Hey again
This is my second post of the day because last week there was so much to do i panicked a little and only got half of it done. So...luckily this week's stuff was a little easier and i did it. So here is last week's stuff...
Basically it involved answering a few questions about search engines. I got my information from my brain, a friend who mentioned something this morning and Wikipedia and ABC online for the last question.
Q1: What is a search engine?
My own definition doesn't make a lot of sense but this is my blog so you have to hear it...
A search engine is the place where you start that gives you websites relating to the topic you enter into the search engine...and now for the real definition:
According to Wikipedia.net a search engine is "...an information retrieval system designed to help find information stored in a computer system..."
Q2: How do search engines rank the stuff they find on the Internet?
According to my friend who told me this for some random reason this morning, search engines rank stuff by popularity, so how many times they are used and not actually how useful/reliable/real/good the information is. However on ABC online there is a little dropdown box beside where you enter your search item that says "search based on..." And the criteria currently selected was "Relevance" so...
Q3: who, or what, makes one page (that you might get in your search results) more useful than another one, so that it is put at the top of your search results?
Well this question kind of threw up on my above theory didn't it? I'm going to stick with it however and say that search engines simply rely on how often a page is used and this is how they judge reliability. Also, it seems like engines highlight all the times your search words as used in the website or article or whatever so this could be another way in which they are choosing the most relevant. Of course this doesn't necessarily mean they are the most relevant.
Q4: what are some of your favourite search engines? why do you like one more than others?
I am a Googler, I always use Google to find things, when i have an assignment or have to find out something my first thought is "I'll Google it!" Not only is this fun to say but also really automatic. I think the reason for this is simply availability, at my high school Google was the homepage and that was the one that everyone used due to this. I have never really used Yahoo but i do sometimes use MSN but mainly i am a Googler.
Q5: Can you find some current news stories about search engines?
Google has been in the news a bit saying how in the future they think machines will be the ones doing all the language translation and not top linguists. I kind of thought that was already happening...
Okay, that is the end of last week's work that I have done this week.
Bye again
Friday, March 30, 2007
Picture Time!
Okay, hi.
So the task for this week is to put pictures/images up which represent certain things-summer, friends etc. I have found all my pictures from the web due to the lack of camera and am so unsure about them it is not even funny but here they are-
This is image one and it is supposed to represent "Friends". I think it does this as who isn't friends with their teddy bear? If you in fact have a teddy bear. Plus i love garfield and thought this picture was really cute.
For anyone who doesn't know (and everyone should!) this is the spaceship "Serenity" from tv show Firefly and the movie Serenity. It is supposed to represent "high-tech" and what is more high tech than a spaceship? I probably should have found a picture of a real spaceship and not a tvland one but...this is me and i really love Serenity and Firefly.
Okay, so technically i used two pictures but they totally relate to one another...and of course a tv show! This is the Daily Planet in "Smallville' (bottom image) which of course is in Superman (top image) as well. The representation is supposed to be of news and what makes you think of news quicker than the Daily Planet? Probably a lot of things but i chose this one.
Again two images here. I wanted to be kind of different and think outside the box but i also don't want to fail my assessment by doing something stupid and weird. The top picture is of Rachel Bilson the actress who played "Summer" in the OC and the bottom picture is of a kid at the beach in "Summer"time...so of course the representation is Summer. I also had a picture of Summer Glau, an actress and a beach ball but I'll spare you those- i think the weird kid is enough.
The next topic we had to represent was simply "unconventional" which was a really hard thing to pinpoint coz not only is it intangible but everyone's idea of conventional and unconventional are not necessarily the same. So above i have two pictures both depicting Patch Adams, a doctor who in like the sixties or seventies (not sure of time) who used "unconventional" methods to help his patients. If you've seen the movie you'll know but if you haven't basically he used entertainment and laughter in much the same way as clowns and special organisations like Camp Quality do nowadays to make time in hospital a little less awful for people. The first picture is the real Patch Adams and the one beneath is Robin Williams playing him in the movie "Patch Adams".
