tech boot camp brainstorming.

[idiva]

So. I want to install SuSE linux on the old computer that M. so graciously gave me 8 months ago. I lack a monitor. I had one, but the person that gave it to me had to take it back. I'm pretty sure I can find another monitor if I put my mind to it. What I desperately need is a kick in the ass so I get around to it

Comments

[oneeyedtj]

The 'Ranch has a good interbunny connection, and we have plenty of workspace. I'm pretty good with hardware, so you can set the whole thing up here. We already have a server, but we can set up a second G'ville server if'n you want to.

[oneeyedtj]

I would also enjoy having hot librarians doing computer stuff in my house. Just sayin'.

[tawnygnosis]

I would be very interested in getting over my systemy fears since I'm wanting to go into the technical side of library work. When are you thinking of doing this?

ooh, ooh! pick me! pick me!

[pivyca]

I *am* lacking in tchnical savvy, but only becuase I haven't yeat learned, not becuase I believe myself incapable.
I'd have to do the webjunction classes, but that seems like a pretty good deal. I assume they are all online, work at your pace kind of things? because that's right up my alley. I could also maybe come up with some machines, or at least parts, nothing state of the art, most likely older stuff, but my dad builds computers and might be able to hook us up with some stuff. Space I can't really offer, but there's got to be a way to make it happen.

I've been dying to play with Koha.

[clynne]

I have several old netfinities (er, 5-year-old rack-mounted servers) sitting in my garage waiting for me to find something to do for them.

I'd be happy to donate them to the cause, although I don't have a spot for them -- but it sounds like TJ might?

I'd be happy to coach you in linux admin and setup, I already have a list of "linux user basics" I made for my old assistant. I never got around to defining and expanding that, but I'd be happy to work on that ... but I don't know any of these librarian environments you're talking about, so I'm not sure how useful I'd be helping with that.

I'm available more in the daytimes than in the evenings or weekends, due to my skating schedule, but whatever I can do, let me know.

[mayorjim]

Happy to sit in and teach/facilitate anything.

I've got a pretty big complimentary account at Speedypuppy.net set up for Gigsville. If you come up with a good application like you're describing, I'd be happy to host it there.

Just lemme know what you need.

re: perl and java. I dunno... I alway wonder why you guys all want to become programmers, when your area of expertise lends itself much better to being infomration architects, database designers/admins, and appliction designers (which is different from programmers). If I were designing a librarian curriculum, I'd not bother with having anyone see a single line of C, perl or java. But they'd all be SQL wizards as soon as possible, and understnad everything about moving their information designs to the 4th normal form, and why and how to use that.

[idiva]

yay..cool..

yes, definitely add PHP/SQL to the mix.

it's not so much that we want to be coders ourselves. the problem is that we're usually understaffed/underfunded so we don't have the luxury of hiring coders to do the under-the-hood stuff for us.

we need a minimal knowledge of programming so we can (a) have a concept of what type of services/products we can build and (b) supervise programmers, if we're in one of the lucky institutions that has them .

re: java/perl many of the open source stuff that we use makes use of those languages (my handle server uses java, for example)

the other issue is that many librarians responsible for tech didn't receive any kind of training on it at all, which is something the Gates Foundation and webjunction.org are trying to redress. Some library science schools do include tech stuff in the curriculum, but these are still far too few.