 Monday, September 06, 2004
In response to my rant about integrated library system vendors, Peter Rukavina says that it's our own damn fault.
"When you outsource the administration of your data to someone else (whether it's an OPAC vendor or a university computing department or some guy down the street), you're also outsourcing any chance you have at retaining ultimate control over that data.
When you buy a 'one size fits all' technology solution -- an OPAC that's designed for, say, 'any public library' -- you're buying a commodity, not a solution.
And you should expect to be treated as an insignificant cog by your vendor: that's what you are. By absolving yourself of personal responsibility over your data management in the first place, you've already said 'we don't care enough about this to do it ourselves, so you take care of it for us.' Is it any wonder they treat you like they do?"
While I understand the spirit of his response and I wish that we did have some of our best and brightest programmers devoted to creating the one true catalog (rather than working on it as time permits at their real job or doing it at home on their own time), nonprofit libraries just don't have the option for which Peter advocates.
I bought a new car this year because I was unhappy with some of the things about my old car. Using Peter's logic, I shouldn't have outsourced my new vehicle to a car manufacturer, but I did. I just didn't have the time, money, or other resources to build one myself.
Yeah, it's over the top, but you get my point. Ambulance drivers don't make the ambulances, doctors don't make the defibrillators, lawyers don't make the Lexis-Nexis database, and programmers use operating systems developed by someone else (even if it's Linux).
You can't outsource everything, and libraries have to prioritize what to expend their limited amounts of resources on. Can they build their own cars? No, but they can certainly switch to one made by another manufacturer.
WiFi Update - No. 9
"This week, the associated press, reported that Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is considering plans to spend about $10 million to turn turn all 135 square miles of the 'City of Brotherly Love' into the world's largest wireless Internet hot spot. The story, by David Caruso, describes an ambitious plan which would result in placing hundreds or maybe thousands of wireless access points on the tops of lampposts.
The CIO for Philadelphia, Dianah Neff, says 'It's a technology whose time is here.' Other cities have announced similar plans but none as comprehensive as Philadelphia. Lev Gonick, chief information officer at Case Western Reserve University, which is spearheading a WiFi project in Cleveland said, 'We like to say it should be like the air you breathe - free and available everywhere. We look at this like PBS or NPR. It should be a public resource.' " [patrickWeb]
KTF to Pioneer Ubiquitous Orchestra With Mobile Baton
"Today the number of mobile phone subscribers has surpassed 35 million, and accounts for 75 percent of the total population.
In particular, almost all people in their 20s and 30s own their mobile phones and a mobile phone is the most wanted birthday present among elementary school students.
Not too long ago a mobile phone symbolized wealth and power, now, in such a short time it has become a necessity....
With such advanced mobile infrastructure in place, everyday life is rapidly going mobile.
Sookmyoung Women¡¯s University in Seoul is the case in point and currently attracting attention from all over the world.
Under an initiative to build a mobile campus with KTF, students now use their mobile phones with built-in student ID card to enter a library, borrow a book and inquire about personal records.
They installed an attendance check system at a large lecture hall whereby students can simply touch their phone to the system to record their attendance.
And hospitals are now getting in on this too. Samsung Medical Center now uses PDAs to identify and check patient records including the status of a patient, treatment records, prescription, test results anytime and anywhere. Much more convenient and reliable than the bulky, paper records of the past....
More interestingly, now mobile phones are used as means for well-being by providing information such as blood sugar, diet and meditation. A mobile phone even offers services like driving away mosquitoes, a finger vibrator for hand acupuncture and music therapy, a guard service by sounding a siren, a location tracking service and product information in which a camera phone is used to read a barcode." [The Korea Times, via textually.org]
Sales of MP3 Mobile Phones to Break 5 Million at Home This Year
"This year, LG Electronics introduced Korea's first MP3 mobile phone, the LP3000, which has sold over 300,000 units, and the company expects that the sale of their MP3 models will easily smash through 1 million units this year. An LG official noted that of the 20 new models to be introduced in the domestic market by the end of this year, 80~90 percent of them will be MP3 phones. He also said MP3 functions will become a basic function of mobile phones like camera function.
Pantech & Curitel said it expects 1 million of its 3 million units of supply to be MP3 phones. Most of its 15 new models will be MP3 mobile phones. The company added, 'We plan to provide MP3 function as a basic function.' It explained that therefore, the domestic MP3 market should greatly expand." [The Digital Chosunilbo, via textually.org]
Samsung Shows 'World's First' Hard Drive Phone
"The SPH-V5400, unveiled today in Japan, includes 1.5GB of hard disk storage. That's barely more than you can get from a SD or CompactFlash card, but it's a start, presaging the day when handsets are as much iPods as phones." [The Register]
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