Digital History Chapters 1-3

Chapter 1:
In this chapter Cohen and Rosenweig go into detail about the history of the inception of digital websites. Many points they make about early history websites are interesting. Much of what they describe about browsers, such as netscape and yahoo, I can relate to. A large part of how I researched historical interest came from categorized catalogs on the Internet. I am especially familiar with Nicholas Pioch and the web museum; I have frequented this site many times in the past. Going back to the site I am amused by the simplicity of the site, imagery and text this site contains. The site has not been updated to include all the bells and whistles of newer historical sites; the site is still fairly easy to navigate. The novices of the early Internet created simplistic history sites, which in its self spurred a need for others such as historians, universities and archival libraries to produce sites with large libraries, rich in primary documentation and resources.

Chapter 2:
This chapter introduces the reader to the Internet as a highly structured set of machines. It breaks down the transfer of webpage’s through HTML. By providing examples of HTML code (tag <1>), the reader can examine the difference between various coding (0s and 1s) and software applications. The author makes a point of explaining that the technological logistics of building a digital website should not be the primary concern for the creator. It is best to focus on a clear sense for purpose for your site and once you have established this move on to technical questions, such as server and software. This chapter also addresses website servers and how they function as part of the project you are creating. It breaks down cost, purpose and ease of using specific servers and programes such as ISP.

Chapter 3:
Breaks down analog data verses digital formats. The differences and purpose for this transition is from a personal preference and need to keep up with technology. Analog is an authentic representation of data (i.e. vinyl audio recordings) as apposed to digital format, which is a precise and flawless representation of data transfer rewritten in a programming code of 0s and 1s. By transferring analog to digital it preserves data that may be declining in its quality. The main argument about transition from analog to digital is how to handle the storage or disposal of analog sound and images. Digitizing does have drawbacks, which include lost of information through transfer and cost incurred when working on large projects. Solutions to digitization include mark up, this process allows for machine readability while controlling the lost of material through transfer. Other solutions involve linking pages with machine readable text proofread for humans. This allows for re-use of the same information for the purpose of breaking down a search in to categories, such as footnotes of captions for a specific work. By explains the origins of mark-ups the author allows for the reader to understand the mark-ups process easier and apply it to. This chapter also makes clear the process used for making text digital. Scanning being the preferred method. The most helpful portion of this chapter was explaining the digital image process and audio process, which in the past has left me overwhelmed.