November 17th, 2009
While waiting for your Google Wave invitation, you could try an already-existing form of online collaboration: the wiki.
So you’ve done a 
presentation or you have an idea that you would like to expand…wouldn’t you like to allow your audience to contribute to your vision?
You have procedures that you would like to share with your staff…let your staff collaborate with you!
If you would like to create a collaborative website, or a just place for your own notes, try creating a wiki. Here is a practical introduction to Wikis in the workplace.
- Some OPLIN staff members use these free wiki packages: TiddlyWiki and dokuwiki.
- Or here is a wiki comparing available wiki software: Wiki farm
Two examples of a wiki in use:
Cool fact from this 4Cast:
“Wiki” has been backronymed by some to “What I Know Is” (Wikipedia)
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November 12th, 2009
Online privacy has been a concern since the first online account was created. Recently, Google announced the launch of Google Dashboard. This is a new service that summarizes the data stored with any Google account. Once you log in to any of your Google accounts, there is a link to Google Dashboard in the “personal settings” of the “my account” page.
Your private data will be collected and stored if you go online. Here is one way for you to control at least one aspect of it.
- Two resources for people who think their online rights or privacy have been violated:
Electronic Privacy Information Center was established in 1994 draw attention to online emerging “civil liberties issues and to protect privacy, the First Amendment, and constitutional values.” EPIC also publishes an online newsletter on civil liberties in the information age – the EPIC Alert. They also publish reports and even books about privacy, open government, free speech, and other important topics related to civil liberties.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation protects freedom in the online world. The EFF defends “free speech, privacy, innovation, and consumer rights.”
Cool fact from this 4Cast:
Google said the tool monitors more than 20 commonly used products, including Gmail, Calendar, Docs, Web History, YouTube, Picasa, Talk, Reader, Alerts and Google Latitude.
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November 4th, 2009
Mixed reality seeks to smoothly link physical and digital environments. Using special hardware and software, it’s becoming more and more mainstream.
An environment that combines elements of both virtual reality and the real world could lead to never having to leave the library to attend a meeting. It could mean a whole new way to give presentations. It could be a whole new way to interact with patrons.
Cool fact from this 4Cast:
A practical example of mixed reality is the yellow down marker you’ve seen during football games since about 1998. That yellow line helps us follow the game and has won several Emmy Awards for technical achievement.
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October 28th, 2009
You’ve probably already heard the big tech news this week from the big vendors, such as the release of Windows 7, IE 8, and Droid.
With that in mind, and nothing else to report, we have compiled some fun examples of how Halloween has creeped its way into social media.
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