Write Lightning is a blog from writer Deb Thompson.
Everyone is welcome here.
(Some links or topics may not be completely kid-appropriate.)
Everyone is welcome here.
(Some links or topics may not be completely kid-appropriate.)
Fri, Jan 28 2005
Searching Online: For Some Of Us, Taking It Seriously Is Fun
Earlier this week Clive Thompson made note of the fact that not everyone fits a large percentage of people who took a survey regarding their online activities, and particularly their use of search engines. Clive doesn't fit the profile. Neither do I.
I have to smile when I see how many people only use a search engine "a few times a week". I often have 8-10 copies of a browser running, with searches going in 3 or 4 copies. I use Google quite often, but I also use specialty search engines, meta search engines, more than 5200 bookmarks, mega-list and links pages, news sites, RSS feeds and many other tools that help me reach data. When someone tells me they "did a search, but couldn't find anything" I usually take it as a personal challenge, and I go off hunting on my own. I find that most people just give up too easily, and that a lot of them will plainly admit they have no patience or motivation to spend time do the kind of digging I do on a daily basis.
I used to spend hours with books at brick-and-mortar libraries and still come away with less information than I can glean now with just a few focused searches online. Libraries and book stores still contain a wealth of information. But I hope that soon more people will be willing to jump in and find out what they might be missing by not taking advantage of the sources for information here online.
posted at: 19:04 | category: /Writing Life | link to this entry
Earlier this week Clive Thompson made note of the fact that not everyone fits a large percentage of people who took a survey regarding their online activities, and particularly their use of search engines. Clive doesn't fit the profile. Neither do I.
I have to smile when I see how many people only use a search engine "a few times a week". I often have 8-10 copies of a browser running, with searches going in 3 or 4 copies. I use Google quite often, but I also use specialty search engines, meta search engines, more than 5200 bookmarks, mega-list and links pages, news sites, RSS feeds and many other tools that help me reach data. When someone tells me they "did a search, but couldn't find anything" I usually take it as a personal challenge, and I go off hunting on my own. I find that most people just give up too easily, and that a lot of them will plainly admit they have no patience or motivation to spend time do the kind of digging I do on a daily basis.
I used to spend hours with books at brick-and-mortar libraries and still come away with less information than I can glean now with just a few focused searches online. Libraries and book stores still contain a wealth of information. But I hope that soon more people will be willing to jump in and find out what they might be missing by not taking advantage of the sources for information here online.
posted at: 19:04 | category: /Writing Life | link to this entry
Good Reason To Lay Off The Caffeine
Just when I think my week couldn't possible get any more strange, I come across the Ghost Pot Dance.
posted at: 15:17 | category: /Playing | link to this entry
Just when I think my week couldn't possible get any more strange, I come across the Ghost Pot Dance.
posted at: 15:17 | category: /Playing | link to this entry
