AINSLC

Project update

ainslc — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 04:31:01 +0000

I have bought my domain for my project, it can be found here:

The site is blank for the most part but it will not be difficult to expand upon what is setup. I am right where i need to be in my timeline.

I do not yet have sources for a bibliography because I honestly do not need them. This site is about me and when i find a need for sources i will properly cite them in APA format in a page on my site and notate it correctly.

Food for thought…

ainslc — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 04:04:10 +0000

A few open-ended questions for the latter half of the quarter.

1. What’s your million dollar idea? The couple who founded Flickr found theirs, she was a marketing executive and he was a web-designer, and they started it merely as a side project.

2. What is the difference between physical film and digital film?

3. Do you prefer physical film or a digital photography in terms of technology?

4. Do you like cropping a piece of film from the original format or from a digital photograph?

5. Do you think Kodak “missed the bus” into the digital revolution?

Project Responses

ainslc — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 02:11:11 +0000

After reading about some of the projects other people are working on I almost wish i had experience in video development so that I could make some kind of online reel. However, I have never created a website before so my choice in creating one I suppose will be just as much of a challenge. Creating this blog for class has really warmed me up to the idea and based on what i have found in WordPress, tool wise, i will be using it to complete my project. I just created a new address and have connected it with my current wordpress account that we created for class. I look forward to getting to work on it.

LINKS TO POSTS:

http://memeellis.wordpress.com/2012/02/08/project-details/#comment-20

http://jljutic.wordpress.com/2012/02/08/the-final-stage-of-online-privacy/#comment-35

http://cespurr.wordpress.com/2012/02/08/my-vision-for-the-future-project-for-class/#comment-22

To Google or not to Google….

ainslc — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 04:34:43 +0000

The article titled “Does Google Make us stupid?” made me think about my own reliance on Google. Google is my default search browser on both my phone and computer in addition to being my homepage on Google chrome, my default browser. Whenever I want to find out a piece of information whether it be about a person, place or event my first step is “googling it.” I really enjoy the convenience of on-demand information and I find myself tending to agree with the results of the experts in the table used in the reading that states that out of 524 respondents 76% said that the use of Google and/or the use of it would not lead to decreased human intelligence. Having access to on-demand information such as Google allows me to make more informed decisions and answer questions more accurately in real time. Obviously Google is just a search engine and it is my own responsibility to explore the accuracy and reputation of my sources and their information when utilizing it.

I personally think that Google, like everything else, is whatever you want it to be. I choose to use it as a tool and instrument of retrieving information sources. I think the question that Nicholas Carr may want to ask is “Does human dependence on technology lower human intelligence?” This may seem like a silly question since technology has given us so much in terms of capabilities of research and intuitive capacity but has that led to a dependence on platforms that will ultimately replace our own minds due to the drop of intelligence quotients from prolonged usage of technological instruments. I am not even sure how one would go about testing such a theory and also what time period in which to test the theory.

Another interesting article from this week’s readings was about Consumer Watchdog, an organization that has grown from campaigns attacking insurance companies to now be the largest critic of Google. From what I read they have real problem with the way in which Google tracks the usage patterns of users particularly that of children. They are also offended by the major flaw in the gathering of Google’s street view technology which inadvertently read and saved hundreds of thousands of Wi-Fi networks and saved them into their database. I personally am not a huge fan of having my search habits saved and sold to the highest bidder so that companies know how and when to reach me at the consumer level but I cannot argue with it being a strong business practice that can ultimately lead to greater consumer reach. The Wi-Fi tracking is also a problem that should have never occurred and I am wondering if it was indeed a mistake.

What I really do have to question is the motives of Consumer Watchdog itself. Whose interests are they really looking to protect? The consumers or the companies that donate money to keep their doors open? Obviously Google has competitors who are not happy with their success and ability to corner the marketplace so I must wonder are they supporting a group such as Consumer Watchdog for their own selfish needs and potential financial gains?

Twitter

ainslc — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 04:52:38 +0000

I have had a Twitter account since early last year but have not really used it. Since being in this class I have learned that a tweet has a maximum of 140 characters meaning that each tweet must be clear and concise. This leads me to believe that it is suited well for quick pieces of news and/or information. Almost an abbreviated version of Myspace of Facebok if you will. I will definitely be connecting my twitter account to my class project. Hopefully it will mean more views of my finalized project!

