Docnotes

Joost Invites available

just in case you need want one .. here you go ...

 

Medlogs Version 3

Medlogs.com needs up upgrade. What do you want from medlogs that you're not getting now? I've set up the Medlogs Spec Version 3 Wiki. Go there .. make suggestions. Thanks.

Lenovo x41 tablet Mini-Review

So today I am trying out a  Lenovo - Tablet .

So far - I am impressed.   The device has a solid feel to it - unlike the HP TC1100 or even the HP TC4200.

The keyboard is cramped when compared to a fullside keyboard.  I'm using my HP NC6230 for my primary laptop these days .. but the touchpas works only about 1/3 of the time so it is going back (again) to HP to get rebuilt and I will not be the happy owner when it comes back.  Perhaps I am too rough on the ppor thing.  Back in the old days - my Compaq Armada M700 took a kickin like this and worked well for years.  Not so these day, it seems.

Ok .. back to the mini-review.  You can read about the specs in other reviews.  that's now what I care about right now.  Most of the products are similar in specs.  I tried the Gateway CX200 for a few hours a few weeks ago and didn't like it.  Too big.

This thing may be a tiny bit too small.  Hmm .. I am used to the trackpad, but the nipple is pretty big - so it's not too hard to get used to .. and it is sensitive - unlike the HP's nipple - which requires too much pressure to control.

Screen is nice.  I don't care much about viewing angle .. so the big shiny gateway isn't really necessary.  Not watching Lost on the computer (much).

The fingerprint ID stuff is cool but I'm not sure I would use it.

The laptop is super quiet and seems to run cool - which is .. um .. cool.

So far, this gets an A- ... and may be my next laptop.  we'll see.  I'd like to get my hands on a Toshiba M400 .. or even better .. an HP TC 4400 .. to see if the Duo will make much of a difference .. before I pull the trigger on this one.

 

 

Flock

Flock just released their version 0.5 version and I think it's ready to become my default browser.  They have put together a perfect set of tools that combines browsing with blog editing and bookmark saving .. (and some other features too ..) all on top of the Firefox codebase.

Well done.

 

Remember The Milk, Web 2.0 in healthcare

Remember The Milk is a well-done "web 2.0" application. So far, it's free - and I do like the user interface. I like the way that it will send an e-mail reminder AND a reminder to my pager AND a message to my gtalk client. Too bad there are no "web 2.0" applications for healthcare. Yeh - I'm not quite sure what web 2.0 means either .. but it seems that the focus is on usability, RIAs and AJAX. The whole AJAX thing is funny - as it's great to see people finally "get it" .. but the techniques for creating web applications that allow the user to interact with the server without reloading the page have been around a long time. I think the first well-written article on how to do this was the old "gif as a datapipe" trick - well before XMLHTTPrequest. We used this technique in the development of oncalls five years ago! Yet none of the EMRs are using these techniques. So sad to see us lag behind the rest of the world (again). With the emergence of standards for EMR interoperability - I dream about the back-end agnostic web-based EMR front end. Hmm ... It would be developed with a clean UI - and deliver the core functions of a modern EMR: - Messaging (provider to staff, patient to provider, staff to patient, patient to staff). - Order Entry (referrals, labs, procedures) - integrated with knowledge resources and CPT/ICD-9 lookup tools - Chart Note Entry - with templates and macros and voice recognition support - Prescription Writing - integrated with interaction checking, dosing guidelines, etc. - Immunization & Health Maintenance data entry & alerts - Disease management decisions support (HTN, DM, Hyperlipidemia, etc) It's really not too much to ask - is it?

MT 3.2

I upgraded to MovableType 3.2 - and it is better than 3.1 .. MUCH better. Had trouble with the new StyleCatcher Plugin .. becasue I set up the /themes directory in the wrong place .. and there is no easy way to go back and re-set it once you do it wrong. Here's how: go to http://yourwebsite/mt/plugins/StyleCatcher/stylecatcher.cgi?__mode=view_config .. and you can reset things. Alas .. there is no link to this on the plugin "settings" page ... which is not-so-good design.

Google labs

Google Personal is very good. I wish it had RSS .. but I'll bet it will soon. Thanks Dave

Blogrank

What's Blogrank?

If you use Movabletype .. and you are bleeding-edge nerd ... and you want to get your blog ranked so the new-car-smell cool new 2005 version of medlogs lists you as one of the best ... you can follow these directions to get ranked.  What's it do?  You'll have to wait and see.  But the sooner you get votes .. the more you'll have .. and the more you have ... ;-)

I'll write up directions for blogger and typepad and wordpress etc sometime .. but for now ... try this .. and if you don't understand this stuff .. then it's probably not something you should do yet.

Fake Medical Weblogs - viral replication

Going over the "new addition request" entries from Medlogs just now .. I came across another one that I'm not sure how to handle.   The URL is medline-dot-blogspot-dot-com .. I don't want to make a link .. you you'll have to do the typing (or just remove the -dot-s). Making a link would build traffic for the site .. and I'm not sure that I want to do that. Looking at the "blog" and all recent posts .. there are a few things that make me think that this site is just a revenue ploy - to make money on Google advertising.

• The Name of the site includes the word "Medline" and "Library of Medicine."
• The site provides no information about the author.
• The site's content is cut/pasted verbatim from other websites. Yes .. there is "source" listed on every page .. but it's not really the true source. For example ... a recent entry on light therapy for SAD was copied from this URL at the Cleveland Clinic  .. but the source is only ClevelandClinic.org which doesn't really meet my understanding of appropriate attribution. Since the Cleveland Clinic's content says "©The Cleveland Clinic 2004" .. I think there is likely a copyright violation her as well. A paragraph or two may be ok .. but the whole article?
• Most obvious is that there are THREE separate "google ads" banners on the each page.
  So ... it looks like the site is here to attract people who are searching google for medical information .. perhaps looking for NLM or even Medline .. then build revenue from the advertising. baaad.

Am I over-reacting? Post a comment if you think I should add this to "medlogs" ... otherwise .. I'll delete it from the holding area .. and expect to see more like it.     This is why we need to have an editor for Medlogs ..

More Medical Weblogs

Not a week goes by without some additions to Medlogs.com. We're over 300 blogs now.  Yes, yes .. we'll provide an OPML sometime.  It's in the spec ;-)

I went through the submissions from the past week last night and added a handful .. along with many submissions of weblogs that just don't fit despite a medical slant.  Most are commercial websites that masquerade as blogs.  Perhaps this is a trend we need to watch for.  Ugh.

 My favorite new addition:

inteuri: to contemplate  - a poetic weblog written by an intern in psychiatry.