Friday, January 23, 2009
new to me
I said the first day of class that merely enrolling in Library Systems was a daring thing for me. Not because I haven't been around computers that is inevitable in a library. It's not because I am sheltered Southerner either. It just means that I have not had much experience with things like blogs, wikis or Myspace etc.. I feel like a child walking into a Toys R Us and seeing all the bright new toys and being so excited but not knowing where to start. Despite what some northerners think Southerners around here are pretty tech savvy I am just not one of them. If you need to know where to find good medical information online I can help you, you want to know how to find journal articles online I can help you. You want to set up a Myspace account or find a person's Facebook page, ask someone else. I guess I am functional no-tech person, I can do what I need to meet my personal needs. I hope that taking this class will change all of that. I still however won't be on Myspace, that I can live without.
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"I still however won't be on Myspace, that I can live without."...I couldn't agree with you more! Yes, technology as done wonders for information organization, retrieval, and access, but this whole idea of virtual friends seems incomprehensible. As if an online interaction in any way can take the place of a meaningful connection one can have in the real world. BTW, do Northerners (Yankees as we like to be known as) really think Southerners are not tech savvy? Why is that?
ReplyDeleteIt's true, you don't need to be on MySpace. Facebook, on the other hand, is awesome. Of course, once you're on it, you kinda get stuck there. My sister-in-law says it's like crack. I wouldn't know about that, but it can be quite addicting. It's much less annoying to look at and easier to navigate. Plus, there's just more to do.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean, too, when you say you feel like a kid in a candy store. Sometimes I feel a little guilty because I have access to all of these great applications on my laptop or at school, but I haven't had the time/need to explore them all. Oh well. Someday....
While I enjoy being on Facebook to connect with colleagues and friends, I am suddenly aware of why I kept away from it for so long...people from high school finding me and sending my friend requests. I HATE it and I am constantly getting them. I just quietly delete them and pretend like it never happened. Soon, I might need an alias...
ReplyDeleteHolly, I think you'll be just fine, even if you never set up your own Facebook or Myspace account. I have never had anyone come up to me in a library and ask for help with Facebook or Myspace (I work in an academic library). It seems that the nature of these applications is just to explore and build knowledge as you go. However, your knowledge of medical resources will be very valuable to people who need that important information. I try to understand what people appreciate about programs like Facebook, but it's not neccessary to create your own. To me, Facebook and Myspace are in a separate category because they are designed primarily for social and entertainment purposes. While wikis and blogs are often used as social tools, they have more of a knowledge-sharing function. At least that's my experience...
ReplyDeleteI think you have a good sense of adventure, Holly. It's good to be open to new things and I hope you'll enjoy this semester and learn something about yourself while you learn about technology.
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