Cloud Computing

While trying to look ahead and see what is coming next, I keep running into a term that I am not sure everyone understands. That term is "Cloud Computing" and I think we are going to be hearing that term more and more.

In order to understand Cloud Computing, let's set the framework for the current model of computing. Think about the way you typically work today. You sit down to your computer, open a file in your documents folder with an application installed on said computer and create a piece of work. If you want to do something different, you open another application on your computer or install another application on your computer to give you more capability. Eventually your computer runs out of memory, storage, processing power or whatever and needs to be replaced with a new more powerful system.

Cloud Computing is different. It refers to the use of multiple networked computers (the cloud) as the primary resource for the computing tasks. That could mean that the software, storage and processing resides on some computers other than your own. Perhaps the most commonly recognizable example of this is our own campus webmail. By using your browser, you access your email but all of the work is being done by the servers on the other side. The sorting, sending, even storage exists on a collection of servers managing your mail, scanning for viruses and spam and more. You no longer need to have an email application on your computer and you no longer need to store email on your computer.

That's a very simple example but there are many more. Some of you may have been to a website called HouseCall which is a site for free virus scanning online. This replaces (to a limited degree) the application installed on your computer that scans for viruses. GoogleApps is an excellent example of Cloud Computing which competes with Microsoft Office in which word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation software as well as document storage is handled online. Even YouTube is an example. With YouTube I can capture video, convert it, and play it. I used to have to install iMovie, Sorrenson Video and QuickTime to do all of that.

If this sounds a little familiar to some of the older or more savvy computer users, that's because it is not new. In fact cloud computing is, essentially, network computing or grid computing. Those that remember the days of dumb terminals might have already picked up on that. To paraphrase Sun Microsystems, the network is the computer and that which sits on our desktop becomes little more than a widow into it.

While each example I have given requires a computer running a web browser, other methods could be used to access cloud computing but this is just an introduction. Over the coming weeks, I'll talk and write in detail about more. In the mean time, see if you can spot some examples of Cloud Computing and post them as comments to this article.

Blogged with the Flock Browser

RSS Readers

Our last Blue Sky Friday discussed RSS and Flock but I thought it might be useful for everyone to see some documentation on the subject. Probably the most important thing about RSS is that you have to have an "aggregator" or RSS reader to be able to read the RSS feed. Most current browsers include an RSS reader. These include Firefox, Internet Explorer 7 (not 6), Opera and Safari as well as Flock. The RSS reader used in Flock and by some of the Firefox users in the meeting is called Sage. If you are using Firefox, you may want to give this one a try. If you cannot view an RSS feed, you are probably using an old browser and need to upgrade.

RSS feeds make it easier to stay on top of the information you want. By finding feeds that focus on your specific topic of interest you can avoid plowing through infromation you don't want. In the case of our own library catalog, you can create a search and subscribe to the feed so that whenever new materials are added, the titles are listed in the subscription.

When searching for RSS feeds, keep your eyes posted for the feed icon. It is the symbol that shows an RSS feed is available for the information you are viewing. Some of my favorite RSS feeds are Digg, BBC Americas, and Slashdot oh and of course the UNF Library's What's New feed. Feel free to leave comments with your favorite feeds.

Top Ten Visions for the Library

I've belonged to the T.A.G. (Technical Advisory Group) for over a year now and one of the first things I talked to them about was putting together a vision for our libraries. I quickly placed mine on the super secret TAG member eyes only blog but no one took up the challenge to confirm my genius or decry my insanity. Now, nearly a year after posting it, I'd like to share it with all of you. Below is my Top 10 list just as I posted it back in 2007.

Top Ten Things I'd Like to See in the Library

Here is my top ten list of the technologies I would like to see in SUS
libraries. It is my personal list. Perhaps others share this vision.
Please comment.

1. Virtual Special Collections.
One firm belief that I have is that if you cannot check it out, it should be available online. I'd like to be able to have a virtual full image tour of Special Collections. Every picture, every object should be viewable and browseable(sp?). I envision something like a QuicktimeVR tour or Second Life exhibit.

2. Patron unmediated borrowing
One-click ILL that goes directly to the lending institution.

3. Patron unmediated checkout
It just sounds cooler than self check-out

4. Real-time account creation.
From Banner's mouth to Aleph's brain, when you become a part of the university family, you shouldn't have to wait to have a library account nor should our librarians have to create a temporary ID.

5. All SUS users accessible through Aleph
Please don't make me leave Aleph and go to a web page to determine the status of another University student already in Aleph. Don't even make me log in as someone special. We have a union catalog, how about a union patron file?

6. Catalog results with book covers, reviews and a virtual map
I want to see the book. I want to know what the faculty and post grads think and I want a picture of where to go to get the book.

7. Catalog results with campus associations
If we have an authority in the field of astrophysics, I'd like to know it when I pull up hits in our catalog on the subject. Have contact info or links to their website. This is the next step in knowledge management IMHO.

8. Seamless sign-on for Aleph patrons
Once you log into the network, you shouldn't have to login to your library account. You certainly shouldn't have to have a separate user name and password.

9. A single report to display holdings count and circulations by call number range
Doesn't everyone want this?

10. SUS driving media contracts
We have the power to tell the vendors what we want and the what rights we want if we bargain collectively. I think we give up too easily.