The final topic is university life. The first photo is the obvious view, students in a library looking all smart and studious and then the bottom photo is the university life after dark kind of thing, Greek Week, toga parties are part of uni life as well so there is that.
Well I hope you enjoyed my little picture show, i now have to do the task for last week which i didn't get finished...oops.
Bye
Friday, March 23, 2007
Scavenger Hunt
Hi it's me again.
This week's task is to answer a bunch of slightly kooky questions by using the Internet. I for one am a huge lover of the Google but we have to use "alternatives" here so if all my answers are wrong then it's not my fault-they should have let me use Google!
Question 1: What is the weight of the world's biggest pumpkin?
The Journey: Am wondering if there will ever be a time in my life where i will need this information but am looking anyway. Tried Guniess World Records which i thought was rather creative but no match so am trying ask jeeves. Okay have done that and am amazed by the newfound knowledge that there are actual websites called "Ten Steps to a Giant Pumpkin" People actually do this? Still ahve to find the record though so...
Answer: Okay found it, not entirely positive it is correct but can't find anything else and really don't want to spend the whole tute on one question so...the world's heaviest pumpkin was grown by Ron Wallace in Rhode Island and weighed...1502 pounds. This is the 2006 record.
Source: http://www.backyardgardener.com/record.html
Question 2: What is the best way to contact Grant Hackett?
The Journey: Seriosuly, the last person i would ever think to contact but here goes...okay there is officially a website for every stalker. I actually found a website called contactanycelebrity.com but it charges you money and i will find a free way if it kills me.
Answer: Do not have one. This question cannot be answered by me and my lack of internet knowledge. If you really want to contact Grant Hackett you'll just have to ask someone else.
Question 3: What is the length of a giraffe's tongue?
The Journey: One word-ew.
Answer: Again gross, the giraffe can extend its tongue up to 18 inches or 45 cm.
Source: www.animalplanet.com
Question 4: How would you define the world "ontology"?
The Journey: Again, something easy. i like words so i know a website...i hope
Answer: According to the source it is "the metaphysical study of the nature of being or existence" and my translation of this is to study the idea of "being" so living i guess, existing by using philosphy like speculative or abstract reasoning (metaphysically).
Source: www.dictionary.com
Question 5: What was David Cronenberg's first movie?
The Journey: This is actually a totally easy one for me (thank god!) IMBD is like my favorite website and has everything about movies ever...practically.
Answer: Stereo in 1969 as director and writer.
Source: www.imdb.com (Internet Movie Database)
Question 6: When was the original Hacker's Manifesto written?
The Journey: I really hope this is not a serial killer's book...Okay it's not a serial killer book but it is really confusing. I have found two answers so i will put them both down.
Answer 1: A Hacker Manifesto by McKenzie Wark was published October 4, 2004.
Source: www.amazon.com
Answer 2: The Hacker Manifesto by The Mentor. Written January 8 1986.
Source: www.mithral.com
Question 7: Why do all the phone numbers in Hollywood films start with 555?
The Journey: Exactly no idea where I'm going to find the answer to this one...
Answer: Okay i think i accidentally stumbled on a site that was a blog of a previous student in this class even though i did it through askjeeves.com. The answer is apparently to keep people from seeing real numbers on screen and attempting to call them and harassing poor people who are not actually characters in a movie. It started about 30 years ago according to my source.
Source: http://sanchia.blogspot.com/
Question 8: What is the cheapest form of travel from Crete to Rhodes?
The Journey: Am trying to remember that commercial that advertises all those air fares, the one on tv about all the different air lines being there but as I have no idea where Crete or Rhodes is, i might start there.
Answer: Crete and Rhodes are in Athens and the cheapest way to get from one to the other is by ferry.
Source: www.lonelyplanet.com
Question 9: What song was top of the Australian Pop Charts this week in 1965?
