Module 4 - Organising Search information

I have selected three sources for the previous task saving their URL and attaching notes on how they were located in BookBuddy. Having problems already with BookBuddy in moving URLs to different categories. Program doesn't seem to work as it should - but the ability to add notes is handy.

1.

URL: http://www.learnthenet.com/english/index.html
Author (s) have not been specifically mentioned
Institution: Privately- held company based in San Francisco, CA (as published on their site About us)

Blurb/ summary: The company focuses on delivering high quality educational products and services in print, CD-ROM and to the desktop, via the Internet and intranets.
Learn the Net's website went online in April, 1996. Since its launch, thousands of businesses, Internet service providers, schools, libraries, and community organizations from around the world have linked to the site as a way of providing comprehensive, user-friendly internet training.

2.
URL:http://www.k12science.org/tutorials/advanced/instructions.html
The Author (s) have not been specifically mentioned
Institution: Stevens Institute of Technology, Centre for Improved Engineering and science education.

Blurb: This self-guided tutorial is intended to be used by those who have an expertise in the basic web browsing features. During the hands-on training that covers Basic Internet Features, it is expected that those advanced users take that time to review more complex technical features of their web browser. Those currently engaged in Basic Training are encouraged to re-visit this web site to further their knowledge about internet browsing.

3.
URL: http://library.stkate.edu/internet/enghelp.html

Author : Not included

Institution: The College of St. Catherine Libraries

Blurb: This site is from the University of California at Berkeley and is designed for beginning and more advanced Internet users. Especially helpful are the tips . (description supplied by Google.com, 10.1.07)

Module 4 - Boolean

Using the same key workds of your last search , think about how you would best search for the following:

• Biggest number of hits relating to advanced internet users:

Using the Google search engine which treats blanks as an implied AND, either query: advanced internet users or advanced + interenet + users delivers 80,800,000 results.

Dewa points out on her blog that using the Boolean OR would result in the largest number of hits - which it does 282,000,000. However the information is sourced from the individual words: advanced internet users, thus the number of hits is very high but in relation to a search for information usefullness is low.

• Sources relating to skills-based information on advanced internet users

Initially I thought I would try my luck with the full string phrase, using google so blank is implied AND no Boolean. I retrieved 162,000 results, the first result being Dewa's Blog.

To narrow the results I keyed this phrase into the google search box: "skills based information" "advanced internet users". 9 results were delivered to me with the top result from Nicholas Zupan (also a NET 11 student). As google reads blank and implied AND I assume "skills based information" AND "advanced internet users" will deliver me the exact same results.....interesting... whilst I still received only 9 results, the ranking changed and now Dewa's is at the top. Using the + symbol between the phrases as provides the same results.

Maybe I should get out more.....as I use Google frequently I decided to tried this exercise on a different search engine. I used MSN Live search and key the phrase in as "Skills based information" AND "advanced internet users". MSN didn't like the search and requested I review, which I did changing the AND to a +, results delivered 2 pages of information, both from Mike Owens blog (Previous NET 11 Student).

• Information on "advanced internet users" coming only from university sources.

A phrase search for "advanced internet users" ".edu.au" delievers 33 results, many of which as current and past Net11 Student blogs.

It has also been suggested that you can use: "advanced internet users" site:.edu.au, where site: is indicating a website with a .edu.au suffix, a test on this resulted in a 48 results returned and none of them are blogs. Using only .edu results in 13,700 results. So whilst a larger number of results were returned, the quality for finding educational resources related to advanced internet users is greater.

Module 4 - Downloading tools /plug-ins task

I am always a bit skeptical when downloading unknown programs, I have never experienced any "bad" coming from a download, but without much knowledge of who you are downloading from it can be cause for concern. I generally try download from the same site www.twocows.com, they are well known and I have had no trouble with their supplied downloads.

Tools for using the web
As I have used PDF, media players and flash often, I downloaded bookmark buddy for Windows (from Twocows - as the bookmark buddy site look at little home grown). I also downloaded the search manager Copernic Meta for PC and Pagesucker for windows (great name!!)

It surprises me that when you download many programs it expects you to know how to use them, some come with no notes or help options. Generally they are not too difficult to understand, but I sometimes wonder if I am using downloaded programs effectively. For example, I accidently downloaded Copernic Desktop Search 2.0, I tried to play around with it but it was never able to locate any files, even when I knew they were there. Instead of spending a while trying to figure it out - I simply uninstalled it.

Bookmark buddy
I use both IE and firefox browsers some things are better displayed in one or the other. The has lead to favourites being stored in one but not the other and when I search for a bookmarked site, only to find it is bookmarked in the other browser, it is frustrating. The bookmark buddy can aid in avoid that. As you can schedule a visit it also means those sites that I save to my bookmarks with the intention of looking at them later, may actually get visited!

Pagesucker
I began "sucking" a site that I often frequent, when I opened some of the sucked files using firefox, I was presented with pages of gobleygook, however when opening in IE the pages presented, however everything was aligned to the left and layout stripped.

