I have never really seen a bad side to instant messaging (other than that it is annoying when I'm trying to work on something), but I do know some think that one of the cons of instant messaging is that it makes people fear face-to-face interaction. I always thought fear of a face-to-face interaction was normal, at least with people whom one does not know or is an authority. I don't fear face-to-face interaction with my friends and family but I do with people when I'm interviewing for a job or internship or to get a news story.
I am in Communication and Interviewing class this semester and we have definitely had our fair share of interview experiences. If fact, tomorrow I have to meet with the manager of Drug Plastics to interview him and write a request for proposal. I am nervous about it because he is an accomplished businessman so I don't want to seem uneducated or too nervous and also I am nervous about what I am going to say. I would feel more comfortable talking to him on the phone--or even instant messaging--because then I could pace around the room to relieve nervousness and not have to worry about ackward situations. I wonder if I would still have these nerves if I hadn't grown up with instant messaging and telephone communicating. Probably not as much.
When I Googled "pros and cons of instant messaging" almost every search result came up with the pros and cons of using instant messaging in businesses and corporations. And since we all are or are going to be working in businesses and corporations, I thought I'd blog about it and gather some advice given by some sites listed. This article, which defines instant messaging as once a primarily secret language used by teenagers, says that IMing in the work place can save time. And this article says that IMing is an advantage over emailing because you don't have to wait for responses. That article also mentions that instant messaging can be saved so they serve as a great reference for a conversation--perfect if someone is trying to put words in your mouth!
What seems impersonal to some is defined as personal to this website where they said "it provides more of a “personal” link than e-mail, while being a bit less intrusive than the telephone." I think that's an interesting way to look at instant messaging. The telephone is intrusive because when talking on the phone, a person has to stop everything s/he is doing and focus on the phone call. When instant messaging, a person can be working on a task, maybe talking to someone else, and responding to the instant messager all at the same time. That might be a little overwhelming, though, too.
I think some of these ideas helped me realize when and where instant messaging has its place in the business world. I know not to talk to friends or family and only to colleagues. I also think it's important to only talk to colleagues when it's essential and a face-to-face conversation is too much of a burden on the workload or impossible.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Monday, November 30, 2009
Week 15 - Mobile phones
This week I saw an interesting news article relating to mobile phones. A mother misdialed her daughter's number only to find out that the stranger was willing to pay her mortgage payment she was going to miss. Click here to read the whole story. This made Yahoo!'s front page in the weird news classification. Weird sure is right. It is pretty amazing that people are still willing to help each other out in times of need. But I don't really understand how the mother could've misdialed. I would assume she had her daughter on speed dial or at least have her number in her contacts. I don't know about anyone else, but I don't dial numbers out anymore. I use speed dial or navigate in my contact list on my cell. I also wonder how long it took the mother to realize that it was not her daughter on the phone--long enough to get her point out at least. It was nice to hear that the real estate agent was nice enough to pay for her mortgage payment. I'm sure, being a real estate agent, she has seen firsthand the trouble people have making their mortgage payments.
This story kind of reminds me of what we're talking about in class. Mobile phones allow us to access anyone, anywhere. We no longer even have to wait to be at a computer to send an email. As I see in this story, a complete stranger can become a helping hand by the simple use of a mobile phone. I just wonder how this mobility has affected our society.
Everyone in my family except for my stepdad has a mobile phone. He does not have one because he probably doesn't want to figure out how to use it, and he also doesn't like the idea of being able to be reached anytime, anywhere. He works on people's farm equipment and stuff all the time outside of his regular work, so people are always calling the house looking for him or asking favors. I think if he'd have a cell phone, it would ring too much for him!
I also know a few people who like the idea of not having a cell phone but still have one because it's ultimately cheaper than having a landline. These people don't like that they're able to be reached while out at dinner or at the movies. If it weren't for text messaging, I wouldn't either, but I think that texting is so convenient and a great way at communicating to multiple people at once without having to stop what I'm doing. I try not to text too much when I'm with others because that gives the impression that I'm not interested in being with them, especially when we made time to see each other like during dinner. Unfortunately, it's not always that easy. I still am guilty of sending texts while at dinner with my friends or family. Sometimes I don't even realized I'm doing it. I should turn off my phone and enjoy dinner and conversation with the people whom are physically there with me! Being a waitress, I've seen people talk on the phone throughout their entire meals! I think chatting on the phone during a get together with a friend or family is even worse, and I hardly ever do that.
What do you think? Should people text when they're with others? Is that rude? Do you do it? Do you even notice when you are doing it?
This story kind of reminds me of what we're talking about in class. Mobile phones allow us to access anyone, anywhere. We no longer even have to wait to be at a computer to send an email. As I see in this story, a complete stranger can become a helping hand by the simple use of a mobile phone. I just wonder how this mobility has affected our society.
Everyone in my family except for my stepdad has a mobile phone. He does not have one because he probably doesn't want to figure out how to use it, and he also doesn't like the idea of being able to be reached anytime, anywhere. He works on people's farm equipment and stuff all the time outside of his regular work, so people are always calling the house looking for him or asking favors. I think if he'd have a cell phone, it would ring too much for him!
I also know a few people who like the idea of not having a cell phone but still have one because it's ultimately cheaper than having a landline. These people don't like that they're able to be reached while out at dinner or at the movies. If it weren't for text messaging, I wouldn't either, but I think that texting is so convenient and a great way at communicating to multiple people at once without having to stop what I'm doing. I try not to text too much when I'm with others because that gives the impression that I'm not interested in being with them, especially when we made time to see each other like during dinner. Unfortunately, it's not always that easy. I still am guilty of sending texts while at dinner with my friends or family. Sometimes I don't even realized I'm doing it. I should turn off my phone and enjoy dinner and conversation with the people whom are physically there with me! Being a waitress, I've seen people talk on the phone throughout their entire meals! I think chatting on the phone during a get together with a friend or family is even worse, and I hardly ever do that.
What do you think? Should people text when they're with others? Is that rude? Do you do it? Do you even notice when you are doing it?
Monday, November 23, 2009
Week 14 - Search engines and myths
Sometimes when I'm struggling with a topic for a blog, I go to MSN's homepage to look for a catchy heading because there is always something interesting featured on there Today, I found an article about the nine car-care myths I should ignore. As I read through the article, I found four myths that I thought were facts and followed closely. I'm not a big car enthusiast, but I've been taught a number of things by my stepdad who is a diesel mechanic and my boyfriend and a couple guy friends who work on cars as a hobby.
