Mariann Daniel
April 22 Readings.
I checked out all of the websites here, and they all seem to be interesting. A couple of them would not open up for me such as RICE--but I liked the other ones. I specifically liked Random Paths. Besides from its obvious beauty of it, with all of is pictures, I liked the diction and the way the new pages came up. It seems to be using a cycle system. It is just one straight line as opposed to In the Changing Room for instance that makes it impossible to explore only one angle at a time.
In the Changing Room is a convoluted story line of eight different people and their jouney through a specific instance in life. The changing story line was remenicent of Twelve Blue and the changing view points and very confusing story line there. Random Paths was very straight forward with its story line: a man visiting Rome—following his shadow.
Random Paths also did something I was very fond of. When I fist clicked on the text it opened up a page of pictures. These pictures change when you mouse is clided over them. I really liked how that was done, and if I know anything advanced about graphics, I would try to do something like that.
In Hypertext Gardens, I enjoyed the seven tips for gardening. They make sense to an average reader. Hypertext Gardens itself is a helpful tool for understanding what is going on in the Hypertext world and how you can make your website better by undestanding it. Random Paths does not do this, however, the very nature of the two websites are totally different. The navigation of Hyptertext Gardens seems pretty simple with only about one link per page allowing the creater to guide the reader through.
Overall, even though Random Paths is a simple site with simple navigation, its graphics completely make up for it. Yes, pages like Hypertext Gardens offer more information, but the purpose and audience are different for both sites.
Apr 22, 2008
Apr 21, 2008
4/22
Hypertext Gardens was a really affective site because, as has been the case with some of the other Mark Bernstein articles we have looked at, he demonstrates his idea as he is writing about it. He does this particularly well in this website. The main idea seemed to be that having a design that is both brief and visually appealing is the preferred method of web design. He also writes about the idea of not necessarily having a home page that all individual pages eventually link back to. Overall, Bernstein’s website demonstrates this and his other ideas really well.
'In the Changing Room' was a pretty interesting site to read through. I think the fact that there were eight narrators made it a little overwhelming, but as a whole the site was pretty fun to navigate through. The site’s best feature was its ability to allow the reader to stay along one story line or switch to another by clicking a highlighted word. The design was very simple and there weren’t really any pictures, but I didn’t notice this at first since the reader is only on one page for a few seconds, the focus is on the navigation and the text instead of the actual design of the page. Because of this, I thought this site was very good and demonstrated some navigational techniques that might be useful for the third project.
I thought 'Random Paths' was alright, but not as good as the first two. It had a really simple navigational structure, only letting you choose between two different options at a time. The pictures were the most interesting aspect of the piece and there was a pretty cool relationship between the hypertext and the pictures that accompanied it. Other than that, I found the piece to be a little more one-dimensional than some of the other hypertext pieces we have looked at recently, although it was still very interesting to look at from a visual standpoint
'In the Changing Room' was a pretty interesting site to read through. I think the fact that there were eight narrators made it a little overwhelming, but as a whole the site was pretty fun to navigate through. The site’s best feature was its ability to allow the reader to stay along one story line or switch to another by clicking a highlighted word. The design was very simple and there weren’t really any pictures, but I didn’t notice this at first since the reader is only on one page for a few seconds, the focus is on the navigation and the text instead of the actual design of the page. Because of this, I thought this site was very good and demonstrated some navigational techniques that might be useful for the third project.
I thought 'Random Paths' was alright, but not as good as the first two. It had a really simple navigational structure, only letting you choose between two different options at a time. The pictures were the most interesting aspect of the piece and there was a pretty cool relationship between the hypertext and the pictures that accompanied it. Other than that, I found the piece to be a little more one-dimensional than some of the other hypertext pieces we have looked at recently, although it was still very interesting to look at from a visual standpoint
4/22 Hypertext Readings
I thought that each hypertext piece we read was informational in its own right, but Hypertext Gardens was definitely my favorite. It was a fun take on something that informative, and I liked and respected that approach very much. In terms of my least favorite, the "In The Changing Room" piece was difficult for me to follow, and I did not like that you could never get "home," or at least not to my knowledge.
The Hypertext Gardens illustrated the role of navigation in hypertext and he went through the ways in which hypertext was similar to a flower garden. Immediately the color scheme and background caught my attention. I liked the black background with the flourescent/neon text in the foreground. There are a variety of links to follow after the initial splash page. Once I was following through each page, there were different colored links at the bottom to specify where I had already been. I was very happy about this "breadcrumb" effect because it alleviated some of the confusion for me. I know in other hypertext pieces in the past, I get lost and do not know where I have been because there is no distinction between the visited and unvisited links.
I also liked in his piece how he actually took into account for his own design what he was talking about in his text. For example, there was just enough combination of the familiar and unfamiliar from page to page. While the design was not rigid, with no irregularity, there was room for fluidity on each page, and the viewer was not left thrown off guard by the changes from page to page. I liked the different images included on each page; I thought they enhanced the design, as well as the message that he was trying to get across.
The pathways in the piece are both embedded in the text, but also along the bottom of each page. While on some pages there is just one link to follow to the next section, there is sometimes a few links under the text, which give the reader a few different options to follow from. He says that much like a garden path, the hypertext path must lead us along the best route, not necessarily the shortest. I thought this was important to note because so often in our society, we are concerned with the quickest way to get to the end of something, rather than taking in the beauty of it.
I really liked his 7 Tips for Gardening section (I can't remember the actual name off the top of my head). It really wraps up the ideas he presented in the entire piece and I think that helps a lot. The conclusion hits home what he was getting at with this piece of hypertext and then it also includes all the visited links at the bottom. I thought this was a great way to end the piece because it showed if everything was covered to the best of the reader's ability. If there was a link that he/she missed, now is the chance to be able to go back and view it.
Overall, I thought that this piece was a great learning resource, especially for our final project. I think that creating something this in-depth would take a lot of work and organization. I think it would be difficult to attempt at this point, but I hope to take into account some of his principles in my own final project, as well as any hypertext I might produce later on.
The Hypertext Gardens illustrated the role of navigation in hypertext and he went through the ways in which hypertext was similar to a flower garden. Immediately the color scheme and background caught my attention. I liked the black background with the flourescent/neon text in the foreground. There are a variety of links to follow after the initial splash page. Once I was following through each page, there were different colored links at the bottom to specify where I had already been. I was very happy about this "breadcrumb" effect because it alleviated some of the confusion for me. I know in other hypertext pieces in the past, I get lost and do not know where I have been because there is no distinction between the visited and unvisited links.
I also liked in his piece how he actually took into account for his own design what he was talking about in his text. For example, there was just enough combination of the familiar and unfamiliar from page to page. While the design was not rigid, with no irregularity, there was room for fluidity on each page, and the viewer was not left thrown off guard by the changes from page to page. I liked the different images included on each page; I thought they enhanced the design, as well as the message that he was trying to get across.
The pathways in the piece are both embedded in the text, but also along the bottom of each page. While on some pages there is just one link to follow to the next section, there is sometimes a few links under the text, which give the reader a few different options to follow from. He says that much like a garden path, the hypertext path must lead us along the best route, not necessarily the shortest. I thought this was important to note because so often in our society, we are concerned with the quickest way to get to the end of something, rather than taking in the beauty of it.
I really liked his 7 Tips for Gardening section (I can't remember the actual name off the top of my head). It really wraps up the ideas he presented in the entire piece and I think that helps a lot. The conclusion hits home what he was getting at with this piece of hypertext and then it also includes all the visited links at the bottom. I thought this was a great way to end the piece because it showed if everything was covered to the best of the reader's ability. If there was a link that he/she missed, now is the chance to be able to go back and view it.
Overall, I thought that this piece was a great learning resource, especially for our final project. I think that creating something this in-depth would take a lot of work and organization. I think it would be difficult to attempt at this point, but I hope to take into account some of his principles in my own final project, as well as any hypertext I might produce later on.
