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Dessi Gradinarova-Kirova

http://www.social-informatics.org/db/13/1469/Bibliography/Designing%20for%20Virtual%20C... - 0 views

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    The chapters in this volume explore the theoretical, design, learning, and methodological questions with respect to designing for and researching web-based communities to support learning. The authors, coming from diverse academic backgrounds (computer science, information science, instructional systems technology, educational psychology, sociology, and anthropology), are frank in examining what we do and do not know about the processes and practices of designing communities to support learning.
beestel

E-books benefit Society - 0 views

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    I read this article detailing why e-books are better for the environment, cheaper, easier for eyes to read, convenient... My question is if anyone has an e-book reader and how they like it. I'm considering one of my own.
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    I received a Kindle as a gift, but I have not started using it. I guess I am very old-fashioned and I like the actual experience of having a paper copy in my hands. Occasionally I read text online, but it is nice to feel the paper in your hands. I agree that it is getting very important for all of us to start thinking about how much paper we use and how to be environmentally smarter. Also, I have to say that The Kindle is gentle on the eyes, much more than one would think.
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    I have very mixed feelings about ebooks. I am really excited that we will cover this for a week in this course. I just got an ipad from my parents as a going away gift, and I know it will be an essential tool in obtaining english language books overseas. They would have been too expensive otherwise (even my local ILL is 6Euros and up, depending where the book is). For me, there's no question that it is most efficient and economical distribution channel to get books. That said, I am wary of obsolescence, and very upset that most of these devices prohibit sharing. I am starting to get frustrated with the limits and controls on Apple products - it is my understanding that the Kindle is probably the most prohibitive though. Sharing great books with friends or through the library creates community and is better for the environment than plugging in more devices that use electricity. It's an interesting thing to play around with. The sony ereader isn't praised enough, I think. This device is the most open and programmable, and the most enabled to work with public libraries for elending. I ultimately did not get the ereader since I wanted a device with internet browsing so I could log in and do some of my classwork.
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    I have a Kindle and I LOVE it. I will admit that I hate that I cannot share my books with my friends as this is something that I used to do all the time. The Nook has that capability and there are rumors that Amazon will push through software that will allow this capability and I really hope they do. The Kindle has done amazing things for my book shelves and I think my husband is thrilled that we no longer have to keep adding. It is a dedicated ereader so it is limited to what I can do compared to an iPad but when I just want to read something the Kindle (or ereader) cannot be beat. While you are reading the iPad you are looking a computer monitor and that really strains my eyes. The Kindle is exactly like reading a book and there is no eye strain. Plus, the Kindle is a lot lighter than a book so it is much more comfortable to hold for long periods of time. It is great when I travel because I have a ton of books loaded onto my Kindle and I am set to go and I do not have to worry about their weight or carrying them around. Dessi mentioned that she liked having the old-fashioned paper in her hands and I thought I was going to be that way as well but I got over it real quick! I will admit that I do not like it for my school text books because I like to be able to visually see my books and I place notes all over the place with post-its and an old-fashioned book is just better for me in that respect.
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    They all seem to have advantages and disadvantges... I agree one problem with the ipad is the screen - it's better than a typical computer screen, but not as easy on the eyes as a dedicated e-reader. I am still attached to the physical experience of reading and writing, but that's cool that has really worked for Heather. One of the reasons why it might have not worked for scholarly reading is that the tools still seem limited for engaged reading, marking up texts, highlighting, etc. I am hoping there will be good apps for this with the ipad (i just got it and haven't had a chance to look). Beestel, you have to read through the details of each device to find out what is best for you and your reading needs.
Jessica McDonough

Signalling dissent - 0 views

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    Savvy techies are finding ways to circumvent politically motivated shutdowns of the internet. Dissidents get around government shutdowns of the Internet via range-extending antennae, satellites, microwave ovens' radio waves, short-range radio stations, and converting digital computer data to analogue radio signals and back to computer data again.
Lilia p

Pew Internet Research - 2 views

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    This is an organization that publishes credible statistics and research reports on internet usage
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    Great place to find stats of internet use and demographics
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    I've seen their director Lee Rainie speak a few times as the lead keynote at Computers in Libraries. He is such an amazing speaker, I keep going even though each year he pretty much gives an update on their research into internet usage.
Laurie A.

Planned obsolescence - 0 views

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    A nice summary of the concept as it relates to style and functionality. Fashion was one of the first industries to capitalize on it, and as certain products such as computers do not noticeably improve, companies have to use style, rather than functionality, to sell them.
Jessica McDonough

Anonymous no more - 1 views

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    Is browsing anonymously possible?
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    Not surprising that FB is behind this one... it's interesting that it took the national media's attention to change it: "Facebook plugged this leak of personal information, but only after the problem was given prominent coverage in the Wall Street Journal. When the leak was highlighted by computer scientists in August 2009, nine months earlier, Facebook took no action."
Laurie A.

I took the Turing Test; Review of The Most Human Human: What Talking With Computers Tea... - 0 views

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    Review of a new book about the Turing Test, which Nick Carr discusses briefly at the end of The Shallows. The author Brian Christianson sets out to win the Turing Test.
Debbie Drachman

U.S. Public Libraries and e-Government Services - 0 views

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    Some statistics on the use and availability of public library computers.
Laurie A.

Program on Liberation Technology - 0 views

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    This center explores how ICTs foster/hinder freedom, democracy, human rights & development.
Andrew Luck

Amazon outage sparks frustration, doubts about cloud - 0 views

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    The computing cloud run by Amazon suffered an outage last week. Could this inspire a lack of confidence in the technology? Our Professor may have some feelings about it.
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