"You Two! We're at the end of the universe, eh. Right at the edge of knowledge itself. And you're busy... blogging!"
— The Doctor, Utopia
Woo hoo! I got my first piece of Windows-only software to run under Linux using Wine. I'm very proud of myself right now. Though there are those hours of my life I'll never get back...
posted by Michael @ 4:28 PM
2 Comments
My Internet Librarian 2006 pre-conference is ready to go. I think I set a new record: 202 slides...
posted by Michael @ 3:25 PM
1 Comments
posted by Michael @ 9:30 AM
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Yes, everything you wanted to know about the muppets but were afraid to ask in a wiki.
via Library Stuff
posted by Michael @ 7:39 PM
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Series two of Doctor Who starting David Tennant starts tomorrow night on the SciFi channel. Don't miss this series, it's just as good as the last one if not a little better.
Labels: doctor who
posted by Michael @ 6:27 PM
0 Comments
RSS2HTML is a very simple, menu driven way to republish RSS content in your site. However, there are not a lot of options and an iframe is the best way I could find to enbed the content within a page (as shown below).
Labels: rss
posted by Michael @ 2:53 PM
3 Comments
And here's a test of the republishing features of RapidFeeds' MySite:
posted by Michael @ 2:36 PM
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Here's another RSS tool I'm playing with in preperation for IL2006: RSSCalendar.com. It allows you to enter calendar information and output several different RSS feeds and even republish to your site as shown below. The idea is amazing and I can see a lot of uses for it. Unfortunately, you can not import existing calendar information, you need to enter it manually. I guess if you're already entering it into your Web site, this wouldn't be any more work. But in a situation like mine, I don't want to have to enter an even into Outlook and RSSCalendar.
Labels: rss
posted by Michael @ 1:56 PM
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For those of you wondering where Rosario (my soon to be former boss) and David (her hubby) are going to be living when they get to Cali, I've put her pics up in a flickr photoset.
posted by Michael @ 11:53 AM
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As I've posted previously, Schmap has again asked for permission to use five additional photos of mine from my flickr account. This time it's two from Orlando and three from Denver. Keep posting folks!
posted by Michael @ 6:50 PM
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I'll be at the Idaho Library Association Annual Conference next week. Details can be found in the BCReview Newsletter.
posted by Michael @ 10:55 AM
0 Comments
Here's another new RSS tool: Grazr. This allows you to embed an aggregator right into your Web page. What you're seeing here is the content of the OPML file I exported from my Bloglines account. This is one hell of a way to offer a feedroll.
Labels: rss
posted by Michael @ 2:15 PM
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Here's a slightly different RSS Scrollbox Widget from Widgets.cc which moves vertically and allows you to pull in content from up to three feeds.
Labels: rss
posted by Michael @ 12:23 PM
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I'm working on my RSS pre-conference for IL2006 so I'm finiding a bunch of new RSS tools. Here's Widgetbox's Scrolling RSS News Ticker web widget.
Labels: rss
posted by Michael @ 12:10 PM
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I was getting tired of my normal-looking Prince Charming-based avatar so I spent some of my Linden on a Gossamer avatar. Here I am outside the SL Library.
Labels: second life
posted by Michael @ 11:13 AM
1 Comments
You can now bring a limited amount of liquids and gells with you on your flight! This includes, and it's about time, any liquids purchased inside security. (No more gulping hot coffee at the last second before boarding.) There are rules however, so you need to be aware of them.
Labels: comicbooks
posted by Michael @ 9:27 AM
0 Comments
It's official. I'll be in the vol. 1, no. 1 of the Journal of Web Librarianship. This will be my first peer reviewed publication.
posted by Michael @ 7:10 PM
2 Comments
Labels: bcr, colorado, css, firefox, idaho, rss, second life
posted by Michael @ 3:15 PM
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The Mianatra Center for Lemur Studies is looking for a part-tim librarian. If that's not your style Torres Advanced Enterprise Solutions is looking for a Chief Librarian to be stationed in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
posted by Michael @ 2:39 PM
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I have the greatest Best Friend ever! Wednesday I arived in Phoenix at 2:30 and had coffee w/ L. We then had some dinner and she took me to see the Souls Alike tour with Bonnie Raitt and Keb' Mo'. Keb' Mo' opened and played a full set. Bonnie joined him for one song at the end. After a short intermission, Bonnie Played a full set and Keb' Mo' joined her for a four song encore. As a special suprise, Jackson Brown showed up and joined both of them for a four-song second encore. It was a outdoor concert and the weather was absolutely perfect. We got back to her place about midnight, slept for about 4 hours, and I left for home at 6:35am Thursday morning. Now how's that for a birthday present?