Answer: "If I ruled the world" by Tony Bennet
Source: Took from another member of class.
Question 10: Which Brisbane band includes Stephen Stockwell on keyboards and vocals?
Answer: Black Assasins
Source: Another member of the class again.
All done! Have to admit that I did use Msn.com a little, but mainly as a starter. Kind of learnt that i actually do know some ways other than Google to find stuff which is good to know. At least now i wonlt have to say "I'll google it!" with everything...but that's still fun to say and the easiest way!
This week's task is to answer a bunch of slightly kooky questions by using the Internet. I for one am a huge lover of the Google but we have to use "alternatives" here so if all my answers are wrong then it's not my fault-they should have let me use Google!
Question 1: What is the weight of the world's biggest pumpkin?
The Journey: Am wondering if there will ever be a time in my life where i will need this information but am looking anyway. Tried Guniess World Records which i thought was rather creative but no match so am trying ask jeeves. Okay have done that and am amazed by the newfound knowledge that there are actual websites called "Ten Steps to a Giant Pumpkin" People actually do this? Still ahve to find the record though so...
Answer: Okay found it, not entirely positive it is correct but can't find anything else and really don't want to spend the whole tute on one question so...the world's heaviest pumpkin was grown by Ron Wallace in Rhode Island and weighed...1502 pounds. This is the 2006 record.
Source: http://www.backyardgardener.com/record.html
Question 2: What is the best way to contact Grant Hackett?
The Journey: Seriosuly, the last person i would ever think to contact but here goes...okay there is officially a website for every stalker. I actually found a website called contactanycelebrity.com but it charges you money and i will find a free way if it kills me.
Answer: Do not have one. This question cannot be answered by me and my lack of internet knowledge. If you really want to contact Grant Hackett you'll just have to ask someone else.
Question 3: What is the length of a giraffe's tongue?
The Journey: One word-ew.
Answer: Again gross, the giraffe can extend its tongue up to 18 inches or 45 cm.
Source: www.animalplanet.com
Question 4: How would you define the world "ontology"?
The Journey: Again, something easy. i like words so i know a website...i hope
Answer: According to the source it is "the metaphysical study of the nature of being or existence" and my translation of this is to study the idea of "being" so living i guess, existing by using philosphy like speculative or abstract reasoning (metaphysically).
Source: www.dictionary.com
Question 5: What was David Cronenberg's first movie?
The Journey: This is actually a totally easy one for me (thank god!) IMBD is like my favorite website and has everything about movies ever...practically.
Answer: Stereo in 1969 as director and writer.
Source: www.imdb.com (Internet Movie Database)
Question 6: When was the original Hacker's Manifesto written?
The Journey: I really hope this is not a serial killer's book...Okay it's not a serial killer book but it is really confusing. I have found two answers so i will put them both down.
Answer 1: A Hacker Manifesto by McKenzie Wark was published October 4, 2004.
Source: www.amazon.com
Answer 2: The Hacker Manifesto by The Mentor. Written January 8 1986.
Source: www.mithral.com
Question 7: Why do all the phone numbers in Hollywood films start with 555?
The Journey: Exactly no idea where I'm going to find the answer to this one...
Answer: Okay i think i accidentally stumbled on a site that was a blog of a previous student in this class even though i did it through askjeeves.com. The answer is apparently to keep people from seeing real numbers on screen and attempting to call them and harassing poor people who are not actually characters in a movie. It started about 30 years ago according to my source.
Source: http://sanchia.blogspot.com/
Question 8: What is the cheapest form of travel from Crete to Rhodes?
The Journey: Am trying to remember that commercial that advertises all those air fares, the one on tv about all the different air lines being there but as I have no idea where Crete or Rhodes is, i might start there.
Answer: Crete and Rhodes are in Athens and the cheapest way to get from one to the other is by ferry.
Source: www.lonelyplanet.com
Question 9: What song was top of the Australian Pop Charts this week in 1965?
