Noting is pretty useful in many areas of our lives. This skill works well when it's applied in real world, but when people want to note on web pages, they may have no idea which tool is capable. Well, this blog is about a tool which enable you to do that. If you like making highlights or noting on books, the tool called "Diigo" introduced in this blog may satisfy your needs on web pages.
Not only is Diigo a free tool, but also a free service, which can save whatever you have made with the tool to its server. Besides the feature of noting, it also provides additional services, such as Bookmark, Group, Searching bookmarks from others and so on. Whenever a user make noting on a pages, it would save the page as a bookmark. These bookmarks can be shared by other users, if you saved the bookmarks as PUBLIC pages. The other useful feature is called "GROUP". Everyone on Diigo can create their own groups on some specific area, then other users could sign up as a member of a group and share their pages with others on that area the group are classified as.
Diigo need to work with browser, you have to pick the one your browser is compatible with. It supports IE6.0/7.0, Firefox (The one I prefer) and Flock. After you installed it, a diigo toolbar would appear in your browser, and you need to register a user ID, then sign up to enjoy the advantages of Diigo. Once you set up this toolbar, browser enable you to make annotations or view one by others, and you can post a discussion on annotations by others as well.
In my opinion, this tool makes great effective efforts on helping people review page they visited. Before I was aware of this tool, I usually experienced having no enough time or energy to have a study on resources that I found interesting in first view. Experiences tell me If I didn't note that down, probably I wouldn't view it again, so the time and energy spent on that page last time were almost wasted.
Reviewing is also a important skill of learning English, which help me manage my time and energy in a module way, so that I don't feel any exhausting or bored, but more determined. Try to image that if you want to learn new vocabulary from a news page in English, you just read the page in order, and look up words on dictionary whenever you don't understand some meanings. In this way, when you finish reading the page, what can you learn from that page? Does that make you feel exhausted and you don't have any interests to read more? So this kind of studying method is not good for a long run, every time when you start reading a news page, you may be afraid of it, as previously doing that exhausted or bored you.
Here I illustrate how I study English with this tool in a easy way. With Diigo, I separate the process of studying English on one web page into 3 steps. Firstly, I browse my favourite foreign news website, mostly the VOA news (As it is banned in China, I use TOR to access the website), and find some stories that appeals to me. In this step, I just want to read some stories, not caring about the details of new vocabulary or grammar, noting down with Diigo the sentences in which there is a word I am not familiar with, or the sentences whose meaning I am uncertain about. After I finished reading the stories, turning to other stories if I like.
Secondly, next time I review the sentences of the stories I noted, and I could mostly make my efforts on understanding of the sentences. When I found new vocabulary or phrase, I post words or phrases attached to the sentence, which remind me what I need to focus on that sentence.
Lastly, I practice my oral skill by reading out the sentences I am already familiar with. In this step, I focus on correct pronunciation of each words. When I am uncertain about some words, I look up dictionary on PC, and correct it.
Websites:
Diigo Homepage
Tutorial on how to use Diigo
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Satellite TV
I am so tired of the stupid local TV programmes, just don't wanna tolerate it any more, or maybe one day I would thought my TV set out of window. So I search information about satellite TV on Internet, and bought some devices to setup a satellite TV receiver. Now I can watch hundreds of higher quality programmes. What's more? My TV set is safer than ever. ^^
As the large amount of time we spend on watching TV, considering whether the context of programmes are appropriate are important for our mind. I think it's similar with what dishes my mother serve, and I pick my prefer dishes. Then after months or years, I grow into specific body shape. The healthier food I have daily, of cause the healthier I gain in a long run. So TV programmes, I think, could have similar effects on us, but in other way, our mind. Right? In the following, I will talk about the satellite TV, having a brief introduction and recommending some related websites, which help you know how to setup your own satellite TV receiver if you are interested.
