Monthly Archives: January 2005

Usability of websites for teenagers

A very topical Alertbox from the usually interesting Jakob Nielsen. This short piece looks at findings from recent work they have done with teen web users, and notes some characteristics. I noted that “… the sites that our teen users rated the highest for subjective satisfaction were sites with a relatively modest, clean design. They … Continue reading Usability of websites for teenagers →

Sun search

This looks like an interesting place to follow discussions about search. So, this is one of the hard problems (You could probably get away with saying that it’s the hard problem) in search: what is a reliable measure of the aboutness of a page, given a query? I don’t think there’s any one answer to … Continue reading Sun search →

Find other editions in Open WorldCat

We recently added a button on the Open WorldCat rendezvous page to find other ‘editions’ of the found item. This is an interim approach to implementing the FRBR model which clusters versions of a work. It helps find, for example, translations of a particular item. See Reading in the dark and click on ‘other editions … Continue reading Find other editions in Open WorldCat →

Library lookup

I have come across a couple of sites recently which pass queries to library catalogs. Amazon light: Primarily using Amazon.com’s Web Services API, Amazon Light 4.0 is an exercise in tying together various Web Services into a whole, adding content, context and some useful tools to the Amazon shopping/browsing experience. [Amazon Light 4.0 – About] … Continue reading Library lookup →

The sound of words: Amazoogle and Googlezon

Amazon, Google, eBay: massive computational and data platforms which exercise strong gravitational web attraction. I coined the expression ‘Amazoogle‘ to have a handle to talk about this phenomenon in our space. It seems to me that Amazoogle has a slightly uplifting sense; it evokes a smile. The Museum of Media History has produced a short … Continue reading The sound of words: Amazoogle and Googlezon →

Software contest

Check out our software contest!

Yellow pages on Amazon

A9 has an impressive new service. It gives you a Yellow Pages search, plus on-map-locator, plus the ability to place a call with found businesses, plus (in ten cities) ‘walkable’ pictures of the streetscapes in which the business sits. It allows you to find and ring libraries for example, and if you are in one … Continue reading Yellow pages on Amazon →

Deskilling searching?

A discussion has broken out in the UK about proposals from the University of Bangor to reduce the number of librarians in light of the changed environment of search. This is a passage from the message from a library staff member which sparked the debate: The University of Wales Bangor in the UK no longer … Continue reading Deskilling searching? →

UBC e-strategy webpages

I was interested to come across the University of British Columbia’s e-strategy website which collects general awareness, policy and service information. They identify e-learning, e-research, e-business, connectivity and e-community lines of activity.