Tuesday, 03 September, 2002

this Computers in Libraries article wasn't an easy skim... XML in Libraries. Learn about ways to apply XML in libraries. [TVC Alert] But I'm posting its link for the rainy day when I know enough to get more out of it. 5:14:03 PM    comment []

add another analog right to the endangered list News.Com: New 'entertainment' PCs restrict copying. Already, consumers can legally record television programs to VHS tapes for personal use and view them on another VCR in the household. Microsoft has taken a more conservative approach by thwarting the sharing of programs recorded digitally. [Tomalak's Realm] I think this new offering will only appeal to two sets of people: those who have never had a VCR and never became accustomed to recording (& sharing) programmes on VHS; people who aren't interested in the TV part of this new entertainment centre. Microsoft, you are attempting to cozy up to Big Content by taking a leaf out of their books - trample over your customers' wishes! Is this wise when so many of your consumers already believe you to be the personification of corporate arrogance? 4:23:36 PM    comment []

search engine overview Grading the Search Engines. An informal test using various search terms and techniques results in grades for the engines. Searcher experiences may differ, though, depending of the type of information sought and the search strategy used. [TVC Alert] I think this Fortune article is worthwhile as a helpful overview of the particular search engines, rather than a serious survey. It was interesting to see that Yahoo received the only A, as well as the highest grade. Not that I have anything against Yahoo, but I wonder if the author has more experience with Yahoo than some of the other search engines. I think that search engine evaluation can be quite subjective - and is dependent on one's aesthetic preferences, preference for precision vs. recall, and familiarity with any given search engine. Subjective is fine in my book, it just makes you wonder where the observer is coming from. 12:20:38 PM    comment []

it shows how things are these days when a list of 50 seems short 50 recommended links for legal researchers. 50 recommended links for legal researchers: Thanks to the kind folks at LLRX.com for again including "How Appealing" in that site's list of "50 Recommended Links for Legal Researchers," the most recent version of which issued yesterday. [How Appealing] My initial reaction was that I would have preferred to see more law-specific links and fewer general and tech-related links. After further thought, if these are links for "legal researchers" as opposed to "legal research", then the balance is spot-on. 11:58:57 AM    comment []