4/22 Readings
I thought that the changing room was pretty plain looking but was also effective. Clicking through the website you actually get a sense of who the eight characters are. The website was actually very long and I didnt feel like I kept finding things that I had already read. Some of the links were confusing, again, because there were a few links to choose from so you had to make a decision as to where you wanted to go next. The splash page and the background throughout the site is really plain and sorta boring. I did like that she added color and cool fonts to the page where the eight characters are mentioned. Also, I saw that the splash page gives the reader an option to either read the introduction or skip it and get into the text on the website.
Random paths had a cool first page and I saw it was also labeled roman holiday. The site didnt really have a splash page, because the link to the website was on another website. That page too was really colorful, and the pictures too were interesting. I actually had a hard time getting to the web site because a page came up that had tons of pictures and it was taking forever to load. The pictures came up and were blinking and changing. At first I thought this page was supposed to work this way but I think there was a problem with the browser and it uploading wrong. It was sort of frustrating but then when the page actually uploaded, I saw what the structure of the text and pictures were supposed to look like. I thought that the pictures used on this website were really cool. Some were kinda creepy, but fit well with what the mood seemed to be. The statues and the buildings too were cool to look through. I like that the text was sweet and short and there werent a ton of links to search through. Also you didnt really have to decide where you wanted to go, and could just click. I liked that he used text that was in poetry form, and also incorprated abstract pictures, in a sense he melted two art forms and put them together. The pictures make it seem like it took a lot of time to take these pictures, and organize them per page.
The hypertext garden was my favorite because of the ongoing metaphor of hypertext being like a flower. The splash page was fun and I liked that the background was black and had light blue font. Also, if you clicked on the Mark link, you got a striking difference with the change from a black background to a blue one. Again, he demonstrated good hypertext while actually writing about it within the website. The flowers at the bottom of the pages added a cute touch. He gives 7 lessons on how hypertext should be organized to be effective. I liked that he talks about how using regularity and irregularity grabs attention. He says to stay away from always doing whats expected. I think we can learn a lot from what he has to say and use it towards our final project in this class.
Random paths had a cool first page and I saw it was also labeled roman holiday. The site didnt really have a splash page, because the link to the website was on another website. That page too was really colorful, and the pictures too were interesting. I actually had a hard time getting to the web site because a page came up that had tons of pictures and it was taking forever to load. The pictures came up and were blinking and changing. At first I thought this page was supposed to work this way but I think there was a problem with the browser and it uploading wrong. It was sort of frustrating but then when the page actually uploaded, I saw what the structure of the text and pictures were supposed to look like. I thought that the pictures used on this website were really cool. Some were kinda creepy, but fit well with what the mood seemed to be. The statues and the buildings too were cool to look through. I like that the text was sweet and short and there werent a ton of links to search through. Also you didnt really have to decide where you wanted to go, and could just click. I liked that he used text that was in poetry form, and also incorprated abstract pictures, in a sense he melted two art forms and put them together. The pictures make it seem like it took a lot of time to take these pictures, and organize them per page.
The hypertext garden was my favorite because of the ongoing metaphor of hypertext being like a flower. The splash page was fun and I liked that the background was black and had light blue font. Also, if you clicked on the Mark link, you got a striking difference with the change from a black background to a blue one. Again, he demonstrated good hypertext while actually writing about it within the website. The flowers at the bottom of the pages added a cute touch. He gives 7 lessons on how hypertext should be organized to be effective. I liked that he talks about how using regularity and irregularity grabs attention. He says to stay away from always doing whats expected. I think we can learn a lot from what he has to say and use it towards our final project in this class.
Hypertext Garden
This website really had a good point about navigation. When reading a book, navigation is pretty straight-forward. There is a table of contents that tells the reader what page a certain chapter is on and so forth. With the internet, it is pretty easy to have a simple, plain navigation page, and for many things.....like organizational pages, it is essential to have easy navigation. But the internet has evolved into something so much more and with the endless possibilities that people are aware, it is more than likely that people want to come to a piece of hypertext and want it to be a different and unique experience. It is not so much about having to read hypertext than wanting to read hypertext. The analogy to the garden is a good one. We know what we are seeing and what types of flowers they are but each has a different smell and are unique and the arrangement and experience of how you can put flowers and trees and grass together can be what makes the experience. I doubt people would visit a garden for very long if the garden was just a row of one flower then another flower and they were all separated and consistent. People want to experience the different colors and smells and have them meld together.
I really liked the random path website of the Rome picture collage. I stayed on that page and messed with those pictures longer than I had with the other sites combined. If the pictures had been in order and had been the same, I would have thought it to be no different than any other site and would have probably left it shortly. The fact that the navigation changed and the pictures constantly changed made my experience that much more meaningful. It caught and held my attention and that is very important considering the vast amounts of websites and information out there to absorb and to determine which ones will stick in your mind. It made me more interested in the site, it made me more interested in the person that owned the site and what they had to say. They held my attention long enough for me as a reader to care. That is what makes a website successful.
I really liked the random path website of the Rome picture collage. I stayed on that page and messed with those pictures longer than I had with the other sites combined. If the pictures had been in order and had been the same, I would have thought it to be no different than any other site and would have probably left it shortly. The fact that the navigation changed and the pictures constantly changed made my experience that much more meaningful. It caught and held my attention and that is very important considering the vast amounts of websites and information out there to absorb and to determine which ones will stick in your mind. It made me more interested in the site, it made me more interested in the person that owned the site and what they had to say. They held my attention long enough for me as a reader to care. That is what makes a website successful.
Apr 15, 2008
Tuesday Readings
Mariann Daniel
Tuesday 4/15/08 Readings
The article, “Metaphoric Networks in Lexia to Perplexia” really did help me understand the actual website Lexia to Perplexia. The website is actually really interesting in that one has to interact with it to get anywhere. The site, on the page http://www.uiowa.edu/~iareview/tirweb/hypermedia/talan_memmott/plex/03metastrophe.html# which has all the information piling on top of each other by the movement of your mouse over it. I personally think the reason all one has to do is slide the mouse over something and getting a reaction rather than clicking it is because it takes down the barrier of having to click and just lets the onlooker interact smoothly with the site. The termination page, http://www.uiowa.edu/~iareview/tirweb/hypermedia/talan_memmott/plex/04extermination.html, which fills itself with overlapping green text, becomes so difficult to read that the site visitor may want to just give up or reroute actions though the links. I can appreciate what the author is trying to do, which is according to “Metaphoric Networks in Lexia to Perplexia”,
“When Lexia to Perplexia hovers at the border of legibility, it hints that our bodies are also undergoing metamorphoses. What we read when we cannot read is not so much the disjunction between us and the computer (for it is always possible to access the underlying code and hack our way into a readable version of the nonreadable text). Rather, the occluded display signifies a trajectory in which we become part of a cybernetic circuit. Interpolated into the circuit, we metamorphose from individual interiorized subjectivities to actors exercising agency within extended cognitive systems that include nonhuman actors.”
However, I do not wish any site I make to be this confusing to its viewer, or perhaps a more suitable term for Lexia to Perplexia, its interacter.
