Reading Response 4: Will Wikipedia Ever Make the Grade?

I had no idea before reading this article how content of wikipedia was actually checked. I admit that I use wikipedia fairly often to retrieve information and it never occurs to me to second guess my findings. I immediately take the information as valid if listed in wikipedia. Since the information is updated by users, I assume it can be very easy to put in false information. After reading the article “Can Wikipedia Ever Make the Grade” I have realized that there are people who are constantly checking the validity of new posts, editing or deleting, and then contacting (in the nicest possible way) the false reporter to make sure they have their facts straight. Apparently scholars doubt the information posted and are skeptical, but I believe they should join the wikipedia crew and share their knowledge with everyone to help make the online encyclopedia more credible. I did not know that original research is discouraged from being posted, which could lead to the fact that scholars are not so keen on posting. Furthermore, some scholars post and things they write get edited and chopped down, this could also make scholars dislike the process. It makes me wonder who the person is editing the posts and how they are expert in that field. The article stated that topics like science are more accurate than those about law and art. Science is all about facts, formulas, and numbers which can be hard to get wrong. I can see how it could be easy for posts to get messed up when they are covering areas that are lacking in cold, hard facts. The article does not make me want to stop using wikipedia, but it does make me think twice about using it in research and where the information is coming from and if it is all completely accurate. Furthermore, the ease of use and conciseness of the text make it extremely appealing to refer to when trying to find information...wikipedia makes the grade for me. (Word Count:329)

News Report 7: Government taking $44 Million Technology Risk

John Markoff, a writer for the New York Times online site published an article on March 24, 2008 about a technological breakthrough that will most likely occur due to a new grant by the United States Pentagon of $44 Million to Sun Microsystems. Sun Microsystems wants to experiment with replacing wires that connect internal microchips in computers with lasers. Lasers will have the ability to communicate information faster between chips and will increase speed of processing for computers. If this technology proves successful, computers will be much more efficient and able to be “faster, more energy-efficient and more compact.” The plan seems to be risky, but they expect if it works for the performance of computers to be a thousand times faster.

This technology is really great and can definitely improve the functioning of computers. I imagine that computers will be able to handle the multiple things users try to do at a time way better. Hopefully there will be less computer crashes and every computer will be a much better performer. The article claims that it will be cheaper to produce these computers using this technology, but I think that companies will take advantage of this and just increase the prices to make higher profits. This technology will completely change the way get information. It will either decrease the amount of time that we spend on computers or it will increase the amount of things we try to do at one time. I hope with the $44 million grant that every succeeds as planned and in the future we will see cheaper, quality computers available to everyone. (Word Count:268) Replacing Wire With Laser, Sun Tries to Speed Up Data
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/24/technology/24wafer.html?_r=1&ref=technology&oref=slogin

News Report 6: TiVo brings YouTube videos to the TV

From an article published on the New York Times website on March 12, 2008, Brian Stelter discussed a new breakthrough in the technology and internet fields. TiVo and YouTube are joining forces to be able to bring YouTube videos to television screens. The videos offered on YouTube will be able to be accessed from TiVo subscribers that have up-to-date TiVo boxes that can support this new advancement. There is a lot of content on the internet and especially on YouTube that is causing people to spend more and more time on their computers and to abandon their televisions. Currently users can watch almost anything on their computers because the internet makes things incredibly accessible. TiVo working with YouTube will combine all ways to watch videos and television shows. Recorded programs, YouTube videos and playlists, movies, cable, and satellite will all be able to be watched from one component.

I think this is a good idea because I am seeing in my life I spend most of my time on the computer. YouTube is a site that I go to multiple times daily; I rarely turn my television on. TiVo is taking advantage of YouTube being such a strong site. I think this will be good for existing TiVo users that have the box that has the right specifications. However, as far using this as a marketing tool to get more people to buy and subscribe to TiVo I don’t believe that this gives people an incentive to run out and drop some cash on this product and service. Computers are a part of everyday life and if YouTube is free to watch on a computer it would be extremely stupid to pay money to watch it on a television set. (Word Count: 290)

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/12/technology/12cnd-tivo.html?em&ex=1205467200&en=40de9ad0de617008&ei=5087%0A

Reading Response 3: The Infodiet: How Libraries Can Offer an Appetizing Alternative to Google

Steven Bell’s article published in the Chronicle of Higher Education was a spot-on article that clearly stated how Google is competing against academic libraries for university students’ use in research. Bell stated most of the reasons why students are more inclined to using Google than complicated databases and on-site research in libraries. Academic libraries pay a lot of money for subscription to these databases, but students rarely take advantage. Bell made the point that Google does not always provide accurate information on the questioned topic; Google was designed to provide the most hits on the search topic, but it not always trustworthy to use when writing research based papers. Databases are not as user-friendly as Google and it can be intimidating for university students especially when a lot of the time they are not shown how to use them. Bell believes faculty members should play a part in getting students to use the valuable resource databases provide.

