Week 7 Reading Notes

How Internet Infrastructure Works

The Internet Society, a non-profit group established in 1992, oversees the formation of the policies and protocols that define how we use and interact with the Internet.

• I never knew this existed, but I suppose the policies must be generated by someone and if the Internet isn’t owned by anyone, I think a nonprofit is a great model. I hope the nonprofit is international so that it incorporates multiple and diverse viewpoints.

• The graphic displaying the function of an Internet router is very informative. This allows me to visualize the information I’m reading.

A router has two separate, but related, jobs:

•   It ensures that information doesn't go where it's not needed. This is crucial for keeping large volumes of data from clogging the connections of "innocent bystanders."

•   It makes sure that information does make it to the intended destination.

•  The router sounds like an important tool in keeping users from being overwhelmed by the “information flood”.

One of the keys to making this work is redundancy. There are multiple DNS servers at every level, so that if one fails, there are others to handle the requests. The other key is caching. Once a DNS server resolves a request, it caches the IP address it receives. 

• It seems like caching keeps the whole query process running smoothly.

Dismantling Integrated Library Systems

Librarians are dismantling systems, and creating new modules, out of frustration with the inflexible and nonextensible technology of their proprietary systems. Vendors are also creating standalone products both to harness newer technologies and capture or invent new market shares.

• Technology and information systems change so quickly, it’s amazing that this hadn’t happened sooner.

Other librarians have decided that these systems don’t satisfy Internet-savvy end users, while other vendors have decided that reliance on maintenance revenue alone is a short-sighted business model.

• This sounds like ILS software companies are looking to make more money through the entire use of their product. Would this entail higher prices? Monthly subscriptions?

Librarians are also motivated to seek solutions because of healthy competition with peers and disparate information resources.

• Libraries must provide easy search tools comparable to search engines like Google. This is what modern information seekers expect.

Library vendors have two choices. They can continue to maintain large systems that use proprietary methods of interoperability and promise tight integration of services for their customers. Or, they can choose to dismantle their modules in such a way that librarians can reintegrate their systems through web services and standards, combining new with the old modules as well as the new with each other.

•  This choice needs to be made soon to keep up with quickly-innovating information competitors such as Google.

Several librarians have prototyped MARCtoXML conversion and search engine solutions, but perhaps no one has done it better than Mark Ludwig, library systems manager, University at Buffalo, NY. Using a simple MARC converter and the TextML indexer, Ludwig indexed the entire collection of two million records in a day and now offers relevance ranking and sort options that are unmatched by most ILS products.

The Genesis of Google TED Presentation

• Really cool demonstration of where Google queries are made around the globe. This technique is very enlightening and points to areas with less access, such as throughout Africa.
• Google wants to improve the world, such as through Google Grants. Connection to this through Google Ads?
• Orkut sounds interesting, but like a Google-exclusive Facebook. Also interesting that Google lets its employees pursue their interests in Google. This is modeled after the Montessori school model – allowing employees to follow their interests. Very creative way to continue innovating, as they grow larger and larger. I think more companies should follow this business model. People work harder on interest-driven projects and could make great innovations when given the freedom to pursue them.
• Google Deskbar and Google News – projects that were initiated by inspired Google employees.
• AdSense – trying to make ads useful, not just annoying.
• The ultimate search engine would be smart – artificial intelligence.
• I get an eerie feeling when we start talking about AI in relation to the Internet!
• Able to serve everyone in the world without regard to how much money those places make. Through ads that generate money,  they can offer google to everyone throughout the world.
• Goal is to provide people with the best information possible – only accept money for ads, not for searches.

My overall impression after reading/watching the documents for week 7:

It seems that search engines like Google will continue innovating and expanding, providing users with better search tools. While they still aren’t “smart”, their business model allows them to innovate quickly and in ways that meet the public’s expectations. This makes them stiff competition for libraries, especially as ILS has a more difficult road ahead in terms of interoperability and innovation. Libraries and ILS creators/vendors must reach an operable and user-friendly solution to keep up with other information providers such as Google.