On sucking a different smaller site I acheive a successful result.

Whilst I didn't read the full 73 page PDF instruction manual, I was happy it was there, in case I ever need to use this technology. (not sure I will to be honest!).

Copernic Meta for PC
For search I generally jump on my favourite search engine without a second thought, so I was happy to learn of this little program that allows search across multiple engines. I was bugged that I couldn't select google as an engine.

Search Engine Task
1. Choose your most commonly used internet search engine and do a search for the words: advanced internet users. - record the first hit and number of hits in your learning log.

Search engine : Google.com.au

First hit: Advanced Internet users tutuorial.....www.k12science.org/tutorials/advanced/
Number of hits : about 80,800,000

2. Using copernic or similar set it up to search at least three search engines (including one that will search the 'deep web') and repeat exactly the same search. - record the number of hits in your learning log, and compare to your first seach. What differences did you notice? Why? Which search, on first glance gave you the most promising results?

Using Copernic including search engines such as AOL, all the web, MSN, Netscape and Yahoo, strangely enough delievery the same first result as Google has. Advanced Internet users tutuorial.....www.k12science.org/tutorials/advanced/

The Copernic search only retrieved 33 matches. At first glance the Google search delivers a greater number of results however only the top 3 are relavant to our search query. The Copernic search deliverly less total results however the description of the top 5 displays sites that would qualify for delivering a successful result to our search query.

Save at least the first 5 hits of both searches: (sorry for the quality of the screen grabs)

Google

Copernic

Module 3

Thanks to my own curiosity, prior to even considering this unit, with no prior experiece, I started developing my own web page guided by "Build your own Website the right way using HTML & CSS" by Ian Lloyd. It now seems that prior learning can be applied: much of Module three has been a review of what I had learnt through the publication.

Apart from a great revision for a beginner like me, it helps to drum some of the learnings in. There were a few new things that I happily took on board to continue the broadening of my web development skills; (note, i have written the code without the left < , so it does not get picked up as code and you can see it!)

• hr> Horizontal rule
• p> In the publication it was used with a closing tag and only used surrounding a paragraph. Module 3 demonstrates how to use it as a line break without above line spacing as per br>
• pre> Preformatted text
• & nbsp ;
• dl> definition lists
• address> address footers (for title or subject of page, date of creation/update, Copyright, name and email for web page author, name and hypertext link to affiliation /organization.

Not sure if I need to make notes on all the revision questions throughout the tasks, I read and answered them as revision and a sort of checklist - but didn't record the answers. (?) hope that will suffice?

Wowza alright !- working through those tasks took much longer than I expected, but I am happy that it is now done. I would love to upload it to Oasis so everyone can see and read the riviting info about Volcanos!! but I have been continually having trouble uploading (discussion board indicates I am not alone on this!).

I'm off to enjoy a nice break now - Best wishes for the season to all.

Self evaluation

I just took the self evaluation and I am happy that I completed it as it helped to review the information I have worked on over the last 2 weeks. I was disappointed with my score (55%) and in some cases made some silly mistakes (not reading the question carefully!)

Yay! I just took the quiz for the second time and got 100%, very happy now, and I can go and enjoy a restful weekend!

Module 2 Newsgroups, Lists, Discussion boards

Not sure if I am thinking to hard about all these but I seem to be getting myself in a tangle: I will attempt to arrange my thinking with he help of definitions from, How Stuff works.

Discussion Boards:
(from http://computer.howstuffworks.com/newsgroup1.htm)
Forums and discussion boards are very similar to newsgroups, with one major difference: Most forums and discussions boards are kept on a single server maintained by the owner or originator of the forum or discussion board.

Newsgroup:
(http://computer.howstuffworks.com/newsgroup.htm).
A continuous public discussion about a particular topic. Newsgroups are decentralized, which means that the messages are not maintained on a single server, but are replicated to hundreds of servers around the world.

Listserv:
(http://computer.howstuffworks.com/newsgroup.htm).
This is a type of broadcast e-mail. Information on a listserv is sent to everyone who is listed in the e-mail group on the server. The biggest difference between a listserv and a newsgroup is that listservs are not interactive.

---Note: although the above definination states that a Listserv is not interactive, their is such a thing as a list that is interactive.

OK - I think i am getting it....

Thanks to Niina on the WebCT discussion boards Message no. 846, I was able to get a starting point to find some newsgroups on Google to get into. I was interested to read the above definition of newsgroups because, as a first time newsgroup user I found a them similar to discussion boards.