With satellite TV, there are plenty of programmes, accounting for several hundreds, which is supplied by providers from HONGKONG, TAIWAN or Philippine etc. So now I don't need to spend lots of seconds with PPStream(P2P TV Software) waiting for changing channels and watch unclear images of my favourite channels on the small PC screen . Famous channels such as Discovery, National Geographic Channel, CNN, BBC, AXN and NBA are all can be received. Check out this website for the channels provided by one satellite (Some people receive 9 star, I just receive 2 star. The more star you wanna receive, the more dishes that is setup on top of house are required): http://www.otvro.com/138.0.htm
It's not expensive to setup a satellite TV, if you don't want to buy TV cards from provider, which may be more than 5000 RMB per provider per year. Just few people can afford it in China. In the way of piracy, it only cost about 1500 RMB to setup satellite TV station(Dish, Controller) and receive more than 2 hundred channels supplied by many providers. Most of people can set it up easily, but it's a kind of piracy, you should be aware of whether related regulations are strict by local government. If not, try to follow these guys.
The most important device of satellite TV is satellite signal controller, which is connected by cables to TV set and from satellite dish located on top of house or by window. Currently, the most popular digital controller in China are DM500(DreamBox), in foreign are DM7020. It's similar to a small PC which is setup a Linus system. Many settings of it need another PC connected to it to be done. So it means setting up such device may be a bit of challenge if lack of basic computer knowledge. But it also means such controller is flexible, it allow user to download plug-ins on Internet, then installed them on it for more customized functions of controller. In addiction, it's capable to watch programmes on PC thought local Ethernet cable. Just keep in mind what kinds of programmes you are watching on PC, as the signal sent to your PC and TV set is simultaneous. This means programme played on your PC is as same as the TV set.
The word "Card" I refer to is like a KEY which is used to decode signal received from satellite. Different provider have different keys, so if you want to watch different keys legally, you have to buy these expensive cards. But even if people in China have plenty money to these keys, it's not easy to get one from some providers, whose programmes are banned by Chinese government. So let's try the illegal one. Years ago, people need to copy a card from someone who have bought one, but copied cards can't change keys automatically as the original one can, so people need to make lots of efforts to update it regularly. With the development of computer technology, we can make it more flexible. As the DreamBox is similar to computer, it can receive keys without any cards inserted. What it need to do to decode channels is to connect to server or other user's DreamBox for sharing cards thought Internet. To share cards, the devices have to setup some protocols.
Here I give a brief introduction to the two major protocols: CCcam and GBox. CCcam is a sort of server to client protocol. GBox is similar to P2P protocol, which is utilized by BT software. Generally, receiving cards by CCcam need to buy services from pirate, who buy cards from providers and share them for huge profit. Another way is to share cards with your friends by GBox protocol. Just like the theory of BT software, the more people share their cards with GBox, the more channels they can watch.
Recommended Websites:
Want to begin? Check out this one(In Chinese):
http://www.ttkws.com/
Nice website about these two protocols:
http://www.gboxforum.com/cam
As the large amount of time we spend on watching TV, considering whether the context of programmes are appropriate are important for our mind. I think it's similar with what dishes my mother serve, and I pick my prefer dishes. Then after months or years, I grow into specific body shape. The healthier food I have daily, of cause the healthier I gain in a long run. So TV programmes, I think, could have similar effects on us, but in other way, our mind. Right? In the following, I will talk about the satellite TV, having a brief introduction and recommending some related websites, which help you know how to setup your own satellite TV receiver if you are interested.
With satellite TV, there are plenty of programmes, accounting for several hundreds, which is supplied by providers from HONGKONG, TAIWAN or Philippine etc. So now I don't need to spend lots of seconds with PPStream(P2P TV Software) waiting for changing channels and watch unclear images of my favourite channels on the small PC screen . Famous channels such as Discovery, National Geographic Channel, CNN, BBC, AXN and NBA are all can be received. Check out this website for the channels provided by one satellite (Some people receive 9 star, I just receive 2 star. The more star you wanna receive, the more dishes that is setup on top of house are required): http://www.otvro.com/138.0.htm
It's not expensive to setup a satellite TV, if you don't want to buy TV cards from provider, which may be more than 5000 RMB per provider per year. Just few people can afford it in China. In the way of piracy, it only cost about 1500 RMB to setup satellite TV station(Dish, Controller) and receive more than 2 hundred channels supplied by many providers. Most of people can set it up easily, but it's a kind of piracy, you should be aware of whether related regulations are strict by local government. If not, try to follow these guys.
