dec07ff.indd


G a r y  P a t t i l l o  

Data visualization 
Gapminder’s Trendalyzer software provides a simple interface to data visual­
ization and animation. Gapminder uses data from universities, United Nations 
organizations, public agencies, and nongovernmental organizations. It then 
provides free software for enhancing data representation, enabling one to see 
trends in human development. Trendalyzer has been acquired by Google, which 
intends to scale up the software and, perhaps, incorporate other data. 
Gapminder, gapminder.org/, November 1, 2007 

Wikipedia 
The German­language version of Wikipedia will be the first version of the online 
encyclopedia to restrict instant editing to “trusted editors.” These editors will 
review new content from other users before it appears online. The changes may 
be implemented later this year, and could be applied to the English­language 
version of Wikipedia, if feedback from users is positive. 
Nicole Martin, “Wikipedia clamps down on ‘unreliable’ editors,” September 20, 2007. Telegraph.co.uk. www.telegraph. 
co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/09/20/wiki120.xml, October 30, 2007 

End-user searching 
Database end­users rarely use advanced system features, and when they do, they 
are quite likely to use them incorrectly. Although research fi ndings demonstrate 
that end­users are not conducting sophisticated online searches, the vast major­
ity are satisfied with their searches. In fact, percentages of users who express 
satisfaction with the results of their searches reach into the high 70s and beyond. 
Despite the high levels of satisfaction, end­users express with their search results, 
they concede that a trained intermediary searcher would do a better job. 
Karen Markey, “Twenty-five years of end-user searching,” Journal of the American Society for Information Science and 
Technology, Volume 58, Issue 8, June 2007, pp. 1071–81 

RUSA awards 

unc.edu 

C&RL News December 2007  780 

Gary Pattillo is reference librarian at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, e-mail: pattillo@email. 

RUSA is interested in learning about innovative, outstanding achievements be­
ing made in the field of reference and adult services librarianship. The awards 
honor librarians, publishers, libraries, and authors for significant current or past 
achievements, such as publications, program development, and leadership in 
the profession. Awards are available in several categories. 
ALA Reference and User Services Association, www.ala.org/ala/rusa/rusaawards/default.cfm, November 1, 2007 

Terabyte 
One terabyte is equal to 1 trillion bytes. One terabyte of data is equivalent to 
1,537,752 books of average size. One hundred eighty five Wikipedias or 333 
copies of the Human Genome could fit on a 1 terabyte hard­drive. The Hitachi 
corporation began shipping the first terabyte hard drives for the consumer 
market this year. 
Patrick Di Justo, “Tera! Tera! Tera!” Wired, March 2007, p. 54 

www.telegraph
http:Telegraph.co.uk
http:gapminder.org