Answer: "If I ruled the world" by Tony Bennet
Source: Took from another member of class.
Question 10: Which Brisbane band includes Stephen Stockwell on keyboards and vocals?
Answer: Black Assasins
Source: Another member of the class again.
All done! Have to admit that I did use Msn.com a little, but mainly as a starter. Kind of learnt that i actually do know some ways other than Google to find stuff which is good to know. At least now i wonlt have to say "I'll google it!" with everything...but that's still fun to say and the easiest way!
Friday, March 16, 2007
Another Week, Another Whinge
Hi all, (if there is even anyone there then horray!)
Another week so another lot of text from me going on about nothing (yay!) Feel free to run now if the mood so takes you. If not...
Have just looked at some other people's blogs for this class and have a feeling maybe I am totally going to fail this assessment but at least now I have some people on my blog-yay! Even if I'm going to fail I still have to do this week's tutorial task which is actually pretty good and simple so that's good. I like actually having something to write about, gives me some focus and keeps me from staring blankly into space and then making an idiot of myself on screen (I think I've already done that! Just in case I haven't-here's more!)
So first I am going to do this task which is a simple kind of discussion about me and technology and what I use. Firstly I hardly ever use the internet which explains why I am so, so, so, so very, very, very bad at this class and why my blog is about as interesting as that stupid tv show about meerkats (sorry if you like that show, I really don't). I am a firm believer in speaking rather than typing (despite wanting to be a writer) and I am a huge lover of sarcasm (thank you Joss Whedon-if you don't know who Joss Whedon is, get off my blog! Just kidding you can stay). Due to this Whedon sarcasm I so love I find it a bad idea to speak over the internet as sometimes sarcasm doesn't always commute and people think that when I say things I really mean them, and I don't always. Also, I am kind of weirdly obsessive compulsive about spelling and on the Internet people's spelling is bad and that depresses me. So, due to this I don't have any people that I only know over the net and personally I find that kind of strange but as I haven't experienced it I can't really judge. But having read all those media exaggerated articles on little girls getting kidnapped and stuff due to internet buddies I am just a little bit over-cautious. There's just something about the person you're talking to possibly being fifty thousand years old and a murdering freak that kind of weirds me out. Crazy huh? (oh and there's the sarcasm!) When I was a bit younger I went on some chat rooms and ended up in trouble with my parents so that might have something to do with it too...
I do however use other communication technologies quite extensively, for example like most teenagers (I'm exaclty 18 and one week in case anyone cares) I can't live without my mobile phone, however I am constantly living without credit! But texting friends (and parents looking for me!) has become the kind of lifeline I can't live without. The other day I was wondering what I did before I had a mobile and honestly, I could hardly remember. That kind of frightened me. My phone, for anyone who cares is pink and a flip phone which are the only two reasons I bought it. It's small and cute, I can't tell you what it does that makes it fancy or fun, I do know there is like one game on there and a camera but I only use it to text and receive calls (I never have enough credit to make any!)
I've had a mobile for about three years I think, not too certain I have the worst memory! And use it all the time (as stated above). The great thing about it is that my cousin lives in Leeton (tiny Stars Hollow-esque town in NSW that you kind of crash into on your way through two slightly larger but still tiny towns) and I text her a lot coz I don't have an email address that I have told her. I guess now that I have one I can text it to her! Ah, the joys of communication technologies.
The other communication technology that I cannot live without (sadly) is the television. That fun world of attention deficit. I rarely watch the news but I recently have started to a lot more often but usually use tv to kill my brain cells with stupid shows, many from the US. I find myself, more and more constantly using pop culture references from TV shows, mainly ones like Gilmore Girls (I am totally addicted and not ashamed to admit it...okay I'm a little ashamed.) Also Supernatural (again addicted and a little ashamed), Smallville, Simpsons (kind of hate it but can't avoid it), Charmed, Buffy, Firefly (there's your Joss Whedon) etc. All the ones that make people shake their heads at me in disgust. An offset of this is the movie theatre which I constantly frequent and also use references and many quotes from and of course the DVD player. I can't imagine life without these three things.
