#23 Is this really the end?

• What were your favorite discoveries or exercises on this learning journey?
  
  YouTube
  LibraryThing
  
  
  
• How has this program assisted or affected your lifelong learning goals?
  
  It made me realise how little undisturbed, unscheduled time I really have.
  
  
• Were there any take-aways or unexpected outcomes from this program that surprised you?
  
  not really
  
  
• What could we do differently to improve upon this program’s format or concept?
  
  One of the aspects of Web2.0 that is likely to be causing us a great deal of trouble is the legal and taxation aspects of Web2.0 transactions. An example is this ABC transcript
  
  
  And last but not least…
  
  
• If we offered another discovery program like this in the future, would you again chose to participate?
  
  I'd consider it..
  

#22 Audiobooks

huh.. this takes me back. I used to have to rip the tracks off the audiobook CDs at the public library to get them on my MP3 player. Nice to know that you can download them direct these days. However the PLCMC website I couldn't find how to register online, so I can't access Net Library.

When I used to buy AV stock, there was a huge divide in the clientele between the unedited narrative, and the audio play. I can imagine the that division still exists.

#21 Podcasts, Smodcasts

I like the idea of podcasts, but I found my usual problem flicking through Yahoo! Podcasts. Generally speaking, I have trouble sitting long enough to get through an entire podcast. For example, I downloaded a 41 minute Podcast, and it took 35 seconds for me to be interrupted, and 2 minutes and 31 seconds for the TV to be turned on over the top.

So between kids, family and work, it is almost inconceivable to have that much listening time. About the only time I can listen to stuff is commuting, and generally I prefer music. For this I use an iPod, which even as we speak is downloading my podcast subscriptions, but even then it's hard to find time to watch/listen to them. I currently have 18 unwatched episodes of Chaser's War on Everything to watch on my iPod.

In principle fabulous, in practice not as good as a book, since I can generally quickly re-read the last sentence to get back on track.

#20 You too can YouTube

Video worth viewing - the entire Chad Vader series. Excellent stuff.

Library Dominos - please reshelve after your fun..

YouTube is probably the single most influential piece of Web2.0 around. It is redefining the the political debate, it challenges advertising censorship (e.g the banned Bondi Blonde Beer ad http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWGGMWRfhQs ), music videos from all manner of bands totally circumventing the recording industry, and at it's darkest the release of amateur video from school fights , the gang rapes, firefights in Iraq.

So I think what impresses me about YouTube is less the technology, because really transferring movie file around is not the revolutionary, and if you go into the dark side of the net you can get plenty of video from the file sharing networks, but their rather brazen editorial policy of pushing the legal edges of copyright, censorship and government control, not to mention good taste. It is heartening that in the age of media mega-corporations, independant media is still valued and sought after. In that sense, YouTube reflects the values that Librarians are championing in their professional value statements of challenging censorship.

#19 Discovering Web 2.0

I chose Facebook, because I'd heard about it and it won the Social Networking category.
According to Facebook I have no Friends, and there is something called "the Wall" which in Sydney is a place in Darlinghurst where you can rent a young male friend.

Maybe I'm obtuse.. but a thread called "Would you lick the person above you in this thread?" seems perhaps not the best use of current technology. On the other hand, the one on Atheism was kind of interesting. The strange thing is that it was pretty much the same collection of posters on both threads. Fundamentally, I don't see these as much different to the old Bulletin Boards that have been around for years.

For me, Facebook isn't going to replace the current themed Forums and Bulletin Boards I currently use, and will continue to use in a subject orientated way. I guess I'm not looking for a date, but if I was I use a dating website. Facebook seems just too broad to have any real use beyond posting opinions on odd topics (presuming you have the time for that).

#18 Online productivity

Well having spend 45 minutes fiddling with Zohowriter and being dumped out 3 times, I'm not so impressed with the productivity. Also the writer itself seemed like a tiny little apperture to write in, and the concept of saving my personal documents leaves me cold. If I left business documents online I'd be sacked.. not kidding. ATO takes confidentiality very seriously.

If I was desperate I'd use this.. but I can't imagine being that desperate.

Dose of the Flu, and a week's leave

First 2 weeks of July have flown by. I was knocked down by the flu in the first week, and then spent a week off with he kids home from school. So not much Learning done those weeks, at least not here.

Now back to the mill..