Wikis: What, Why and How?

Wikis - What are they?

A wiki is a web page that allows the interlinking of other web pages. It is easily created and edited, so as to better share information and coordinate topics. There are several websites that allow creation of wikis, whether free or paid for. For example, Wikia, Wetpaint and PBWorks.

What do you think?
Wikia is a more every-day wiki, with content starting from your favourite TV show, all the way to your favourite video game. It appears to be more entertainment-focused. Wetpaint is more confusing to me; I clicked on some links and didn't really feel like it was easy to manage. PBWorks is a more business-focused wiki, and although the basic work spaces are free, the general, more usable wikis require payment, of about $99 per year.

Out of these three, I'd have to say I prefer Wikia. It's simpler, less convoluted, and you know exactly what the content of the wiki is. One of my favourite wikis is for a video game that I play, called "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind". This wiki allows me to look up anything in any of the Elder Scrolls games, which is a series of games, Morrowind being one of them. So if I'm looking for a location called Sulipund, all I have to do is look it up, and low and behold, I find Sulipund, and everything that I need to know about it, including a map, how many NPCs (non-player characters) there are, and any quests associated with that place.

Wikis in Libraries
So how can this be useful for a library? Well, it can be useful in a number of ways:

1. To allow staff to coordinate upcoming events.
2. To inform patrons and staff of new materials, in an easy-to-update manner.
3. To share detailed information about books, multimedia equipment, etc.

Wikis are a useful tool that can be used easily in any library, and while some require payment to get the full package, the free ones can still be a useful tool for a library.

So what do you think about wikis? Which is your favourite? Have you used them before, or not?

Spirituality of the Individual

Baptism

Walk me to the water
and let me drown.
Leave me falling under,
to consume the shades of brown,
and watch as winter fades away,
while the whirlpool swirls round.

My words, they make no sense,
but I don't really care.
My soul is free to walk the earth,
and I'll find my Father there.



Being Spiritual
Whenever we discuss being spiritual, we think of New Age spirituality; we never think of Christianity.

This is because Christianity is assumed to be traditional (ancient), and full of ritual. Anyone who isn't a Christian, and has never experienced God in that way will have a difficult time associating Christianity with spirituality. But the two are not mutually exclusive, just as they are not mutually inclusive.

I have led a very spirit-driven life. But here's the kicker: I don't go to church. I don't talk to God a lot, unless I'm forced, and like everyone on earth, I try to do things my own way first, and even sometimes when I fail, I still ignore God's offers of help. I have this deluded idea that my way is better than His, and therefore He can go suck an egg. But the trouble with this kind of thinking is that all it does is lead you in circles; you never really reach your goal, and the Lord just sits and waits until you get tired of running around like a chicken with its head cut off.

I definitely have my head cut off and buried much of the time, but there are those times when I have had deep, meaningful talks with the Lord, and he has shown me things that some may not be able to conceive. I know many, if not most, of those reading this are not Christians, but this is something that is on my mind and heart, and I wanted to say it and send it out into the ether. Just the same, though, I choose not to put specific instances here. Suffice it to say, I have had intimate conversations with the Lord, and I always came out of them feeling better, for the most part.

The Headless Chicken
But if that is the case; if we leave our conversations with God feeling fulfilled, then why do we choose to ignore the Lord when we have a problem? It makes no sense. I talk to the Lord, and I feel fulfilled, but then when push comes to shove, I push and shove Him away. Why? I don't know. I think part of it might be my own human baggage, but I know I'm not the only one. So what's the common denominator?

The common denominator is that we associate God with the Church, and the Church with something negative. When we think of the Christian Church, we think of hurt, pain, and inconsiderate attitudes; we think of arrogance and a sense of superiority. I'm not saying this to accuse and blame the Church as the sole reason why people turn away from a spiritual connection with the Lord, but it is a strong factor.

My point in bringing this up is not to say, "Hey, look at me, look how in tune with the Spirit I am!" or to say "The Christian Church is a douchebag!" or anything like that. My point is to say, "Yes, there are personal, Spiritual experiences to be had out there with God, as a Christian, even if you may have been hurt by the Church before." You don't have to be a part of a New Age group to experience spirituality.

I know I'm not perfect, and I don't always try as hard as I should. But I am human, and a sinner, just like everyone else. And I am not writing this so everyone and his dog should jump on my bandwagon, or so that everyone and his dog can attack me and what I believe. I have no sources of information to prove my point; I have only my own experience and the experience of those around me to draw my conclusions. And my conclusions are that we are a society who fears God. We are afraid of Him, and what He might represent, and we pull away because He is associated with the Church, and maybe the Church has hurt us, and so we decide that we don't need him, and by running around with our head cut off, maybe we can convince ourselves that we're not really dead.

-Izzy

RSS: Really Sounds Stupid

Well, without sounding too cynical, that title is meant to show the frustration that can accompany learning about RSS feeds - one which I have felt recently. But RSS feeds have their place.

RSS Feeds - What are they?
For those who don't know, RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication. But if you're like me, and have trouble even posting a blog like this, then that statement becomes an oxymoron. An RSS feed is difficult to explain in basic terms, but I will try. Basically, instead of going one or more times daily to your favourite blogs or websites, you let the feeds, or articles come to you. For example, you have subscribed to my blog here. So now, if you go to your Dashboard in blogger, this blog is now posted there, to let you know I have updated. RSS feeds are what allows you to receive emails from your favourite band's website, letting you know they have a new CD coming out, or they are going on tour in your area. The link above will explain it better than I can; as I said, I'm not exactly tech-savvy.

What do you think?
I think that RSS feeds have their place, but I also know myself well enough to know that I probably won't use it at all, unless I have to. I have a stubborn personality, and if something seems to difficult for me at face value, I'll wait until I absolutely have to before I use it. I also don't have a lot of sites that I wish to subscribe to; anything I subscribe to, I get emails for, and therefore RSS feeds, such as they are on websites like blogger, do not have a place for my web surfing just yet.

RSS Feeds in Libraries
Nevertheless, from what I find with RSS feeds, they can provide a very beneficial, quick and easy way to share information over the internet, and make that sharing more easily accessible to the public. In terms of a library, some ways an RSS feed could be used are:

1. To alert patrons to news and upcoming events
2. To connect library staff and share information
3. To advertise for the library (which is something librarians aren't really known for being terribly good at)

While someone like myself may have trouble adjusting to something like an RSS feed, and using them in day-to-day life, like anything, once you get used to it, you won't be able to imagine your life without it, and the benefits it can provide. But if you are like me, and only subscribe to a few websites, like maybe Twitter, Facebook or deviantART, then you may not want to use RSS feeds just yet, and wait until your browser is completely bogged down from all the websites you follow.

Still, I would like to know what you guys think, so leave a comment, and tell me, what is your opinion of RSS feeds? Do you use them, and if so, do you like them?