Happy to Start HIST5702!
I love GitHub! It is easy to push content to it. I also love the fact that I can run a free website from your account. I currently run my own site with Reclaim Hosting. However, I also run my grad work at rblades.github.io (with an open notebook using nvALT).
In this course I get to learn while helping others. And it isn't just easy for me because I already knew GitHub, markdown, and other programs, software, and applications coming in. (I used Markdown to write a tutorial for the Open Data Kit for the Programming Historian - Still in development.) For instance, I have learned how GitHub and other programs play with Windows (I use a Mac). I also learned on this site that markdown can store links in the following format:
[id tag] <http://website.com>
Before I was hyperlinking within text in this format:
[preview text](http://website.com)
In all, I also love using markdown, and here are the main reasons why:
- It is easily human readable
- It is clean and straightforard with easy styling and no tacked-on background encoding
- It is widely supported on many websites
- It is stripped of tags often found in html, xml, etc.
Why I am actually taking this course
Admittedly I am taking this course to fullfill the final DH credit of my Masters. However, there is also a sentimental elements to it since the first class I took at Carleton was Digital History with Dr. Graham. I want to learn more digital tools and help others learn. I love collaboration.
What I want from this course
Not only do I want to learn new skills in this course, but I would like my fellow students to collaborate and apply these skills outside of the class for the digital humanities working group in the history department.