Final Reflection (IRLS675-Unit 13)

This is your final blog post. Discuss your experiences this semester and summarize what you think are the most important concepts and lessons learned:

This was a great class! I really enjoyed downloading the different digital repository programs (Drupal, DSpace, Eprints, and Omeka), working with them, and determining which would be a best fit for my collection. Having a project based on us choosing the focus is really key in getting students to invest in the project. While I chose one of these programs for my particular collection, I also know that other programs might be better suited for other types of collections. In looking at the programs, I focused mostly on usability (how easy is it to create and upload metadata), customization (how complicated is it to tailor the site to my specifications), and presentation (how good does the site look?).

I've learned several things this semester, but I found the hands-on tech assignments the most valuable part of the course and the most fun! I can now create a new virtual machine without reading the installation directions, I can troubleshoot most problems on my own, and I know that I need to take snapshots frequently (there was a situation where my building lost power and reset my computer, thus losing all of my Omeka install because I didn't save the current state).

It was a little weird taking IRLS671 at the same time since Botticelli taught that course and the management section of this course, so I often couldn't remember which course a topic was talked about in. This was kinda good in terms of connecting management and tech aspects in a holistic way. However, it was somewhat frustrating from a student perspective when completing assignments and such. It would have been better, imo, if the management part of this course just got included in 671 instead of a separate part of this course.

Pre-Installed VMs? (IRLS675-Unit 12)

Although the files are large, it’s possible to create a working virtual machine for download and playback in your Virtualization software (although in practice, it’s almost as much work and sometimes difficult to troubleshoot). In your blog, discuss the possibility of downloading a pre-installed VM versus building your own, from a learning and pedagogical perspective. Would preconfigured solutions provide more time to concentrate on the collection? Or, do you think you are losing the opportunity to learn about how a repository is structured and modified by not building it from scratch? Would you have a preference for one or the other with respect to your current computer skills and learning preferences?

I'm personally a fan of building our own systems. While it's sometimes a pain because it takes a bit of time, it's really gotten into my head how the process works (without staring at the instructions every two seconds). I value the depth of knowledge that building our own machines gives us. I would even go so far as to say that giving us pre-installed machines would be detrimental to the purpose of the DigIn program and deprive us of valuable learning experience.

Comparing Omeka, EPrints, DSpace, and Drupal (IRLS675-Unit 11)

Each program has their pros and cons. Drupal is extremely customizable, but takes some time to organize it and it looks more like a general website. DSpace's default settings lend themselves better to digital collections and looks more like a repository out of the box, but it hard to customize. EPrints didn't have a lot of music collections to use as examples and appears to need lots of customization to make it look good. Currently, I like Omeka the best because it has lots of metadata fields, looks good from a user perspective, and makes it easy to play sound files in the browser. Ease of use, customization, and look are all important to me in deciding which platform works best with my collection.