Notes for Unit 2: Computer Hardware (9/13) & Discussion Topic:Digitization

Personal Computer Hardware

This was a very basic article but a very beneficial one. I had no idea what some of the components to the computer are. I never knew what exactly a motherboard was. It is interesting that there is where the CPU and RAM are located. I know of people who call the "tower" a CPU. There are still many people who don't understand the parts of the computer but are still very computer savvy.  I also found out that the terms zip drive and flash drive are separate things. I always thought them to be interchangeable.

Moore's Law

I found what Moore thought was very accurate. It seems that many digital devices are changing and updating information very rapidly. It seems that, since I have been alive, it is crazy how fast things have progressed electronically. I would use the example for Apple products. Since 2006 (when I first learned of an iPod) they have changed so much. They start off as clunky as a CD player and since then thy are so tiny. This changed to an iPod Touch so that you could access internet along with the iPhone. Now we have the iPad. This is all in just 4 years with so much change!
The video explanation helped very much in allowing me to understand this "law".

Computer History Museum


It is so interesting that such a thing even exists now. That computers are history is such a weird idea. The location of this museum is appropriate as it is in Silicon Valley. I feel that a museum like this would benefit a number of us in this program because of the subject matter as well as the archival and preservation aspect of it.

Digitization: Is it worth it?

I feel that digitization is very worth it. I still don't completely understand how expensive digitization is but, it allows many to access a numerous amount of things that they probably would not have been able to see before. It benefits people like us (graduate students in a history or library field as well as many others) as well as the amateur researcher.

European libraries face problems in digitizing


I feel that I explained how I felt on this subject in the previous entry. I understand some countries in their view that too many people will have access and (if I understand the article correctly) can change the information to their benefit. Jean-Noel Jeanneney stated, "...that a Google version of a universal library would place the interpretation of French and European literature, history and politics in American hands." I understand their concern and side with Claudia Dillmann in that everyone in this project may decide how far the access will allow each participant.

A Few Thoughts on the Google Books Library Project


I think this article is sort of an answer to the previous article. The fact that it will make information in these sources more available is great. I vastly appreciate the knowledge I have at my fingertips. It isn't that hard anymore to know that what I am searching for exists and I can have access to.