The Battle Ground: CD ROM against Online IR

CD-ee Future ... ON LINEage ?

Title: Online and CD ROM Information Retrieval. Introduction to Modern Retrieval System. 15, 281-299
Author: Chowdhury, G. G. (2001)
Publisher: Library Association

Title: Boolean Searching. Understanding computers: today and tomorrow.
Author: Morley, D. & Parker, C. (2007)
Publisher: Thomson

Title: Computerized information searching. How to find Information in Science and Technology. 4, 51-71.
Author: Lambert, J. & Lambert, P. (1991)
Publisher: Library Association

Title: Searching and Retrieval. Introduction to Modern Retrieval System. 4, 170-191
Author: Chowdhury, G. G. (2001)
Publisher: Library Association
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ABSTRACT

The access and scope of Online and CD ROM searching changed due to the advent of World Wide Web and the increase in the computer industry research and development of high-density recording techniques. From CD ROM stand alone systems to remote availability of resources on web, improvement on information retrieval is noteworthy as there existed a drastic booming on various free-access or with-fee online search services from online vendors all over the world, that have specially designed interfaces and search features that make the user searching easier and profitable.

THINGS I HAVE LEARNED

CD ROM and Online Search Services system has its own search features and interfaces that would greatly influence and relate to the user search capabilities. Although the searching on these systems were made easy, the user still need to have knowledge or familiarization with these its system aspects, learn to formulate appropriate search expression and reinvent it until the satisfactory or optimum results are attained. The use of command language such as Boolean operator is also applicable for these types of retrieval systems. Price is always a major concern for both CD ROM and Online Information retrieval.

IMPLICATIONS OF WHAT I HAVE LEARNED

In my institution, I do online searching to check the details of some new songs. Doing online searching is very helpful to me because I am always positive that in my every search I will be getting the most recent information I wanted since online information are most likely up-to-date. Thus, if ever I need to make some corrections regarding the details of any material, I can easily provide the exact details of it (provided that the network connection is stable). And if I am still in doubt regarding the material details I got, I can easily make comparisons of content or information from the sites based on the evaluation of source cited and authorship (determining which among those sites is the most authoritative).

For me, I can say that I still CD-ee Future of some CD ROMs in the up-coming years. I believe that, with the aid of technology, people in the computer industry would still give effort to do researches on the high end recording techniques, hence, there are still chance that they could develop optical disks with high capacity and longer usability as storage device. Although we cannot normally get the recent information from CD ROM based system (since updates are available only through purchase of new CD ROMS every now and then) still retaining these materials will be beneficial for us because we can have source of information that we can access anytime without needing any network connection or working online---- I think information on these formats are useful because it can somehow readily answer basic factual information query (those not in need of very detailed inputs) like encyclopedias and dictionaries on discs. Although data lost could occur if discs are used frequently; but in a normal function, we could maximize its use and retain it until five years.

Although I am not using CD ROM based in my institution, given a chance I want to try this CD ROM based services if ever there will be available materials that might call my clientele interests. Retrieval wise, I can say that the response time of CD ROM would be shorter than ONLINE because online based search do retrieve for information on almost all databases available on web while CD ROM are subject specific and bound to discs.

It can never be denied that we are now continuing ON LINEage, hence, whether or not we like it, more or less we will be using web based system, since information here are adequately available and accessible anytime and anywhere provided that you have the computer that is capable of networking and also the other facilities required.

We can never go wrong with being traditional. CD ROM is useful, information from this can be use as supplements and back ups of whatever we have online. It is the safest source when the online system went down. Although the initial cost of this system is expensive. I guess it would still be worth the price in a long run.

Having said all these, I think it is a better to have a mindset that are open to possibilities and options that we could put these materials together, get a grasp of its usability to the extent of our abilities.

