Just photos

This picture was taken at the beginning of June. She still looks like a puppy. And those big feet!

These photos were taken at the end of June. What a difference in just a few weeks! She already looks more adult (but still behaves like a puppy)!

More puppy images

I will post some recent photos of the 'puppy' here on the blog. She will be 6 months old at the end of this month! When I get to the module on sharing photos, Flikr, etc, I should post them there, instead, or as well. I think there are opportunities to share photos on other social networking sites, so when I get to the next module on Facebook and social bookmarking, del.icio.us, etc, I should share the photos with you from there. I have been very busy with other work recently -- it is journal renewal time -- so I am preoccupied with that and I don't have much time for 21 lunges.

Wiki -- a different way to think about creating something

Wikis have great potential for encouraging participation in the creation of something, but as the wiki module says, this technology-enabled process of participatory creation 'radically changes the meaning of 'authorship', 'ownership' and even 'plagiarism'.' Think about it. Everyone can make a contribution; you don't have to be an 'expert'.
I have heard the phrase 'radical trust' used in relation to wikis. The more recent addition of restrictions, and allowing pages to be 'locked-down' defeats the original purpose of the wiki.
Like wikipedia, readers need to be able to edit every part of the document at hand in order to retain the spirit of the wiki. As all changes are tracked anyway, if changes are made that are not appropriate, or if documents are deleted, earlier manifestations can be easily reinstated.
However, restricting the open-ness of a wiki has a purpose. The creation of a document can be limited to a specific working group that has responsibility for implementing recommendations or procedures, etc. Provided that everyone in the group actively contributes to the creation of the document, procedures, standards, etc. it may mean that the group's commitment to the final document is strengthened through this exercise in cooperative creation.
I have added a few things to the 21 lunges wiki, and looked with great interest at the changes made by others.

More on Podcasts

July already! How the time flies! I have come to the conclusion that the reason I cannot get a satisfactory podcast subscription result at home is due to the fact that we have a dial-up rather than a broadband connection. When I tried to download the latest audio file for a podcast I subscribed to at home that is only half an hour long it took over 2 hours! And the download was not successful because the connection cut out at the last moment. Disappointing. Since we are unable to put our mp3 player software on work computers I can't do the subscribing at work.
I've decided then, that for the purposes the 21 lunges programme, that listening to past audio files, and subscribing to programmes as RSS feeds will have to suffice.

Podcasts -- still working on it...

I realise it's been a long-ish time since I last put thoughts here.
Well, it's a new month and so it is with new resolve that I am trying to tackle podcasts.
(Why do so many of the words created to describe new Web 2.0 things sound so ugly: blog, podcast, vodcast, voip -- or is it just me?)
But, I digress.
There are many programs on the ABC radio AM band that I enjoy. My MP3 player broadcasts only the FM band, so I can't listen to these programs on the go, unless I am in the car, and then any listening is usually interrupted. I have tried the streaming audio, which is good, but then I have to listen sitting next to the computer. But to be able to store these programs on my MP3 player and listen to them while I wait for a tram, or while on the tram -- this would be rewarding! I have some instructions in front of me regarding how to download the audio files to the computer and then to my MP3 player, but so far I have not been able to master it. I will report back when I have had some success.

RSS -- Really Easy

I've been finding the RSS feeds VERY handy, helpful, easy! I have subscribed to RSS feeds of all the blogs created by 21 Lunges participants, whether LR&A staff or not, plus quite a few more. It's so easy to go to the Reader once a day and catch up with the latest news and observations from everyone whose blog has changed since the previous time I looked.
Also, just this morning I changed the appearance of Notebookblog-eve; I wanted to see what it would look like with different colours, so I had a go and it's really easy! It's also possible to change the fonts, the elements making up the blog and where they are placed, but I didn't want to do all that. Maybe next time.
Some of the RSS feeds I have subscribed to are DC365, ABC News, ABC NewsRadio Science and Bookseller + Publisher, to name a few, in addition to the 21 Lunges participants' blogs.
Now I'll have to get on with it and do the next modules and the associated homework!
I look forward to reading all of your observations and thoughts about the modules you've done, the articles you've read and commented on in your blog, and any other thoughts and ideas.
Of course your comments on any of my posts are welcome: go for it!

How's everyone going?...

I would like to contact everyone in my unit who's signed up to do the '21 lunges' Web 2.0 library project to see how you're all faring. I will also put some additional reflections on this post once I read and think about a few articles that have been referenced in the project modules, and do the 'homework assignments'.
In the mean time, to give you another example of how a blog can be used to build up community and impart information so local that you wouldn't know about it unless you lived in a place for many years, have a look at DC365. If you want to know about the sights, sounds, great places to visit and places to eat that you would never know about otherwise, this is the blog for you -- if you are visiting Washington DC! Have fun!

Here's another photo -- just couldn't resist

The little one went to her first puppy school session on Saturday and had a good time. It was exhausting, let me tell you!

Photo of new member of the family

She's having an afternoon nap; almost 9 weeks old in this photo.

Have you noticed...?

Have you noticed lately that people don't walk on the left side of the footpath anymore? It's total anarchy out there, with people walking on the left, right, and middle of the footpath, no matter what direction they're going! If you're walking in the opposite direction you have to pay attention, keep your eyes open and really make an effort to avoid bumping into people walking toward you.
I thought there was a convention of keeping to the left on paths and footpaths, but recently this seems to have completely gone by the way.
I attended an interesting forum at lunchtime today about the future of the City of Melbourne as a pleasant place in which to live. The talk was interesting, looking at Melbourne's past and future, but the means by which the City is trying to encourage people to participate personifies the Web 2.0 modality and spirit! They will present the new draft plan as a wiki! Have a look at Future Melbourne, and join in with your ideas. Look at the way the Future Melbourne website is trying to link all the information together. Maybe instead of asking for the email addresses of people they should have RSS feeds available from their site and ask people to subscribe to the RSS feeds; that would be more Web 2.0-ish.

Friday thoughts - the 1st day of this blog

This blog will set out thoughts, ideas, impressions, reactions to the work we are doing regarding Web 2.0 technology and its application in an academic library.
Other topics may be touched on that don't directly reflect upon Web 2.0 matters, but that I feel are of interest.
If you want an interesting take on Finding, Using, Managing and Sharing Information, have a look at this FUMSI site, put together for your edification by Free Pint. Free Pint, which lots of librarians check out regularly, is a great source of information itself. Reflecting current interests, it has quite a few comments and articles about Web 2.0 at the moment, so if you aren't familiar with it, have a look.