CLOUD COMPUTING - BOOK REVIEW

The Rough Guide to Cloud Computing by Peter Buckley


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I have been wondering what cloud computing is. This small book gives me a rough idea of what this term means. This book introduces many web based applications that every one can make use of. They are sorted in different categories like office applications, imaging, audios, social networking applications and many others. This book is particular valuable to those people new to nowadays web-based computer world.

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2ND WEB.2.0 TRAINING

I like this kind of self discovery training as we can take our time to do the required excercise. One may spend a couple of hours in doing a particular excercise, browsing in detail all the suggested websites; while another one may spend just minutes doing the same excercise. This is up to one's choice. I like the 1st training more as the content of which is richer and less "formal". Personally, I don't like to do all these excercises at work place as they are too many distractions. People coming and going, telephone rings, people eating next to you .... I would like to have a quiet place to do my "homework".

It is some time hard to answer the questions how the topic is related to our job. This will of course force us to think about it. In the end, if we know more of the web 2.0, we are empowered to serve customer better. When customers are using Facebook and Twitter and need help, we are more confident to render the necessary assistance.

FACEBOOK

I created my account with Facebook in my last Web 2.0 training and so I don't have to do it again. I invited my co-worker Killy to be my friend and now waiting for her acceptance. Manukau Libraries Facebook is located and I have added a fan photo to it.I posted comments to the two discussion topics in Manukau Libraries Facebbok on May 30 and 31.

I visited New York Public library Facebook incidentally and found its updates are screaming for help. Its funding is to be cut by 37 million, which means possibly 10 branches could be closed, opening days could be reduced from 6 to 4 days and there would be cuts in programmes for kids/adults and job search services. It is suggesting voters to write to elected officials to deter the cut and make donation to the library as well. I am happy that I am not working in New York Public library.

I don't like Facebook personally because I am not keen to make friends through this so called social networking site. There is recently a news that many Facebook users organised themselves to withdraw from Facebook at the same time. The personal information in the Facebook can be unduely utilised by the third party. However, it could be a very good tool for libraries to connect to their readers. Libraries can make use of Facebook to keep their readers informed of their acitivities. The facebook can be linked to U-tube so the readers would be able to see what happened to the libraries lately. For instance, the recent refurbishment of Pakuranga library could be uploaded to U-tube so that interested readers could see the prograss of the refurbishment in visually. Of course, photos can also be uploaded to Facebook to show the latest library's activities. Because it is easy to use, I will recommend customers to visit Manukau libraries Facebook and become a fan.