Modern Day Research

[affreca]

Computers have revolutionized research. Not just in all the models, or the word processors people use, but in the access to library holdings.

As a child, I earned spare money by photocopying for my mother (I'm not really sure what, but I did a lot of it). So when I got to college myself, I was OK with the idea of copying articles out of journals for classes and papers. I actually preferred 2nd generation copies, because they were faster than flipping each page. I graduated, tried to live in the real world, and came back. Now, get most newer articles directly as PDFs. If I'm willing to wait, I can request for paper copies to scanned in and emailed. Today my adviser recommended I look at two thesises. I searched the card catalog to figure out where they where filed. But they're electronic, and I can just download them. No heavy book to check out or copy.

I love living in the future.

Comments

[ninja-tech.livejournal.com]

Ah. I like that it (hopefully) uses up less natural resources, but I still love to read something in book/paper form rather than from a screen. I can't curl up with my laptop like I can a good book - or research source for that matter...

[affreca.livejournal.com]

As for papers, I still usually print them out, as I often make notes in the margins or back. But I don't have to deal with the hassle of the photocopy machine.

[ninja-tech.livejournal.com]

*nods head wisely* true...true..