I believe like most of my classmates that Google is the way to find information; it produces lots of results and is extremely easy to use. Although, when trying to find information for school projects and papers Bell is right… Google’s information rarely is substantial enough to even think about using in that context. I think it is a good idea to make databases more like Google. Not a lot of students like to ask for help at the library; we are a technology-savvy generation and it makes us feel incompetent when we can’t find what we are looking for. Asking for help is admitting that we have given up. Bell made a point to get professors to require database articles in papers and I have already seen that at UNCW in some of my classes. It has been helpful when librarians have come into our classes and demonstrated how to use the library website and databases. It has not happened a lot, but it would definitely be a better resolution than making a library class required for graduation. I think UNCW is moving in the right direction to make more students information literate by providing classes, but simplification of databases could really help students prioritize research engines. (Word Count: 364)

News Report 5: A California Library Steps Out of the Box

Onell R. Soto, of the San Diego Union-Tribune wrote an article with a basis on a new library located in Encinitas, California that has challenged the mundane design of libraries, as well as the items they carry for patron check-out. The library has been designed around the fact that the ocean is in such close vicinity. The new library boasts much more room than the older library which it replaced, making it more comfortable to hang out and read and do other things. The designer of the library wanted it to be a place that was welcoming and embracing the ocean atmosphere of the California coast. The new library is among one of the first libraries to have video games available for check-out. It is a major attraction for kids to come to the library where they will be surrounded by books, which will hopefully encourage them to check-out books and read more. The new library is intended to be a community gathering place and encourage everyone to be more involved in reading and stimulation of the brain.

I think that this new library and all its features is an excellent way to get the community more involved and active. The design and aesthetics is a very important part, it is what attracts people to the building and keeps them inside. The ocean views will add to the serenity of an already peaceful place and keep the citizens of the community coming back to experience a getaway. The items that the library carries are what bring the people to the library in the first place. I think it is a good idea to have video games to check out; kids will want to go to the library and this will increase their exposure to books. Even if they are only going to check out games, they will hopefully draw their attention to books also and keep returning for more. In the future I hope to see more libraries like this one in California that aim for difference and pleasing the everyday person. (Word Count:342)

Original Article: Brand-new library features books, games, great views
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/northcounty/20080224-9999-1mc24library.html

News Report 4: Publishing Co. Posts Free Online Books

HarperCollins Publishing Company is planning on utilizing the internet to boost web sales. The publishing company is beginning to post entire books online; these are new books to the market. Hosting the entire book online will give the interested reader the opportunity to read it before they buy. This is no different than going to a book store, perusing, flipping, and reading through books. HarperCollins Publishing believes, “The best way to sell books is to have the consumer be able to read some of the content.” They are hoping that this will increase the sales of books. Amazon.com does something very similar, but they limit it to the table of contents and only one or two chapters of the book. The books will not be available for an extended period of time, only about a month, and they also will not be downloadable or printable. One of the featured authors will have a new book on the site every month.

I believe this is a good idea to offer books online for free to look through. Recently, I purchased a book through amazon.com that I browed the first couple chapters and the book was a lot different than those two chapters. I was disappointed in my purchase. However, this will give readers a good chance to really see what the book is about. If readers like the book, they will be enticed to buy it because it is only available for a limited time and they would probably like to have it to reference in their personal library. This also gives authors greater exposure and since the website will be linked to amazon.com perhaps the books will have a higher chance of purchase. I think it is a good idea and if it ends up being profitable for HarperCollins, which is already a big name publishing company, I think in the future we will see more publishing companies beginning to do the same thing. (Word Count: 324)
Article: HarperCollins Will Post Free Books on the Web by Motoko Rich posted February 11, 2008 at http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/11/business/media/11harper.html?ref=technology

News Report 3: Amazon.com's Kindle Ebook Viewer

On November 11, 2007, Chloe Albanesius, a writer for PC Magazine wrote about Amazon.com’s introduction of the Kindle wireless reading device. It has the ability to hold up to 200 ebooks and it has access to over 90,000 different choices. The retail price of the Kindle is $399. It has 256 Mbytes of storage capability and owners can buy additional storage through SD memory cards. The Kindle wanted to give the reader the experience as similar to that of reading an actual book; the dimensions are small and comparable to that of small books. The device contains Wi-fi which provides access to newspapers, wikipedia, blogs, and many other informative websites. Books can be purchased through amazon.com.

This technology is one more thing that is contributing to more and more books becoming paperless. This device sounds great, but it is a bit expensive. I wonder if it is really worth the $399. With that much money one could buy at least 40 books if they cost $10 a piece. Then you have to purchase books from amazon.com to read from the device, which is probably not very comfortable. I would much prefer cuddling up with a book as opposed to a hard piece of technology. Furthermore, it is not a device that would be optimal if you like to make notes in the book or margins. Also, the amount of e-books offered currently comes no where close to the mass amounts of books published. It might be difficult to find exact titles that you want to read from the Kindle; my suggestion is to just go to the library and check it out for free. It sounds like a good idea, but does not sound too promising. http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2704,2219176,00.asp (Word Count: 286)