Cites & Insights 10:5, Spring 2010

Cites & Insights 10:5, Spring 2010, is now available.

This issue and the May and June issues (at least) are sponsored by the Library Society of the World. Don't assume that LSW members agree with what's being said--and please do check the masthead on page 30.

The 30-page issue (PDF as usual, but both essays are available as HTML separates) contains two features:

Bibs & Blather pp. 1-4

Sponsorship, Semi-Retired and Other Quandaries: If you regularly read Walt at Random, you can probably skip this essay, since it mostly repeats what I said in posts on March 13, March 15 and March 18, 2010. [Yes, I will be at ALA Annual, from Friday late morning through Sunday evening, thanks to LSW.]

The Zeitgeist: hypePad and buzzkill pp. 4-30

The first of a new occasional feature, The Zeitgeist. This essay considers two big Silicon Valley companies that rely heavily on the trust and good will of users--and very different recent situations with each one. The first section (pp. 4-25) is about hypePad--the level of hype that preceded and followed the announcement of Apple's iPad. The second section (pp. 25-30) is about buzzkill: Google's remarkably clumsy and intrusive introduction of a new social network.

Enjoy!