Oh woe is me! This exercise has been a somewhat expensive venture into the world of virus opportunities via music downloads. The resident PC techie started to quiver and shake, eyes rolling frantically around his head as he reached for the mouse, rapidly booted up the virus check and engaged a higher level of fire wall protection. Left with the impression that I had just pressed the button for the final 20 second countdown of a nuclear device I quietly left the study and disappeared into the recesses of the family room.
Some time later I heard the shut down tones of windows vista, closely followed by the thunk of the computer chair hitting the PC table, purposeful footsteps heading in my direction and the words "What the @#$%!&+* did you do that for? Any halfwit knows you do NOT GO ON TO THOSE FREE SITES TO DOWNLOAD MUSIC!!!!!"
Experiment over! From my brief observations, the free music was so remotely removed from my "appeal" zone that it simply endorsed my preference for "pay as I download" where I am able to find music that I enjoy and selectively download the pieces I want. It is very easy to do on my home PC which clearly walks PC dummies such as myself through all procedures relating to music downloading. I am sure that there are squillions of people who love getting stuff for free but the words "there is no such thing as a free lunch" should echo loudly in one's ears as they take advantage of other people's work without paying for the priviledge! Free downloads are a little like swine flu...get up close and personal and be prepared to suffer the consequences...could be that you have a mild infection OR could be that you head for a miserable end. It's really all up to you and your values!!! I can see that the free sites would be a great medium for "would be's if they could be's to be discovered or may appeal more to people who really enjoy local music that does not receive much publicity or air time in mainstream marketing areas but I remain somewhat disconnected from the virtues of free downloading. I also think that some of our clients would struggle to download music in our libraries without some intensive assistance from staff. From past experience, many of our clients simply cannot do this on their own without staff assistance on every occasion. Speaks volumes, huh??? That said, I am not adverse to browsing YouTube to hear snippets of music that I may enjoy, then subsequently pay to download.
Being the crusty old Pukeko that I am, I still get a real buzz going into Marbecks and browsing through their classical CDs for a Smetana, Mozart, Sibelius or Vivaldi, finding a treasure then heading off home with a good cheese, a glass of wine and no interruptions - ahhh heaven!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zuCPYxnqH4
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Week 4 : Books and Social Networking "What fresh hell is this?" [Quote from Dorothy Parker]
What a tutu around Good Reads. Fascinated by some of the information it contains, however I must confess that I really prefer "Library Thing" for ease of access.
I have set up a very small bookshelf with one recommendation and one book that I have read, which I enjoyed tremendously. I would probably suggest Good Reads as an option for some folk...like the dude who wanted a book on sustainable living that he had borrowed (maybe) some several months ago. He could trawl this site for hours and be able to identify from its cover. Guess I should be grateful that I was not asked to find a "book with a purple cover, about...oh, so big..."!!!! as is the usual enquiry!!!!
There were elements of Good Reads that I liked - searching was very quick - however the search options are a little sloppy for my liking. Being the lazy Pukeko that I am I do not want to waste my energy typing in a full title! Gee, big mistake as it brought up everything and its egg. When I searched for the book "The wish list" by Melanie La'Brooy it linked to a wish list of books to read! @#$%&*!*@#, then it did not seem to be aware that the book had ever been published. trolled the La'Brooy titles to see if had been published under another title, but no, not so! This only reinforced my preference for Library Thing.
I have set up a very small bookshelf with one recommendation and one book that I have read, which I enjoyed tremendously. I would probably suggest Good Reads as an option for some folk...like the dude who wanted a book on sustainable living that he had borrowed (maybe) some several months ago. He could trawl this site for hours and be able to identify from its cover. Guess I should be grateful that I was not asked to find a "book with a purple cover, about...oh, so big..."!!!! as is the usual enquiry!!!!
There were elements of Good Reads that I liked - searching was very quick - however the search options are a little sloppy for my liking. Being the lazy Pukeko that I am I do not want to waste my energy typing in a full title! Gee, big mistake as it brought up everything and its egg. When I searched for the book "The wish list" by Melanie La'Brooy it linked to a wish list of books to read! @#$%&*!*@#, then it did not seem to be aware that the book had ever been published. trolled the La'Brooy titles to see if had been published under another title, but no, not so! This only reinforced my preference for Library Thing.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Week 3 : Twitter
For a considerable time I have stood back amused as people extoll the virues of Twitter. In my mind "Twitter" is something that birds do. In my capacity as a pond dweller I hear birds twittering all around me. There are times when I reach for my shanghai in order to remove the twitter and get a bit of peace. Those darned sparrows, blackbirds and larks...But that's another story.
Recently, I had cause to co-erce the fabulous Tosca to put some photos on Twitter, in a rush of blood to my head and a deep desire to gratuitously promote the pond in which I swim!
Having now launched myself off the reed bank on the side of the pond and "played" with twitter I am pleased I have had a go but twitter will not be listed as one of my "Must do" experiences before I go to Pukeko heaven. (Judging by the amount of Pukeko roadkill in my neighbourhood, the chances of that happening are pretty high, but I digress!)