The Cracked Mirror was an interesting site with a simple design and layout when looked after one looks at Lexia to Perplexia. The Cracked Mirror seems to be the same few poems repeated in different parts of the mirror that all lead to the same end, a fully restored and non-cracked mirror—an interesting design to be sure. Chasing Our Tails becomes a little bit more complicated with multiple ways to read the story from any given page. Something I do not think I would like to incorporate into my third website if I make a creative fiction piece. Life with Father is a site that is slightly disturbing. A very intimate site of photos and essays, it is very different than what I thought it would be. Originally, for my third project I had thought about doing a photo/essay site, however, it was not going to be of such an intimate subject matter. It is a very interesting site that allows the reader to go any way they want. I think all the site we visited for today helped me understand what I want and what I do not want to be on my site and how humans and computers are connected more than on just a hardware/software interactions plane
Tuesday 4/15/08 Readings
The article, “Metaphoric Networks in Lexia to Perplexia” really did help me understand the actual website Lexia to Perplexia. The website is actually really interesting in that one has to interact with it to get anywhere. The site, on the page http://www.uiowa.edu/~iareview/tirweb/hypermedia/talan_memmott/plex/03metastrophe.html# which has all the information piling on top of each other by the movement of your mouse over it. I personally think the reason all one has to do is slide the mouse over something and getting a reaction rather than clicking it is because it takes down the barrier of having to click and just lets the onlooker interact smoothly with the site. The termination page, http://www.uiowa.edu/~iareview/tirweb/hypermedia/talan_memmott/plex/04extermination.html, which fills itself with overlapping green text, becomes so difficult to read that the site visitor may want to just give up or reroute actions though the links. I can appreciate what the author is trying to do, which is according to “Metaphoric Networks in Lexia to Perplexia”,
“When Lexia to Perplexia hovers at the border of legibility, it hints that our bodies are also undergoing metamorphoses. What we read when we cannot read is not so much the disjunction between us and the computer (for it is always possible to access the underlying code and hack our way into a readable version of the nonreadable text). Rather, the occluded display signifies a trajectory in which we become part of a cybernetic circuit. Interpolated into the circuit, we metamorphose from individual interiorized subjectivities to actors exercising agency within extended cognitive systems that include nonhuman actors.”
However, I do not wish any site I make to be this confusing to its viewer, or perhaps a more suitable term for Lexia to Perplexia, its interacter.
The Cracked Mirror was an interesting site with a simple design and layout when looked after one looks at Lexia to Perplexia. The Cracked Mirror seems to be the same few poems repeated in different parts of the mirror that all lead to the same end, a fully restored and non-cracked mirror—an interesting design to be sure. Chasing Our Tails becomes a little bit more complicated with multiple ways to read the story from any given page. Something I do not think I would like to incorporate into my third website if I make a creative fiction piece. Life with Father is a site that is slightly disturbing. A very intimate site of photos and essays, it is very different than what I thought it would be. Originally, for my third project I had thought about doing a photo/essay site, however, it was not going to be of such an intimate subject matter. It is a very interesting site that allows the reader to go any way they want. I think all the site we visited for today helped me understand what I want and what I do not want to be on my site and how humans and computers are connected more than on just a hardware/software interactions plane
Other hypertext pieces for your pleasure!
Directory of Eliterature
This site has links and access to many different kinds of hypertext.
Here are a few more hypertext pieces for you to interact with, which we will be working with in class next Tuesday!
Hypertext Gardens
(Mark Berstein) --an hypertext essay on the role of navigation in hypertext.
In The Changing Room
(Jackie Craven)--hypertext fiction with 8 narrators, which you can choose whose point of view you would like to follow.
Rice
(geniwate)--won the trAce-Alt-x International Hypertext competiton.
Twelve Blue
(michael joyce)--this is by the author of "Afternoon". Twelve Blue uses a lot of common references, separate, interwoven narratives united by lots of links.
Random Paths
(Jody Zellen)--this link will take you to Hyper-X, the journal the work is featured in and then you will need to click on the work.
This site has links and access to many different kinds of hypertext.
Here are a few more hypertext pieces for you to interact with, which we will be working with in class next Tuesday!
Hypertext Gardens
(Mark Berstein) --an hypertext essay on the role of navigation in hypertext.
In The Changing Room
(Jackie Craven)--hypertext fiction with 8 narrators, which you can choose whose point of view you would like to follow.
Rice
(geniwate)--won the trAce-Alt-x International Hypertext competiton.
Twelve Blue
(michael joyce)--this is by the author of "Afternoon". Twelve Blue uses a lot of common references, separate, interwoven narratives united by lots of links.
Random Paths
(Jody Zellen)--this link will take you to Hyper-X, the journal the work is featured in and then you will need to click on the work.
Apr 14, 2008
April 15, 2007 Lexia
Lexia to Perplexia is a good name for the website because I was pretty perplexed. I would totally agree with Talan in that the reader truly creates the experience. You have to interact with this website and follow your own path and produce your own narrative in order for it to be effective and it actually having a purpose for the reader. This pattern is so complicated with a tangle that is seemingly hard to get through and get back. Once you start clicking, you are unable to return to the orginal site that you started from (without pushing the back button). There were so many options and possibilities that it created a whole new definition of the reader. There is no navigation pattern, just tons of possibilities for people to experience.
I liked the Cracked Mirror and thought of its pattern as a cycle. The beginning page allows the reader to follow one of four paths but once path is exhausted, you would need to back track to previous pages in order to follow another track that will eventually end and so on. So it is a cycle pattern according to Mark Bernstein. Out of the four links, i liked this design the best. The broken glass really gave a certain tone to the page that stayed consistent with the poems. It was simple yet gets the point across to the reader. It also made it more genuine (not a cookie-cutter website), so I'm more inclined to believe this writer's work. The Navigation was difficult as one had to push the back button once the track ended to return ot the index page. However, it is difficult to have all the links there without distracting from the text.
In Life with Father, the pattern that I saw was a more tangled pattern. The sit had a variety of links but no clear direction on what links to start with or how to navigate within the links (some where just text, others were links to other sites, etc.). The link names do not convey any sequential order to the site, so the decision is entirely up to the reader as to which path to take and the sequence in which to take them. The design of this site was a bit confusing, but also simple and clean. There were very little distractions in the way of design elements or flashy extra things, so that the reader could concentrate on the content of the text and not the look of it.
I liked the Cracked Mirror and thought of its pattern as a cycle. The beginning page allows the reader to follow one of four paths but once path is exhausted, you would need to back track to previous pages in order to follow another track that will eventually end and so on. So it is a cycle pattern according to Mark Bernstein. Out of the four links, i liked this design the best. The broken glass really gave a certain tone to the page that stayed consistent with the poems. It was simple yet gets the point across to the reader. It also made it more genuine (not a cookie-cutter website), so I'm more inclined to believe this writer's work. The Navigation was difficult as one had to push the back button once the track ended to return ot the index page. However, it is difficult to have all the links there without distracting from the text.
In Life with Father, the pattern that I saw was a more tangled pattern. The sit had a variety of links but no clear direction on what links to start with or how to navigate within the links (some where just text, others were links to other sites, etc.). The link names do not convey any sequential order to the site, so the decision is entirely up to the reader as to which path to take and the sequence in which to take them. The design of this site was a bit confusing, but also simple and clean. There were very little distractions in the way of design elements or flashy extra things, so that the reader could concentrate on the content of the text and not the look of it.
Lexia to Perplexia, etc....
I found Lexia to Perplexia to be extremely confusing. I did not know what I was clicking or what I was supposed to click. It was all like a math equation, and I hate math. I didn't even know what it was saying or what it was supposed to be about. The links were not very apparent; it had me clicking all over the page trying to find the next link. It kept taking forever to download, and then I had no idea how to get back to the main index page. His interview did not help to explain anything more because he talked about how the user's engagement with the application was the narrative, and I had a terrible engagement with it and had no idea it was even telling a story or narrative.
Chasing our Tails followed the hypertext pattern of following different links depending on what word you chose. These types of hypertext patterns are interesting because there are so many options, but often times they just confuse me. I get lost in this tangled web of links. I have no idea what I have already read, what I haven't read, how to go back and see what I've covered. Overall, his piece was interesting because it had a simple design, which I liked. I think the complexity of links is enough complex, so having a simple design tones it down.
I really liked Cracked Mirror. I thought the concept was interesting because it was something different and unique. The index page was enough to hook me in. I loved the design...the cracked mirror was so intriguing and really drew me in as a reader. The design was consistent and the colors worked well with the writings. I really liked that the navigation was simple. There was one link on each page that you could follow. I like that much better than having to choose from a bunch of different links all on the same page in one sentence like Chasing our Tails. I really liked how she put her picture in the cracked mirror, I think that made it more personal and interesting.
