Thing #23 Thoughts

Favorite discoveries: Absolute favorite was LibraryThing, close second was a tie between Del.icio.us and Zoho.

Lifelong learning/goals: I don't always want to take the time necessary to learn something new, especially with net technologies. Because I had a guide here and a goal I did take the time. There's tons and tons of stuff out there and it's difficult to sift out what to study and what is totally useless.

Take-aways or unexpected outcomes: it surprised me that most of this could be figured out on ones own, given some time and effort. Others here in my branch looked over my shoulder and gave me advise on something they ran across they liked, or what worked for them.

23 Things was something completely different to me in terms of self-training, but once I started digging in I found "Things" I already had exposure to or was actively using. The "Things" that were new and interesting gave me confidence to keep working and trying the "Things" that were new and not as interesting. When the realization hit me near the end that I've been around technology as it has been slowly evolving, remembering the late 70's and early 80's and what computers were like then it seemed like I was revisiting some old friends. Some things about technology are the same, they just work better now (I used a TRS-80!).

A phrase that kept being bandied about was "social networking". I'm not sure I understand that part even now. So...young people log on to LibraryThing and look over others collections and they post comments...and then... what? How does this online community thing really work?

One of the surprises was how much time was required to get something to work. It was good that I could just close things down, go do something else and come back another day. I have to wonder just how much time people really spend online? I like the tactile world, I'm happy to turn off the computer. And I'd still rather read a book than a book on computer.

Another surprise is how many people are saying, "there's not going to be any more books". I've heard for twenty years there wouldn't be any libraries, computers would take care of all that. Big changes have happened in our lives with technology, but libraries are still here.

Books started out as something for an elite, only a chosen population could read them, and perhaps that's where they'll go again, for only those few who choose to read them. Don't count books out yet though, just wait and see what happens. Changes in batteries, computers that are smaller, lighter and still readable and don't crash and lose everything would help. But keep looking for the unexpected...
Click here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/6929404.stm