Bumped…

ainslc — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 03:32:28 +0000

Due to scheduling changes to next weeks classes I have been bumped from discussion leaders duties. I have yet to choose a week in which to make up and fulfill my duties……………..

Planning Stage 2.

ainslc — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:41:01 +0000

A. The purpose of this blog is to share my interests, passions, hobbies and what has lead me to create this blog. I have wrote enough papers in my four years of college and have no desire to write another. It is for this reason i will be utilizing a creative platform such as the creation of a blog for my project in this class. I want the blog to be mine, that is my goal and my purpose.

B. Timeline

My first goal will be to purchase a domain in the name of something important to me through WordPress. I have enjoyed utilizing the creative abilities in wordpress and will be utilizing it for the creation of this project.

Once the domain is purchased i will choose a theme, create an about page and navigation tools for the blog.

My audience will be anyone who shares my interest or hobbies and/or anyone who wants to read it.

C. my measure of success will be very simple, if the blog is five pages about me then my project will have been a success. I can rationalize this by the simple fact that have never designed a single web page before.

Planning Stage 1.

ainslc — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:24:46 +0000

Prior to beginning construction of my blog for our class project I examined a a few other blogs to see what i liked and did not like in order to gather more ideas for my project.

Step 1.

1. http://www.anncoulter.com/

Pros:

The first element i like about this blog is that author used her name as the name of the site.

She also paid for her own domain so that blogspot, blogger or wordpress did not appear after the name of the blog in the web address.

Her blog is exactly that, hers. It focuses on topics that she finds interesting.

Each page has the same heading.

There is an about page stating the purpose of the blog.

There is also a page about the life of the author which tells you where she came from and her path that lead her to the blog.

There are links to the other forms of social media that she utilizes.

Cons:

The blog is politically charged and i have no interest in politics therefore i will not be incorporating it into my blog.

I am not interested in generating add revenue and so I am hoping to avoid having advertising on my blog if possible.

Thought it is a good idea, i will not be utilizing a chat feature for viewers to interact with me in that manner.

2. http://willysr.blogspot.com/

Pros:

The blog has connections to the authors other forms of social media.

The author states his interests directly, which is primarily related to computer programming.

He also states his certifications in the field of computer programming and accepts donations in support of his interests.

Cons:

I want my own domain for my blog and I am willing to pay in order to avoid having the blog hosts address in my web address.

The blog does not have categories.

There is only one page that is continuely updated.

The blog does not have a heading, which it does not need.

I won’t be linking my friends and there names to my blog.

I probably will not have my blog up as long as his and therefore will not need archives.

3. http://michellemalkin.com/

Pros:

The first element i like about this blog is that author used her name as the name of the site.

She also paid for her own domain so that blogspot, blogger or wordpress did not appear after the name of the blog in the web address.

The blog has a heading with links to other pages that can be accessed.

The blog contains an about page.

I like the contact link so that a viewer can reach me.

Th blog contains links to the authors other social media platforms.

There is a search feature.

The blog has RSS feeds from sites related to the content of the blog

Cons:

I am not interested in generating add revenue and so I am hoping to avoid having advertising on my blog if possible.

I probably will not have my blog up as long as his and therefore will not need archives.

This blog is primarily political in nature which is something I have no interest in working with in my blog.

A Few Questions for Discussion….

ainslc — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:24:39 +0000

What separates FacebooK from Twitter, i.e. why use one over the other or why use both?

Which is better publicity, published written works on paper? or online?

If you tweet something, how many people can you potentially reach?

Refinements

ainslc — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:13:35 +0000

For my project, I will be creating a few personal pages about myself and my interests. I have accounts with many different social networking sites but never find myself using them nor updating them about my current interests and passions so this will be my opportunity to be more open and to share. I should be able to design at least four or five interesting and aesthetically pleasing pages including one about page to a site such as wordpress with a different address than my blog for class. The specific details of what I will be putting on the site are still under discussion but they will be a polished gem by the time the project is due.