Thing #10: More Flickering Around

I used Spell with Flickr to create the above graphics by copying the html into my blog post (under the "Edit Html" tab) which I never knew you could do. So that part was cool. It was also fun to play around with the different letters. So, anytime I didn't like what one letter looked like or how it fit within in the word, I just clicked on it and a new version popped up. I didn't spend too much time doing this and I noticed that the same letters kept appearing - I wonder how many photos of each letter there are. The person who created this is mining a group created on flickr called the One Letter Group. I don't reallly understand what it takes to write the code for such an application or how the letters get picked, but it's fun to play around with.






I used Image Chef to make this stunning piece of bling. It takes an oversized gold necklace to say what I really feel about 16 Things. This was also really easy to post to the blog by copying the html into the post. I can see where these sites could get addicting.

Most of the sites that I explored, although enjoyable, were pretty gimicky. Personally, I would have little use for them in my actual artistic production, but think they are great for cards, invites, etc. I could see someone using these sites for actual artistic production in a way that uses the actual process to critique the amount of free imagery floating around the web and it is interesting what can be created (sometimes randomly as in the case of the spelling with flickr). And it would be amazing if I could superimpose my friends or colleagues heads onto any celebrity body - that would never get old.

This is an image by Erik K. Veland. I can not figure out how to add a link to the photograph on flickr. This is how flickr explains the process, but I can't find the url address once I've clicked on the size photo I want to use. But the flickr page I found it on can be accessed here and provides lots of information about koalas - including some Wikipedia information (how's that for 16 things overlap). It would have been even cooler if Mr. Veland had just included a link within his description of the photograph to the Wiki page or to some spectacular Google Doc or Tweet!!

I think flickr has some very useful features for archiving and sharing photographs. My father has been the family photographer for decades and now has thousands of slides of every possible family event. For the past several years he has been scanning the slides as a form of archiving and storing on hard drives and CDRs. He often sends CDs to extended family. It would be easier and less time consuming to set up a flickr account and provide access to family members.

Personally, I don't have much use for flickr for my images. I shoot large format film and don't make all that many exposures. The resulting files from scans of my film are huge (1.4GB) so flickr couldn't really function as an archive. Also, my website holds smaller versions of all of my work for the public to see (and also includes important contact information, resume, publications, etc.).

I wasn't entirely impressed with how flickr was set up. The search function seemed a bit arbitrary - when I type in "Bob" a picture of a sunset appears, when I type in "Sunset" a sunset-less picture of Niagara falls shows up (when I type in "Niagara falls" the same image that appeared for "Sunset" showed up). The advanced search is more useful, but I feel like these options should be part of the standard search function. I would also like to see a slide show function for an individual's photographs. There is the ability to slide through one person's thumbnails, but what if you want to see larger images in a slide show? (I admit I am far from a flickr expert so I may be missing something here).

Finally, who decides what images are considered interesting under the explore function (what flickr calls "interestingness")? Does it have something to do with how many people look at a particular image or is there someone behind the curtain making all of these decisions? I did like the slide show function I found once I clicked on the link for "more interesting bits from the last 7 days."

Thing 8: Hands off my Wiki!!

Wikis can be very useful for certain circumstances. For example, the Common Craft example of creating a camping supply list makes perfect sense. However, this use for a wiki is very similar to Doc sharing through Google Docs or a similar site. The thing I liked about Google Docs is you could invite people to edit the document and it wasn't completely open to the public. I read some mention of limiting access through Wikis, but it seems they are more generally used as completely open sources of information. The other application where Wikis seem pertinent is the wikiHow site where people are able to provide original How'To info about a wide variety of topics. I'm more skeptical of people quoting Wikipedia in their research because aside from Wiki community control, there is nothing stopping someone from posting incorrect information. On topics that are more subjective, I could see Wikis being more useful.

I found this part of Meredith Farkas' article interesting:

The notion of private property is so deeply embedded in our society that it’s difficult to imagine going onto someone else’s website and changing things, even when they want us to. We’re accustomed to websites where someone is the final arbiter on what can or cannot go into it. With a wiki, everyone is the final arbiter. If I don’t like what someone put into the wiki, I can change it. And if someone don’t like what I wrote, they can make their own changes. The wiki will develop organically to reflect the interests and needs of the group who worked on it.