I really liked the index of Life With Father. It was simple and easy to navigate. But once I starting to click the links, it overwhelmed me. Within each link there were to many links. It was hard to navigate with that many links. I didn't even know where to begin, there was just too much going on. the design was nice and consistent and really set the mood. I think it would've been better without all the extra links at the bottom. Also, once you clicked on a link, it turned black and almost blended in with the background, making it hard to see what it said. I really liked how the pictures made the meaning. I could really get a true sense of what the creator was trying to convey through the pictures. I liked that they were black and white and kind of sepia colored.
Chasing our Tails followed the hypertext pattern of following different links depending on what word you chose. These types of hypertext patterns are interesting because there are so many options, but often times they just confuse me. I get lost in this tangled web of links. I have no idea what I have already read, what I haven't read, how to go back and see what I've covered. Overall, his piece was interesting because it had a simple design, which I liked. I think the complexity of links is enough complex, so having a simple design tones it down.
I really liked Cracked Mirror. I thought the concept was interesting because it was something different and unique. The index page was enough to hook me in. I loved the design...the cracked mirror was so intriguing and really drew me in as a reader. The design was consistent and the colors worked well with the writings. I really liked that the navigation was simple. There was one link on each page that you could follow. I like that much better than having to choose from a bunch of different links all on the same page in one sentence like Chasing our Tails. I really liked how she put her picture in the cracked mirror, I think that made it more personal and interesting.
I really liked the index of Life With Father. It was simple and easy to navigate. But once I starting to click the links, it overwhelmed me. Within each link there were to many links. It was hard to navigate with that many links. I didn't even know where to begin, there was just too much going on. the design was nice and consistent and really set the mood. I think it would've been better without all the extra links at the bottom. Also, once you clicked on a link, it turned black and almost blended in with the background, making it hard to see what it said. I really liked how the pictures made the meaning. I could really get a true sense of what the creator was trying to convey through the pictures. I liked that they were black and white and kind of sepia colored.
Lexia and other sites
So I had some difficulties with the “Lexia” piece. I do not think it was working because I got to do about 2 pages and even that did not make any sense at all. When I read the interview I was even more confused. I got that it was interactive but I did not know if it was a story or showing different types of internet type behind the sense stuff. I wish it was a little clearer on where to go and what to do or even the language… the layout was interesting and different if I was even looking at the right one.
I thought that Chasing Our Tails was interesting but very dull at the same time. I liked that it was interactive but it made me not fully read what he was saying. The times I did read I was either confused or it just wasn’t interesting. I liked the idea of having the bottom toolbar. Though at first I wasn’t sure what it really was, after I started clicking on it I figure out it took you back to the pervious places. Overall, it was well done; simple and professional. It made you pick the section and think about what you were pick unlike other sites were it didn’t matter.
I really liked the Cracked Mirror. It was very interesting and kept you reading. I like how it was actually a cracked mirror and kept that image throughout the site. I wish there was more than just one way to click and go but I think it would be more confusing if there was. I also did not like the only way to go back was to use the back button because sometimes it would error out or you would just have too many pages to go back on before you got to the start. Overall, I liked how it was set up with the images and story line.
My favorite was the Life with Father. I really liked how the pictures were set up. They were not very clear and the colors were a little distorted. I like it helped to bring the words to life. Since it didn’t seem like a happy piece if the pictures were the correct way it would not have as much impact on the audience. I also liked how you had to completely scroll down before you got to the link to next page. It forced the reader to see and look at everything.
I thought that Chasing Our Tails was interesting but very dull at the same time. I liked that it was interactive but it made me not fully read what he was saying. The times I did read I was either confused or it just wasn’t interesting. I liked the idea of having the bottom toolbar. Though at first I wasn’t sure what it really was, after I started clicking on it I figure out it took you back to the pervious places. Overall, it was well done; simple and professional. It made you pick the section and think about what you were pick unlike other sites were it didn’t matter.
I really liked the Cracked Mirror. It was very interesting and kept you reading. I like how it was actually a cracked mirror and kept that image throughout the site. I wish there was more than just one way to click and go but I think it would be more confusing if there was. I also did not like the only way to go back was to use the back button because sometimes it would error out or you would just have too many pages to go back on before you got to the start. Overall, I liked how it was set up with the images and story line.
My favorite was the Life with Father. I really liked how the pictures were set up. They were not very clear and the colors were a little distorted. I like it helped to bring the words to life. Since it didn’t seem like a happy piece if the pictures were the correct way it would not have as much impact on the audience. I also liked how you had to completely scroll down before you got to the link to next page. It forced the reader to see and look at everything.
Lexia Interview and 3 websites
I thought that the Lexia to Perplexia website was really cool but I hard a hard time understanding the flow and point of it. The interview helped because Talan defined it in his own words and it made me see really how much people actually interact with computers. He called it the "deconstruction of internet attachment". It's like hes taking two steps backward to should the attachment while advancing (taking 2 steps forward) our understanding of the narrative in his website. Its interesting too that in this form of web, users literally can create a web narrative and get something totally from a web that someone looking at the same web will. I felt that the commentary throughout the web was supposed to help but I was more confused by the text on the page. Im sure if I knew the technical language he uses I would have an easier time with it. I never thought of the web being a place where you can bring out so many creative interests. For me, Im not that creative outside of doing some writing so I dont know if mine would be as effective or eclectic as his. He says how the actual development of something is easier to show on the web, but I felt that it is just as easy on paper. You can show progress over time by looking at 2 papers, or you can show progress of a project for example by collecting notes throughout the project. Of course though, it would be more organized online. I wondered about who his audience was because I didnt feel that I was part of the audience he was trying to reach simply because I have no understanding of the language he used on there. I thought it was interesting that he said users become protaganists in the story, but it was unclear as to how this happens. Hes right when he said that when we sit in front of a computer we situate ourselves and get ready to use the device. Although the web was cool to look at, it was confusing because the link to the next page always moved along the page and you had to search for it on every new page.
I thought that Chasing our Tails was pretty plain looking but I liked the reoccuring theme of circles and chasing something. On it, you really need to make a conscious decision about where you want to go next and what you will click on. The bottom of every page had the links from the first page so you didnt have to keep hitting "back". I felt that so much attention was put on the links that I didnt even pay attention to the text I was supposed to be reading. I caught some quotes that were interesting but I wasnt intrigued to read all if it. I liked the double narrative in the White Linen??? story you showed us in class, but didnt really like it as much here.
Cracked Mirror was definitely my favorite. The spash page was very interesing and the literal cracked mirror coincided with the title and her picture in the mirror coincided with the theme and subject throughout her poems. I loved that each poem was put on a broken piece of glass, and actually read every poem I clicked on. Her poems were actually fun to read and I enjoyed her style. I also enjoyed that the end poem "Me" I think it was, was on an unbroken mirror with her face in it.
Life With Father/The Place had an overwhelming splash page. The parts didnt seem to fit together so I didnt know where to start. As I went through the website, I was actually taken to pages that had to links on them and sort of were dead ends. I dont think it was intentional and if I was, it was unclear as to why. The background color definitely showed mood I think more so than the narrative form.
I thought that Chasing our Tails was pretty plain looking but I liked the reoccuring theme of circles and chasing something. On it, you really need to make a conscious decision about where you want to go next and what you will click on. The bottom of every page had the links from the first page so you didnt have to keep hitting "back". I felt that so much attention was put on the links that I didnt even pay attention to the text I was supposed to be reading. I caught some quotes that were interesting but I wasnt intrigued to read all if it. I liked the double narrative in the White Linen??? story you showed us in class, but didnt really like it as much here.
Cracked Mirror was definitely my favorite. The spash page was very interesing and the literal cracked mirror coincided with the title and her picture in the mirror coincided with the theme and subject throughout her poems. I loved that each poem was put on a broken piece of glass, and actually read every poem I clicked on. Her poems were actually fun to read and I enjoyed her style. I also enjoyed that the end poem "Me" I think it was, was on an unbroken mirror with her face in it.
Life With Father/The Place had an overwhelming splash page. The parts didnt seem to fit together so I didnt know where to start. As I went through the website, I was actually taken to pages that had to links on them and sort of were dead ends. I dont think it was intentional and if I was, it was unclear as to why. The background color definitely showed mood I think more so than the narrative form.
