I’ve uploaded a new podcast on the basics of the Apache web server and HTTP.
PHP Podcast Online
I have added a Podcast session that does a simple introduction to PHP. For those interested (or any other episodes in my podcast) the RSS feed is at:
https://davidlankes.org/rdlankes/pod/pod.xml
New Web is Ready
The new home page is done. Well, mostly. I am still adding older (pre-2003) presentation archives over the next weeks, but most of the material is in place.
Some have asked me why I redid my home page. First, I’ve been doing a lot of simplifying of my information life. My old web had grown a bit unwieldy over two years. CMS systems like TikiWiki are great, but maybe a bit too much for what I needed. There was also a constantly security concern with keeping patches up to date and the like. My new site is high on function, but slim on features: a blog, a search engine…pretty simple. It is also easier to update with new publications and presentations. All I have to do now is drop a file in a directory, and the index will be updated. No menus to edit.
For those who care, the two pieces of technology at play here are Nutch, and opensource Java based search engine, and WordPress for the blog.
Always looking for feedback.
Site Still in Progress
I think I have most of the new site in place. Still looking for feedback (feel free to use the comment section below). Right now I only have three years worth of presentations online, but will be adding my archive of older presentations soon.
If I’m missing something let me know.
New Web Site in Progress
Today I’m changing over to my new homepage. The site should be a little rocky for the day. Sorry.
New Site Coming Soon
That’s right, a new homepage is underway. As some of you may know, I like to use my home site as a sort of playground for new technologies. This one has gotten a bit…out of hand. So it’s time to simplify and get back to providing information quick and easy. Don’t worry, rss feeds will remain the same.
OpenQA
Today at the Virtual Reference Desk Conference, David Lankes announced the availability of OpenQA. OpenQA, the latest in the line of QABuilder software, allows libraries and organizations to build online cohesive blogging communities. Check out the OpenQA Wiki for more information.
Making Digital Reference History…well, at Least Reconstructing It
First the facts, then the plea, then the larger picture.
Facts:
I’ve put up a website to allow the VRD community to add events, articles, people and other to an interactive timeline (surrounding the VRD conferences…more on that later). It is anonymous and pretty informal. People go to the timeline at http://askeric.syr.edu/VRDTimeline and they can add (or edit) items they feel should be part of the history of virtual reference (at least over the past 7-10 years). You can browse the timeline, and I even put up an RSS feed and a cloud view of the entries.
Plea:
I need folks to add things they feel should be part of this timeline. I also need folks to vote for items they feel are particularly significant. While the timeline is centered on the VRD conferences, I’m really hoping to build a more comprehensive view. If you wrote an article in virtual reference…add it! Started a service – add it! I’m very interested in the people you feel shaped the past 7-10 years in virtual reference (people seem reluctant to add those). I’d really like this to be a resource of and for the community.
Larger Picture:
I’ve mentioned a couple of times that this has a VRD perspective (particularly the conferences). This is because I’m hoping to use this data as part of the next VRD book from Neal-Schuman. The next book will be more of a continuous narrative, and less proceedings (it will include articles from this year’s conference). The idea is to capture the evolution of digital/virtual reference over the past decade. In the text will be people profiles, important articles, and a good dose of “movement building” activities and descriptions. I’d hope to really reflect the community, and hence the desire to have the VRD community add information and vote.
So please add and vote.
New Book on the Way
I opened up my mail on Saturday, and what did I see? The new Neal-Schuman Catalog! While a new catalog of books is always a reason for celebration, this one had my new book on the cover.
The Virtual Refernce Desk: Creating a Reference Future is the latest of books coming out of the Virtual Refernce Desk Conferences. This one was co-edited by myself, Eileen Abels, Marilyn White and Saira Haque.
I checked and as of this morning it wasn’t on the web site, but coming soon.
The Digital Reference Electronic Warehouse (DREW) Project: Creating the Infrastructure for Digital Reference Research through a Multi-Disciplinary Knowledge Base
The Digital Reference Electronic Warehouse (DREW) Project: Creating the Infrastructure for Digital Reference Research through a Multi-Disciplinary Knowledge Base, Nicholson, S. and Lankes, R. D. (2005). In Lankes, Abels, White, and Haque (Eds)., Creating a Reference Future. Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc.