In my experience, hypertext allows you to find something so quickly and so easily. There are so many different things on the Internet, it's hard to even grasp it all. Anything that you want to know, you can find it, and search engines have made this possible. I think it really does help shape the world wide web experience, and can be a great way to encounter new things that you may never have known otherwise.
I do think that it is tempting to just go back to what is familiar (for example i find it hard to break the habit of using any search engine apart from google) but I still think you can stumble across new and interesting things without even meaning to sometimes!
Friday, 30 January 2009
Week 2- Interactivity on websites
A website that enables users to interact is called 'Habbo Hotel'. It is basically a chat-room, but what is different is that you are able to create your own 'character', choose clothes, hairstyles etc for it, and, in short...be whoever you want to be! Of course you can do this with any chat room, and most people do- talking to stranger enables you to create a new persona, someone that you want to be, but feel like you can't. It is much more visual than other chat rooms, as you can go into different 'rooms' and actually guide your 'habbo' around, even letting it walk up to people and strike up a conversation.
This website intrigued me because it seemed to be trying to re-enact real life as much as possible through the Internet. In theories of interactivity, i would say it is consultational interactivity. I think this because you are able to create you 'habbo', and choose what clothes it wears, what name it has etc, and you are in control of guiding it around and choosing who it speaks to. However, you are not fully in control because you can only go into rooms that have been designed by 'Habbo Hotel', and you are limited in what you can do (obviously racism/swearing etc results in your account being deleted). You have a limited set of fixed choices.
This website intrigued me because it seemed to be trying to re-enact real life as much as possible through the Internet. In theories of interactivity, i would say it is consultational interactivity. I think this because you are able to create you 'habbo', and choose what clothes it wears, what name it has etc, and you are in control of guiding it around and choosing who it speaks to. However, you are not fully in control because you can only go into rooms that have been designed by 'Habbo Hotel', and you are limited in what you can do (obviously racism/swearing etc results in your account being deleted). You have a limited set of fixed choices.
Week 2, Topic 2 - Am I an advanced user?
I don't think I am an advanced user of blogs/forums. That's not to say I struggle with writing, or using new media, particularly on the Internet, because I actually do find it easy to communicate online. I think quite a lot of people in today's society do, simply because it happens so much- we are brought up around new media, and we learn to communicate without being face-to-face. (Although that's not to say some people are happy with it, as some people simply aren't confident writers, or struggle with spelling and grammar). Writing down your thoughts is so much different to speaking them face-to-face, you have to compact your thoughts and juggle them into easy-to-read sentences!
Another good point that Sunny made was that you tend to be much more formal when using blogging/forums. There are still the odd few who type how they talk (with accents and the lot!) but i actually don't think people take them seriously, because it takes so much effort to read and understand them, most people don't bother!
Looking through other blogs on this website, you can tell how experienced some people are- simply the design of their pages are enough to show this. I don't feel like I struggle with communicating on the Internet, as I believe we've all gradually learnt this new literacy over the years-our generation has grown up with new media, and new media is still growing, meaning we have to keep learning new literacy in order to keep up with it!
Another good point that Sunny made was that you tend to be much more formal when using blogging/forums. There are still the odd few who type how they talk (with accents and the lot!) but i actually don't think people take them seriously, because it takes so much effort to read and understand them, most people don't bother!
Looking through other blogs on this website, you can tell how experienced some people are- simply the design of their pages are enough to show this. I don't feel like I struggle with communicating on the Internet, as I believe we've all gradually learnt this new literacy over the years-our generation has grown up with new media, and new media is still growing, meaning we have to keep learning new literacy in order to keep up with it!
Topic 2, Week 2- Disadvantages of forums/bogging
As mentioned in the previous post, there are some positive points about blogging and forums, such as being able to write down your thoughts how you like, when you like.... On the other hand, like mentioned in the lecture notes...what is to stop a forum being dominated by an elite group? I do think it's much easier to get across what you need to say without being rushed or forced to speak up though, and nobody can interrupt text....they can only ignore it!
However, another problem with this is that i don't think people can always get their point across in the right way when using written language. Like Livingstone says, we may have to learn new forms of literacy, to be able to compact our thoughts and words into short, interesting, easily-readable sentences or paragraphs. It can be hard to put the right emphasis on the right points, and some people just generally find it harder to put their feelings and opinions down in words- particularly if you're not a confident writer.