Apr 10, 2008
Tuesday's readings :)
For Tuesday, we will look at some hypertext pieces and apply the knowledge you gleaned from today's readings. I am providing links to four pieces here and one interview with an author. Read Lexia to Perplexia by Talon Memmott and the interview about his piece.
Chasing our Tails
Cracked Mirror
Life With Father (photo-essay/poetry, click the "life with father" link)
For these other three examples, look over all three to determine which hypertext patterns each follows. Also, determine the purpose, meaning/intent, author/reader control, navigation, design, sense of identity, use of images, etc. (Think about our web critique sheet :) )
Lexia to Perplexia is a bit abstract, so here are a couple other articles to help shed some light on the text before and after you interact with it. Here is the first article !
Here is another article by Thomas Dreher, entitled Talan Memmott's "Lexia to Perplexia" (how creative, yes?). Anyways, this one discusses how and why it was crafted the way in which it was.
April 10, 2008
Mariann Daniel
Electronic Word
The hypertext article, “Patterens of Hypertext” explains the the reader different types of patterns that the readers web site can take. I learned about these cycles’ names, such as the Cycle, Joyce cycles, Douglas cycles, a web ring, and a contour. Reading about these patterns allow me to see how I may structure my site that can take a fictional essay and split it in various ways. Within the Counterpoint, I learned that it is a type of cycle that made up of many small linear cycles. The Mirror world is two stories from different points of view, however the storyline is the same. This is probably the form that I will use for my fiction site if I decide to do that. I doubt that I would use a tangle because that would confuse my reader as it would me, about point and what happens. It is possible that I would use a sieve because I have a different thought about what I want to do for this topic that requires the reader to choose what types of books they read. I was thinking of doing something called My Bookself that lets people look through books I’ve read and my reviews about them, but it would require the person to say what type of books they would like. I would probably puts links to other sites that are simular or to author websites, thus creating a neighborhood.
The article, “Hypertext Narrative and Baseball”, did not help me understand anything. I liked “Patterens of Hypertext” a lot more. This is because I do not watch, nor to I play baseball, therefore the anology did not help me at all.
In the article “Beyond Usability and Design: The Narrative Web”, the author, Mark Berstein, compares the layout and context of a web page to a story or play. It allows one to understand that instead of telling someone what the site is going to do or what it is suppose to look like, the creator should show it. If the site is shown how the creator wants it, then there should be no reason to have to explain it. The article also allows me to understand that it is not always better to interact with my reader as much as I would have liked. This, while being compared to a slimy car salesman, is an interesting point that I had not previously have that would have alienated my reader rather than drawing him/her in. I learned how important a splash page really is. It can be compared to first a first impression. The web page is making its first impression to the reader by allowing the reader so see via splash page if this is going to be a funner site, a more professional site, or what the site’s context is as a whole.
In the end, the first and third article did help me a lot. I now know the options available to me through linking and orginizing. That should help create a more interactive and compelling web page.
Electronic Word
The hypertext article, “Patterens of Hypertext” explains the the reader different types of patterns that the readers web site can take. I learned about these cycles’ names, such as the Cycle, Joyce cycles, Douglas cycles, a web ring, and a contour. Reading about these patterns allow me to see how I may structure my site that can take a fictional essay and split it in various ways. Within the Counterpoint, I learned that it is a type of cycle that made up of many small linear cycles. The Mirror world is two stories from different points of view, however the storyline is the same. This is probably the form that I will use for my fiction site if I decide to do that. I doubt that I would use a tangle because that would confuse my reader as it would me, about point and what happens. It is possible that I would use a sieve because I have a different thought about what I want to do for this topic that requires the reader to choose what types of books they read. I was thinking of doing something called My Bookself that lets people look through books I’ve read and my reviews about them, but it would require the person to say what type of books they would like. I would probably puts links to other sites that are simular or to author websites, thus creating a neighborhood.
The article, “Hypertext Narrative and Baseball”, did not help me understand anything. I liked “Patterens of Hypertext” a lot more. This is because I do not watch, nor to I play baseball, therefore the anology did not help me at all.
In the article “Beyond Usability and Design: The Narrative Web”, the author, Mark Berstein, compares the layout and context of a web page to a story or play. It allows one to understand that instead of telling someone what the site is going to do or what it is suppose to look like, the creator should show it. If the site is shown how the creator wants it, then there should be no reason to have to explain it. The article also allows me to understand that it is not always better to interact with my reader as much as I would have liked. This, while being compared to a slimy car salesman, is an interesting point that I had not previously have that would have alienated my reader rather than drawing him/her in. I learned how important a splash page really is. It can be compared to first a first impression. The web page is making its first impression to the reader by allowing the reader so see via splash page if this is going to be a funner site, a more professional site, or what the site’s context is as a whole.
In the end, the first and third article did help me a lot. I now know the options available to me through linking and orginizing. That should help create a more interactive and compelling web page.
Hypertext Articles
Madison Ultis
E-Word
10 April 2008
Hypertext Articles
Beyond Usability and Design: The Narrative Web
I liked the way that this article was broken up; I thought it made it much more readable. It definitely helped me to understand some dos and don’ts of creating a hypertext piece. I thought it was great that it was not just focusing on creating a fictional narrative for the web, since I am thinking more about creating another form of professional document or something aimed towards a poet that I admire. I was happy to read more about how other websites engage their audience by the use of a “narrative,” which does not necessarily mean an actual story. I definitely understand the idea of showing, not telling; however, it makes me a bit nervous to create something like this because I hope I can do all that they recommend.
Hypertext Narrative and Baseball
This piece was more abstract, hence the reason I had a more difficult time understanding their points. Their comparison of hypertext to baseball sort of lost me along the way. Like a baseball game, a hypertext document must include action that viewers can follow along with. The different plays that take place within the game are much like the different navigational options available to a viewer – they are not always followed in the same order. Again, this piece was not the most beneficial in terms of understanding it as a whole.
Patterns of Hypertext
Obviously, this piece began with looking for patterns in hypertext documents. It then goes through the different types of cyclical viewing, called cycles that occur in hypertext. There were about 4 different kinds, and they were rather easy to understand. The author then goes through the idea of counterpoint, in which two voices in the text alternate and interweave themes and weld their responses together. It then moved onto mirrorworld, tangle, sieve, all which I understand just fine. Moving on, it covered montage, neighborhood, split/join, missing link and navigational feint, which again, were all understood just fine. I particularly liked the way that this piece was broken up into those distinct sections, and how for each one the author gave adequate examples to explain them. I never went into the next section without having a decent understanding of the previous section. I think that in hypertext, it is going to be very important to be able to combine numerous elements, while also trying to maintain the readability of the document. This is something that I am a little apprehensive about, still; however, I think after I have my set idea of what I am going to do, I will feel less nervous about it.
E-Word
10 April 2008
Hypertext Articles
Beyond Usability and Design: The Narrative Web
I liked the way that this article was broken up; I thought it made it much more readable. It definitely helped me to understand some dos and don’ts of creating a hypertext piece. I thought it was great that it was not just focusing on creating a fictional narrative for the web, since I am thinking more about creating another form of professional document or something aimed towards a poet that I admire. I was happy to read more about how other websites engage their audience by the use of a “narrative,” which does not necessarily mean an actual story. I definitely understand the idea of showing, not telling; however, it makes me a bit nervous to create something like this because I hope I can do all that they recommend.
Hypertext Narrative and Baseball
This piece was more abstract, hence the reason I had a more difficult time understanding their points. Their comparison of hypertext to baseball sort of lost me along the way. Like a baseball game, a hypertext document must include action that viewers can follow along with. The different plays that take place within the game are much like the different navigational options available to a viewer – they are not always followed in the same order. Again, this piece was not the most beneficial in terms of understanding it as a whole.