Labels: comicbooks
posted by Michael @ 11:41 AM
1 Comments
There's nothing like coming into work after a few days off to recharge (more about that later) and finding these two gems to make me love this profession.
The first is about John Blyberg and the Cherry Hill Public Library in new Jersey ripping every CD in the collection and making more then 49,000 songs available for patrons to listen to in the library. Yes, even those with laptops over the WiFi network! (John's Technical post and Michael Stephens' post with photos.)
The other item courtsey of Michael Stephens is the video from SJCPL's 2003 staff day. (Be sure to stay through the credits.)
posted by Michael @ 9:55 AM
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Aye, don't forget, tis' Talk Like a Pirate Day. Tis' also my brother's birthday. Happy Birthday Matt, argh! "
posted by Michael @ 8:10 AM
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The Strange "Thing" needs identification. It is currently housed at Western State University in Gunnison, Colorado and they're looking for an answer. Both REAL answers and FUN answers are welcomed, and should be sent to Beth Avery.
Labels: colorado
posted by Michael @ 3:08 PM
1 Comments
I've been asked a few times for permission to reuse a flickr photo of mine for another publication. My CC license allows anyone to use my photos in a non-commercial way as long as they attribute the photo to me. If you want to use it for a commercial purpose, just ask, I'll probably say o.k. and not ask for any money. But, what happens when a photo is used in a commercial magazine, without permission, and without attribution. Lawrence Lessig has the story of one such flickr photo and Autoweek magazine.
posted by Michael @ 3:02 PM
0 Comments
I'm not the best photographer in the world but I'm getting better. IMHO this is one of the best photos I've ever taken and if you're in need of some new desktop wallpaper feel free. (Just click on the photo, select "all sizes" and choose the size appropriate for your desktop.)
Labels: colorado
posted by Michael @ 10:34 AM
1 Comments
Last week the Liminal Librarian posted her Ten Do's and Don'ts for Conference, Workshop, and Program Organizers. As someone who has been doing presentations and workshops for the past ten years I can say that some hosts are better than others. (I am also not picking on anyone in particular!) To share one recent story, I was at a conference and there was a technology issue in which the security folks didn't want to allow me to hook up my laptop to their Internet connection. The on-site coordinator (someone who wasn't actually part of the conference but worked for the institution where the conference was being held) finally asked me "What do you need?" and was able to get me exactly what I needed to make my presentation not only easier for me, but better for the attendees. Now that's service!
posted by Michael @ 9:15 AM
0 Comments
Cory's review contains some strong language so you've been warned. He goes into detail section by section but here's his central argument:
"The difference between Amazon and Amazon Unbox is like night and day. When you sign onto Unbox, you sign away all the amazing customer rights that Amazon itself is so careful to protect. Amazon Unbox takes away your privacy and every conceivable consumer right you have, and then tells you that the goods you buy from them don't belong to you, and they can take them away from you at any time, or change the deal you get from them without any appeal by you."
posted by Michael @ 3:04 PM
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For those who weren't around for the browser wars here's a primer that goes all the way back to Mozilla v. Netscape and bring's everything up to date with Firefox 2.0 v. Internet Explorer 7.
