Internet technology...
I've come across some fascinating examples of Internet technology recently:
Ten by Ten is a website that collects images from leading news organisations to give a snap shot of the World every hour; WordCount ranks words in order of commonality; Visited Countries produces a world map of countries you've been to; Visual Poetry turns words into pictures using Google technology; Google have released a new search engine - Google Scholar which allows you to search specifically for scholarly literature. It's not only these applications that I find fascinating, but also the technology behind them.


- posted by Bill @ 7:56 PM

 
Learning to write...
The more I learn about writing the more inadequate my own style feels, and the more critical I am of it. I suppose it's all part of the learning process and things can only get better. I've been thinking about the different styles of online writing that I enjoy reading myself: John Naughton (OU professor), Jakob Nielsen (web usability guru) and Amy Gahran's 'Contentious' blog about writing online, are a few. I found a link to my website in my stats from an OU technology staff member's blog - where he comments on student feedback. He raises an interesting point - more and more OU students are giving feedback on OU courses via the Internet. My favourite student websites are by Frances, and Hilma. There are also some good student blogs about such as murky.org

When I research about learning creative writing, it's often mentioned that creativity is innate rather than something that can be learnt. This may be true of a best selling novelist, but I think that anyone interested in reading, writing and books in general can benefit from doing a course - as long as they pick the right one. I'm going to do the two OU short courses on fiction and poetry, and then go on to the 60 point 'Creative' writing course.

I've also been thinking about copyright recently - I was hoping A171 would explain it in far more detail particularly the term 'fair use'. I know you can use a certain amount of material if you're doing a review, or use it for an educational assessment. I did come across the idea of
Creative Commons - where you can create a flexible license more suitable for the Internet.

- posted by Bill @ 4:05 PM

 
Getting started...
My short writing courses have started, they both seem OK, but the FirstClass conferences are very quiet! Maybe it's me wanting to race ahead - the conferences should pick up as the courses progress. I've now got all but two of the A300 set books; I'm reading Katherine Mansfield's selected stories at the moment - I didn't think I would like short stories but these are really good, and cleverly written. I've applied to become an Amazon Associate, so I can get paid for any orders referred from my website, and then buy more books.

I've decided that my next computer will be an Apple Mac. I've got to try one, as everyone who has them seems to say they're brilliant and far better than a Windows PC. I will probably go for an entry level eMac, and get it just after Christmas ready to start my literature course. There seems to be an Internet rumour that Apple may be releasing an eMac with a G5 processor, so I will go for that if it comes out soon.

I haven't started triathlon training again, but my weight has still remained fairly constant. My back seems fine now, but I'm not quite ready for training yet.

- posted by Bill @ 5:28 PM

 
Twentieth Century Literature...
I've made my Open University course choice for next year - A300 Twentieth Century Literature. I've finished Lewis Grassic Gibbon's Sunset Song, another of the set books, which was enjoyable apart from the frequent use of Scots words that needed a glossary in the back of the book to decipher them. I've started to put together my own A300 webpage where I intend to keep notes and useful resources. I'm a little aprehensive as this is likely to be a difficult course for me, but I'm determined to get through it.

My two short writing courses are about to start - the conferences are open and students are starting to introduce themselves. Both courses look interesting and useful preparation for me to move over to the Arts Faculty.

I haven't been to the gym for a while, my back feels a lot better, and I was about to start training last weekend, but now I've got flu! Hopefully I will get back into it in the next few days and start training again.

- posted by Bill @ 6:52 PM

 
Bachelor of Arts...
If I've understood the complicated qualification regulations correctly, then I need 120 points of unique study at level three to gain a BA (Hons). I'm fairly sure of the two courses I want to take, but I still can't decide on which one to do first. DD304 Understanding Cities looks a really interesting Social Science course that explores various World Cities, and the problems associated with urban life. I've been reading the existing course conference, and someone has posted a review of their recent visit to China - I was fascinated by her account and I'm seriously thinking of doing the same trip - a cruise along the Yangse with Voyages Jules Verne in the future. This course seems the safer of my two choices, and I will definitely do it at some stage, but I'm also strongly drawn to a Literature course.

A300 - 20th Century Literature: Texts and Debates is a new course starting in 2005. There is no course conference to get student opinions of the course, but I have started reading some of the set books. I started with Pat Barker's The Ghost Road, a 1995 Booker prize winner, which seems a slightly uncomfortable, but compelling read.

I need to make a decision soon, but I intend to read some more of the set books before I finally decide.

- posted by Bill @ 2:30 PM

 
Back pain...
For the first time ever I've been signed off work - due to back pain. I think I've pulled something by training too hard at the gym. The doctor has told me to take Ibuprofen and do stretching exercises, but I can hardly move at the moment and I've walking around hunched over as if I need a zimmer frame.

I didn't sit my geology exam, as I couldn't concentrate on revision with my back problem. I felt guilty at first, but have come to terms with it now. I didn't need the points as I was doing the course as a one off, to try out science. I've enjoyed doing geology and got a lot from it. I'm looking forward to next year's OU courses, but can't decide on which course to do - it's between DD304 Understanding Cities and A300 Modern Literature. I'm reading some of the Literature course set books before I decide.

My 1MB broadband connection is working well - I went for the Wanadoo upgrade from my existing 512K service. I'm using a tool called DU meter to kept a total of my usage and I seem to be well within the 2GB limit I've signed up with, and it's twice as fast and £10.00 cheaper. Google have released a new desktop search tool that indexes your whole PC - it seems useful, although there could be security issues for shared PC's.

- posted by Bill @ 6:09 PM

 
Exam stress...
My S260 Geology exam is fast approaching and I feel really stressed about it. I don't need the points, as this course isn't going towards a qualification, but as a matter of principle I really want to pass this exam. Nothing seems to sink in despite going to the OUGS revision day and my final tutorial. It's annoying because it's a really good interesting course - maybe it will all come together on the day.

I've been working hard at the gym, I'm trying to go every day now, apart from the weekends when I go swimming. I've joined the British Triathlon Association , and after my exam I hope to join a local club. The events calendar comes out at the end of January, so I will be able to choose the ones I want to enter for 2005 and do some more specific training.

Back to geology revision...


- posted by Bill @ 5:06 PM