Muddiest Point Week 8

Is there a difference between http and https?

Week 9 Reading Notes

Week 9 Reading Notes

Cascading Style Sheets

Thoughts and Reflections:

I thought it was really interesting to learn about how HTML is written. I’ve never actually put that much thought into how web pages are created; they were always just there. However, knowing now how much work is put into the creation, I have a whole new appreciation for people who write HTML. It seems to be tedious work, but I can see the benefit of learning the basic fundamentals for any job dealing with the information sciences. I really like the concept of Cascading Style Sheets because they allow a person to design HTML web pages without being an expert on the syntax…Especially since each action, font, background, etc. has its own command. Obviously both HTML and CSS can get complicated the more in depth you get, but the web learning tools did a great job in breaking the process down so that anyone can learn the basics. I noticed in my reading that only a select few web browsers support CSS, and specifically Chrome was not listed as one of them. I was curious as to why this is the case? Do the others browsers opt out or run something different? Is there no standard HTML style sheet? Even if they don't support CSS, do the web pages still appear how they were intended by the creator?

Week 8 Reading Notes

Week 8 Reading Notes

HTML

·      Use tags to annotate the document content

o   Standard tags for creating HTML

§  Assembling them into desired order

·      IDE Tools automate the tedious and repetitive process of assembling HTML

o   Many developers instead prefer to use a text editor like notepad to create their HTML from scratch

XHTML

·      XML based

·      Reproduce, subset, and extend HTML

·      Difference between HTML and XHTML

o   XHTML documents are required to be “well formed”

§  Meaning that all elements must be in lowercase form, and they must have closing tags and nest properly

§  Attributes must be quoted

o   Separation of appearance and content

§  XHTML must conform to DTD

·      You cannot see tags or other formatting instructions on the document

XHTML Markup

·      Web browsers use markup tags to determine how to display the document

o   Opening and closing tags

·      Recommends using tables as a formatting technique

Style Sheets

·      Used to create uniform appearance by separating page content from the presentation

·      Web page maintenance

·      Templates

o   Separate forms that specify the document layout

·      Cascading style sheets

o   Multiple style sheets can be applied to the same web page       

o   Individual users can customize organizational formatting rules by modeling their own styles after the standard ones

HTML Forms

·      Used to collect input from the users

Muddiest Point Week 7

In the readings for this week, the Google book chapter on HTML references SAS use of HTML, I was just curious to know what exactly SAS is? Is it a special software used for writing HTML?

Week 7 Reading Notes

Week 7 Reading Notes

How Internet Infrastructure Works

·      The internet

o   is a global collection of networks

§  i.e. a network of networks

·      every computer that connects to the internet is part of this network

o   Internet service providers connect at network access points so that their networks can communicate with each other

§  Rely on backbones and routers

§  Routers determine where to send information

·      2 jobs

o   ensures information doesn’t go where its not needed

o   ensures that it does make it to the intended destination

·      passes information between networks

§  backbones? I need clarification on what exactly backbones are/do

o   Domain Name System

§  Transmits human-readable domain name into a machine-readable IP address

§  Essential to the internet’s smooth functioning

o   Internet servers

§  Make the internet possible

§  Servers vs. clients

·      Server send clients requested internet pages

Dismantling Integrated Library Systems

It is more common now when doing research for a person to head straight to Internet search engines rather than library catalogs regardless of the fact that all of the information found on the Internet may not be 100% accurate. People would rather wade through information that was easily and quickly delivered to them than struggle through the frustrating process of searching the library catalog, despite the guarantee of accurate information. People generally have trouble with Boolean searching, which most library systems rely on and would much rather search the internet where all they have to do is type in search terms and their results are delivered based on relevance to those terms. The reliance on MARC records is hindering the search process in library catalogs and is holding back library automation. Also, with libraries taking on many more technological responsibilities (like e-books), the automation systems need to be able to accommodate the integration between print and e-resource materials. I know in my job, we use Sierra by Innovative and it is pretty good at integrating both of our collections. It also provides other useful functions like payments and finance, cataloging and receiving materials, and even ordering materials. I think that it is important for libraries to seek innovation when it comes to ILS platforms, because we are becoming increasingly reliant on technology as a society and libraries need to fins a way to stay current and accommodating so that patrons will continue to utilize services.

The Genesis of Google

I always enjoy learning more about Google, specifically how they operate and their goals for the future. It amazes me that one company can dominant search around the world the way that Google has. They took the concept of providing access to the world’s information and made it a reality. As we saw in the live search application, Google searches are being performed around the world (albeit in some countries more than others). I’m not sure if the places that were lacking searches had more to do with them being less populated areas or perhaps some areas simply do not have the resources available to build network infrastructures, but I would definitely be interested in learning more.

Muddiest Point Week 6

I assume that this will be covered in the next class, but I would definitely like some clarification on the term backbone from the internet infrastructure reading. Thanks!