Patterns of Hypertext
Obviously, this piece began with looking for patterns in hypertext documents. It then goes through the different types of cyclical viewing, called cycles that occur in hypertext. There were about 4 different kinds, and they were rather easy to understand. The author then goes through the idea of counterpoint, in which two voices in the text alternate and interweave themes and weld their responses together. It then moved onto mirrorworld, tangle, sieve, all which I understand just fine. Moving on, it covered montage, neighborhood, split/join, missing link and navigational feint, which again, were all understood just fine. I particularly liked the way that this piece was broken up into those distinct sections, and how for each one the author gave adequate examples to explain them. I never went into the next section without having a decent understanding of the previous section. I think that in hypertext, it is going to be very important to be able to combine numerous elements, while also trying to maintain the readability of the document. This is something that I am a little apprehensive about, still; however, I think after I have my set idea of what I am going to do, I will feel less nervous about it.
4/10 articles
Of the three articles, I thought the “Patterns of Hypertext” article was the most interesting. It offered some different ways to use hyperlinks to navigate a website. This tied in really well to what we have been talking about with creating fictional works using a website. I haven’t really decided what I want to do for the third project, but I could see this being a really useful tool if I were to choose to create a fictional website. It is also a good insight into the creative process that authors of fictional websites go through.
The third article deals with the conflict between simplicity and minimalism versus sterile straight-forward design. This article was a little higher-level than some of the other articles and it was kind of tough to follow at times, but I made the connection with some of the things we have talked about in class. This also tied in to some of the themes in the first article in that it deals with interface in relation to a creative design of a website.
Apr 9, 2008
April 10th Readings
In the "Narrative Web" article, I found that the notion of experience online is true and the web gives us the opportunity to "find out what the reader really wants, even if the reader herself doesn't know it yet." That is why we give options and menus on websites on different subjects. We are creating a narrative for that person's experience. It could be because of that website that a person decides to try something or becomes more knowledgeable about something, and now has a narrative to pass on to others. Many websites want to invoke that notion because it keeps their site remembered. That was the purpose of my "Life List" website. It was so that people could experience what a life list is and then give them resources as to how they can create their own life lists. I was deciding on what I thought the reader really wanted out of experiencing my website. I guess my website really isn't organic because i tour the person to creating their own life list rather than allowing them to read mine and decide for themselves. When you visit sites and blogs, you get a peek into someone else's life, and that alone can be a narrative for you because you cared enough about this person to read about their life, and sometimes continue reading, like you are experiencing their life with them. (It's almost like the experience you get when reading a novel or book -- you are experiencing along with the characters).
It is so important to show rather than tell a narrative -- especially online. No one is on the website, giving people nonverbal clues to what the text means or how it should be taken. You need to really pull the reader in, not tell, but show. You wouldn't say "I am sad" when you are talking to someone -- you have a reason, you have a purpose for being sad, so when you are posting that on your site, your reader wants to feel what you feel.
In "Patterns of Hypertext," it is interesting to see the various kinds of patterns. I have hear of web rings before, which are entire sites linked together under a specific subject.....more are social or entertainment purposes (Like fan sites of actors or television shows or a subject of more social interactions like certain religions or careers). I think most sites have a cycle, where you go through one link and all the little links, but you can return to the original homepage and start on another path. You can always go back. I think I would find this the most user-friendly pattern. I also agree that as hypertext becomes the norm in society, people are attracted to more links and more information and how hypertext is linked together. The way it is linked really reflects the purpose of the hypertext -- whether it be artistic or professional.
In "Hypertext Narrative and Baseball," it really did seem as if these two were connected. They both have a beginning and an end point but between those two points are just endless cycles of pitchers, batters, switching positions, the cycle of the count of the batter, the movement of the runners, etc. Some things happen simultaneously, the narrative is constantly changing. The same can happen with hypertext. The more you read the more your narrative is altered, and as you travel through the cycle of the site and experience the different information behind the links and exhaust the website until you have visited every corner of it, your narrative is also constantly being reshapened and redefined.
It is so important to show rather than tell a narrative -- especially online. No one is on the website, giving people nonverbal clues to what the text means or how it should be taken. You need to really pull the reader in, not tell, but show. You wouldn't say "I am sad" when you are talking to someone -- you have a reason, you have a purpose for being sad, so when you are posting that on your site, your reader wants to feel what you feel.
In "Patterns of Hypertext," it is interesting to see the various kinds of patterns. I have hear of web rings before, which are entire sites linked together under a specific subject.....more are social or entertainment purposes (Like fan sites of actors or television shows or a subject of more social interactions like certain religions or careers). I think most sites have a cycle, where you go through one link and all the little links, but you can return to the original homepage and start on another path. You can always go back. I think I would find this the most user-friendly pattern. I also agree that as hypertext becomes the norm in society, people are attracted to more links and more information and how hypertext is linked together. The way it is linked really reflects the purpose of the hypertext -- whether it be artistic or professional.
In "Hypertext Narrative and Baseball," it really did seem as if these two were connected. They both have a beginning and an end point but between those two points are just endless cycles of pitchers, batters, switching positions, the cycle of the count of the batter, the movement of the runners, etc. Some things happen simultaneously, the narrative is constantly changing. The same can happen with hypertext. The more you read the more your narrative is altered, and as you travel through the cycle of the site and experience the different information behind the links and exhaust the website until you have visited every corner of it, your narrative is also constantly being reshapened and redefined.
Hypertext Articles 4-9-08
Patterns of Hypertext: Mark Bernstein talks about how they once thought that large, irregular link networks would overwhelm readers, but they find that it actually attracts readers. He also says that the growth of literary and scholarly hypertext, the evolution of the Web, and the economics of link exchange all assure the long-term importance of links. This is interesting because it's true. Nowadays everything is online, and links are essential to the creation of online websites. Especially with school, many of the things we do for class are done online.
Hypertext Narrative and Baseball: It was really interesting to see hypertext narrative compared to baseball because I would never compare those two things or put them together. It did make a lot of sense though. The cycles was intersting too think about because both hypertext and baseball are a series of cycles. I also thought of the idea of coming full circle...going around the bases and back home for baseball, and going around the links/website and back home for hypertext. The ideas of chapters was also interesting to think about because each page is like a chapter for hypertext, and each inning is like a chapter in a baseball game. The idea of montage was also interesting because there are a variety of choices to do in both a baseball game and on a website. We choose to follow this link of that link. In a baseball game the pitcher decides to throw the ball to the catcher or throw the ball to the third basemantry to tag out the player at third. Both are a variety of several choices. Which choice you make will depend on the outcome.
Beyond Usability and Design: The Narrative Web: I found this article to be amusing. He wrote it with a lot of personality that drew me as a reader in. By making it a race, it was funny to see him comment on it like he was the announcer. He says that the reader’s journey through our site is a narrative experience, and it is our job to make it interesting for them. We need to give them an unforgettable experience to keep them coming back for more, and in order to do this we must create a story, and in order to do that we must give them choices. Any sort of story will interest people, we just need to make it natural. Show who you are instead of telling. People are not effected if you merely give them bland information; it will have no impact on them. It is when you show them that they are moved.
Hypertext Narrative and Baseball: It was really interesting to see hypertext narrative compared to baseball because I would never compare those two things or put them together. It did make a lot of sense though. The cycles was intersting too think about because both hypertext and baseball are a series of cycles. I also thought of the idea of coming full circle...going around the bases and back home for baseball, and going around the links/website and back home for hypertext. The ideas of chapters was also interesting to think about because each page is like a chapter for hypertext, and each inning is like a chapter in a baseball game. The idea of montage was also interesting because there are a variety of choices to do in both a baseball game and on a website. We choose to follow this link of that link. In a baseball game the pitcher decides to throw the ball to the catcher or throw the ball to the third basemantry to tag out the player at third. Both are a variety of several choices. Which choice you make will depend on the outcome.
Beyond Usability and Design: The Narrative Web: I found this article to be amusing. He wrote it with a lot of personality that drew me as a reader in. By making it a race, it was funny to see him comment on it like he was the announcer. He says that the reader’s journey through our site is a narrative experience, and it is our job to make it interesting for them. We need to give them an unforgettable experience to keep them coming back for more, and in order to do this we must create a story, and in order to do that we must give them choices. Any sort of story will interest people, we just need to make it natural. Show who you are instead of telling. People are not effected if you merely give them bland information; it will have no impact on them. It is when you show them that they are moved.
