I don't know if the ZDNet blog post was attempting to compliment Google or just creating a new way to use the verb, but Garett Rogers proposed that with the expanding Google services, we can no longer use the verb "to Google" to mean search for something on-line, but rather what Google does best is making available services better and free. I think that may be downplay some of the many original ideas and services that Google has created, but it is a great compliment to focus on their ability to monetize what information is already out there and there is not question that they hope to make money on other people's information. At the same time, that is what a lot of recent companies have been trying to do. Every social networking site is hoping to make their living off of user-generated content. MySpace and Facebook only make money as their users create more pages on which to place ads (MySpace actually makes some more money on things like music, video, and concert deals). To be able to harness user-generated content and make it profitable is what many are trying, and like Rogers said, Google just does it better.

Well, it hasn't been 24 hours and it hit me that yesterday that I had decided to create a network map of books thinking that as I casually read I could take a few notes and have the information for the map. My reading is going to have to be a lot more intense. I'm going to have to create a new line for every time that a book is mentioned and label each line with a page reference and topic. I realized this as I continued reading Sanders' book and hit more Tipping Point references. There should be some indication that The Tipping Point was referenced more than others and I think multiple lines will do that. Yed will take into consideration the number of lines when it places the nodes. I'm going to create a Google spreadsheet to keep track of all of the information so that we can use it later to organize the references however we want. Anyone that wishes to become a collaborator on this one, just let me know. Also, if I'm going to keep reading at the gym, I'm going to have to get one of those bookmark pens. They're extremely small and just barely thicker than a large needle.

Labels: books, network mapping

I am in the middle of reading "Love is the Killer App" by Tim Sanders and as constantly recommended by Paul Allen. It didn't take long before I realized that I was going to have to make a list of the books that Tim talked about because it was more than a few. I then listed to a discussion by Malcom Gladwell and another by Steven Levitt in which they both referenced other authors. It seems like they are all familiar with each other and are constantly quoting one another and referencing ideas brought up in each other's books. I'm going to make a network map of books. I'll start with the one that I'm reading and as I go through it, I will make a list of those connected to it. As I go through those and other books, I'll do the same. I don't know if there will ever be an end to it, but maybe there is. Maybe there is a ring of books that reference each other. Of course there will always be other books that reference that ring, but unless it's connected by someone else referencing it, it most likely will not make it into our network map. I can already tell you that my own book list will make it just because I'm going to read them anyways and most of those on Paul Allen's list will make it because I respect his opinion on books. One that might be a node completely unattached, for example, is "Mindless Eating." I'm excited to read it, but I haven't seen it linked to by any other books. Well, the image involved will most likely be constantly changing, but I will try and make sure that I always update it. I'll also provide the ygf file for anyone that uses Yworks or Yed (which I recommend for any lightweight network mapping). I imagine that with this info we'll also be able to make a network map of the authors and then maybe the topics and which topics are linked to other authors, etc. Anyone can feel free to include their own networking and I'll add it to this. Also let me know if I make a mistake. You'll notice the different colors. These will probably change but right now the darker yellow is the book that I'm mapping or have mapped. The pastel green are those listed as a must read by the author and the pastel yellow are all others mentioned in the book. I'm only on page 76 of Sanders', so there is more to come.

YGF File Download

Labels: books, network mapping

I made a list for a family member of sites that I like to visit that have good content, especially for Latter-day Saints. Most of the sites have material that you can download for free. I gave directions on how to access the material in, what I thought to be, very easy to understand language. I'm just copying and pasting into this post. If you have other sites that you think should be listed, let me know. I know that I don't know about all the good sites out there.

1.Starting from http://www.lds.org, you can:
a. Download MP3s for free (Conference talks, scriptures, church magazines, hymns). On the left side, click on Gospel Library and then click on Audio.
b. Search the scriptures (word, phrase, or topic). On the left side, click on Gospel Library and then click on The Scriptures. At the top click on Search.
c. Search conference talks (word or phrase). On the top, click on "Search." In the bottom menu, select Ensign and then type in your word or phrase and search.

2.Starting from http://speeches.byu.edu, you can:
a. Download MP3s for free (BYU Devotional Addresses). On the left, search or browse by speaker, topic, media type, and/or year. After finding a devotional, you can read it and/or download an MP3.
b. Build a DVD of up to three talks for $12.95. On the left, click on Build a Custom DVD. Add up to three talks using the menu options.

3.Starting from www.byubroadcasting.org, you can:
a. Download MP3s for free (an almost endless variety from talks to television programs). On the left, you can either click on "Find a talk" at the top to search for someone or something specific or you can use the menu "All Links" at the bottom left to find MP3s from a particular conference or program. If you choose a recurring program, such as BYU Education Week, you will need to click on Media Archive after getting to the page of that program.
b. Watch BYU TV or listen to BYU Radio. In the upper right corner of the page, there is a golden menu called "Live Streams." Click on whatever you would like to watch or listen to.

4. Starting from www.byu.tv, you can:
a. Watch any program from BYU TV that aired in the last few weeks.

5. Starting from www.ldsaudio.com, you can:
a. Purchase MP3 books, music, and talks. You can search for an authors, singers, topics, titles, etc. This is a for-profit company not run by the Church.

6. Starting from www.ldsces.org, you can:
a. Read any Institute or Seminary Manual. Click on either "Seminary Study Guides" or "Institute Manuals" in the top menu. Underneath the picture of each manual, you can select PDF or HTML. If you are just browsing, you will probably select HTML. You can click on the chapter in the new popup window and read what the manual has to say.

7. Starting from www.deseretbook.com/mormon-life, you can:
a. Find supporting information for lessons. On the right side of the page is a section called "Gospel Study." Underneath each section, you will find a list of the quorums and auxiliary organizations of the Church and the lesson each is scheduled to be giving that week. You can click on the link to read more information for that lesson. If the website is on a different schedule than your class, you can click on your organization name on the very right side, (For example, Relief Society) and you will find all past lessons and information.

8. Starting from http://scriptures.byu.edu, you can:
a. Find and read all General Conference references to any scripture.

Labels: internet content, lds, MP3