Using Twitter at academic conferences

(Found via ilibrarian). I was pointed to How People Are Using Twitter During Conferences in which the report says:-

“Microblogging at conferences seems to be an additional way of discussing presented topics and exchanging additional information. It is not limited to the face-to-face audience or the location of the conference. Microblogging rather allows virtually anyone to actively participate in the thematic debates. Our research shows that several conference speakers and attendees are using Twitter for various purposes. Communicating and sharing resources seem to be one of the most interesting and relevant ways in which one microblogs.”

I'm not a fan of twitter. I see the advantages, but find the noise to perplexing, but when I went to the Mash up at Birkbeck, I was surprised at how many people twittered at the conference. As the Oop north mash up is soon, I can see i'll ne twittering there myself.

Messing around with Yahoo Pipes

I have occasionally talked about Yahoo Pipes since the Mash UP in October I went to. I've been reading Tony Loton's Book and looking at other mash up. I have now tried creating my own (but really using the source code from here, and taking out the Connotea,Delicous and flickr tags and just putting my own blog in. Wasn't quite successful, but I did get this running.

Google tries to pacify libraries with piece meal offerings

(Via lisnews). The New York Times has an article entitled Google Book-Scanning Pact to Give Libraries Input on Price. In the article the author says:-


'In a move that could blunt some of the criticism of Google for its settlement of a lawsuit over its book-scanning project, the company signed an agreement with the University of Michigan that would give some libraries a degree of oversight over the prices Google could charge for its vast digital library.'

How can a company that has a monopoly of those market be 'blunting' its approach to libraries and users? Sorry, Google is a public company, out for a profit (as I said previously).

By the way, I do note the irony of using blogger in my Google bashing.

New Design

As some of you may have noticed, I have changed my blog design. Sorry for any inconvenience, but after 3 years I needed a change to the site.

Wetpaint is some wiki software

I was recently introduced to wetpaint via a new blog I've subscribed to. I know its been reviewed previously, but I had never heard of it.
As I had been working on PBWorks for a work, and although I liked it, wetpaint was really easy and had a great advantage. The accessibility of users was great. You can allow different user access. It also looks prettier.

Google Doing evil towards librarians and authors

Ok, I'm being sensational. but Google seem to want to have the library cake, eat it, take over the building and replace it as another server farm. I've been reading Randall E. Stross Planet Google: How One Company is Transforming Our Lives. Stross points out how Lawrence Lessig felt that using snippets of books was like a card catalogue at a library and therefore fair use. Others have disagreed.
Brewster Kahle has today felt that Google are taking advantage of the libraries digitalising there books. Kahle says of google:-

The promise of a rich and democratic digital future will be hindered by monopolies. Laws and the free market can support many innovative, open approaches to lending and selling books. We need to focus on legislation to address works that are caught in copyright limbo. And we need to stop monopolies from forming so that we can create vibrant publishing environments.

We are very close to having universal access to all knowledge. Let's not stumble now.

But will anyone say anything? I am doubting it.

Mash oop north Areas of interest to explore on the day

The Mash oop north is certainly looking more interesting everyday. Dave Pattern has indicated on the ning site Areas of interest to explore on the day. It looks extremely good. Unfortunately works not paying like I had hoped. Oh well, have to pay for myself I suppose.

Freedom fighter gains recognition at Hospital library

The above sentence is a fallacy. I just love lisnews story on a Hospital library in Yemen naming it after a suicide bomber. The irony of it.

"US NOW" available free online

Wikinomics informed us via their blog, that US NOW is free available online. I have seen it previously, and if you get chance, check it out.

Web 2.0 in Higher education

Over on Information Literacy meets Library 2.0 they have an article Higher education in a web 2.0 worldin which it discussed JISC Web 2.0 in Higher education report. The part I liked is when Goodwin says:-

At present use of Web 2.0 is patchy in HE and tends to be driven from the bottom up. Web 2.0 technology has not yet been fully exploited for student learning yet. As this develops in HE it will challenge some students who expect traditional delivery. Surely the role of HE is to challenge and provide opportunities for adapting - that's what tomorrow's students will require. This is where the usefulness of Web 2.0 for supporting constructivist educational practice comes into play.

Its totally true. I've often tried to implement these technologies at Senate House (1, 2 & 3. But thankfully some projects have come off. This has only been internally, but this has happened only internally. Small steps, but all in the right direction.

Free is no longer the profitable business model

With the recent discussion by the uber media god, Rupert Murdoch, in which the guardian say:-

"The inchoate days of the internet will soon be over," Murdoch pronounced, citing an "epochal" debate in the industry. Having flirted with the idea of turning the Wall Street Journal website free before realising he had bought one of the world's few newspaper sites that makes money, Murdoch has come down in favour of online charging.

Murdoch seems to feel he can get people to pay. Its certainly been tried, and as knowledge worker points out 'business model for online news is broken.'

I reckon people will certainly not want to pay much, and as some journalist and Writers perhaps feel 'Free: The Future of a Radical Price: The Economics of Abundance and Why Zero Pricing Is Changing the Face of Business'.

I reckon Murdoch is correct in his assumption. Some payments have to be made, but they need to micro payments or items that can subscribe to them (like the Kindle). Unfortunately (for Amazon), Murdoch has rejected this idea of using the new Kindle.

It will be interesting how Murdoch's plan works. He's rarely backs a bad idea.

Mashed Library UK 2009 tickets released

Mashed Library UK 2009 tickets have gone on sale. I've put in my request, I just hope I don't have to pay and Senate House do.