We should learn how to CD-ee the future ON LINEage. We should see the future on the connections (lineage) of these materials. It is true that these materials might not provide same inputs because information from here varies, but I do believe that with the aid of technological “continuity on lineage (from printed-CD ROM based to online)”------ whatever differences that these technologies will have now will meet in same context in the end, this is, to prepare us to CDee future to get ONLINE with development. ^_^ Hence, it is not awful to get a balance of both technological advancements----- the old and the latest, nevertheless the usefulness of these materials will more or less, would really depend on us, not just on the interfaces or information that they provide, but also based on how we see, understand and evaluate how useful the information we got from it. ^_^

Strategies in Effective Searching of Information?

Strategies for You and For me...

Strategies for Everybody?

It was a stormy day for all of us last Wednesday. No one had expected that its going to be a one "HELLen" of a day---a day of struggle for each of us who have given their best to battle the angst of the tremendously pouring wind and rain just to attend the forum in Mandaluyong, with hope that we will learn something new that we could later impart to our institutions.

The presentation was very informative for information professionals who are not familliar with the existing reference sources on web. However, for groups who are quite knowledgeable with the references presented, the entire forum would be somehow insipid.

I guess the forum should have focused more on the "strategies per se" in effective searching.. and not with the resources available on web. It should have taught or informed at least the attendees on the latest and existing search strategies that could help them in maximizing the uses of those resources cited from web. Although, some a bit new strategies terms had been mentioned--like path finders ( quite same with bookmarking we discussed in Web 2.0?).

The information presented were quite inadequate to suffice the needed information of information profesionals who went all the way from different parts of the metro and even for individuals who came all the way from the Northern parts of the Philippines. It would have been better if the forum title was just changed to "Reference Sources on Web: Aid for Searching Information" rather than the one presented on "Strategies"... so that they could at least minimimized the amount of expectations withdrawn by the forum attendees way before they came for the forum.

Its a fact that not everyone are that sufficiently informed about the technological advances at present..but i guess, being part of the information professional communities, and being an information professional alone---had offered you advantages and responsibility to somehow take the initiative to know those things-- and implement it on your institution to help the user communities. And formulating or implementing it to an educational program requires you to have a stern plan on how you will implement it; and also on how you will know that it is effective also requires regular evaluation, and demands cooperation from the parent institution's faculty and administration. We, as information professionals should always present our initiative and be affirmative with our plans. There should be no room for uncertainties.We should know how to uplift our profession.

I agree that anyone could post anything on Web, but it does not mean that most of the thing there are not reliable. Information on Web are almost the same information from the printed materials--- a more advance way of presenting information. Information from printed materials is incomparable, but still it should not draw our interest away from the good resources that we could also find on Web. Its nicer to have a balance of both.. i believe we have our inquisitive minds to know what references are scholarly and what are not. We are surrounded by fast-changing informations, and Information is our LIVES FUEL, hence, Every second counts... No time to waste..Everyone should learn.

Although we are not able to hear and see what we have expected... it still had left a very important fact for all of us. LITERACY IS IMPORTANT.. not just for information professional but most importantly to the community that we are catering. Hence, its a must to each of us to take our part and do our best to help them be productive and knowledgable individuals for a better society.

More over, the forum presented a fact that it is not bad to be traditional.. and Its not bad to take sometime to look back where we have once started. I believe you cannot tell that there have been development or changes that had happened if you're not aware of its past..agree? Would you agree?

I believe what ever advances we have now, we also owe it to the Traditional. Hence, we should still show our gratitude by finding ways on how we could help them. Not all are given a chance to be knowledgeable--- for us individuals who had enough chance to be one, let's help create an informative society and environment for them. Let's help. ^_^ Let us all be literate! ^_^

Its true that the forum might not have presented the recent strategies for information searching that we expected. Nevertheless, it still presented strategy--- strategy on how we should view and value information and opportunities given to us to be knowledgeable individuals.

...A Strategy not to be boastful about our knowledge but to be more considerate to those who are experiencing inadequacies. It gives us a chance to do some sharing strategy ^_^

A chance to share what we know and what we learned from the university-- a strategy for you, for me, and for everybody.