Just kidding.
The most important device of satellite TV is satellite signal controller, which is connected by cables to TV set and from satellite dish located on top of house or by window. Currently, the most popular digital controller in China are DM500(DreamBox), in foreign are DM7020. It's similar to a small PC which is setup a Linus system. Many settings of it need another PC connected to it to be done. So it means setting up such device may be a bit of challenge if lack of basic computer knowledge. But it also means such controller is flexible, it allow user to download plug-ins on Internet, then installed them on it for more customized functions of controller. In addiction, it's capable to watch programmes on PC thought local Ethernet cable. Just keep in mind what kinds of programmes you are watching on PC, as the signal sent to your PC and TV set is simultaneous. This means programme played on your PC is as same as the TV set.
The word "Card" I refer to is like a KEY which is used to decode signal received from satellite. Different provider have different keys, so if you want to watch different keys legally, you have to buy these expensive cards. But even if people in China have plenty money to these keys, it's not easy to get one from some providers, whose programmes are banned by Chinese government. So let's try the illegal one. Years ago, people need to copy a card from someone who have bought one, but copied cards can't change keys automatically as the original one can, so people need to make lots of efforts to update it regularly. With the development of computer technology, we can make it more flexible. As the DreamBox is similar to computer, it can receive keys without any cards inserted. What it need to do to decode channels is to connect to server or other user's DreamBox for sharing cards thought Internet. To share cards, the devices have to setup some protocols.
Here I give a brief introduction to the two major protocols: CCcam and GBox. CCcam is a sort of server to client protocol. GBox is similar to P2P protocol, which is utilized by BT software. Generally, receiving cards by CCcam need to buy services from pirate, who buy cards from providers and share them for huge profit. Another way is to share cards with your friends by GBox protocol. Just like the theory of BT software, the more people share their cards with GBox, the more channels they can watch.
Recommended Websites:
Want to begin? Check out this one(In Chinese):
http://www.ttkws.com/
Nice website about these two protocols:
http://www.gboxforum.com/cam
Friday, August 17, 2007
Reasons Why This Blog Was Born
Hello everyone, thanks for coming my first blog website in English. There are several reasons for creating this blog.
One of the two major reasons is to introduce interesting, useful stuffs to my dear friends. I found there are increasing amount of useful stuffs appear in this world, especially in the world of Internet. However, people around me seem not to be aware of that. Sometimes when I introduced these stuffs to them, they found it interesting at the moment, but few of them would pay attention to it again. I think they might lack motivations of how useful these stuffs are, while I use them in my daily life because I know it can help multiply effectiveness on some of my works.
Another one is to improve my English skills. I realized practicing writing skills of English is extremely important for people who want to speak or write English well, while they have spent large amount of time practicing reading and listening to English. Or in my opinion, it's not effective to improve overall English. As I am going to study aboard, a high level of proficiency in English is necessary for me in the near future.
So I have strong motivations to maintain this blog, and will try to update it as often as possible. From the next post, I will mainly blog about software, websites or anything I found FRESH.
Hope it would be FRESH for you.
One of the two major reasons is to introduce interesting, useful stuffs to my dear friends. I found there are increasing amount of useful stuffs appear in this world, especially in the world of Internet. However, people around me seem not to be aware of that. Sometimes when I introduced these stuffs to them, they found it interesting at the moment, but few of them would pay attention to it again. I think they might lack motivations of how useful these stuffs are, while I use them in my daily life because I know it can help multiply effectiveness on some of my works.
Another one is to improve my English skills. I realized practicing writing skills of English is extremely important for people who want to speak or write English well, while they have spent large amount of time practicing reading and listening to English. Or in my opinion, it's not effective to improve overall English. As I am going to study aboard, a high level of proficiency in English is necessary for me in the near future.
So I have strong motivations to maintain this blog, and will try to update it as often as possible. From the next post, I will mainly blog about software, websites or anything I found FRESH.
Hope it would be FRESH for you.
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