Wikipedia article on Local Area Networks
- Local area network = LAN
- Covers a small geographic area - advantages include higher transfer rate and smaller range
- Developed as a response to the personal computer - small areas now had a large number of computers, and networking them could save a lot of money on printers and storage space
- Ethernet was common originally, but now most LANs use Wi-Fi
Wikipedia article on computer networks
- Computer network = any group of interconnected computers
- Most common types of networks: personal (PAN), local (LAN) campus (CAN), metropolitan (MAN), wide (WAN), global (GAN)
- Network interface card (NIC): allows computers to be networked using MAC addresses
- Repeater: receives and retransmits a signal so that it can travel long distances with minimal loss
- Hub: contains ports, copies signals for transmission
- Bridge: sends signals only to particular ports
- Switch: filters signals between ports, depending on MAC addresses
- Router: forwards data between networks
YouTube: "Common Types of Computer Networks"
- Hmm.
- Watching this video didn't add much to my understanding of computer networks. Perhaps it would be a good resource for someone who wanted the "elevator speech" on computer networks?
"Management of
RFID in Libraries" by Karen
Coyle- Coyle briefly mentions "privacy issues" - I'd like to know more about this. I understand the privacy issues in using RFID in things like passports, but what are the issues for libraries? Would the chips store information about who has checked out the book?
- Interesting that Coyle notes how easily the RFID signal could be blocked, making it ineffective as a security device.
- Will RFID replace the barcode, despite the larger start-up cost? Can libraries justify the start-up cost?
- Why are the RFID tags so big, when the chip itself is so tiny? Coyle calls them "somewhat bulky two-inch square tags."
- Challenge of creating durable RFID tags for libraries, that can function on an item for a long time - most RFID tags are not made to last that long.
4 comments:
First can I just say, your reading notes are so easy to follow and understand! The bullet idea and sticking with what is most important is a great idea!. If I am ever confused about a reading...I know now whose blog to turn too.
Ditto, why ARE RFID tags so big...? Maybe because it's a fairly new technology, I'm sure as they become more popular they will become smaller. Kind of like how PC's were monsters 30-40 years ago and now are so much smaller and sleeker.
Why are the RFID tags so big, when the chip itself is so tiny? Coyle calls them "somewhat bulky two-inch square tags."
I personally have a problem with RFIDs, so I may not be the best source, but the privacy issues would yes, have to do with storage of information. Right now, once an item is returned, it is erased off of that person's record, but RFIDs would likely retain a complete check-out history. If put in the wrong hands, this could be a huge invasion of privacy.
I think that libraries can somewhat justify the start up costs of RFID if they can "sell" the point that RFID's are multifunctional devices such as for security, check-out, inventory, and can be used when searching for a book on the shelf. But I think they are going to have a a hard time selling this to many people because of 1) (like you said) how easily the security device can be overpowered 2) privacy issues 3)problems with the RFID not working on all products such as odd shaped audio cases and 4) durability. Finally, you can't overlook the fact that if RFID cannot be used on all the items in a library, than you have the costs of running the old barcode and new RFID systems.
Ha! I knew there was a reason a shiver went down my spine when I read about RFIDs! I just kept thinking that if the security gates could tell if an item was checked out, it must also contain information on who it was checked out to!
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