Apr 8, 2008
Apr 7, 2008
Hypertext Pubs
I am compiling a list of places for possible publication opportunities, as well as places for you to peruse other hypertexts.
Electronic Literature Organization
Check out their "Directory." The ELO archives over 2300 works and has list of publications as well!
Journal of Culture and Technology
features everything from hypertext to digital artwork to critical essays
Assemblage: The Women's New Media Gallery
This site is a showcase of new media works and might be a good one to keep an eye on.
Word Circuits
This site accepts hypertext fiction and poetry.
Big Bridge
Big Bridge is a webzine of poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and tons of other genres.
The New River: Digital Writing and Art
Portal Del Sol
Huge resource of poetry and fiction online publications!
Dotlit: the online journal of creative writing
Fine Art Forum
Electronic Literature Organization
Check out their "Directory." The ELO archives over 2300 works and has list of publications as well!
Journal of Culture and Technology
features everything from hypertext to digital artwork to critical essays
Assemblage: The Women's New Media Gallery
This site is a showcase of new media works and might be a good one to keep an eye on.
Word Circuits
This site accepts hypertext fiction and poetry.
Big Bridge
Big Bridge is a webzine of poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and tons of other genres.
The New River: Digital Writing and Art
Portal Del Sol
Huge resource of poetry and fiction online publications!
Dotlit: the online journal of creative writing
Fine Art Forum
Mar 27, 2008
Interface
The "Eat Me Drink Me" article was interesting because it allowed me to understand a lot of things on the computer that I did not know before. Such as what a wizard is. I realized what type of pages I should use for what type of services I offer. If I wanted to go through something very complex in my site that required visitor interaction I would use a wizard (but only if it was used sometimes) and if I thought the wizard was too time consuming I would use a box of options. Basically I need to be aware of my audience while designing the page.
In the "Politics of the Interface" I read that technology is difficult to use if it is English based and a person does not know English. It was interesting to learn that the authors thought the reliance to change such things fell on English teachers. Becoming a technology critic as well as a user was an interesting section because it really stressed that teachers become aware of what programs are out there for their students to use, and determining which is the best one.
The website I used is www.webkinz.com
Initially the interface expects me know what I am looking for. When I look in the webkinz catalog I am given only a simple page that has a tool bar on top. When I click on what I want, the page changes to show that, but it is the same thing over and over. Within the webkinz world, once you have signed up, you can create a world for your animal. In that interface you choose what type of webkinz you have, whether it is a boy or a girl, what it lives in, what its world is going to be like.
Conventional across the interfaces are the option tools that allow you to view specifically what you desire. Non-conventional tools on this interface is probably the fact that it does not allow you to be specific—its bottons are too broad.
The thins I would change about this interface is that I would make it more specific. I would make the bottons that refer to the webkinz collection, for instance, break down into types of animals that they offer. This not only makes it more user friendly but allows the sit to be more customized for the user.
In the store locater portion, where one can choose which city, state, and country that they are looking for, the interface is pretty basic there too. It begins with choosing what specific product you are looking for. It allows you to choose and search for your area. The thing that I would change about it though is that there are a few cities on there that have no matches to what one is looking for so I would change that. I would add the option to go back or to have the option on the state-country-town page to go and change what you are looking for intially.
In the "Politics of the Interface" I read that technology is difficult to use if it is English based and a person does not know English. It was interesting to learn that the authors thought the reliance to change such things fell on English teachers. Becoming a technology critic as well as a user was an interesting section because it really stressed that teachers become aware of what programs are out there for their students to use, and determining which is the best one.
The website I used is www.webkinz.com
Initially the interface expects me know what I am looking for. When I look in the webkinz catalog I am given only a simple page that has a tool bar on top. When I click on what I want, the page changes to show that, but it is the same thing over and over. Within the webkinz world, once you have signed up, you can create a world for your animal. In that interface you choose what type of webkinz you have, whether it is a boy or a girl, what it lives in, what its world is going to be like.
Conventional across the interfaces are the option tools that allow you to view specifically what you desire. Non-conventional tools on this interface is probably the fact that it does not allow you to be specific—its bottons are too broad.
The thins I would change about this interface is that I would make it more specific. I would make the bottons that refer to the webkinz collection, for instance, break down into types of animals that they offer. This not only makes it more user friendly but allows the sit to be more customized for the user.
In the store locater portion, where one can choose which city, state, and country that they are looking for, the interface is pretty basic there too. It begins with choosing what specific product you are looking for. It allows you to choose and search for your area. The thing that I would change about it though is that there are a few cities on there that have no matches to what one is looking for so I would change that. I would add the option to go back or to have the option on the state-country-town page to go and change what you are looking for intially.
Interfaces
The Selfe article was pretty interesting because it pointed out a few things about interfaces that I had never given much thought to, especially the way in which they favor white middle to upper class men. The article states that the icons and navigational features of most computer interfaces are geared towards this group and feature an interface featuring objects that would be common in the daily lives of this group.
The Eat Me Drink Me article was a little more applicable to what we are actually setting out to do for this class to some extent, which is to make a website that is user friendly as well as visually appealing. The article discussed various aspects of interfaces such as navigation features that one may or may not want to use when designing a website as well as the use of wizards to help users work their way through certain features of a site. The best aspect of this article was the use of visual aids and how the author breaks down the strengths and weaknesses of different websites. This was a good way to help me start to form some ideas on how I would like my own website to look like and function.
I chose to look at the iTunes interface since I use it pretty much everyday For the most part I really like this interface. I think it's easy to use, and even somebody using it for the first time is able to grasp all the basic features. I do have a couple issues with the program's interface that I do not like. First, the tool bar is pretty confusing in some ways. When looking for more advanced features of the program -- especially since I switch between using the Mac and PC versions -- in the tool bar becomes confusing and it's sometimes difficult to find the option I am looking for. The other issue is that songs can only be classified by one genre, which makes sorting your music library tricky sometimes as some songs can fit into multiple genres. I think this would be something that would be easy to fix and make sorting music files much more convenient. Other than that I enjoy every other aspect of the iTunes interface, especially how a user can easily organize his files and add playlists with only a couple clicks.
The Eat Me Drink Me article was a little more applicable to what we are actually setting out to do for this class to some extent, which is to make a website that is user friendly as well as visually appealing. The article discussed various aspects of interfaces such as navigation features that one may or may not want to use when designing a website as well as the use of wizards to help users work their way through certain features of a site. The best aspect of this article was the use of visual aids and how the author breaks down the strengths and weaknesses of different websites. This was a good way to help me start to form some ideas on how I would like my own website to look like and function.
I chose to look at the iTunes interface since I use it pretty much everyday For the most part I really like this interface. I think it's easy to use, and even somebody using it for the first time is able to grasp all the basic features. I do have a couple issues with the program's interface that I do not like. First, the tool bar is pretty confusing in some ways. When looking for more advanced features of the program -- especially since I switch between using the Mac and PC versions -- in the tool bar becomes confusing and it's sometimes difficult to find the option I am looking for. The other issue is that songs can only be classified by one genre, which makes sorting your music library tricky sometimes as some songs can fit into multiple genres. I think this would be something that would be easy to fix and make sorting music files much more convenient. Other than that I enjoy every other aspect of the iTunes interface, especially how a user can easily organize his files and add playlists with only a couple clicks.
Interface
I thought that the "Eat me, drink me, push me" article cleared up a lot of confusion that I had abour interface. I had always heard about interface but didnt know what it was at all. I still have some confusion about it since I am very new to all of this. This article really showed how much detail goes into designing a web site. There are so many decisions to make, dealing with fonts, colors, sizes, themes, etc. I think it's easy to come up with an idea for a website sometimes, but can be difficult to transfer your idea onto the screen. It seems like its really hard to make a website that holds a lot of information. It makes me think about search bars and how they know where to direct you when you spell something wrong. The article also talked about wizards, but I always thought they were a distraction. I knew they had a purpose but I always just kept pushing next so that it would get off my screen! They mentioned making websites for people who arent savvy with computers, which seems difficult. Obviously you want to make a wensite clear, but thats for every website so I wonder what the difference would be for people who cant really use computers besides making them boring and super easy to follow.
