#7 Text Messaging and the rest (web conferencing)

Text messaging is a waste of time and money. If you're using it, you're probably not paying attention to things you're supposed to be paying attention to. Are you using it during your math class? During a convention session or lecture? While you're talking to someone else? While you're driving? During a library meeting? Nope, it's not for me. Just pick up the phone.

3a--watched the video clip. Text messaging takes too long. A phone call is quicker.
3b--read the article--no wonder we have to make room on the airways for cell phones.
3c--did not text message anyone cuz it costs me money and it's stupid. Very handy if a person can't hear to use a phone however so not a total waste I guess. (She admits grudgingly).

Web conferencing seems like it could be very useful. Lots of people use it now to work out of their homes. My daughter-in-law web conferences all the time through her job and is able to work at home. Webinars are handy, especially in Minnesota where snow storms can cause cancellations of meetings and training sessions. I give web conferencing a thumbs up. There are so many of them now, I don't know where to start! That guy talking about OPAL also mentioned the high cost of gasoline, which makes web conferencing very attractive as well. I would rather have a live booktalk but I can see a booktalk presented via web conferencing as well--kind of like Book TV or whatever that show is called.

4a--read it. Boring to read but it's useful information.
4b--Hmmm. Well I tried to listen to an archived Webinar about NetLibrary and it came on but then I got someone from Minitex asking me how they could direct my call. I'll try to watch the OPAL thing tomorrow. I was happy to see that there were previously recorded sessions but then it didn't work. Because even with a webinar or online OPAL conference, you can't always watch it when they offer it.

I'm going to watch part of the Lewis and Clark conference on OPAL today at 2:00. I am really curious to see if it will work. I remember teleconferences at school--there were almost always "technical difficulties"--no sound, no video, inablility to connect, etc. So I hope to be pleasantly surprised.

Ok I am watching the OPAL lecture right now WHILE I am blogging about it!!!!!! AND watching "Men In Black" (I'm not really watching Men in Black but the tv is on and I could be if I wanted to.) The lecture is about the 1905 World's Fair in Portland Oregon. I can hear that there is an audience and there are two of us signed on through the Internet--a guy from Missouri and me, from Minnesota. I was going to just watch a little bit to see how it works, but now I feel like I sure watch the whole thing since they know that I'm here! That's how real it is. Very handy as I'm sure you can find a conference on just about anything you want. And the web moderators kind of type commercials as I'm watching--promoting future lectures.

It looks like I could actually push a microphone button to ask a question out loud if I had a question to ask but I'm not going to do it.

Anyway, I give this 2.0 application a two thumbs up.