Some Thoughts on Wikis

Up to now, my knowledge of wikis extended only to Wikipedia, and I only knew of that through my teens, who had been using it with more regularity for schoolwork. And then there was the controversy, and teachers not allowing the use of Wikipedia for schoolwork.

And then there was Colbert, and the power to the people aspect of Wikipedia, with all its anarchist potential.

It was intriguing to learn the origins, and the many other uses, of wikis. I am a bit awed and/or wary of sites that are presenting "information" that anyone can change; I am far more comfortable with blogs, which are naturally going to be influenced by the leaning of the blogger. That's the way it is, and we all (should) know that.

So I looked at the links to some wikis, and they made more sense, because there were limited users. It was as though they were written by committee, but over time and distance, at everyone's leisure. But I felt like I was missing the big picture, because I couldn't myself "wiki" -- an outsider looking in.

So I decided to take the plunge and wiki. On Wikipedia of course. It was a bit scary, knowing that I was making a little change that EVERYONE could see. Then I had to decide what I wanted to edit. Staring off into space, humming a bit. There has to be SOMETHING I know that isn't in Wikipedia.

I looked up the entry for Figs, and learned that it stands for French, Italian, German and Spanish. Okay, wrong figs, back to the drawing board. Try "Fig". Yes, there it is, the fruit. Now, what can I possibly know that nobody has entered yet. Varieties -- I actually own a Lemon Fig, bought it when it was tiny and now it is quite large and after I figured out how to deter the birds, the figs have been plentiful. But under varieties, there is no "Lemon Fig".

So I googled Lemon Fig, just because I did not want to be responsible for misinforming the world about figs, and found that there really truly is a "South Carolina Lemon Fig". Which is now in Wikipedia!

Funny though, that, because it was in Google, and looking every bit as official as -- as a Wikipedia entry, I assumed it was correct, and only just now checked to see that it was a site from the LSU Extension Division....

A Day at the Library -- Take Two

Thank you, Amanda, for helping me figure out how to link this entry to the right place!

A Day at the Library

Come visit us
at the
James Island Library at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamesislandlibrary/sets/72157602288467724/show/

Flickr Frustration

This was my Big Day. I have worked, I have agonized, I have wrestled with camera basics, computer basics, blogging basics, Flickr basics. I have learned so many more new tricks than an old dog should have to learn. My co-workers, who have tolerated my angst for weeks now, eagerly awaited the unveiling of my link to Flickr, and an hour-by-hour "Day at the Library".

So when I went to my blog, and clicked on the link, imagine my chagrine when I saw that the pictures had been displayed RANDOMLY!!!

Yet if you sign in to Flickr as me, they come out just the way I had arranged them, and it is a cute story, if I say so myself.

If anyone has any ideas about this, please share them with me.

Otherwise, when you go to the link (on the last entry), use your imagination, and pretend that the pics are in order.

We don't really snooze at James Island till the workday is done....

A Day at the Library

Come visit us

at

the James Island Libraray

at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamesislandlibrary

While Waiting

While I'm waiting for my photos to upload to Flickr, which I just learned takes more time than it would take to actually draw them, I'll post for the Social Networking segment. I had checked out each of the sites, just to get an sense of them, with no actual desire to use them. Just by coincidence in the car not two hours later, I was listening to a discussion of social networking sites on NPR. It seems that the more general the site, the more potential there is for problems. I would be more inclined to join a site that was geared toward certain interests or groups. On the other hand, I think high school and college students that use facebook can feel more connected.


On the other hand, there are lots of issues surrounding these sites, several of which were brought up during the call-in show:


The most important is the safety of the sites. The information is not anywhere near guaranteed to be accurate. Also, there is no guarantee who is reading the information you are providing on the site. There is a tendency for users to be too personal, or too outrageous, in an effort to be attractive, or noticed.



Interestingly, one of the talk show callers said that she had had a managerial position, and had been very comfortable interacting with people. Since her job changed, and she now spends her time online, she has become less comfortable in social situations.



Another caller who works in a high school said that he was concerned that many schools simply forbid students from using networking sites at school; instead, shouldn't the schools be teaching students how to use this new medium in the best and safest way possible?



Very interesting stuff.

My New Camera

In anticipation of Flickr week, I did something I have wanted to do for a few years. Several things coming together at once, kids leaving the roost, Techtrek, and my surprise raise, led to buying a wonderful digital camera. It's a Nikon D40 SLR, and it does wonderful things. But I am slow and cautious, so since last Friday (it's now Thursday), I have learned to take pictures on Auto. I have followed my co-workers around and taken pictures of them not doing silly things, and doing silly things. I have perused the photo program disc. I am working up to moving my pictures from the camera to the computer. I need lots of time and space at home to do that, so I'm hoping either Friday or Sunday. Then I'll learn how to transfer photos from Flickr, where I set up an account. With any luck, I should have this process down by November. It's all very exciting. Doesn't it sound like I'm having a hard time containing myself?

Technorati: My Two Cents

I did my homework on Technorati, and I think the reason I had such a hard time with it is because I thought there would be more to it than there is. There are SO many blogs, and SO MANY of them are blogs I would have absolutely no interest in spending time on. Think of blogs as people's diaries, but diaries we don't have the good sense to keep private, and we don't have the talent to make interesting. Maybe if I spent a lot of the minutes I have left of my life searching on Technorati, I'd find some blogs I really like, but blogs like Arianna Huffington's I can Google, I don't need to read the highlights, and to be honest, I don't need to see who else was reading it.