Archive for the ‘Science 2.0’ Category
I’ve gone on–and–on about wikis in the past, and so I was very happy to see (via OpenWetWare) a very nice article in the May 08 issue of MAA Focus by Ethan Duckworth (see page 17). Dr. Duckworth describes how he set up a -enabled wiki for his abstract algebra course to have his students […]
Filed under: Science 2.0 | 6 Comments
Richard recently asked for instructions for enabling wmv files to be played on Ubuntu 8.04 (Hardy Heron). This is important since TASI has uploaded its summer school videos in wmv format. After reinstalling Ubuntu, I followed the instructions at Ubuntu Geek and that seems to have worked well. Here’s a summary. First enable “Universe” and […]
Filed under: Science 2.0, Student Life | 2 Comments
OS X Leopard for Physicists
I’ve recently purchased a new MacBook and thought I’d share some set-up information. I borrow heavily from Professor Murayama’s OS X for Physicists, but have tried to focus on tidbits that have either been updated or aren’t covered there. Why Apple? Most physicists will have already noticed the rapid adoption of Apple technology in academia. […]
Filed under: Opinion, Physics, Science 2.0, Student Life | 15 Comments
Summer schools from your couch
It’s that time of year again: the last undergrads have left your office after asking for final exam regrades, your adviser is off to another continent for big conferences, and even the spring television line-up is wrapping up. Meanwhile, your officemates have gone off to various summer schools to mingle with other postgraduates and learn […]
Filed under: Science 2.0, Student Life | 4 Comments
Here’s a notable article from New Scientist (`Physicists slam publishers over Wikipeida ban’), illustrating another way that the `Web 2.0′ is changing traditional publishing. The physicists were upset after the American Physical Society withdrew its offer to publish two studies in Physical Review Letters because the authors had asked for a rights agreement compatible with […]
Filed under: Science 2.0 | Closed
Ah! Finally, science outreach that doesn’t require a railcard. As part of the celebration for “National Science and Engineering Week,” British Association for the Advancement of Science (‘BA’… though they seem to have dropped a couple of letters) is hosting a Big Questions blog where anyone can send in a science question for the general […]
Filed under: Science 2.0 | Closed
Julius Lucks (a UCB Miller Fellow and former Cantabridgian) left a very neat comment on my post `If Digg ran the arXiv.’ He points out that http://arxiv.reddit.com does already exist, and then goes into some of the issues involved with such a system. Because I enjoyed the read so much I’m reproducing it here as […]
Filed under: Science 2.0 | Closed
This is the last, and most ambitious, of a three-part series on Web 2.0 and the arXiv. Part I (Digg), Part II (Amazon). Can artificial intelligence improve the way we do science? A brief recap. In Part I we discussed the idea of incorporating comments on the arXiv. The proposal required active participation from many […]
Filed under: Science 2.0 | 5 Comments
If Amazon ran the arXiv
In a previous post I discussed the application of information-aggregation sites to the arXiv. (See also Daniel’s excellent links in the comments.) This post highlights a different underpinning of the Web 2.0: tracking and tailoring to user behaviour. Link for a larger mock-up. Amazon.com doesn’t administer the arXiv. (Cornell does.) But as one of the […]
Filed under: Science 2.0 | 7 Comments
Bee, a stalwart for arXiv evolution, left a nice comment on a previous post. Since that post generated a blip of interest, I thought I’d share some of my [less flippant] thoughts on the future of the arXiv. This will be the first of three posts on the topic. (And then I have some posts […]
Filed under: Science 2.0 | 9 Comments
An American Physics Student in England 