Week 3, Thing 7: Flickr Mashups and Open Source

One of the many great features of Flickr is the fact that it was designed as open source software. A software program that is considered open source means that its code is accessible to developers so that they may use it to design and create other online programs and software.

Flickr is a wonderful example of open source software and so many people have used its code to create third party sites and tools. I found a neat one called PicMarkr which allows you to upload your photos directly from Flickr (or another photo hosting site) and apply a watermark to your photographs. PicMarkr markets itself as a tool that allows you to feel safe about putting your photos online because the watermark serves as a way to protect your ownership of your images.

I used it to add a watermark to one of the photographs I took this summer at a cottage near Haliburton. It was a beautiful day!

Week 3, Thing 6: Flickr, Photos, and Fun!

As is mentioned in my profile, I recently returned from New Zealand after spending about 8 months there. While I was in the Land of Eternal Spring, I created a Flickr account so that I could share my photos with friends and family back home. I found that Flickr was extremely user-friendly and the easiest way to keep loved ones up to date with my activities. It was nice for them to get a feel for where I was living.

I also joined the Flickr group for the region of New Zealand in which I lived, Taranaki. I found this photo of the region's namesake, pride, and protector, Mount Taranaki, in the Taranaki group. I have many photos like this one but I thought Bruce McKinlay's version is quite stunning with the green grass, aqua-blue sky, and snow capped mountain top.

Another good thing about Flickr groups is that photos are added to them on a daily basis which means I can log in to see recent images of my old home!

Week 2, Thing 5: Web Two Point What?

The Whitby Public Library will be launching its new Web 2.0 website shortly. As part of the Web 2.0 initiative, staff members have volunteered to participate in the '25 Things' campaign. 25 Things is a series of activities that, upon completion, will increase awareness of and familiarize library staff with the facets of Web 2.0. , which includes the ideas of information sharing and user-centred design. The activities and exercises include things like creatinga blog (!) and a Twitter account, familiarizing yourself with RSS, newsfeeders, and photo sharing websites like Flickr and del.icio.us, and embracing terms like tagging and mash-ups.

I know I've been away from my blog for a while...but it's good to be blogging again!

Celebrating Paritutu

Since being in New Zealand I have had a few opportunities to put into practise some of the theories I learned at school last year. As a newly graduated public historian, I am very aware of instances where the introduction of some kind of public history could greatly benefit an institution or natural setting.

I am thinking particularly of Paritutu rock in New Plymouth. Paritutu is what remains of the rim of an ancient volcano. It is 153m tall and its steep surface can be climbed in about 30 minutes (there and back). At the summit, climbers can experience vast and breathtaking views of New Plymouth and Mount Taranaki, and the Taranaki Region.

Paritutu and the land surrounding it was once occupied by Maori who used it as a source for food, water and shelter. Other similar mounds of rock in the same area, called the Sugar Loaf Islands, were used in a similar manner and as a result, villages formed around Paritutu and the Islands.

Paritutu was discovered by Europeans in 1770 and just over 100 years later, the leading men of New Plymouth proposed to blow up Paritutu and use its rock for a breakwater at the port. The breakwater would encourage trade in New Plymouth as ships could easily sail into and dock at the harbour. Despite protests, workers went ahead with plans to make quick use of the ancient landmark. Only a small amount of stone was quarried from Paritutu as the explosion was largely unsuccessful. It was decided that Paritutu would not provide the necessary amount of stone needed for the project and the breakwater was made with the rock of one of the Sugar Loaf Islands.

Paritutu remains today, only slightly marred by the human interference of the 1870s. An even bigger travesty, however, is that Paritutu's story, an important part of New Plymouth and Taranaki history, remains relatively unknown. Neither the summit nor the base showcase any sort of information regarding Paritutu and its surrounding Sugar Loaf Islands. New Plymouth's museum, Puke Ariki, has a brief history online as part of its Taranaki Stories initiative but considering Paritutu stands so proud and tall at the city's port, it deserves a little more public history.