Myth number one that I believe and follow and always will probably: engine oil should be changed every 3,000 miles. In fact, my stepdad, told me to get my oil changed every 2,000 miles. According to the article, most cars are made to go 7,500 miles between oil changes. Well, that may be true, but cleaning up dirty engine oil and sludge will probably lengthen the life of your engine, I'm assuming--only assuming. On to myth two that I used to believe and follow: inflate tires to the pressure shown on the tire's sidewall. I believed that myth until I got new tires this summer. The sidewall on my tires said like 54 or something. My pressure gauge doesn't even go up that far! According to the article, that number is the maximum the tire can hold, not the set standard. Also, I believed the myth that I should let the engine warm up several minutes before driving (during our harsh winters here, not just always before driving). Apparently, modern engines warm up a lot quicker than those from the past. The article does warn, though, not to rev the engine up too high during the first couple minutes of driving. I only follow this rule when the temps aren't freezing! I have Astrostart and always let my car warm up before driving it during the winter because it is just so cold. I let it run for a couple of minutes just so that when I get in the car, I will be warm or at least not frozen.
Now, how does this relate to what we're talking about in class? I thought of these myths in relation to search engines. Most search engines show results from anywhere, including Wikipedia and places like Wikianswers and Yahoo! Answers where anyone anywhere, regardless of their expertise, can post information that will ultimately end up on a search engine. Many of those answers to Yahoo! Answers questions are probably myths or age-old rules that used to be true (like letting the car warm up used to be true when people had older vehicles). When researching for a class, I'm careful not to use search engines because of the huge possibility of inaccurate sources. I use Google Scholar or a search database through the libarary instead. However, when I'm looking up basic, everyday information for myself, the first place I go is Google.
This is just a link to a Yahoo! Answers Q&A about the oil change myth. Most people who answered the question said 3,000 miles for regular oil and city driving, so that kind of proves that just because an answer is common doesn't mean it's always right. So, even though I think Google is great, I'm careful not to believe everything I read on a search engine. I've actually seen people ask questions like, "Is it safe to mix medicine X with medicine Y?" I think that's a serious enough issue to ask a doctor!
Myth number one that I believe and follow and always will probably: engine oil should be changed every 3,000 miles. In fact, my stepdad, told me to get my oil changed every 2,000 miles. According to the article, most cars are made to go 7,500 miles between oil changes. Well, that may be true, but cleaning up dirty engine oil and sludge will probably lengthen the life of your engine, I'm assuming--only assuming. On to myth two that I used to believe and follow: inflate tires to the pressure shown on the tire's sidewall. I believed that myth until I got new tires this summer. The sidewall on my tires said like 54 or something. My pressure gauge doesn't even go up that far! According to the article, that number is the maximum the tire can hold, not the set standard. Also, I believed the myth that I should let the engine warm up several minutes before driving (during our harsh winters here, not just always before driving). Apparently, modern engines warm up a lot quicker than those from the past. The article does warn, though, not to rev the engine up too high during the first couple minutes of driving. I only follow this rule when the temps aren't freezing! I have Astrostart and always let my car warm up before driving it during the winter because it is just so cold. I let it run for a couple of minutes just so that when I get in the car, I will be warm or at least not frozen.
Now, how does this relate to what we're talking about in class? I thought of these myths in relation to search engines. Most search engines show results from anywhere, including Wikipedia and places like Wikianswers and Yahoo! Answers where anyone anywhere, regardless of their expertise, can post information that will ultimately end up on a search engine. Many of those answers to Yahoo! Answers questions are probably myths or age-old rules that used to be true (like letting the car warm up used to be true when people had older vehicles). When researching for a class, I'm careful not to use search engines because of the huge possibility of inaccurate sources. I use Google Scholar or a search database through the libarary instead. However, when I'm looking up basic, everyday information for myself, the first place I go is Google.
This is just a link to a Yahoo! Answers Q&A about the oil change myth. Most people who answered the question said 3,000 miles for regular oil and city driving, so that kind of proves that just because an answer is common doesn't mean it's always right. So, even though I think Google is great, I'm careful not to believe everything I read on a search engine. I've actually seen people ask questions like, "Is it safe to mix medicine X with medicine Y?" I think that's a serious enough issue to ask a doctor!
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Week 13 - Economy and Pets
One thing I'm passionate about is respect for life, especially for those who cannot speak for themselves. Domesticated dogs and cats have a hard time making it on their own, so they need loving families to take care of them. Most dogs were bred to be of assistance to their humans. Dogs want human contact. Unfortunately, some are left neglected and in shelters.
I am a fan of ASPCA on Facebook. This morning, I saw a sad update from them that said, "Like organizations across the country, the ASPCA is witnessing firsthand the impact of the recession on pet parents who can no longer afford to care for their furry friends." I am also in the middle of writing an article about pet over-population for another class. The people I have interviewed have mentioned the recession causing pet homelessness. I just don't understand. I am a huge animal lover and wouldn't ever think of putting a living being in a shelter because I couldn't afford it anymore. Are these people putting their own children in a foster homes because they can't afford to take care of them anymore?
I am aware that taking care of a pet is expensive from food to chew toys to vet bills. Plus they require a lot of work and time to be able to properly train and socialize them. (That's exactly why I am waiting until after college to get a dog.) This article says that we spend 40 percent more on our pets than we did a decade ago. It also said that 70 percent of dog owners list their pet as like a family member. (Which is good or there would be even more pets in shelters.) I'm one of those who considers a pet a family member. I would give up way more things before a pet if I had felt the effects of the recession and needed to rethink my spending. I'd cancel my Netflix and just watch my movies I already own. I could totally live without cable. I wouldn't eat out as much; I'd cook at home. I'd walk to class and work instead of drive to save money on gas. I would not send my pet to a shelter or even worse to the streets to fend for itself. My personal opinion is that some people have a hard time prioritizing their spending, so they think they can't afford their pets, when in reality, they just need to spend their money better. Does a person really need $20 unlimited text messaging a month? Or can that money go for the food that their dogs literally do need?
The article mentioned that America's love for pets comes from the idea that we're trying to fill a void from either a divorce or working too many hours. That brings me to another point that I kind of already mentioned. Pets are a lot of work and money. Plus, they require some knowledge the be able to take care of them. That's why I think that people should think things through before getting a pet. Otherwise, it might end up into a shelter. This website lists reasons people give up their pets. None of those reasons are justifiable in my opinion. If the dog has behavorial problems, it's probably because it's not properly trained, fed, and exercised and is neglected. If you have too many pets, why did you get another one? Also, another reason listed was relocating or moving to another city. Unfortunately, lots of places don't allow pets, and big cities don't allow pets over a certain size. If that happens, I think it's up to the owner to find a loving home--maybe to a family member or friend who lives on a farm.
This is a link to a site about what pet owners can do if they're moving to an apartment. The home page also lists many other reasons people give up pets and what they can do. On the site it says, "If this means no pets because some pet owners in the past have caused trouble, the pet owner has three options: give up the pet, give up the apartment, change the landlord's mind. I'd give up the apartment before the pet...
What do you think?
I am a fan of ASPCA on Facebook. This morning, I saw a sad update from them that said, "Like organizations across the country, the ASPCA is witnessing firsthand the impact of the recession on pet parents who can no longer afford to care for their furry friends." I am also in the middle of writing an article about pet over-population for another class. The people I have interviewed have mentioned the recession causing pet homelessness. I just don't understand. I am a huge animal lover and wouldn't ever think of putting a living being in a shelter because I couldn't afford it anymore. Are these people putting their own children in a foster homes because they can't afford to take care of them anymore?
I am aware that taking care of a pet is expensive from food to chew toys to vet bills. Plus they require a lot of work and time to be able to properly train and socialize them. (That's exactly why I am waiting until after college to get a dog.) This article says that we spend 40 percent more on our pets than we did a decade ago. It also said that 70 percent of dog owners list their pet as like a family member. (Which is good or there would be even more pets in shelters.) I'm one of those who considers a pet a family member. I would give up way more things before a pet if I had felt the effects of the recession and needed to rethink my spending. I'd cancel my Netflix and just watch my movies I already own. I could totally live without cable. I wouldn't eat out as much; I'd cook at home. I'd walk to class and work instead of drive to save money on gas. I would not send my pet to a shelter or even worse to the streets to fend for itself. My personal opinion is that some people have a hard time prioritizing their spending, so they think they can't afford their pets, when in reality, they just need to spend their money better. Does a person really need $20 unlimited text messaging a month? Or can that money go for the food that their dogs literally do need?
The article mentioned that America's love for pets comes from the idea that we're trying to fill a void from either a divorce or working too many hours. That brings me to another point that I kind of already mentioned. Pets are a lot of work and money. Plus, they require some knowledge the be able to take care of them. That's why I think that people should think things through before getting a pet. Otherwise, it might end up into a shelter. This website lists reasons people give up their pets. None of those reasons are justifiable in my opinion. If the dog has behavorial problems, it's probably because it's not properly trained, fed, and exercised and is neglected. If you have too many pets, why did you get another one? Also, another reason listed was relocating or moving to another city. Unfortunately, lots of places don't allow pets, and big cities don't allow pets over a certain size. If that happens, I think it's up to the owner to find a loving home--maybe to a family member or friend who lives on a farm.
This is a link to a site about what pet owners can do if they're moving to an apartment. The home page also lists many other reasons people give up pets and what they can do. On the site it says, "If this means no pets because some pet owners in the past have caused trouble, the pet owner has three options: give up the pet, give up the apartment, change the landlord's mind. I'd give up the apartment before the pet...
What do you think?
Monday, November 9, 2009
Week 11 - Online Gaming
Online gaming has been around for a while, I just have never gotten into it. I used to play the occasional poker game online. I remember playing Checkers on Yahoo! Chat a long time ago. Other than that, I'm not an online gamer. You might see me on Farm Town or FarmVille but I don't play either of them. I set up an account, but I just haven't had the time or patience to learn how to play them. I started the tutorial on Farm Town but quickly exited out because I lost focus on it. eHow actually has a "how to" on Farm Town with just six simple steps. While I'd rather read short steps that go through a long tutorial, I still didn't see the appeal. I know it's there, though, because I remember The Sims and Sim Town and Sim City--they were all partially responsible for my procrastination in my younger years.
This week I decided to take a better look at online gaming. While I'm quick to judge and say they're just a waste of time and an easy way to get nothing done, I have to wonder if there's anything a person can actually learn or gain from online gaming. A couple of my friends operate zoos on Facebook. Are they learning how to care for animals? How to operate a business? Maybe that's a bit extreme, but I've heard of people becoming experts at poker completely online.
Also, this site suggests that an online game called OurCourts is using computer games to help people learn. OurCourts also led me to an article called: How video games are good for the brain, where the article defines video games simply as a form of media and states that it has been researched that video games can improve mental function. One very key sentence in the article was "Video games are hard," said Eric Klopfer. The article then went on to state that most games involve a huge number of mental tasks. After reading the entire article, I actually think of video games a bit differently now. Playing video games is undoubtedly better for the brain than watching TV--especially particular shows.
What are your thoughts on online and video games? Are they beneficial in some aspect?
This week I decided to take a better look at online gaming. While I'm quick to judge and say they're just a waste of time and an easy way to get nothing done, I have to wonder if there's anything a person can actually learn or gain from online gaming. A couple of my friends operate zoos on Facebook. Are they learning how to care for animals? How to operate a business? Maybe that's a bit extreme, but I've heard of people becoming experts at poker completely online.
Also, this site suggests that an online game called OurCourts is using computer games to help people learn. OurCourts also led me to an article called: How video games are good for the brain, where the article defines video games simply as a form of media and states that it has been researched that video games can improve mental function. One very key sentence in the article was "Video games are hard," said Eric Klopfer. The article then went on to state that most games involve a huge number of mental tasks. After reading the entire article, I actually think of video games a bit differently now. Playing video games is undoubtedly better for the brain than watching TV--especially particular shows.
What are your thoughts on online and video games? Are they beneficial in some aspect?
Monday, November 2, 2009
Week 11 - Poke
A poke has gained new meaning after the popularity of Facebook. If you have a Facebook account, you mostly likely are aware of the poke feature. If not, you can just check out Facebook's long list of questions and answers about the poke feature, which, to me, essentially seems pointless. It's kind of random and funny but it serves no real purose. Awhile back, the application SuperPoke! became popular on Facebook. It was like a poke except that you had to add the application and there were way more random things to do to your friends other than poking. For example, you could dance with your friends, throw random objects at your friends, or even high fiiiive your friends. It's a virtual way of doing things with your friends without having to actually do them.
Back to the simple poke feature: What seems like an innocent gesture caused a Tennesse woman to be arrested for violating a protective order against her by poking the person who had the order against her. It's being determined if the poke was done by her from her computer or by a hacker. It's also being determined whether or not it was an imposter's site that did the poking. I don't really know what to say about this. Is a Facebook poke a violation of a protective order? I found the legal definition of it and one thing it said on there that caught my attention is that usually protective orders have a specified distance one party must stay away from the other party. But what about "virtual distances"? With the growth of social media, does that need to be considered in writing laws like this? According to the original news article, a poke is still a form of communication. What do you think? Should this woman have been arrested? Was a poke a violation of the protective order? Should it be?
Back to the simple poke feature: What seems like an innocent gesture caused a Tennesse woman to be arrested for violating a protective order against her by poking the person who had the order against her. It's being determined if the poke was done by her from her computer or by a hacker. It's also being determined whether or not it was an imposter's site that did the poking. I don't really know what to say about this. Is a Facebook poke a violation of a protective order? I found the legal definition of it and one thing it said on there that caught my attention is that usually protective orders have a specified distance one party must stay away from the other party. But what about "virtual distances"? With the growth of social media, does that need to be considered in writing laws like this? According to the original news article, a poke is still a form of communication. What do you think? Should this woman have been arrested? Was a poke a violation of the protective order? Should it be?
Monday, October 26, 2009
Week 10 - Face-to-face interaction
When I thought about and learned about livecasting so far this week, I couldn't help but think of the ever-decreasing face-to-face interaction in our society. I've never attended a webinar, but I started to think about what it would be like to attend one. I thought that I'd never be able to pay attention. I envisioned myself sitting at my desk in my apartment trying to watch this webinar on my computer screen while sitting in an uncomfortable chair, text messaging, and looking at Facebook. That's the problem with the internet. There are so many distractions. Even when I try to do my homework for this class, I get distracted by Facebook or YouTube or other sites. When I'm in class, though, I don't. Why? Because it's disrespectful to the teacher and other classmates, plus it's usually against the rules of the class. So, that got me thinking of how I could make my webinar experience more worthy of my time. If I ever have to attend one, all I have to do is go with other people and possibly get out of my familiar surroundings so I can concentrate more. Plus, I'd have to set up my computer to a TV screen so that I am not huddled around the computer.
Another problem I predicted with my webinar experience is not being able to talk to anybody about what I had experienced and learned (at least face-to-face). Actually attending a live seminar is much, much more appealing to me than attending a webinar.
Sometimes all I want to do is get off of the computer and go chat with someone face-to-face. I talk to my friends over text messaging and the internet more than I do in person it seems like. During our text messaging sessions, we usually just make plans or what not (not have actual lengthy in-depth conversations), but during instant messaging, I literally talk to my friends as if I were with them in person. That is something I've been doing since as long as I can remember. When I first used instant messaging, I thought that was so cool. Now, I wish it wasn't so prevalent in my life. I used to be in school for eight hours a day, most of them spent learning, but I was always around people doing some sort of live interaction. Now, I feel like I spend more time on the internet for college classes than anything else.
Mark Glaser talks about cell phones killing face-to-face interaction in his blog. He makes some interesting points and even told a story about having dinner with his friend and his friend's iPhone. I thougth that was interesting because I feel like everybody does that nowadays, including myself. Even though I'm complaining about the lack of face-to-face interaction I have in my life, I still text message while having lunch with my friends at the caf. I usually only text when someone texts me, but still...
It's also been said that social interaction is good for a person's health. Yesterday, I read about the Children's Health Magazine's 100 best places to raise a family. The article talked about why Lincoln Nebraska is such an ideal place:
"A key factor to a long, healthy life is a sense of belonging to your community," says John Scheer, Ph. D., an associate professor of nutrition and health sciences at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. In fact, one study found that older people with strong social ties were more likely to live 10 years longer than those who kept to themselves" (Colletti, J. & Weber, J.).
As I jump into career life (and an ever-growing online world), I will always do whatever I can to keep face-to-face interaction common in my life because nothing can replace it. What are your thoughts?
Another problem I predicted with my webinar experience is not being able to talk to anybody about what I had experienced and learned (at least face-to-face). Actually attending a live seminar is much, much more appealing to me than attending a webinar.
Sometimes all I want to do is get off of the computer and go chat with someone face-to-face. I talk to my friends over text messaging and the internet more than I do in person it seems like. During our text messaging sessions, we usually just make plans or what not (not have actual lengthy in-depth conversations), but during instant messaging, I literally talk to my friends as if I were with them in person. That is something I've been doing since as long as I can remember. When I first used instant messaging, I thought that was so cool. Now, I wish it wasn't so prevalent in my life. I used to be in school for eight hours a day, most of them spent learning, but I was always around people doing some sort of live interaction. Now, I feel like I spend more time on the internet for college classes than anything else.
Mark Glaser talks about cell phones killing face-to-face interaction in his blog. He makes some interesting points and even told a story about having dinner with his friend and his friend's iPhone. I thougth that was interesting because I feel like everybody does that nowadays, including myself. Even though I'm complaining about the lack of face-to-face interaction I have in my life, I still text message while having lunch with my friends at the caf. I usually only text when someone texts me, but still...
It's also been said that social interaction is good for a person's health. Yesterday, I read about the Children's Health Magazine's 100 best places to raise a family. The article talked about why Lincoln Nebraska is such an ideal place:
"A key factor to a long, healthy life is a sense of belonging to your community," says John Scheer, Ph. D., an associate professor of nutrition and health sciences at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. In fact, one study found that older people with strong social ties were more likely to live 10 years longer than those who kept to themselves" (Colletti, J. & Weber, J.).
As I jump into career life (and an ever-growing online world), I will always do whatever I can to keep face-to-face interaction common in my life because nothing can replace it. What are your thoughts?
Monday, October 19, 2009
Week 9 - Globalization
When I was first introduced to the internet, I was told not to talk to people I didn't know. I wasn't supposed to go into chat rooms or add people to my instant messenger unless I knew them. As time went on and the internet became more interactive, I started to form relationships with people 0nline who I didn't actually know personally. I leave comments on YouTube videos I like, I reply to news stories and debate them with other commenters, I interact with classmates that I've never met in person, and I join Facebook groups and have discussions with other members. And the most amazing thing is that the people I'm interacting with are from all over the country--some even the world. We, as a society, are well on our way to globalization where we can interact with people from all over the world with modern technology. That made me think of how quickly news travels over the internet.
The term viral videos was new to me this week; although the idea of it was not. I actually think it's quite amazing how quickly videos spread on the web. It's been suggested that we can all be related through six degrees of separation, so it doesn't take much for a video to travel half way around the world in a short amount of time. Apparently there are websites devoted to accumulating the top viral videos. Check out these two: Top 10 Virals and ViralVideos.com. I saw a few familiar ones on there.
Viral videos got me thinking about viral news stories. It's also pretty amazing how quickly news spreads these days. For instance, the balloon boy saga swept through the nation faster than ever. I had friends on Facebook and Twitter writing updates as they arrived on the situation. News websites did the same, and there have been several follow-up stories heard and seen all over the web. People who didn't even know the boy were worried about the him. Now, people who don't know the family are debating whether they should get charged or not.
Even North Dakota is getting national news coverage. I went to Yahoo.com and saw the same article I had read on Inforum. It was about a dog in Casselton, ND. This dog was being measured for the Guinness Book of World Records as the biggest dog in the world. Not only was this dog featured in our local news, it made national news as well. The article and pictures of the famous dog drinking out of the kitchen sink can be found all over the web.
Because of our globalized world, I've decided it's time to start learning a foreign language. I chose Spanish, and I'm learning it this year. Maybe soon I'll be able to speak to an even broader group of people online.
The term viral videos was new to me this week; although the idea of it was not. I actually think it's quite amazing how quickly videos spread on the web. It's been suggested that we can all be related through six degrees of separation, so it doesn't take much for a video to travel half way around the world in a short amount of time. Apparently there are websites devoted to accumulating the top viral videos. Check out these two: Top 10 Virals and ViralVideos.com. I saw a few familiar ones on there.
Viral videos got me thinking about viral news stories. It's also pretty amazing how quickly news spreads these days. For instance, the balloon boy saga swept through the nation faster than ever. I had friends on Facebook and Twitter writing updates as they arrived on the situation. News websites did the same, and there have been several follow-up stories heard and seen all over the web. People who didn't even know the boy were worried about the him. Now, people who don't know the family are debating whether they should get charged or not.
Even North Dakota is getting national news coverage. I went to Yahoo.com and saw the same article I had read on Inforum. It was about a dog in Casselton, ND. This dog was being measured for the Guinness Book of World Records as the biggest dog in the world. Not only was this dog featured in our local news, it made national news as well. The article and pictures of the famous dog drinking out of the kitchen sink can be found all over the web.
Because of our globalized world, I've decided it's time to start learning a foreign language. I chose Spanish, and I'm learning it this year. Maybe soon I'll be able to speak to an even broader group of people online.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Week 8 - Walmart
MSN's homepage today featured an article about Walmart and stated why we should love and why we should hate the franchise superstore. I had to read it because I shop at Walmart quite a bit. Walmart's been criticized for putting locally-owned small town businesses out of businesses by offering very cheap prices. They do this by, according to the article, bullying vendors into cutting profits to the bone and of course by ordering in bulk. I actually kind of liked reading this article because it concluded with this statement: "In short, Wal-Mart is one of the few corporate giants still standing using the same strategy upon which it was founded: It sells discount goods at a fair price" (Macke, 2009). A lot of people think that Walmart shouldn't be allowed in certain towns, such as Valley City, because it would put other businesses out of business. It probably would because Walmart is a corporation that knows how to do business and does it well. I'm not saying that I wouldn't shop at a locally-owned over-priced business before Walmart, but I think some shop owners can learn a valuable lesson from Walmart.
On the other hand, this article tells us why we should hate Walmart. I didn't necessarily agree with everything in this article. The author argues that she hates Walmart because it usually offers its employees poverty wages (which I'm assuming she means minimum wage because otherwise it would be illegal). What's wrong with that? I worked at a grocery store for two years making just above minimum wage. It was a low skill level job that didn't require enough work to be paid more than what I was making. Sure, I thought minimum wage was too low at the time, but I wasn't expecting to make the big bucks by stocking shelves and checking grocerices. She also argues that Walmart doesn't offer its employees health insurance. To me, Walmart doesn't seem like the type of company that would offer health insurance except for maybe to its managers. She also doesn't like that Walmart insists on lowering its prices. Their low prices are what makes them so popular! If other businesses are suffering because of this, maybe they should lower their prices or offer some sort of benefit.
I do have to argue, though, that small town locally-owned businesses can't just offer as low of prices as Walmart does. I understand that Walmart is a huge corporation with plenty of resources. But, in my opinion, local shops can do other things to attract business, like for instance, keeping their shelves stocked. I'm not trying to demean Pamida or anyone who works there, but it seems like every time I go in there for something, it's not there or it is ridiculously over-priced. I would shop there a lot more if they had something more to offer me because I really do believe in supporting my local economy. I also think local businesses have the huge opportunity of being able to be personable and friendly towards its customers.
That's just my opinion on Walmart; I'm curious to here yours! Do you love or hate Walmart? Should it be allowed in Valley City?
On the other hand, this article tells us why we should hate Walmart. I didn't necessarily agree with everything in this article. The author argues that she hates Walmart because it usually offers its employees poverty wages (which I'm assuming she means minimum wage because otherwise it would be illegal). What's wrong with that? I worked at a grocery store for two years making just above minimum wage. It was a low skill level job that didn't require enough work to be paid more than what I was making. Sure, I thought minimum wage was too low at the time, but I wasn't expecting to make the big bucks by stocking shelves and checking grocerices. She also argues that Walmart doesn't offer its employees health insurance. To me, Walmart doesn't seem like the type of company that would offer health insurance except for maybe to its managers. She also doesn't like that Walmart insists on lowering its prices. Their low prices are what makes them so popular! If other businesses are suffering because of this, maybe they should lower their prices or offer some sort of benefit.
I do have to argue, though, that small town locally-owned businesses can't just offer as low of prices as Walmart does. I understand that Walmart is a huge corporation with plenty of resources. But, in my opinion, local shops can do other things to attract business, like for instance, keeping their shelves stocked. I'm not trying to demean Pamida or anyone who works there, but it seems like every time I go in there for something, it's not there or it is ridiculously over-priced. I would shop there a lot more if they had something more to offer me because I really do believe in supporting my local economy. I also think local businesses have the huge opportunity of being able to be personable and friendly towards its customers.
That's just my opinion on Walmart; I'm curious to here yours! Do you love or hate Walmart? Should it be allowed in Valley City?
Monday, October 5, 2009
Week 7 - Photosharing
After reading about photosharing this week, I had to count the number of places I had my photos backed up. First, they're all on memory cards. I have about five memory cards, all filled with photos. I don't just delete photos after I upload them onto a computer; I just buy a new memory card when I need one. Secondly, they're all uploaded onto my laptop computer that I own. Third, they're all safely uploaded onto an external hardrive - My Passport. Fourth, they're all printed off and put into albums (I even have a shoebox full of some doubles of the photos I really like). And last, I have them all uploaded onto the internet (most of them are on Facebook). Needless to say, my photos are very important to me. It's also important to me that others get to see my photos, which is why I have them on display all over my apartment and on Facebook. Most of them are just candids of my friends and I out doing something fun. I usually take a picture to document something--like a fun camping trip or whatnot. Photos also capture a memory and keep it for me. I like to go back and look at them and feel the memory.
This week, I've considered taking advantage of photosharing sites. I use Photobucket to host my images that I want to put on my MySpace (because Photobucket automatically writes a code for them). I also put some other photos on there, but not many. I feel like Facebook is enough for me. It may not be an exclusive photosharing site, but it allows me to upload them into albums, and allow others to view and comment on them. One of the features I really like about some of the photosharing sites I've learned about this week is the editing tool featured on many of the sites. It would save the hassle of uploading photos to Photoshop then to the photosharing site. It is especially a nice feature for me in the summer, when I don't have a computer with Photoshop software. On the other hand, I don't really like the idea of sharing photos with people I don't even know. It just doesn't appeal to me, because why would someone care, especially considering a lot of my photos consist of people--probably people they don't know. So, I have thought about using photosharing more often, but do I really need another place to put my photos? The internet is the most secure place, in my opinion (referring to never losing them), and I might not always have a Facebook account, so I'm thinking about it...
This week, I've considered taking advantage of photosharing sites. I use Photobucket to host my images that I want to put on my MySpace (because Photobucket automatically writes a code for them). I also put some other photos on there, but not many. I feel like Facebook is enough for me. It may not be an exclusive photosharing site, but it allows me to upload them into albums, and allow others to view and comment on them. One of the features I really like about some of the photosharing sites I've learned about this week is the editing tool featured on many of the sites. It would save the hassle of uploading photos to Photoshop then to the photosharing site. It is especially a nice feature for me in the summer, when I don't have a computer with Photoshop software. On the other hand, I don't really like the idea of sharing photos with people I don't even know. It just doesn't appeal to me, because why would someone care, especially considering a lot of my photos consist of people--probably people they don't know. So, I have thought about using photosharing more often, but do I really need another place to put my photos? The internet is the most secure place, in my opinion (referring to never losing them), and I might not always have a Facebook account, so I'm thinking about it...
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Week 6 - Twitter, is it really that bad?
Ever since I first heard of the internet, I've heard how spectacular it is and how it will forever change our lives. I still hear that talk, nearly 13 years later. Instead of the internet in general, it's the types of websites we visit and the way we visit those sites that is going to "forever change our lives." Twitter is one of those sites that has been accused of killing journalism, shortening our attention spans, and ruining our grammar. If it supposedly causes all those bad things, what is so great about it that keeps everyone hooked? Personally, I couldn't tell ya. I've also heard bad things about Facebook, but that doesn't keep me away from there. However, I think that Facebook has so much more to offer than Twitter does. Facebook is more interactive--it's like an online community. Twitter just has short updates of people talking about themselves. Who really cares? I admit I started following a few celebs on Twitter because it was kind of cool to see what they were doing when they weren't busy doing famous stuff (although I don't think it's cool to know what everyone, including my nonfamous friends, is doing at every second of the day). I started following Miley Cyrus, not because I'm a fan of her, but because I kept hearing about her controversial tweets. Now, her tweets fills up my entire homepage and I barely even read them anymore.
Going back to the bad parts of Twitter, one article mentioned that it was speculated that Twitter was killing off journalism. There would be no need for professional journalists anymore since everyone had a Twitter account. Why? Well, the article mentioned the idea of a man named Janis Krums who sent a photo and a tweet to his Twitter account about the Hudson river plane crash. The news is almost instant these days; reporters are on a scene in minutes to get a short story to add to their news website. Well, with people tweeting the news, is there really a need for journalism? Fortunately, Cmswire.com says there is. Cmswire.com noted that TechCrunch journalist Paul Carr said this: “While bloggers can own the first five minutes of any breaking story - a plane crash, a fire, a burglary - it’s always going to be the professional reporters who own the next five days, or five weeks.” Plus, you know, the journalists are the ones who are going to report the facts, and they're going to report them professionally.
As some might already know, our short attention spans (average seven minutes) can be linked to television. Now, it's been predicted that Twitter, along with MySpace and Facebook, might shorten our attention spans even more. Baroness Susan Greenfield is worried that "these technologies are infantilizing the brain into the state of small children who are attracted by buzzing noises and bright lights, who have a small attention span and live for the moment." Greenfield's proposition doesn't seem too far out there to me. As I'm writing this blog I have five tabs open, plus I am chatting on MSN. Is my multitasking helping me or harming me in the long run? Will my attention span drop significantly if I continue to use the internet in the manner that I do? I am not on one website for longer than a few minutes. What do you all think? Is this where sites like Twitter are leading us?
Going back to the bad parts of Twitter, one article mentioned that it was speculated that Twitter was killing off journalism. There would be no need for professional journalists anymore since everyone had a Twitter account. Why? Well, the article mentioned the idea of a man named Janis Krums who sent a photo and a tweet to his Twitter account about the Hudson river plane crash. The news is almost instant these days; reporters are on a scene in minutes to get a short story to add to their news website. Well, with people tweeting the news, is there really a need for journalism? Fortunately, Cmswire.com says there is. Cmswire.com noted that TechCrunch journalist Paul Carr said this: “While bloggers can own the first five minutes of any breaking story - a plane crash, a fire, a burglary - it’s always going to be the professional reporters who own the next five days, or five weeks.” Plus, you know, the journalists are the ones who are going to report the facts, and they're going to report them professionally.
As some might already know, our short attention spans (average seven minutes) can be linked to television. Now, it's been predicted that Twitter, along with MySpace and Facebook, might shorten our attention spans even more. Baroness Susan Greenfield is worried that "these technologies are infantilizing the brain into the state of small children who are attracted by buzzing noises and bright lights, who have a small attention span and live for the moment." Greenfield's proposition doesn't seem too far out there to me. As I'm writing this blog I have five tabs open, plus I am chatting on MSN. Is my multitasking helping me or harming me in the long run? Will my attention span drop significantly if I continue to use the internet in the manner that I do? I am not on one website for longer than a few minutes. What do you all think? Is this where sites like Twitter are leading us?
Monday, September 21, 2009
Week 5: Blogs
After years of on-and-off sometimes blogging and one year of serious blogging for school, I've decided that this week I will take a look at some ways to spice up my boring blogs. I also evaluated my strengths and weaknesses as a blogger and have found a couple articles that give blogging tips.
I notice some people add photos to their blogs. I usually don't. I don't really know why; I guess it's because sometimes photos just get in the way of my writing. By reading 101 blog tips, I've learned that adding digital elements isn't the only way to make a great blog. One advice, which is to use tags, is something I've just started doing this year. I think it's a great way of referencing my blog and also allowing others to better search for a specific topic. This list also tells me to ask questions to my readers, which is also something I've gotten more into while blogging this semester. Questions really get a conversation going. I also find it easier to comment on a person's blog who asks questions rather than just talks and writes statements. The list also tells me to return comments; I can do that by reading my blog comments daily, so I can promptly return comments to my commenters. The list of 101 blog tips has much more great advice that I plan to follow in the future not just with this blog but with other blogs I may write in the future. One of the other problems I have with blogging is trying to think of a good topic that relates to what we're talking about in class. Once I've thought of a topic, I have to think of good relevant things to write about in the blog. I ran into this article today, and it offered me some great advice. If anyone else has problems brainstorming for blogs, I suggest you check out this link. The best advice offered on the website was to always read articles, online and offline to come up with inspiration. I read the news online daily and I have a couple of subscriptions to magazines. Often times the articles I read make me form some sort of an opinion. Unfortunately, I usually don't write down the inspiration I had while reading or the name of the article, so when it comes time to start blogging, I completely forget what I was going to write about. That is why I think it's a great idea for me to blog when I feel inspiried. Like any artist or writer, a blogger should always look for inspirations and write them down.
Do you have any struggles when it comes to blogging? What do you do to work through those struggles?
I notice some people add photos to their blogs. I usually don't. I don't really know why; I guess it's because sometimes photos just get in the way of my writing. By reading 101 blog tips, I've learned that adding digital elements isn't the only way to make a great blog. One advice, which is to use tags, is something I've just started doing this year. I think it's a great way of referencing my blog and also allowing others to better search for a specific topic. This list also tells me to ask questions to my readers, which is also something I've gotten more into while blogging this semester. Questions really get a conversation going. I also find it easier to comment on a person's blog who asks questions rather than just talks and writes statements. The list also tells me to return comments; I can do that by reading my blog comments daily, so I can promptly return comments to my commenters. The list of 101 blog tips has much more great advice that I plan to follow in the future not just with this blog but with other blogs I may write in the future. One of the other problems I have with blogging is trying to think of a good topic that relates to what we're talking about in class. Once I've thought of a topic, I have to think of good relevant things to write about in the blog. I ran into this article today, and it offered me some great advice. If anyone else has problems brainstorming for blogs, I suggest you check out this link. The best advice offered on the website was to always read articles, online and offline to come up with inspiration. I read the news online daily and I have a couple of subscriptions to magazines. Often times the articles I read make me form some sort of an opinion. Unfortunately, I usually don't write down the inspiration I had while reading or the name of the article, so when it comes time to start blogging, I completely forget what I was going to write about. That is why I think it's a great idea for me to blog when I feel inspiried. Like any artist or writer, a blogger should always look for inspirations and write them down.
Do you have any struggles when it comes to blogging? What do you do to work through those struggles?
Monday, September 14, 2009
Week 4: Email etiquette
I remember when I was quite a bit younger, I received a chain letter in the mail. I had no idea what it was and my mom had to explain it to me. It was the only chain letter I have ever received--until email. Now, I receive electronic chain letters constantly. Sending chain letters is against the rules of email etiquette. Most of them are fake, so sending them is apparently a sign of disrespect. I don't send them because I don't believe them and think most of them are stupid. However, some of the forwards I receive aren't necessarily asking for anything; rather, they are just stating jokes, funny stories or photos, or heartwarming stories, all of which could be fake, but I send them anyway. I have a folder in my email inbox dedicated to the collection of all the good forwards I've received. There are plenty of websites with an archive of chain letters where I can go to to read the ones I haven't received yet; this one seemed to be the most appealing to me. The website is described as a final resting place for over a thousand email forwards, funnies, hoaxes, jokes, surveys and more. Reading these is a good way to pass time or procrastinate on the web.
Using proper grammar and spelling is also part of email etiquette, but I don't think many people know of this rule--or so it seems. I'll admit even I sometimes use improper grammar on the internet while talking casually with friends. One of the main errors I make is not capitalizing words that should be. I usually write in all lowercase letters. Yes, the spelling and punctuation as well as other basic syntax are all correct, but for some reason I just don't capitalize while I email or instant message in casual conversations at least. I also often forget to proofread because when I send an email I am usually in a hurry. One website tells us that following proper grammar rules is important, but it's not necessarily important to follow a certain type of writing style or comply with every rule in the book. And another site gives some great advice: "Poor writing is equivalent to someone speaking with spinach stuck between their teeth. Listeners and readers concentrate on the spinach; not what is being said." The site also tells us to use paragraphs! I can't stand it when people send me an email that is one big paragraph. What's even worse is when the email is one big run-on "sentence."
Those are just a couple of the many rules for email etiquette. Whether it's a personal email to family and friends or a professional email to your professors or colleagues, it's important to keep the rules in mind. Does anyone have a certain rule they always follow when emailing? What about a certain rule you don't follow? Is email etiquette too grim?
Using proper grammar and spelling is also part of email etiquette, but I don't think many people know of this rule--or so it seems. I'll admit even I sometimes use improper grammar on the internet while talking casually with friends. One of the main errors I make is not capitalizing words that should be. I usually write in all lowercase letters. Yes, the spelling and punctuation as well as other basic syntax are all correct, but for some reason I just don't capitalize while I email or instant message in casual conversations at least. I also often forget to proofread because when I send an email I am usually in a hurry. One website tells us that following proper grammar rules is important, but it's not necessarily important to follow a certain type of writing style or comply with every rule in the book. And another site gives some great advice: "Poor writing is equivalent to someone speaking with spinach stuck between their teeth. Listeners and readers concentrate on the spinach; not what is being said." The site also tells us to use paragraphs! I can't stand it when people send me an email that is one big paragraph. What's even worse is when the email is one big run-on "sentence."
Those are just a couple of the many rules for email etiquette. Whether it's a personal email to family and friends or a professional email to your professors or colleagues, it's important to keep the rules in mind. Does anyone have a certain rule they always follow when emailing? What about a certain rule you don't follow? Is email etiquette too grim?
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Week 3 - It's 9-9-09
It is that time of the year again, the time where the month, day, and year all match up to be the same number. This time, it's 09-09-09. A quick Google search will come up with pages of this date, and most of these pages consist of user-generated content, a place where people can leave their comments and thoughts. Internet users can even share their questions about what hte date really means. According to MSN.com, 9-9-09 is significant in meaning luck or even forgiveness. But not only is the number 9 lucky, this date represents the last set of repeating, single-digit dates that we'll see for almost a century. Amazing, huh? Well, I guess. Does anyone remember 9-9-99? I was young then, but remember it being a big deal. In fact, in our basement of our house, we were putting new concrete in, and my sister and I handprinted and dated the wet cement on 9-9-99. I also remember 6-6-06, or what some called the date of the apocolypse back then. I remember 7-7-07, a day largely appreciated by gamblers. However, not one of these dates proved significant to me. But one thing this date may be good for is marketing and business promotions. Hotels are giving discounts, The Beatles made their way to Rock Band, and Apple iPod event was announced.
If you're not interested in any of these, CNN gives a list of nine ways to celebrate this special date. The website even gives a few ideas of celebrating 9-9-09 by participating in social media. The Republicans are asking Twitter users to log on at 9 p.m. ET for what is being billed as the "largest Twitter tea party ever." One website is doing the opposite of taking advantage of this date (or so it seems). The humor Web site URLesque has declared a one-day ban on all cat-related videos and stories on 09/09/09. According to CNN, that could be because feline luck runs out after 9 lives. I know of a cat that got an extra chance at life today, though. After work last night I heard a meowing sound as I was getting in my car. There is usually a stray cat that wanders around the area, so I just assumed it was that cat. Then I got home. I heard a meowing sound again, so I look all over the interior of my car and even in the trunk and underneath, and I found nothing. I even had my boyfriend come and help me find this cat. It stopped meowing and neither of us could find it so we gave up, thinking it was just a coincidence. Then I got in my car today and lo and behold, I heard the meowng sound again. I met up with my friend and she helped me look for a cat and eventually we found one tucked away in the engine, scared out of its tail. Other than being frieghtened, it looked totally unharmed.
This sounds like a story I could share with 25-year-old student Matthias Kluckert in Germany who is leading an internet project soliciting stories from around the world on 9-9-09 -- to capture an ordinary day on Earth experienced by people across cultures.
The project, "A Day on the Planet," hopes to collect the best stories and eventually publish them in eight languages. Does anyone else have a particular story that happened today or on any of the other "significant dates?"