Labels: firefox
posted by Michael @ 2:54 PM
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There's going to be a new Sarah Jane Smith special this fall on the BBC and then a new series in 2007. If you don't know who she is, you're probably not interested.
posted by Michael @ 12:01 AM
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iTunes 7 is now available for download from the Apple site. The "check for updates" feature in iTunes 6 keeps reporting that the update server is unresponsive so if you want it, a direct download may be our only option for the near future.
posted by Michael @ 2:17 PM
0 Comments
Information Today, Inc. has asked me to do a book signing session for Blogging and RSS: A Librarian's Handbook at Internet Librarian! It's currently scheduled to happen in the Information Today, Inc. booth on Wednesday, October 25 from 12:15 to 1:45. Come by and say hi. Book purchase not required but strongly encouraged.
Labels: rss
posted by Michael @ 1:45 PM
2 Comments
Engadget covered the "It's Showtime" keynote that finished within the past 1/2 hour. If you're wondering what's up with the iPod, iTunes, and the iTunes Store, this is the post you need to read. (My favorite part, iTunes 7 will give you album art for your music as long as you have an account. This includes music you imported yourself!)
posted by Michael @ 12:52 PM
0 Comments
I once surfed for RSS icons and found more than 20 different ones regularaly used. Noticing that iTunes started using a new icon to represent podcasts I decided to take a look for those this time around. Here's seven. There were others but they were mostly variations on the ones reprinted here. So, what do you think? Which do you feel should be the standard?
posted by Michael @ 11:37 AM
5 Comments
I've moved my iTunes folder off the network to my now-larger hard drive (more about that later) so I had to resubscribe to some of my podcasts. Unfortunately, the iTunes store seems to be down. My guess is that they're prepping the system for the soon-to-be-released movie downloads.
posted by Michael @ 11:20 AM
0 Comments
It looks liek YouTube has improved it's player again. The one thing I did notice worth mentioning is the fact that the embedded player (left image below) is different from the player used on the YouTube site (right image below). On the site you get time information and the ability to control the player's volume. In the embedded player there's only a mute button and no time information.
Labels: youtube
posted by Michael @ 11:15 AM
0 Comments
Airport Wireless Internet Access Guide
Welcome to TravelPost.com's definitive, comprehensive guide to airport wireless connections in the USA. From top US airports like Atlanta Hartsfield International to smaller airports like El Paso International, we provide the most complete listing of wireless Internet access, service providers, airport coverage areas and Internet subscription pricing plans available. With TravelPost.com's guide to airport wifi, travelers can easily determine which airports offer wireless Internet access and which airports offer free wireless high speed Internet access.
If you are considering a subscription to a wireless Internet service plan through providers like T-Mobile, Verizon, Boingo and AT&T, use this guide to find the service provider that best meets your needs based on which airports you use and your pricing and access requirements. Provided with each airport is a link to the TravelPost.com hotel directory for travelers to find hotels with wireless Internet access.
Enjoy this free service for travelers provided by TravelPost.com"
posted by Michael @ 2:34 PM
0 Comments
MSNBC has fired Eric Alterman but he's allowed to give his response on his MSNBC blog.
posted by Michael @ 1:50 PM
0 Comments
Microsoft has released beta 1 of the Microsoft Expression Web Designer, the follow-up to FrontPage. I've installed and played with it a little bit and here's my initial reactions:
The interface is nice and easily understood after about five minutes of poking around. I especially like the ability to split the screen between code and WYSIWYG editing.
With Microsoft's "we write good clean code now" push, a validator is included in Expression. The validator does allow you to choose which level of "compatibility" you would like to test against.
The list of validation errors appears below. In this example, since I was validating against XHTML 1.0 Transitional, it did tell me that the legacy FrontPage Webbot in my code may cause problems. Bravo!
The menu-based CSS editing will take me a bit of getting used to since I'm comfortable writing CSS by hand. I can see this being very useful to someone new to CSS.
The new "Optimize HTML" feature seems useful but I've not played with it yet.
Expression's "Preview in Browser" feature is flexible. It auto-detects which browsers are on your computer and you can set up different preview types including multiple browsers in a specific resolution.