Knowing that we have a tutor to supervise (Dave in our case!) is a positive thing for some people, as it's much easier for them to correct you on a particular point, rather than waiting until half way through the semester and waiting for your grade back on an essay, at which point it's too late!
On the other hand, some may feel nervous, knowing our tutor can read anything we write, and may be nervous about writing something wrong, and being corrected in front of anyone who reads their post.
In short, forums and blogging seems to be a more public and open version of a seminar- you have no choice but to write down your opinions, and anyone can read this.
What do people think about how public it is??
Do people think this is a GOOD thing (it encourages people to contribute and gain confidence) or a BAD thing (it is easier for people to judge what you're writing about)??
However, another problem with this is that i don't think people can always get their point across in the right way when using written language. Like Livingstone says, we may have to learn new forms of literacy, to be able to compact our thoughts and words into short, interesting, easily-readable sentences or paragraphs. It can be hard to put the right emphasis on the right points, and some people just generally find it harder to put their feelings and opinions down in words- particularly if you're not a confident writer.
Knowing that we have a tutor to supervise (Dave in our case!) is a positive thing for some people, as it's much easier for them to correct you on a particular point, rather than waiting until half way through the semester and waiting for your grade back on an essay, at which point it's too late!
On the other hand, some may feel nervous, knowing our tutor can read anything we write, and may be nervous about writing something wrong, and being corrected in front of anyone who reads their post.
In short, forums and blogging seems to be a more public and open version of a seminar- you have no choice but to write down your opinions, and anyone can read this.
What do people think about how public it is??
Do people think this is a GOOD thing (it encourages people to contribute and gain confidence) or a BAD thing (it is easier for people to judge what you're writing about)??
Week 2, Topic 2- Blogging and Forums
I think Livingstone's point about us changing the way we communicate online does have some truth behind it...although i don't know to what extent this is. I don't particularly think the change is that huge, but it's bound not to be exactly the same, because, quite simply...it's not! Communicating to somebody in real life can hardly compare to communicating via the internet, for many reasons....
In the sense of the online forums and blogging, that we're doing within study groups, i personally feel that it doesn't feel as much as a 'turn-taking' conversation as it should- maybe this is just because people aren't really used to it yet, and are not consistent with their posts??
One thing about the forums etc that i think is positive, however, is that in seminars, or other real-life senarios, people can often be talked over, or drowned out by louder, more confident members of a group. Using a forum lets people get their point across much more easily, as there is no real time-limit (as opposed to the hour-long seminars in which you either have to say all you want to say, or you sit and listen to others talking!)
In the sense of the online forums and blogging, that we're doing within study groups, i personally feel that it doesn't feel as much as a 'turn-taking' conversation as it should- maybe this is just because people aren't really used to it yet, and are not consistent with their posts??
One thing about the forums etc that i think is positive, however, is that in seminars, or other real-life senarios, people can often be talked over, or drowned out by louder, more confident members of a group. Using a forum lets people get their point across much more easily, as there is no real time-limit (as opposed to the hour-long seminars in which you either have to say all you want to say, or you sit and listen to others talking!)
Friday, 23 January 2009
Week 1, Topic 2c- The impact of the internet on our society.
The internet is always at the centre of debate. While some people think it's giving us opportunities that we wouldn't otherwise have (being able to talk to people from overseas etc), other people think it's dangerous, time-wasting and unnecessary.
The internet is a dangerous place, there's no doubt about that. Of all the stories you hear on the news about pheodophiles, stalkers or missing children, it's more than likely related to some chat room. Also, the amount of fraud, viruses and scam recieved over the internet is outstanding- the fact that an anti-virus software is vital to keep you safe online just makes me think how dangerous it can actually be.
There are also so many stories about bullying over the internet- as if there isn't enough in real life!!
Then again, it has done so many positive things- things like help bands promote themselves (Arctic Monkeys, Lily Allen...), it helps us all with our education, and it's so easy to find articles without trawling through hundreds of books! And it helps us keep in touch with friends, and find old ones, and even make new ones! I think the internet does have good and bad points. I think you need to be wary of the internet, but used properly and safely, I think it's had a positive impact on society :) Rant over for now!
The internet is a dangerous place, there's no doubt about that. Of all the stories you hear on the news about pheodophiles, stalkers or missing children, it's more than likely related to some chat room. Also, the amount of fraud, viruses and scam recieved over the internet is outstanding- the fact that an anti-virus software is vital to keep you safe online just makes me think how dangerous it can actually be.