Personally, I'm wary of the open nature of wikis for objective information. For more opinion based discussions, wikis seem like a great idea.

Finally, if I had to choose between Zeppelin II, IV, and Physical Graffiti I would go with Led Zeppelin IV although both Led Zeppelin III and Houses of the Holy are much stronger albums than the three listed.

Thing 7: Online Collaboration Tools

I used Google Docs to make this post that is now published on the web here. Awesome.

Thing 6: Digg, Reddit...(et al)

I found this image on Digg . . . It was one of the more interesting things I found on this website. I can see how one could refine their use of Digg or Reddit or some of the other websites mentioned through preference changing and search options to make it function as a useful research tool. But for general use, I find these sites a little obnoxious. I can't imagine going to Digg to search for the daily news for example - the posts are all over the place. It is interesting to see what posts attract the most attention - and then I got sort of depressed that the most number of people were interested in some young woman that got arrested for swearing on a 9-1-1 call. You can check out all the pertinent details here.

Thing 5: Beyond MyFaceSpaceBooking

I wasn't as impressed with Twitter and Plurk as I have been with the other Web 2.0 tools so far. They seem a little redundant in their use. I like the RSS feeds to get my news/information in one location. It seems with the RSS you get the headline, a brief description of the story (basically a Tweet), but also get the whole article if you choose to read it. Also, as mentioned in my previous post about Facebook, I don't need to know what people are up to every second of the day and I am sure not going to be telling the world every time I have a cup of coffee or something trivial like that.

Of the two sites (Twitter and Plurk) I liked the interface of Plurk more. The timeline function is nice and I like that you can start communications with people and know who responded and when. However, I wonder if a site like Plurk can really take off once Twitter is so firmly established. Unless there is some functionality between the two sites where you can import/export contacts or friends/fans or whatever they are called, who would want to start over with a less well known micro blogging site?

Thing 4: Social Networking

I keep forgetting to title my blog posts . . . see below.

I've had a Facebook account for the past year and find it quite entertaining but also a time wasting distraction. Also, I don't really care if John Smith "is enjoying the view" and Jane Doe is "effin' a right doggie." I don't even know what that last one means (both posts are actual Facebook updates within the last two hours).

It is nice to "re-connect" with people you have completely forgotten about from grade school - along with remembering who these people actually are comes a whole bag of previously forgotten (repressed?) memories from different stages of your life. I do like looking at other "friends" photographs, although I feel some people should be a little more discerning on what images make it onto the site, especially since employers are now looking at such social networking sites before hiring.

I don't see Facebook as a professional networking device even though I'm connected to several colleagues through the site. LinkedIn seems to be a little more professionally orientated and I have a profile on this site also. LinkedIn seems a little more clunky in its functionality but also more formal - less options for sharing photos and taking silly quizzes.

I looked at mySpace and still find it unnecessary to join this network. The Pulse function on Plaxo is interesting, but I don't think I need yet another social network. Is there a way to forward all of these accounts into one - like email accounts? Besides, I'm scared of those faceless people on the Plaxo home page.

Thing 3: Online Communication

Being a faculty member, I don't have a student portal account. Still, reading through the information posted on 16 Things proved how important this resource is for our students. Because our school is located downtown we lack a certain type of campus community that other colleges and universities have. Any type of online communication/networking becomes much more important so that students feel connected to this institution, the people that work here and their fellow students.

Just finished the RSS feed section of 16 things. This is great - previously, I spent lots of time searching the same websites for any information about the Colorado Avalanche. Now, it all just comes directly to me! Joe Sakic (pictured at right) retired yesterday - so sad.

Beyond just checking up on hockey rumors, this is a great resource for instructors. I use blog posts for reading material in classes because of the up-to-date nature of the information. Basically, this makes my job easier and more efficient (good things for me) and helps me disseminate pertinent info to students. First day of class - Avalanche quiz!

Thing 1 - done. I'm excited to start my 16 things. So far, I'm impressed with the AiM 16 Things tutorial - it's very easy to follow and has all the necessary (and some extra) resources to not only create a blog, but also to give information along the way.