My Summer Class Did Start Yesterday

My summer class - ILS506 Information Analysis and Organization - began yesterday. I was able to successfully log in, get the syllabus and read the unit 1 lecture notes. For assignments this week, we are required to email the professor to let him know that we were able to log into the class, post an introduction to the class discussion and read several items. This week’s readings are Understanding MARC, the Preface to Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules (2002 edition), the AARC table of contents, AARC general rules for description, chapter 1 and chapter 2 of AARC, chapter 1 from Lois Chan’s Cataloging and Classification: An Introduction (2nd edition, 1994) and the introduction, p. ix-xiv, and p.3-9 from Jerry Saye’s Manheimer’s Cataloging and Classification (4th edition, 2000). 

So far everything seems to be going fine. My biggest problem is that my copy of the Manheimer text has not arrived yet. I ordered it on May 17th - which was right after I registered for the class. Unfortunately, it did not ship until May27th - and I am now waiting not-so-patiently for it to arrive. Hopefully, I will see it by early next week. Yet again, getting textbooks is definitely the most stressful part of being in a distance education program. ARGH!!!!!

IT Klingon-Speak

One of my favorite recent posts about the divide between IT staff and non-techies is this post from A Wandering Eyre (I forgot to mention it in yesterday’s post about techies vs non-techies). Jane’s comment that “one group starts speaking Klingon and everything goes all to hell” made me laugh so hard. Sometimes it really does seem that way. I am more often on the side of the tech support staff than the user. But even so, I am often so astounded at how quickly dialog can totally break down. I think this is so typical of interactions between IT and users. There needs to be greater understanding on both sides of this divide and some common ground.

As for the whole “have you tried rebooting” question. It certainly is frustrating. Even when I have to call tech support from one of our many vendors, this is always the first question - despite the fact that the number I am calling is supposed to be for 2nd or 3rd tier support. I think this is just related to fact that quite often, 6 or 7 reboots will make one’s computer happier. Just keep shutting the sucker off and on until it works!!