instant messaging. IMs are very similar to text messaging which I use a lot. One downfall is that you cannot show emotion on a IM. Sometimes your message can be misinterpreted. I have found that it is very hard to show sarcasim in an IM! On the other hand IMs make small messages quick and easy. Instead of calling someone and going through the usual "hi, how are you?, what are you doing?, etc" you can get to the meat and potatoes of the conversation (so to speak).

Thing #21

I added Cnn headlines and booktalk to my bloglines account. I found that iTunes is the easiest way to do this because I use iTunes everyday and I am very familiar with it. Once I become more familiar with bloglines i can see myself using it quite often.

Thing #20

While exploring the vast world of YouTube I came across this video. If you have any interest in graphic design or the font families you might find it pretty funny. enjoy!

Thing #19

I explored a web tool by the name of wayfaring. Wayfaring is a mapping tool similar to google maps or yahoo maps. I decided to look at this one because I am fairly familiar with google maps and I wanted to see if there are any differences. The satellite imagery is provided by google so it is very similar to google maps in that sense. I feel that the navigation of google's is much better by being more user friendly.

Thing #18

Zoho writer is a very good application to use if you are one that travels from computer to computer on a regular basis. It is nice that you are able to access a document without having to carry around a flash drive or another portable device. Flash drives are so easy to misplace or accidentally leave behind at a computer. I have lost at least 3 of them! Zoho works pretty much the same as flickr except instead of storing photos it is used to store word documents.

Thing #17

I have just visited the Learning 2.0 "sand box" wiki page. I have to say NLC employees have great taste in food. All of my favorite places are listed. My mouth is watering after reading the entries. I added La Mexicana because it is my favorite restaurant in town that wasn't already listed.

Thing #16

I think wikis are great for the "regular" computer user. Creating websites can be difficult and html is a pain in the neck to learn and can be confusing. Wikis are great because it allows people to share information who may not be internet savvy enough to have an actual website. I have had the chance to create a wiki recently for the Nebraska Summer Writers' Conference. This wiki was created for the participants to communicate with one another. The conference hasn't started yet so I do not know how well recieved it will be. I hope the participants take advantage of this wiki and use it to their advantage. If you would like to take a look at it follow this link.
http://nswc.pbwiki.com/

Thing #15

I enjoyed the Web 2.0 section with Rick Anderson on the "just in case" collection. With more and more books published each day, our libraries can only keep up for so long. It makes great sense to rid the crowded shelves in our libraries of books that are kept for "just in case" instances. Having digital files of less desired materials can not only save room on shelves but also can make an internet search for customers easier and possibly obtained from home or any computer rather than just at the library.

Thing #14

I feel that the Technorati website is a good idea but the navigation of the website could be smoother. All the Pages are cluttered and there is little to no emphasis on important elements. I found the overall experience a bit confusing. I am much more comfertable searching for blogs or other information on a simple search engine such as google or yahoo.

Thing #13

Ive always wondered if a resource such as Del.icio.us existed. I have a long list of bookmarked websites on my personal computer that I visit often. Usually when I need to check one of my bookmarks the most I am at my computer station at school. Using Del.icio.us I am able to access these bookmarks from any computer. It's brilliant!

Thing #12

I set up a Rollyo account about college baseball. I'm not sure how often I will use this or if I will ever come back to it but it is good to know that this resource is out there. This is similar to RSS feeds...No?

Thing #11

LibraryThing is a great website. It connects people with others who have similar tastes in books. You can discuss them, rate them, or suggest books to your peers. I added a few books including Maus and Maus II by Art Spiegleman. These books are graphic novels that take place in Auschwitz during the Holocaust. Spiegleman uses animals as a vehicle to tell his tale. Mice are the Jews and cats are the Nazis. These books are very well written and illustrated. If you have not already I suggest reading them.

Thing #10

I created this image with a generator called pic hacks. You upload a photo then place a slider in the middle, the generator stretches and contracts the rest of the image according to where you placed the slider. It is pretty funny. Check it out! http://www.pichacks.com/

Thing #9

I used google bolg search to find some RSS feeds to my liking. I found google blog search made it easy to find what you are looking for. I was very suprised just how specific some of these blogs are that you can subscribe to. Is there anything someone won't blog about? I found a blog about people bragging how expensive their ipods are. There was one particular ipod made of solid 18 carat white and pink gold, and is hand set with 430 diamonds, it is worth $30,000. (rediculous!)

Thing #8

I like how efficient RSS feeds can make one's life, but on the other hand I also enjoy navigating websites and stumbeling accross new things on my own. It seems one of the main reasons people use RSS is to skip over the advertisements you are bombarded with. I like seeing ads and watching how advertisers attempt new things to try and communicate with potential buyers/clients. Ads that I am engaged with help me understand how graphic design and communication works.

Thing #7

I find it extremely interesting how technology is continuously refined especially in laptop computers. I remember when a laptop was at least 2" thick and just about as heavy as a desktop. Apple recently came out with a product called "Macbook Air" this revolutionary laptop is only 0.76" thick! Wow, it barely exists! After reading the specs on the computer I came accross one downfall. It doesn't even have a disc drive. I guess if you own one of these computers flash drives are your best friend. Also, I hope you have an ipod because... forget about burning a cd!

Thing #6

My blog seems to have taken on an Art theme so I guess this fits! I found this flickr tool called Hockneizer. The allows you to upload an image then the tool spits out a collage of polaroid photos in the style of English artist David Hockney. Hockney being one of my favorite artists, I couldn't help but share this.

Thing #5

My girlfriend and I took a trip to Kansas City for a little spring break get-away. One of the highlights of the trip was a visit to the Nelson-Atkins Art Museum. They recently opened an additional wing to the museum which is very impressive. This painting done by Wayne Thiebaud was on of my favorites in the new wing.

Thing #2

I have just finished watching the 7 1/2 habits of successful lifelong learners. The easiest habit for me is using technology to my advantage. Growing up in "the computer era" this habit comes somewhat natural to me. If I have a question that needs to be answered the first thing I do is search the world wide web (or what I like to call the world wise web).The hardest habit for me is viewing problems as challenges. I have a hard time turning something negative into something positive. I guess that is an issue I need to work on.

first post

Well, my old blog seems to be locked because of "terms of use violation". I have tried and tried to get this fixed with no luck. So here I am creating a new one.