Day 2 & 3 with Linux at MPOW: Do I really need Office?

I apologize for the lack of update yesterday, but it is a good sign that I am getting used to Linux at MPOW. I didn’t run into any issues with my linux desktop so far, and I even found a few new tricks today that I didn’t even realize was possible with Linux at this point. One thing I realized using Linux these two days is that I don’t rely on MS Office as much as I thought I would. I didn’t even think about using an Office program until I decided to start working on a presentation for a conference next week.

Open Office 3.0

My biggest worry with Office in general was the new MS Office 2007 format (docx, ppts, xlsx, etc.) and if I would be able to open these files on my Linux workstation. My previous experience using Mac OS X involved downloading a converter to convert the files to the older format, and later I ended up getting the newest version of MS Office for the Mac to handle the new file format. To my surprise, Open Office 3.0 that came with the Linux Mint was able to open up docx files right away. The only drawback was that I could only view the docx documents, and not make any changes, but if I needed to, I could easily “Save As…” a format that I could use. It is still a pain, but until more programs adopt the new MS Office format, this will always be a problem unless I stick to MS Office. This brings me to my new discovery of the wonderful world of Wine and Wine-Doors (no not the drinking kind).

Wine and Wine-Doors

Linux Mint comes with a program called Wine-Doors which is actually a program that runs with another program Wine which allows Windows programs to work on a linux platform. Usually Wine requires some tweaking before it can run a Windows program, but Wine-Doors simplifies the process allowing you to download popular Windows programs to be installed. Some programs include Dreamweaver, Photoshop, and World of Warcraft. One of the pleasant surprises was Internet Explorer, which lets me access the NYLA content management system, which was Internet Explorer only. I have to take a closer look at Wine to see what’s possible, but this means that many of the popular Windows program can probably be used on a linux machine.

That’s all for now.

OCLC Record Use Policy Update, May 18, 2009

Jennifer Younger
Chair of the OCLC review board of Shared Data Creation and Stewardship

Online Presentation

North American Pioneers in Knowledge Organization Symposium

via NYLINE [listserv]:

Dear Colleagues,

You are cordially invited to help us celebrate the inaugural symposium of the newly formed Canada/US Chapter of the International Society for Knowledge Organization, which will be held at the i-School in Hinds Hall, on the Syracuse University campus, on June 18 and 19, 2009. The theme of the symposium is “North American Pioneers in Knowledge Organization,” and you can learn more about the program at http://pimentel.mysite.syr.edu/nasko2009-draft-infopage2.html. We invite you to participate in two ways:

1. All our Central NY students, faculty and colleagues are invited to a welcoming wine and cheese reception on Thursday, June 18, from 4:30-5:30.  The chapter business meeting immediately precedes this reception at 3:30, so if you’re interested in learning more about ISKO or our chapter, you are welcome to attend the meeting as well. If you plan to attend the reception, please reply to David Pimentel  pimentel@syr.edu so we can plan for food and drinks.
2. But, you may wish to attend the full symposium on June 18 and 19 and it’s not too late to sign up — interesting papers and a workshop to discuss the research agenda in knowledge organization. Join the founding members of our new chapter and participate in the future of KO research here in North America. In that case, please consult the following link to pre-register and get more information about the program. No advance payment is necessary but $70 ($30 for students) will be collected at the door for the full symposium (includes lunches). http://pimentel.mysite.syr.edu/nasko2009-draft-infopage2.html

We hope to see many of you there, either at the reception or at the symposium.

With best regards on behalf of the Planning Committee,

Barbara H. Kwasnik
Professor, School of Information Studies
Syracuse University

Call for Nominations!

The SMART Board is an excellent way to become involved in NYLA. Please consider nominating yourself or another SMART member for one of three openings:

• The Vice-president/President-elect position is a three-year commitment. The first year is spent coordinating SMART’s conference programs, the second year as section President and a member of the NYLA Council, and the third year coordinating nominations for officers and awards.
• The Director-at-Large position is a great way to get committee experience and learn how NYLA works. The Director-at-Large attends section board meetings (4/year + conference), participates in conference planning, and votes on the actions of the section. This is a three year term running from 2009 to 2012.
• The SMART Treasurer is responsible for coordinating the section’s finances in cooperation with NYLA’s Accounting Manager. This is a two year term.

The nomination DEADLINE is May 29th. Email nominations and any questions to: Kathryn Frederick kfrederi@skidmore.edu

A course on Gaming in Libraries via YouTube this June

via SUNYLA-L [listserv] Repost from Open Lib/Info Sci Education Forum [listserv]:

Universities across the globe have been delivering courses online to off-campus students for decades, but the Syracuse University School of Information Studies (iSchool) is now trying out the possibility of teaching a course that is open to both students and the public via the online video platform, YouTube.

Throughout the month of June, iSchool Professor Scott Nicholson will teach IST 600 Gaming in Libraries in three online spaces:

• The Syracuse University YouTube channel, where video lectures and guest speakers will be posted, and where students enrolled in the class will be required to post weekly video responses.
• American Library Association (ALA) Connect, a social networking site for the ALA that will host the discussion of students, speakers, librarians, and other participants from the general public.
• The iSchool’s online learning management system, a private space for enrolled students to ask questions and submit their assignments.

Nicholson decided to offer the course through this open forum for several reasons, including the desire to reach public librarians who are interested in learning more about incorporating gaming into their libraries. “Many libraries are interested in gaming but don’t know where to start,” Nicholson said. “My hope is that the videos will help libraries be successful with their gaming programs from the beginning.”