If you're not interested in any of these, CNN gives a list of nine ways to celebrate this special date. The website even gives a few ideas of celebrating 9-9-09 by participating in social media. The Republicans are asking Twitter users to log on at 9 p.m. ET for what is being billed as the "largest Twitter tea party ever." One website is doing the opposite of taking advantage of this date (or so it seems). The humor Web site URLesque has declared a one-day ban on all cat-related videos and stories on 09/09/09. According to CNN, that could be because feline luck runs out after 9 lives. I know of a cat that got an extra chance at life today, though. After work last night I heard a meowing sound as I was getting in my car. There is usually a stray cat that wanders around the area, so I just assumed it was that cat. Then I got home. I heard a meowing sound again, so I look all over the interior of my car and even in the trunk and underneath, and I found nothing. I even had my boyfriend come and help me find this cat. It stopped meowing and neither of us could find it so we gave up, thinking it was just a coincidence. Then I got in my car today and lo and behold, I heard the meowng sound again. I met up with my friend and she helped me look for a cat and eventually we found one tucked away in the engine, scared out of its tail. Other than being frieghtened, it looked totally unharmed.
This sounds like a story I could share with 25-year-old student Matthias Kluckert in Germany who is leading an internet project soliciting stories from around the world on 9-9-09 -- to capture an ordinary day on Earth experienced by people across cultures.
The project, "A Day on the Planet," hopes to collect the best stories and eventually publish them in eight languages. Does anyone else have a particular story that happened today or on any of the other "significant dates?"
Monday, August 31, 2009
Week 2: Social networking
Social networking is one of the greatest Web 2.0 tools ever invented. It all started when I got a Xanga account a few years ago. I used it as a blog and eventually got followers and created a profile. I even got to customize the layout and add graphic elements on my page. It was exciting for me. I tried to get all my friends to sign up for an account so we could all have Xanga sites and comment on each other's. I ended up with a few friends who had it, but no one really used it as often as I did. I've always loved being online and browsing websites, so the idea of having my own website was unbelievable to me! Eventually MySpace came along, and then the one and only...Facebook! Now, all my friends had Facebook accounts. Now, my wish of having friends together on a social networking site finally came true.
I actually have accounts to numerous social networking sites, but only a few of them I use regularly. Tagged, hi5, and My Yearbook are a few other ones I use besides Facebook and MySpace. Some words, terms, and phrases have become well-known and frequently used just because of social networking sites. MySpace users, can you define the top 8 (which can now be known as the top any number)? Does the word bulletin have a new meaning? Do you think of the name Tom differently? Facebook users, do you have a hard time distinguishing between the message board with which you write your friends and that structure you hang your pictures on at home? :) Twitter even has its own vocabulary posted right on the website. It's kind of amazing to think that just a few years ago these terms (or at least the new meanings of them) didn't even exist and now they're known nationwide.
Another interesting thing about social networking sites was mentioned in the book. It's a term referred to as the Kevin Bacon effect. It may be more commonly known as six degrees of separation. It seems like I have a friend who knows somebody who knows somebody who dates my cousin...or something like that. It's weird to see who is mutual friends with who. My best friend from high school is mutual friends with an old co-worker from the other side of the state. I am from a small, mostly rural region, though; I wonder if the same concept is as prevalent in more urban areas.
I actually have accounts to numerous social networking sites, but only a few of them I use regularly. Tagged, hi5, and My Yearbook are a few other ones I use besides Facebook and MySpace. Some words, terms, and phrases have become well-known and frequently used just because of social networking sites. MySpace users, can you define the top 8 (which can now be known as the top any number)? Does the word bulletin have a new meaning? Do you think of the name Tom differently? Facebook users, do you have a hard time distinguishing between the message board with which you write your friends and that structure you hang your pictures on at home? :) Twitter even has its own vocabulary posted right on the website. It's kind of amazing to think that just a few years ago these terms (or at least the new meanings of them) didn't even exist and now they're known nationwide.
Another interesting thing about social networking sites was mentioned in the book. It's a term referred to as the Kevin Bacon effect. It may be more commonly known as six degrees of separation. It seems like I have a friend who knows somebody who knows somebody who dates my cousin...or something like that. It's weird to see who is mutual friends with who. My best friend from high school is mutual friends with an old co-worker from the other side of the state. I am from a small, mostly rural region, though; I wonder if the same concept is as prevalent in more urban areas.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Week 1: From a family email address to my own personal websites
Hello, everyone! This looks like a very fun class; I'm excited to learn more about social media. What does everyone think of the "bible"? :) Looks thick, but full of information!
Social media is a term I learned probably within the past year, and after first learning about it, I realized that it was something I took part in every single day. In fact, I am doing so right now. I first experienced dial-up (remember that?) internet when I was probably in the sixth grade. My whole family of five had one email address that we all shared, and I used it to talk to my friends, even though I had just seen them in school. I was quite amazed by the internet, and ever since then, I've been an internet addict. Eventually I got my own email address, which I started to refer to as an "addy," especially when I was in chat rooms. I am not really sure why; I think it was because everyone else did. I quickly learned other new terms and acronyms like LOL and BRB among many others. I often had to ask someone else what the terms meant. Kids have it easy these days; they can use an online internet slang translator, which I still sometimes have to use even after ten whole years.
I consider myself lucky to have watched the interent grow from Web 1.0 to Web 2.0. It used to be slow and very limited. Now I can spend hours browsing all sorts of different sites. I also like that I am able to leave my own comments and opinions. I was always taught to never give out information over the internet, so I often feel like a different person when I'm on certain websites. I make up a nickname and different location in chat rooms and other sites that don't have a private setting. Social media really is a phenomenal thing. One of the things I look forward to most in this class is learning more about the tools that I have never used. I'm also looking forward to learning about RSS feeds because it would save me time to be able to have one. I want to know how to use them well and how they work.
Social media is a term I learned probably within the past year, and after first learning about it, I realized that it was something I took part in every single day. In fact, I am doing so right now. I first experienced dial-up (remember that?) internet when I was probably in the sixth grade. My whole family of five had one email address that we all shared, and I used it to talk to my friends, even though I had just seen them in school. I was quite amazed by the internet, and ever since then, I've been an internet addict. Eventually I got my own email address, which I started to refer to as an "addy," especially when I was in chat rooms. I am not really sure why; I think it was because everyone else did. I quickly learned other new terms and acronyms like LOL and BRB among many others. I often had to ask someone else what the terms meant. Kids have it easy these days; they can use an online internet slang translator, which I still sometimes have to use even after ten whole years.
I consider myself lucky to have watched the interent grow from Web 1.0 to Web 2.0. It used to be slow and very limited. Now I can spend hours browsing all sorts of different sites. I also like that I am able to leave my own comments and opinions. I was always taught to never give out information over the internet, so I often feel like a different person when I'm on certain websites. I make up a nickname and different location in chat rooms and other sites that don't have a private setting. Social media really is a phenomenal thing. One of the things I look forward to most in this class is learning more about the tools that I have never used. I'm also looking forward to learning about RSS feeds because it would save me time to be able to have one. I want to know how to use them well and how they work.
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