Console Gaming (No. 38)

I did play these "retro" games growing up. I remember Atari: Mario Bros, Donkey Kong, Galaga, Centipede, the Pac Man family. Oh, the games I used to play. I played with the NES, duck hunt, pole position, super mario bros. As for the skills I acquired: hand eye coordination, quick thinking, tenacity, perseverance. I learned that there was not a single solution to a problem, how to go back, start over and try new combinations to reach a more profitable solution.

As for console gaming in the libary. Any of the three would be sufficient to use. Being able to network consoles together would allow library users to work together or compete withing the game. Having a large selection of games to choose from is also a major plus, but should detract from the usefulness of newer game systems. Interactivity is also a plus, anything that will get people out of their chairs and interacting with each other is a plus is my book. So which one whould I get for the library? As it stands I probably would get the Playstation 3 because it can also play high def blu-ray discs and I am told it can play ps2 games as well. So it has the game selection. But I would love to get a wii because of the remote feature. I don't like being tied to the console and I am sure it is going to catch up in the game selection category the longer it is available. Now if it could only play blu-ray movies.

Gaming in the library continues (No. 35)

I played both games in the Carnegie Mellon page and once I got a handle on the rules I did well, as it should be. But part of playing a game is figuring out the rules.

Do video games belong in the library? Sure, why not? Libraries should be about allowing people to have access to information. Video games, though not everyone's idea of valuable information, can provide experiences, both social and intellectual, that can be gainfully used by a person in other situations. Games allow us to change the procedures and policies without decimating the world around us. They allow us to change how we approach a problem and alter solutions without fear of life destroying permenance.

The fact that games change so often and become obsolete so quickly is a good reason for libraries to jump in now. By obtaining video game systems and games, libraries can allow access to materials that not everyone can spend money or space on.

Am I a Music Pirate???? (No. 25)

I have a program on my laptop at home that makes it easy to burn from one cd to another, to save to to my computer or a mp3 player (if I owned one).

I think that musicians can see both benefits and losses when they share their music online. Songs that are really great and that touch people can take off like wildfire by word of mouth (or typing of fingers), songs that people don't like aren't going to sell. Then there are hackers and general creeps who will cheat and find ways to get around buying the music and just downloading it. Of course, they do the same things now with CDs, movies and videos. Regardless of rules and consequences, there are going to be people who bend the rules if not flat out breaking them.

Strict versus open? I believe that rules should be flexible and if penalties must be paid, they should be reasonable. I think that being willing to listen to the consumer is the best way to go. (Speaking as a consumer, I guess I might be biased.)

Sound of Music (No. 24)

I don't even own a MP3 player. All the pay for play sites or free play sites confuse my brain, so I just never bothered to get involved with them at all. I'm still not very clear on them or what I am allowed to use.

So, this assignment has given me an opportunity to try something new. I was able to download a song to the branch MP3 Player. My favorite station does play via the internet.

I think it's great that bands are able to put their music online and that people can then pick the ones they want to buy. You have to admit that there are some albums that you buy for just one song and never listen to the rest. It's nice to have the option of taking music from different bands, putting them together to make what YOU think an album should be. But, of course, there is also something to be said for an artist using the whole album to make a statment.

Runescape my first MMORPG! (No. 36)

I have created my own person in Runescape. Her name is Chi'Ara, but in Runescape there is no apostrophe, so just Chi Ara. She has short blue hair, and a green shirt and a skirt over green pants. I have just made it off the tutorial island and have killed like three goblins. The hardest thing for me to handle is the camera angle I find a touch difficult to walk and change the angles with the arrows and the mouse at the same time. But, if I keep playing, I just might be able to work it out! This is kinda of fun, but I don't know if I could get as addicted as some of the kids that come into the library to play.

GeoMaps, GeoCache: modern day treasure hunt (No. 34)

1. n29 deg 48.63318, w095 deg 9.38058 north channel branch


2. http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=da2e374b-baf7-4f76-8769-b562c84d796c ; N 29° 48.667 W 095° 09.889

This will be fun. I can't wait to go hunting! I don't have a GPS, though. Might have to borrow just to try it out. I can see the fun, but yes, there could be danger, ie. unsavory people in some places, trespassing. Did I mention that I can't wait to try it out?

Gaming? Is it beneficial? (No. 37)

I like being able to access games at the library. My home computer is so old that most modern games that I like to play, like the newly discovered WordSplay, would never be able to load on it in time for me to play the game.

Games have always been a way that people learn. Strategies that began in war have been applied to real-time physical gamefields, just look at American football, soccer, and baseball. Games force the mind to look at problems in different ways.

Computer games are no different. Being able to watch the screen, analyze a situation, formulate a response and then apply it helps the mind be able to multi-task. The immense variety of games that are available to the public via the internet enables people to test their skills and minds in new ways.

I just found wordsplay today and I really like it because it is just like boggle, which I totally enjoy, but can't people to play with me. The rules are simple and it was very easy to jump in the game and compete. No, I wasn't the best but boy was it fun. I like Boggle and therefore WordSplay because it forces my eyes to seek patterns (familiar words) and new words.

I also see the drawbacks, losing oneself in the game, playing for hours instead of minutes and eyestrain. But I always have hope that I will lean new things and new ways of solving problems.