Week 6 Readings

Wikipedia on LANs:  This Wikipedia article briefly introduces the history of and the technological makeup of LANs.  In very basic terms, I understand that a LAN stands for “local area network,” which is a computer network that connects other computers and devices within a limited geographical area.  They are distinguished from WANs (wide area networks) by their speed, the smaller area that they cover, and the fact that they don’t need leased telecommunication lines.  We always want faster connections, so I’m sure before long, we will have something else to connect networks that’s even faster than FiOS.

Wikipedia on Computer Networks:  This article defines “computer network” and why we have them:  to share resources and information.  We take so much for granted, I think, when it comes to technology—I am always amazed at what I’ve been learning of the behind-the-scenes when it comes to computers, and also to see how predictions from a few years ago are already common standards in the industry (e.g., optical fiber cable technology, which I assume is FiOS, right?).  (As an aside, I remember three years ago, listening to Tomer, in LIS 2000, say that FiOS was the wave of the future.  And this was just as Verizon’s FiOS was beginning to be installed in the area.  I went home that day and told my husband, “We might’s well switch to FiOS.”  And we did, as soon as it became available in our area.  Chalk that decision up to library school!)  Anyway, there are different kinds of wiring technologies that go into networks, and there are wireless technologies now, too, that connect networks.  Then, once connected, those networks get classified according to their “physical scope,” or what I think of as “range.”  There are LANs, WANs, PANs, HANs, CANs, and MANs—all of which is just to say that there seems to be a network for everyone.  But I have to say that I never think of the Internet as a “network,” even though of course it is!  The discussion of hardware is helpful just to be familiar with terminology you often hear IT people using.  One thing, though:  How does one actually say “ITU-T G.hn”?????  I mean, when two IT people are talking amongst themselves, how do they actually say this term????

I enjoyed the YouTube video—short and sweet and to the point.  The guy makes it all seem so simple.

Karen Coyle’s article on RFID was very good at explaining what RFID technology is.  I read this on the day this week that the PA Turnpike announced it was considering doing away with toll plazas and going to electronic systems where, if a car didn’t already have an EasyPass, a camera would take a picture of your license plate and the owner would receive a bill in the mail for the amount of the toll.  I assume they’ll be using RFID technology for this.  So it’s kind of interesting to see how this technology is creeping into all aspects of life, for better or worse.  I can see how using this technology in the library would be good for tracking inventory, locating misplaced items, and providing some measure of security.  But realistically, in this day and age, I don’t see how all libraries could afford to implement such a system.  (And if it gets to the point—and maybe it already has—that publishers are automatically including RFID tags in materials, they will simply increase the prices to cover the cost of technology, making it even harder for libraries to buy new items.)  I thought it was ironic how Coyle talks about how the retail sector uses RFID as a “throw-away” technology—that is, they use it once, and that’s it.  They can afford to be wasteful, I guess.  Libraries, on the other hand, could re-use the technology, yet can’t afford it in the first place.  Coyle treats both the pros and cons of this technology as it relates to the library.  If libraries are in the fortunate position of implementing such technology in the future, they will have to address the issues of privacy, RFID tag signalling, and tag durability.