Important-est lesson that I have learnt in UIR

There are lots of important stuffs I learn when I took up this UIR. But mainly, I have learnt how to use the different types of search utilities and what are the advantages of each search facility.

Let me recap again. There are three different kinds of serch facilities. They are Search Engines, Meta Search Engines, and Subject Directories. Most of you all know what Search Engines are. If you all don't know, then Yahoo and Google are examples of Search Engines. Mamma, MetaCrawler are examples of Meta Search Engines and Yahoo Directory and Google Directory are for Subject Directories.

Personally, I think Search Engines are the best among the other two search facilities. This is because Search Engines produced alot of hits, compared to the other two, and most of the results in the list are the intended result I needed.

Basically, I think everything that I have learnt in UIR is important. But there are few things that are of primary importance, like the ones I have mentioned above.

Venice

Venice has always been a dreamland for me. I first saw it in the Social Studies book. During my secondary school days, whenever my teacher was teaching the subject, I kept admiring at the pictures of the cathedral and buildings in Venice.

The place is just unique. There are no roads. You travel by small sampans(they call it sampan here.I don't know about Venice.) Because there's water everywhere. The water are their roads.

Here are some pictures of Venice.

I got this pictures from: http://www.letsgo-europe.com/Italy/Venice/

This website tells me more about the country and what are the magnificient stuff about the country. There is also travel tips of the country that they recommend. Basically, this website tells me everything that I need to know about Venice. They even state in the website to bring comfortable shoes to walk around the city.

Not just information on the tour, but the website also tells me about the history of Venice. About Marco Polo stuff....and bla bla bla...

Similar places like Venice are also being introduced to me from the website. I didn't know that there are more than one places like Venice until I visited this website. Its called Bruges or Brugge. It's in Belgium. And Venice is in Italy. Brugge is also covered in water, what I mean is that you don't travel on roads. You travel mostly on water, like Venice. More or less, Brugge is like Venice. A city compact with medieval buildings and beautiful sceneries.

Friendster FaceBook VERSUS TheReality

What is FaceBook?
FaceBook is a social utility that connects you with the people around you.

What is Friendster?
Friendster is a social utility that connects you with the people around you.

These both social network utility has influenced alot of the young adults, and even some adults in this modern world. Nowadays, the generation of this modern world, almost everything can be done online. Therefore, one day, this issue about social network service came about. Can Friendster and FaceBook ever replace face-to-face social interactions?

Personally, I don't think so. Why? Putting aside Friendster and Facebook, even MSN can never replace face-to-face social interactions, even though there are webcams that can show facial expressions and talk 'online'.

People has to get out from their seats and get a LIFE. If these modern utilities can replace face-to-face social interactions, then people will become unsocialised. Manners will be forgotten. People will become lazier. Computers will be their life.
When that comes, there's not much difference between humans and zombies.

It is good to have these kinds of social utility in this world. It eases the people around the world, for example, some things can be done online and no need for manual transactions. But note this! This technology are invented in this world to aid you in your daily life doings. Not do the things for you! See the difference?

TalkingCock

No no. We are not supposed to talk cock for this activity. But we have to discuss about this website called TalkingCock.

www.talkingcock.com

This website mainly talk about the politics issue and other issues in Singapore such as the Mas Selamat thingy, foreign talents, etc. It's a crap website which talks, criticise and %^&*$ the government upside down. Haha. It's a good website actually for the locals but maybe an insult to the politic freaks.

Me and my group were supposed to take up the Prime Minister role and discussed about the website. We were to share the 'Prime Minister's ' thoughts about this website to the rest of the class. Haha. Imagine what we would have said. Haha.

Before this activity, we were supposed to do this crossword puzzle game that recaps about the past few days activity. Its optional anyway, so did a few tryouts and then done.

E-learning

Today is e-learning. That means that I don'y have to attend school physically, but my attendance will still be taken. In other words, I don't have to be in school physically, but I have to participate in this discussion forum in OLE.

Teacher will mark my attendance according to the forum entry.

And the discussion is about how the Internet has bloom our academic life and why is there a need for advocacy websites.

What happen today.

Today, in UIR class, I did evaluation for Internet resources. I am supposed to choose one of the previous resource I did in the previous practical and evaluate it.

Therefore I chose this website as it is relatively easy than the other two.
www.accesshollywood.com

This website merely talks about the latest news about the celebrities and updated information on the most popular shows such as American Idol. For those who did not get to watch the latest episode, you can refer to this website.

Ok. Back to today's topic.

Let me just summarise what I did today. Here are the evaluations I did for today. I have to answer some questions in the practical. My answers are in italic.


Purpose
Are the aims of the website clearly stated?

Yes. The purpose of this website is to break the news regardless of popular or underground to the people, like us, who are outside the music industry.


Coverage
What is the coverage of the site? Is it comprehensive? What subject areas and materials are covered? Are there any pointers to further information that enhance the coverage of the site? Are the links to other sites useful?

There are updated news and information about the celebrities in the music industry and other latest music album, trends, etc. which will help me on my discussion topic. There are also blogs about music and other stuffs related to music found as links in the website.

Authority
Is this an authoritative source? Are there any reviews about this site or has it been included in any gateways or virtual libraries?

This website is authoritative and current because the news is updated daily and the members of the website deliver the latest information from the celebrities themselves.

Accuracy
Are the facts accurate? Does it use research as a basis? Is there political, ideological, or biasness in the source? Is it a factual site or one that contains an opinion? Are the references stated clearly? Is it free from grammatical, spelling and typographical errors?

Yes. The facts are accurate because the news in the website are delivered by the reports of the members who actually travel to the location to get his latest information.

Currency
Is the information up-to-date? Is it well-maintained?

The website is updated daily as it is proven by the date shown in every news article.


Accessibility
Is the site easily accessible? Does it require registration and log-ins? Are all the information accessible for FREE?

The website is easily accessible because users can view news without signing in. But some to view some things such as videos, etc, users need to register and login. Although users are required to login to view this videos, the registration is free.


Presentation and Arrangement
Is the information well presented and arranged? Is the information clearly, consistently and logically presented and arranged? Are there any features such as site map, an index or a search facility? How effective are the search features in helping users to find information?

Yes, the information and news in the website is well presented and arranged. It is well organized which will give the users ease to surf through the website without having difficulties knowing which is the latest news and the updated information.

Usability
Is it easy to use and navigate around? Are there user support facilities?

It is easy to use and navigate around because, as I mentioned in accessibility, it does not require signing in if users want to view news or information.

Overall
What is your overall impression of the quality of the website?

I think this website is easy to use and user-friendly because, it is well-organized and accessible to users. The news delivered in the site, is updated and useful to users(mostly teenagers) as most of them loves to hear news inside the music industry.

SHAG-ged day

If yesterday was the simplest activity, then today's must be effing hard!

I have to use 3 different types of engines
- search engine
- metasearch engine
- directory

Without much thinking, I went to try out
- Google (search engine)
- Mamma (metasearch engine)
- Yahoo directory (directory)

After that, I have to list down the comments on the search results done in all the 3 different types of search facilities. It's pretty long. But it is still short, because at the end of the day, I have to compile everything into a report and submit to TEACHER. (At least 2 pages of comments or description or bla bla bla, of each of the search facility)

And that means STRESS is compiling too.
Argh!