Tuesday, October 30, 2007
I found all the search tools interesting and a little overwhelming, as some of them returned with massive amounts of related blogs that really didn't seem to relate at all. I suppose I was searching for the more reliable sites, more from organisations than personal blogs. Anyway, Feedster and Technorati were both easy to use.
posted by Bookwormer at 6:48 PM
Saturday, October 20, 2007
After much frustration, I have finally worked out how to create a link to my bloglines account and what a sense of achievement! Through trial and error I have learned so much - in a way it is better than being shown because the mistakes and successes stay fresh in your mind.
On a positive note, I was searching bloglines when I stumbled quite accidentally upon a small blog entry that turned out to be a schoolfriend I had lost contact with 15 years ago. Thank you Learning 2.0 for reuniting us!
On a positive note, I was searching bloglines when I stumbled quite accidentally upon a small blog entry that turned out to be a schoolfriend I had lost contact with 15 years ago. Thank you Learning 2.0 for reuniting us!
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Technology has provided a range of options to make our life easier, but in the process has led to many people feeling overwhelmed and suffering from "techno-stress". Sleep becomes difficult as brains can be over stimulated from information overload.
I'm sure we all experience it at some stage - you get to work and discover a number of emails waiting in your inbox, a couple of voice messages and throw in a fax or two and it appears every one of them requires an immediate response. The perceived need to immediately respond to emails is growing (how many times have you had a phone call - "did you receive my email"? with the implied "why haven't you responded?) and mobile phones means that people are contactable at any stage throughout the day. I have recently seen some examples of mobile phone use that defy belief - from a person at the supermarket phoning home to ask what brand of cereal to purchase to a business woman taking a call (in the library of all places) to critique a list of applicants that had obviously just interviewed, without any thought to all of us who could hear her. What about privacy for those applicants??
Even my traditional family camping trip on the banks of the Murray River has evolved from no communication at all from the outside world (apart from a radio) to mobile phones chirping signifying a call/recent email/text message, portable tv's and dvd players - all the trappings of modern life that we were going camping to get away from!
Don't get me wrong - I love my gadgets and appreciate the ability to find information at any time of the day or night. It just seems that information overload is a real problem and it is a matter of discovering a balance. We need to understand the importance of technology and how it can enhance working and social life, while ensuring it doesn't dominate all our time. I'm sure the younger generations will have a differing view...
Let's hope what we will learn over the next few weeks will help us achieve this balance!
For further information regarding techno stress
www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/05/19/1053196515705.html
www.technostress.com
I'm sure we all experience it at some stage - you get to work and discover a number of emails waiting in your inbox, a couple of voice messages and throw in a fax or two and it appears every one of them requires an immediate response. The perceived need to immediately respond to emails is growing (how many times have you had a phone call - "did you receive my email"? with the implied "why haven't you responded?) and mobile phones means that people are contactable at any stage throughout the day. I have recently seen some examples of mobile phone use that defy belief - from a person at the supermarket phoning home to ask what brand of cereal to purchase to a business woman taking a call (in the library of all places) to critique a list of applicants that had obviously just interviewed, without any thought to all of us who could hear her. What about privacy for those applicants??
Even my traditional family camping trip on the banks of the Murray River has evolved from no communication at all from the outside world (apart from a radio) to mobile phones chirping signifying a call/recent email/text message, portable tv's and dvd players - all the trappings of modern life that we were going camping to get away from!
Don't get me wrong - I love my gadgets and appreciate the ability to find information at any time of the day or night. It just seems that information overload is a real problem and it is a matter of discovering a balance. We need to understand the importance of technology and how it can enhance working and social life, while ensuring it doesn't dominate all our time. I'm sure the younger generations will have a differing view...
Let's hope what we will learn over the next few weeks will help us achieve this balance!
For further information regarding techno stress
www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/05/19/1053196515705.html
www.technostress.com
Thursday, October 11, 2007
The range of creativity that some people possess is astounding and the amount of things that can be done with photos just keeps growing. I liked the option of creating a calendar - they would make great personalised presents for absent friends and family. You have control designing what you want, rather than relying on a representative from a business. Mappr wouldn't load for some reason, but will try accessing from a different place later on.
It is amazing what you can find on Flickr. I thought trying to find photos from the area I grew up in a small Central Victorian town would be a stretch, but no! I spent a lot of time at this waterwheel and it brings back great childhood memories.