There are also so many stories about bullying over the internet- as if there isn't enough in real life!!
Then again, it has done so many positive things- things like help bands promote themselves (Arctic Monkeys, Lily Allen...), it helps us all with our education, and it's so easy to find articles without trawling through hundreds of books! And it helps us keep in touch with friends, and find old ones, and even make new ones! I think the internet does have good and bad points. I think you need to be wary of the internet, but used properly and safely, I think it's had a positive impact on society :) Rant over for now!
Week 1, Topic 2- Goebell's view on radio
Reading Goebells' speech, I realised- like I know a few other people have- how much radio has been almost 'pushed out' in recent years. It's easy to forget just how amazing people thought radio was in the 20th century, because, to put it simply...there was no other way of communicating to the masses, so no doubt it was so treasured!
Goebells wanted to use radio for information, to get a point across to the masses. He seemed to feel that radio was not being used to it's full potential, and that it was being used as an easy way to make money, rather than dealing with political issues. He quotes that "A radio that does not deal with the problems of the day does not deserve to influence the broad masses."
Goebells seemed to stress that he wanted to make the most out of radio, because in those days, it was the only way they could reach people, and that playing music and any other entertainment was wasting what could be a great way to broadcast things of political significance. It's hard to imagine that now, as we have so many means of communicating- magazines, newspapers, TV, and of course, the internet.
We have so many different radio stations now that radio can be anything we want it to be! BBC Radio 1 for entertainment and music, BBC Radio 2 for adult-contemporary issues etc. Radio seems to have taken the backseat in terms of being able to broadcast to the masses, as internet and TV have taken over in our modern society.
Goebells wanted to use radio for information, to get a point across to the masses. He seemed to feel that radio was not being used to it's full potential, and that it was being used as an easy way to make money, rather than dealing with political issues. He quotes that "A radio that does not deal with the problems of the day does not deserve to influence the broad masses."
Goebells seemed to stress that he wanted to make the most out of radio, because in those days, it was the only way they could reach people, and that playing music and any other entertainment was wasting what could be a great way to broadcast things of political significance. It's hard to imagine that now, as we have so many means of communicating- magazines, newspapers, TV, and of course, the internet.
We have so many different radio stations now that radio can be anything we want it to be! BBC Radio 1 for entertainment and music, BBC Radio 2 for adult-contemporary issues etc. Radio seems to have taken the backseat in terms of being able to broadcast to the masses, as internet and TV have taken over in our modern society.
Week 1, Topic 1- Communicating on the internet
The Internet is so popular these days amongst so many people. It's an easy, convenient and useful way of communicating with friends, although it also proves useful for many other things such as shopping. Watching some adverts today I realised that nearly every advert had their website mentioned, where you could 'get a free quote' or 'buy online now'. It's almost like the norm now to go online to do something, rather than go to the shop or use the phone.
As for me, I use the Internet mainly for the websites and email. My most visited website would be facebook, and I assume that many other people's will be too! Social networking is popular all over the world, and it's so easy to contact people. It's also really useful for information- whether it's for essays or something random, like finding song lyrics!
Also, I do all my banking online and a lot of online shopping over the internet as it's so convenient. I think the Internet can be dangerous though. I had my card details taken from a fraudulent email, which just shows how easy it can happen- particularly as I'm usually quite cautious of things like that, and i know there will be other people who are much more naive than i am. I think children are also in danger, particularly those who use chat rooms etc. Generally though, I feel the internet allows us to connect with people, for instance, I can still take part in my course, despite being in London- that wouldn't be as easy without the internet!
As for me, I use the Internet mainly for the websites and email. My most visited website would be facebook, and I assume that many other people's will be too! Social networking is popular all over the world, and it's so easy to contact people. It's also really useful for information- whether it's for essays or something random, like finding song lyrics!
Also, I do all my banking online and a lot of online shopping over the internet as it's so convenient. I think the Internet can be dangerous though. I had my card details taken from a fraudulent email, which just shows how easy it can happen- particularly as I'm usually quite cautious of things like that, and i know there will be other people who are much more naive than i am. I think children are also in danger, particularly those who use chat rooms etc. Generally though, I feel the internet allows us to connect with people, for instance, I can still take part in my course, despite being in London- that wouldn't be as easy without the internet!
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