Twitter does not give me the enjoyment "fix" that I gain from real social interaction with other Pukeko soulmates. It seems to be a very superficial means of passing on, often, banal conversation about nothing in particular! Spending my days in front of my computer rather than getting out in the fresh air, moving around and talking to others, would make my white tail feathers droop in despair before finally falling out as I drop sideways off my chair!
I suspect that it may be a medium for passing on the odd informative message provided one did not spend huge amounts of time manufacturing drivel that simply adds to the visual clutter in my life. I would also question whether such utterances change the course of the world, reduce poverty, result in life changing breakthroughs... God forbid that I would choose to spend my days tweeting - that's for the birds!
Recently, I had cause to co-erce the fabulous Tosca to put some photos on Twitter, in a rush of blood to my head and a deep desire to gratuitously promote the pond in which I swim!
Having now launched myself off the reed bank on the side of the pond and "played" with twitter I am pleased I have had a go but twitter will not be listed as one of my "Must do" experiences before I go to Pukeko heaven. (Judging by the amount of Pukeko roadkill in my neighbourhood, the chances of that happening are pretty high, but I digress!)
Twitter does not give me the enjoyment "fix" that I gain from real social interaction with other Pukeko soulmates. It seems to be a very superficial means of passing on, often, banal conversation about nothing in particular! Spending my days in front of my computer rather than getting out in the fresh air, moving around and talking to others, would make my white tail feathers droop in despair before finally falling out as I drop sideways off my chair!
I suspect that it may be a medium for passing on the odd informative message provided one did not spend huge amounts of time manufacturing drivel that simply adds to the visual clutter in my life. I would also question whether such utterances change the course of the world, reduce poverty, result in life changing breakthroughs... God forbid that I would choose to spend my days tweeting - that's for the birds!
Week 2 : Zamzar
Well my feathered friends, what a wonderful gadget Zamzar is. How I wished I had known about it, recently, when I needed to ask some boffins to convert an e-mailed file to a format that my hallowed organisation allowed. What a performance...after blood tests, a battery of psychological intimidation, several tea parties and the involvement of the Video Ref I managed to read the document concerned. The two day delay before the final information arrived could have caused mayhem. Having discovered Zamzar I now realise that all this excitement could have been avoided. The steps to use Zamzar were really easy and the whole experience was considerably shorter and soooooooo easy. Zamzar has been BOOKMARKED in my Favourites.
Having seen Learn.net customers struggle with opening and reading documents that are not supported by the Learn.net applications I would very happily suggest the Zamzar option to such individuals. Obviously such customers would need to have an e-mail account and there are small costs associated with e-mail use, at this stage, I think that the benefit outweighs the cost!
Having seen Learn.net customers struggle with opening and reading documents that are not supported by the Learn.net applications I would very happily suggest the Zamzar option to such individuals. Obviously such customers would need to have an e-mail account and there are small costs associated with e-mail use, at this stage, I think that the benefit outweighs the cost!
Web 2.0 - Awaaaaayyyyyyy! Expectations and more
By Golly, this dodgy weather has had the old Pukeko hibernating early. Having had my nest washed away in the last lot of heavy rain I had to scratch about and find some new nest materials. Imagine my discomfort when the a piece of the local newspaper reminded me that this here blog needs to be completed by this Wednesday!
So here I am, spectacles adjusted, power account up to date and finger exercises in full swing as I start the new day!
Having frolicked through the first stage of Web 2, my little water based colleagues, I'm hoping this time around will be a real doddle. Over the past year I have played with lots of exciting things that can be done on-line and have noticed that there are things that I enjoy and things that I find very boring. Worse still, there are things that can cost a Pukeko heaps of money in PC repairs (My beady eyes narrow at this point as the past remembered lessons learned from downloading free music remain vivid in my mind!)
The jury is out as to the usefulness of blogging with some research indicating that a huge percentage of blogs are started and never continued. It's a great playspace but there is always technology "just around the corner" that some say is bigger, better, brighter, smarter, more likely to change the world! Didn't they say that about Rock and Roll, Space travel, fashion, manners...
I intend the approach this learning with a "slightly" open mind.
So here I am, spectacles adjusted, power account up to date and finger exercises in full swing as I start the new day!
Having frolicked through the first stage of Web 2, my little water based colleagues, I'm hoping this time around will be a real doddle. Over the past year I have played with lots of exciting things that can be done on-line and have noticed that there are things that I enjoy and things that I find very boring. Worse still, there are things that can cost a Pukeko heaps of money in PC repairs (My beady eyes narrow at this point as the past remembered lessons learned from downloading free music remain vivid in my mind!)
The jury is out as to the usefulness of blogging with some research indicating that a huge percentage of blogs are started and never continued. It's a great playspace but there is always technology "just around the corner" that some say is bigger, better, brighter, smarter, more likely to change the world! Didn't they say that about Rock and Roll, Space travel, fashion, manners...
I intend the approach this learning with a "slightly" open mind.
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