One technology I use more than any other is my laptop. I am wanting to be a writer (I'm not really one yet but am trying!) and so use that constantly. Not sure if that counts as communication though as I don't really show it to people...
And the last one I will babble about is my CD player. I got two new cds yesterday and so this morning I played one as I was getting ready for uni. It was Evermore Real Life (if anyone cares) and due to this I have had Unbreakable (track 3 or 4) stuck in my head all day-I guess that's an example of how technology can affect you all day huh? I usually use my CD player whenever I am on my laptop or in my room but also listen to the radio a lot so I hear the news sometimes but not very often (I change channels to hear more music! Oops!)
Now that I have (hopefully!) answered the tutorial task (if not...damn, there's that failing thing) I am going to say some stuff about the lecutre I had this morning. By the way despite what it says on my blog posts it is Friday, the 16th March and about, I don't know, between 3 and 5 o clock I guess.
Okay, so in the lecture we watched a movie called Alphaville, okay maybe it was just me and maybe I was just distracted by the freakily deep scary voice of the voiceover guy that effectively wigged me out but that movie was confusing! So far it is making absolutely no sense to me. I hope that by saying this I have not just condemned myself to an even worse mark... But seriously I get that there are French people, apparently there are some hookers and a guy with a camera but...yeah that's about it! I really did try to concentrate which for me is a HUGE feat, I have a very, very small attention span, one that does not really commute French black and white movies apparently. I have used commute twice in this blog and am kind of wondering if I used it in the right context...I hope so.
Yeah, so the movie confused me and that guy's name Charles Babbage (dude who invented the difference engine and attempted that other engine that didn't take off-see I was listening!) just amused me to no end (yes I am actually a five year old masquarading as a uni student-well this is the internet!) All I could think about was that if I had known this guy his nickname so would have been Cabbage! I know, I know I did warn you in my first post that I am not that funny. Sorry.
Okay that is all I am going to write for now, I think I have written enough, I have definitely written more than I did for my original post which after seeing some others I am worried is too short. If so...eh. Okay, have a good week and wait for next week's adventure.
Another week so another lot of text from me going on about nothing (yay!) Feel free to run now if the mood so takes you. If not...
Have just looked at some other people's blogs for this class and have a feeling maybe I am totally going to fail this assessment but at least now I have some people on my blog-yay! Even if I'm going to fail I still have to do this week's tutorial task which is actually pretty good and simple so that's good. I like actually having something to write about, gives me some focus and keeps me from staring blankly into space and then making an idiot of myself on screen (I think I've already done that! Just in case I haven't-here's more!)
So first I am going to do this task which is a simple kind of discussion about me and technology and what I use. Firstly I hardly ever use the internet which explains why I am so, so, so, so very, very, very bad at this class and why my blog is about as interesting as that stupid tv show about meerkats (sorry if you like that show, I really don't). I am a firm believer in speaking rather than typing (despite wanting to be a writer) and I am a huge lover of sarcasm (thank you Joss Whedon-if you don't know who Joss Whedon is, get off my blog! Just kidding you can stay). Due to this Whedon sarcasm I so love I find it a bad idea to speak over the internet as sometimes sarcasm doesn't always commute and people think that when I say things I really mean them, and I don't always. Also, I am kind of weirdly obsessive compulsive about spelling and on the Internet people's spelling is bad and that depresses me. So, due to this I don't have any people that I only know over the net and personally I find that kind of strange but as I haven't experienced it I can't really judge. But having read all those media exaggerated articles on little girls getting kidnapped and stuff due to internet buddies I am just a little bit over-cautious. There's just something about the person you're talking to possibly being fifty thousand years old and a murdering freak that kind of weirds me out. Crazy huh? (oh and there's the sarcasm!) When I was a bit younger I went on some chat rooms and ended up in trouble with my parents so that might have something to do with it too...