As pointed out by Gregory Williams on the webCt discussion boards (messge 712), forums allow for a number of related topics to be covered in the one board. A newsgroup is so defined that users discuss just that topic. If you go off topic you would be better joining a different group. ie I went into alt.sports.hockey.calgaryflames, to talk about my favourite Ice Hockey team. If I wanted to start discussing the edmonton oilers (as if I would!) and their line up for the season, I would be better to go to alt.sports.hockey.nhl.edm-oilers

My experience with the Google Groups made newsgroups seem like an eBay for conversation, a seemingly endless list of conversation topics (including a fair bit of crap!). Within a few clicks I was reading discussions on Ice hockey, then gardening, water conservation and pregnancy. I didn't post any conversation to any of the newsgroups as the warning about my address being available to the masses scared me off (along with Keith's post on the webCT forums "stay right away") I noticed most posters had a disguised email address. As I had innocently registered using my Curtin email address I did not want to risk being open to anything untoward. However I did opt to have updated discussions sent to me and the very next day I receive an update of the new posts and could respond to the posters or click and be taken to the website based discussions.

• Pros and Cons of Discussion Board v lists
  

Discussion Boards
Pro: allows interactive flow of communication on a particular topic
Cons : (or pro -depending on perspective): what you put in you get out. Discussion boards work best for the user when they are a contributor.

Email lists
Pro: user does not need to contribute, delivered to your inbox, no need to go to a website to get the info, provides information about a topic without the user having to do anything - except register to receive it and read it!
Cons: Mail lists are not interactive, easily deleted. Not all lists are what they seem - you sign up expecting monthly emails about X and you get weekly blasts full of ads.

• Are there certain kinds of communication or purposes more suited to one than the other?

Definately, as well they can work in conjunction . I think discussion boards are best for one to many opinions, questions and as the name imlies "discussion", however lists to be used to broadcast specific information:
ie I would go onto a discussion board to talk about movies, share my opinions and thoughts and read feedback and reviews from others, However I would also be included on the listserv that sends me monthly details about upcoming movies and new releases.

Module 2 - Email tasks

1. What information about a user's email, the origin of a message, and the parth it took, can you glean from an email message?

• You can determine if they are using a business email address or a free web based account ie kerribennett@companyname.com.au or kerribennett@hotmail.com
• The name of the company they work for.
• The structure the company users for email addresses. ie firstname.lastname@companyname.com.au (I have in the past guessed someones email address when I remembered their name - but lost their biz card containing their email address. Using their company website to determine the email structure, i could determine the person email address. (it worked!)
• reading the quote text in the message content, you can find what email address started the correspondance, who it has been send to (unless bcc) along the way and who else has also received the communication.

2. In what cases would you find it useful to use the cc: bcc: and reply all functions of an email?

• cc: (carbon copy) ie email is received stating an spelling error on one of our websites, I respond thanking them for altering it to us and it has been rectified. In the reply I cc the publisher so they know it has been discovered and corrected.
• bcc: (blind carbon copy) ie We decide to run a special offer to all our customers, we have permission to email them and choose to do a bulk email altering them to the special offer. As to protect their details the bcc field is used.
• reply all: ie An email outlining a meeting time, day and place is sent to me and 5 other people, I have been asked to coordinate where we can go for lunch - I reply all, to inform weveryone that we will Lunch at "The Tavern" a short walk from our meeting place and has an extensive meun that caters for all meal requirments.

3. In what ways can you ensure that an attachement you send will be eaily opened by the receiver?

• Discuss with them asking what versions of a program they are using
• Note in the text of the email that it is best viewed using............
• Save the file as .rtf and send
• avoid the use of non standard fonts
• PDF the document (including a link to Abobe for download of the application in case they do not have it installed
• Also place a copy on a shared drive and inform them of that within the email body copy
• Highlight within the text of the email the important parts of what is contained in the attachement
• Message the email text to say contact me on XXXXXXXX if their is any problem viewing this attachement.

4. What sorts of filters or rules do you have set up, and for what purpose?

Firstly, I don't actually have a lot of rules around my incoming mail, firstly because I am a slight control freak and like to decide where the relevant correspondance will be placed. Secondly, I have not taken the time to set them up and thirdly (rightly or wrongly), I am currently able to manage my email without using to many.

Two email address feed into my work outlook client, for that I have create this rule:

• messages received to webmaster@company.com.au go into a Webmaster correspondance folder so that they are not mixed with my regular business emails.
• containing the work enewsletter or newsletter automatically send to "to read" folder.

How have you organised the folder stucture of you email and why?

• By project ie XYZ Guide with multiple subfolders ie XYZ 2007 meeting schedule.
• "A AA To read" (aaa so it is ordered at the top of the folders list) enewsletter rule sends these here as I like to read the enewsletters when I have time and if they remain in my inbox I would delete them. The A to read folder - always has mail waiting to be opened,
• I also often recieve correspondance from our CEO and MD, as communication to and from them is a priority, they have their own special folder! :)

Messages with meeting time or important dates are moved manually into my calender so that I get remindered about them one day prior.

Often I change the subject line from mail received. When a message is sent to me with an unhelpful an subject line, i change it and then save it. It then makes it easier to recall what the message was about or what I need to do with it.