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Category: Tools and Technology

Database Vendors as Service Vendors Rather Than Thing Vendors

Published by Iris on Wednesday, March 21st, 2007

Thinking about databases, again, I began to wonder if they wouldn’t work better if they were completely restructured. What if, instead of subscribing to access to a thing, a database, what if we could subscribed to XMLified information that could get fed into our own, separate user interface, de-duped, and accompanied full text attached whenever possible.

“The” problem (as if there’s only one) would be the metadata. Wouldn’t it be cool if the system could figure out from your searches, clicks, and other behavior what discipline you’re looking for and choose to foreground the metadata that would best suit you and your project?

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A Twitterish Update

Published by Iris on Wednesday, March 14th, 2007

Hmmmm… So I was chatting with CW Sunday night (for me, Monday morning for her) and decided to get myself a Twitter account. Why go on being completely confused by something I hadn’t tried? So I tried it, and now all of a sudden I’ve got 5 friends. How did that happen? I’m confused again. I suppose they were friends of CW and saw me that way.

So for all 5 of my followers out there, I might remember to update the thing every once in a while, but don’t hold your breath too hard. Think of the times you’ve IMed me only to discover that I’d forgotten to change the notification. Now multiply that by a million to account for the fact that I actually use IM for my work, so I try to keep on top of the notifications.

So I’m trying it. So far… it’s ok. Nothing great. But then, I don’t have family who are constantly (or really ever) online, and the same with my friends. So I don’t have the same incentive that other people might.

Oh, and Happy Birthday Steven!

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Twitter Tweet?

Published by Iris on Friday, March 9th, 2007

Can somebody please clue me in? Twitter looks… cute. But I don’t get it. Why would anyone care what I was doing every minute of every day? I’m really not that interesting. And how would I remember to update it every second? And… just… why?

[Update: I see David has the same question. Help us, please. I don’t want to be a fuddy duddy, but I’m confused.]

[Update nearly a year later: This post still gets enough hits (and even a comment or two) that I thought I’d just clarify: I use twitter. I’m addicted to it. I’m still not convinced that a library should have a twitter account, though I know it works for a couple of libraries. But as a tool for personal enjoyment and professional connections between librarians, it’s great… except when it’s down, at which times we all curse it vehemently.)

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