I do however use other communication technologies quite extensively, for example like most teenagers (I'm exaclty 18 and one week in case anyone cares) I can't live without my mobile phone, however I am constantly living without credit! But texting friends (and parents looking for me!) has become the kind of lifeline I can't live without. The other day I was wondering what I did before I had a mobile and honestly, I could hardly remember. That kind of frightened me. My phone, for anyone who cares is pink and a flip phone which are the only two reasons I bought it. It's small and cute, I can't tell you what it does that makes it fancy or fun, I do know there is like one game on there and a camera but I only use it to text and receive calls (I never have enough credit to make any!)
I've had a mobile for about three years I think, not too certain I have the worst memory! And use it all the time (as stated above). The great thing about it is that my cousin lives in Leeton (tiny Stars Hollow-esque town in NSW that you kind of crash into on your way through two slightly larger but still tiny towns) and I text her a lot coz I don't have an email address that I have told her. I guess now that I have one I can text it to her! Ah, the joys of communication technologies.
The other communication technology that I cannot live without (sadly) is the television. That fun world of attention deficit. I rarely watch the news but I recently have started to a lot more often but usually use tv to kill my brain cells with stupid shows, many from the US. I find myself, more and more constantly using pop culture references from TV shows, mainly ones like Gilmore Girls (I am totally addicted and not ashamed to admit it...okay I'm a little ashamed.) Also Supernatural (again addicted and a little ashamed), Smallville, Simpsons (kind of hate it but can't avoid it), Charmed, Buffy, Firefly (there's your Joss Whedon) etc. All the ones that make people shake their heads at me in disgust. An offset of this is the movie theatre which I constantly frequent and also use references and many quotes from and of course the DVD player. I can't imagine life without these three things.
One technology I use more than any other is my laptop. I am wanting to be a writer (I'm not really one yet but am trying!) and so use that constantly. Not sure if that counts as communication though as I don't really show it to people...
And the last one I will babble about is my CD player. I got two new cds yesterday and so this morning I played one as I was getting ready for uni. It was Evermore Real Life (if anyone cares) and due to this I have had Unbreakable (track 3 or 4) stuck in my head all day-I guess that's an example of how technology can affect you all day huh? I usually use my CD player whenever I am on my laptop or in my room but also listen to the radio a lot so I hear the news sometimes but not very often (I change channels to hear more music! Oops!)
Now that I have (hopefully!) answered the tutorial task (if not...damn, there's that failing thing) I am going to say some stuff about the lecutre I had this morning. By the way despite what it says on my blog posts it is Friday, the 16th March and about, I don't know, between 3 and 5 o clock I guess.
Okay, so in the lecture we watched a movie called Alphaville, okay maybe it was just me and maybe I was just distracted by the freakily deep scary voice of the voiceover guy that effectively wigged me out but that movie was confusing! So far it is making absolutely no sense to me. I hope that by saying this I have not just condemned myself to an even worse mark... But seriously I get that there are French people, apparently there are some hookers and a guy with a camera but...yeah that's about it! I really did try to concentrate which for me is a HUGE feat, I have a very, very small attention span, one that does not really commute French black and white movies apparently. I have used commute twice in this blog and am kind of wondering if I used it in the right context...I hope so.
Yeah, so the movie confused me and that guy's name Charles Babbage (dude who invented the difference engine and attempted that other engine that didn't take off-see I was listening!) just amused me to no end (yes I am actually a five year old masquarading as a uni student-well this is the internet!) All I could think about was that if I had known this guy his nickname so would have been Cabbage! I know, I know I did warn you in my first post that I am not that funny. Sorry.
Okay that is all I am going to write for now, I think I have written enough, I have definitely written more than I did for my original post which after seeing some others I am worried is too short. If so...eh. Okay, have a good week and wait for next week's adventure.
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