Expression still works with servers that have the FrontPage extensions installed but it doesn't seem to have a built in FTP and/or SFTP client allowing me to easily access sites on non-FrontPage servers. (I've got just one site I work on that is still on a FrontPage server.) I'm not planning on moving from HTML-Kit to Expression until I see what the actual cost will be (or maybe if I get it for free as part of some Office upgrade). Overall though, it does seem to be leaps and bounds ahead FrontPage and Microsoft deserves kudos for this product.
posted by Michael @ 10:40 AM
0 Comments
OneGoodMove.org has John Stewart's first post-9/11 broadcast. Watch it again if you've seen it before.
posted by Michael @ 9:12 AM
0 Comments
Two weeks ago I mentioned MyWetStuff.com, a new service for travelers that allows them to order personal care items online (the stuff that you can't bring in a carry-on any more) and have those items delivered directly to their hotel. The site was giving out the first $1,000,000 worth of items for free (with a limit of $15 per customer). I decided to try it out and here's my review:
I had signed up in advance and finally received an e-mail with a link letting me that the service was up and running. The first 12-hours worth of attempts to get into the system failed as the site seemed to have crashed. (Unfortunately, I didn't get any screenshots of that.) Finally that evening the site was working again and I was asked to sign up for an account. Quickly I realized that I was going to end up reviewing their site's usability as much, if not more, than the service as I had originally intended.
While registering for my account I was asked to enter a password. As I typed in the password I wanted to use for the first time, an alert window informed me that I had "exceeded the maximum number of characters allowed."
My typical password length is ten characters but since I was typing it quickly, I had no idea how many over the limit I had gone. Besides, there was nothing on the screen indicating that there was a limit. So, I backspaced to the clear the field, and this time typed slowly and counted my keystrokes. Turns out that the ninth keystroke triggered the alert so eight characters was the limit. I completed the form with my new, less secure password and clicked the button to submit my account information. I received the following response: "passwords must be between 6 and 8 digits long and must include at least one numeric digit"
At this point there are several problems the least of which is the lack of any capitalization or punctuation in this message. Next up the scale is the fact that I'm wondering what a non-numeric digit is. Most importantly, why wasn't I given this information on the previous page? Had I know this, I wouldn't have to repeat the process or even get the alert I'd received on the previous page. (In my defense, the eight character password I'd selected included a "$" which didn't seem to be good enough for this system.)
I chose a password for the third time and finally had my account and could finally start shopping.
The selection at this time is minimal but there were enough of the basics in the system for me to be able to choose some toothpaste, hair gel, and deodorant. (I'm a guy, shopping for this stuff is not all that difficult or time consuming.)
I added all three items to my shopping cart (grand total of $0.00 since I had a free $15 and the total was a very reasonable $3.40) and headed for checkout. Next I'm asked for the address of my hotel so the items can be shipped to the correct location and arrive on the same day I do.
Then I'm asked for my credit card information.
For a moment I'm confused. Isn't this going to be free? The screen doesn't say why the need the information (shouldn't it?) but I guess that the shipping's not free so I go ahead and fill in my information.
I'm right, shipping's not free but how much could it possibly cost to pack and ship three trial-sized personal care items? Turns out it'll cost me $13.50! What, are they using FedEx overnight to ship this stuff? Wouldn't the postal service work just fine? This stuff isn't going to go bad in the few days it'll take. Needless to say, I didn't complete the order. I'll check my bag.
posted by Michael @ 8:51 AM
2 Comments
Also from NPR, they covered Wikiepdia (yet again) this morning on All Things Considered in a bit titled Wikipedia Wins Users and Critics
"Wikipedia is the ever-evolving work of hundreds-of-thousands of volunteer writers and editors who range from high school students to academic scholars. This leaves the online encyclopedia open to criticism and ridicule. That doesn't seem to stop people from using the site as a source for knowledge. Jenny Lawton of Chicago Public Radio reports."
Labels: wikipedia
posted by Michael @ 8:19 AM
0 Comments
For the record, I've never sais that USB drives weren't secuirty risks at all, just that with a little planning and smarts, you could minimize the risk to near zero. The latest episode of Hak.5 shows you how to make a jump drive that, when plugged in, can steal your Windows password in less than a few seconds. (It's about 1/2 way through the episode.) However, that computer must be running in administrator mode, which, none of your public computers are doing, right?
Labels: windows
posted by Michael @ 8:19 AM
0 Comments
This past Friday NPR broadcast a commentary titled "Life in the Commonwealth".
"Maybe it's a good thing that libraries exist today because with our attitude we would never start them today."
posted by Michael @ 8:18 AM
0 Comments
I'm selling a copy of the latest Terry Brooks novel on eBay. If you win, I'll get it autographed for you. It would be a perfect Christmas gift. Hurry, the auction ends Tuesday.
posted by Michael @ 2:25 PM
0 Comments
This may not be legal but Weird Al's White & Nerdy (mp3) is just too funny to keep to myself.
posted by Michael @ 2:14 PM
1 Comments
I havn't blogges about Amazon.com's downloadable video service Unbox yet and I wasn't planning to until I say that they are offering a limited number of Doctor Who episodes (the original 1963-1989 series). I ove the fact that they're doing this but if you look at the details, the downloads (good for 30 days worth of viewing) are $1.99 each. That's $1.99 per 25 minute episode of which 4-6 episodes typically formed a complete story. So, at a minimum, you're looking at $8-12 for a 1:30-2:15 show. That's a bit high in my opinion.
Labels: doctor who, ie, video
posted by Michael @ 9:43 AM
0 Comments
If you're playing with the Catalog Card Generator please submit your work to the Catalog Cards Pool.
Labels: generator
posted by Michael @ 2:36 PM
0 Comments
No matter how cool a people counter ever can be, must it really be marked as the "Peoplecounter X-Treme™"?
posted by Michael @ 2:10 PM
1 Comments
As a follow-up to my recent post regarding one problem I'm having with Bloglines, here's another one. In this case, when I click on a folder that contains multiple feeds with unread items instead of getting a display of the unread items, I get just a list of the feeds that have unread items. If I click on a folder that contains unread items from just one feed, it works as it should.
posted by Michael @ 11:12 AM
2 Comments
I'm a little behind on blogging this one but John's at it again. Go retro by creating your own library catalog cards online, scribbles included.
Labels: generator
posted by Michael @ 10:09 AM
0 Comments
For those that feel I only like pointing out "bad" library signs, here's a wonderful recent addition to the Library Signage pool. Its user friendly, a great play on words, but let's everyone know what the rules are.
posted by Michael @ 9:06 AM
1 Comments
You may have heard that you can get the new Bob Dylan album via iTunes. But did you know you can get Bob Dylan: The Collection from iTunes. Every (52) live and studio album, 773 tracks including 42 "rare" tracks, and a 100-page booklet for $199.99. If you have iTunes installed here's a link to the store.
posted by Michael @ 12:27 AM
1 Comments
Yes, if you miss an episode the Battlestar Galactica videos page has an archive.
Labels: video
posted by Michael @ 12:25 AM
0 Comments
I just finished up an Infopeople presentation on CIPA and DOPA and this was the most interesting slide/topic discussed. For years now I've been pointing out to libraries that may have inconsistent polices and that is exactly what this slide addressed. The presenter pointed out that many libraries who fiter also have adopted the library bill of rights. However, LBR says that the library does not descriminate based on age yet the filtering system does exactly that. A great point! Do you filter based on age? If you do, then you're in conflict with LBR...
posted by Michael @ 2:57 PM
1 Comments
Just got the following e-mail from my editor at Information Today. (Names obscured to protect the guilty.)
Actually, the book is shipping to the indexer tomorrow, which means it should be heading to the printer in about 3 weeks. That means were looking at publication during the last week of October/first week of November.
Also, just to let you know, we received some great blurbs from SA, BD, and SJ-S that we'll be using on the cover and in marketing materials.
posted by Michael @ 1:22 PM
2 Comments
Will someone please tell me where the aisle is in this plane?
posted by Michael @ 12:56 PM
4 Comments
I've been having a problem with Bloglines lately and I wonder if I'm the only one. As illustrated in the attached screenshot, I have feeds in which I'm marked one or more items as "keep new" and that is accurately reflected in the feed's title on the left. However, when I open that feed, the kept items are not being displayed. Am I alone? Is there a solution?
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