I didnt even realize how great it is that when working with a program on a computer, all of the tools and resources are available to you on the same page. I never even thought of having to open a new page for every new tool. It would be very hard to work with the GIMP if each tool was on a separate page. The undo button is a lifesaver. Their examples of Compaq and Dell were way to advanced for me. But, websites like these seem very convenience to me, (Job searches, pet finders, friends, etc.) The Nike ID was my favorite just because its so fun to do. The idea of designing something Its never a good idea to blindly believe in something just because. Maybe instead we should work on getting money for minority schools since they dont have access to computers and then work on making them useable to them. It was cool to read about Sherry Turkle again, it shows how much she knows about this area of technology.
Another side of me does see the slight oppression though. For example, the clip art on default computers usually just has white people. Also, there arent many programs that will let you write in other languages. We have a diverse set of people in this country and its up to us to come to a compromise. Sorry if this feels confusing to read, but I feel two different ways about this subject so Im thinking as I type!
I didnt even realize how great it is that when working with a program on a computer, all of the tools and resources are available to you on the same page. I never even thought of having to open a new page for every new tool. It would be very hard to work with the GIMP if each tool was on a separate page. The undo button is a lifesaver. Their examples of Compaq and Dell were way to advanced for me. But, websites like these seem very convenience to me, (Job searches, pet finders, friends, etc.) The Nike ID was my favorite just because its so fun to do. The idea of designing something Its never a good idea to blindly believe in something just because. Maybe instead we should work on getting money for minority schools since they dont have access to computers and then work on making them useable to them. It was cool to read about Sherry Turkle again, it shows how much she knows about this area of technology.
Another side of me does see the slight oppression though. For example, the clip art on default computers usually just has white people. Also, there arent many programs that will let you write in other languages. We have a diverse set of people in this country and its up to us to come to a compromise. Sorry if this feels confusing to read, but I feel two different ways about this subject so Im thinking as I type!
Mar 26, 2008
Thursday Article & Interfaces
I think that graphical interfaces are very important in a technological advanced society. I don't think that the world wide web would have had as much success if it had stuck to one interface.....it wouldn't appeal to the broad range of people with different skill levels, and people would have gotten bored with it after a while. The amount of different interfaces allow people of all skill levels to use the internet and allow people to become more advanced with the internet as they move from one interface to another. I am not as familiar with the interactive interfaces as I am with the other, but because I am very familiar and comfortable with the other interfaces, I see this interactive area as a challenge.
As a business, the use of interfaces can greatly affect their profit and revenues. If they have invested a lot in their online shopping network, then they need to invest a lot into discovering the best interfaces for their customers because if it is too complex, then they risk losing customers and risk losing profit. The easier it is to order from an online company, the better rated the business will be. The website that I looked at was oldnavy.com. It does not have a wizard interface because the time spent going through each individual product to order would take more time than the customer has patience for. It did have a toolbar that let you see a product and change the color and pick out the size for when you bought it as well as zooming toolbar to get a closer look. The product would change on the interface as the mouse would hover over the color square. This is a very important customer tool because customers can see how the product would look after the change. This is a very good way to grow in your e-business. Once you get to the checkout, the interface changes to a wizard design because it has to deal with money and not all customers are computer wizzes. It takes you through the purchasing process step by step as to not miss any crucial information regarding credit cards and such. The interface is user-friendly and designed to give the customer as much convenience as possible.
As a business, the use of interfaces can greatly affect their profit and revenues. If they have invested a lot in their online shopping network, then they need to invest a lot into discovering the best interfaces for their customers because if it is too complex, then they risk losing customers and risk losing profit. The easier it is to order from an online company, the better rated the business will be. The website that I looked at was oldnavy.com. It does not have a wizard interface because the time spent going through each individual product to order would take more time than the customer has patience for. It did have a toolbar that let you see a product and change the color and pick out the size for when you bought it as well as zooming toolbar to get a closer look. The product would change on the interface as the mouse would hover over the color square. This is a very important customer tool because customers can see how the product would look after the change. This is a very good way to grow in your e-business. Once you get to the checkout, the interface changes to a wizard design because it has to deal with money and not all customers are computer wizzes. It takes you through the purchasing process step by step as to not miss any crucial information regarding credit cards and such. The interface is user-friendly and designed to give the customer as much convenience as possible.
interface stuff
In terms of the reading, I thought that the "Eat me..." article was very informative in terms of breaking down the different types of interfaces. I really had no idea all the different kinds of interfaces, although once I read the article, I could think of each kind in context. I don't see the wizard interface all that often, but I'm a bit confused of the difference between wizard and control panel, when it comes to, say, student loan sites like Sallie Mae. There they ask you a series of questions on one page, and then you hit next to go to the following set; however, you are able to travel backwards, but not forwards until the material is complete, so I think that makes it linear. I'm just not sure if because it's more information than just one question on each page, if that makes it a control panel?
What I got from the second article is just the realization that many interfaces both in software and internet do not allow for a language option before entering. I know certain ones do, such as Nike, but many do not. Some programs have only English as the option and that excludes many cultures from accessing the site. I know personally, if a site was entirely in Spanish with no option to change to English, I would not be able to use it.
The interface that I chose to look at was Facebook because I frequent the site quite a bit during the week! I think Facebook's main goal to users is obviously for them to sign in or sign up and begin the social networking. For convetional icons that they have, I would say the HOME, LOGOUT and ACCOUNT buttons are all pretty standard on most sites these days. But since this is a different type of site, then say NIKE, there are few similarities other than that. There are all sorts of different buttons like PROFILE, FRIENDS, NETWORKING, etc. There is also the side navigation that allows to look at PHOTOS, GROUPS, EVENTS and more. I am not sure what I would customize to the site, because overall I think it's pretty well structured. The one thing that I have really gotten annoyed with is ALL THE APPLICATIONS! That's where it becomes too messy for me and too difficult to view others' profiles. It's a little bit too MySpace, and while I have that account, too, I use it much less because it's less navigable. On the whole, though, I think the Facebook interface is well put together and easy to navigate. The account set up is all pretty straightforward and easy to follow through.
What I got from the second article is just the realization that many interfaces both in software and internet do not allow for a language option before entering. I know certain ones do, such as Nike, but many do not. Some programs have only English as the option and that excludes many cultures from accessing the site. I know personally, if a site was entirely in Spanish with no option to change to English, I would not be able to use it.
The interface that I chose to look at was Facebook because I frequent the site quite a bit during the week! I think Facebook's main goal to users is obviously for them to sign in or sign up and begin the social networking. For convetional icons that they have, I would say the HOME, LOGOUT and ACCOUNT buttons are all pretty standard on most sites these days. But since this is a different type of site, then say NIKE, there are few similarities other than that. There are all sorts of different buttons like PROFILE, FRIENDS, NETWORKING, etc. There is also the side navigation that allows to look at PHOTOS, GROUPS, EVENTS and more. I am not sure what I would customize to the site, because overall I think it's pretty well structured. The one thing that I have really gotten annoyed with is ALL THE APPLICATIONS! That's where it becomes too messy for me and too difficult to view others' profiles. It's a little bit too MySpace, and while I have that account, too, I use it much less because it's less navigable. On the whole, though, I think the Facebook interface is well put together and easy to navigate. The account set up is all pretty straightforward and easy to follow through.
Interface Articles
The interface I chose was www.yahoo.com The interface gives you an opportunity. As the aritcle Politics of Interface stated, "map the virtual world as a desktop--constructing virtual reality, by association, in terms of corporate culture and the values of professionalism." This is how the interface I looked at was set up. It was a professional desktop that was obviously used in our culture. Based on the initial interface, the software expects you to make decisions. The entire page is one link after another, and it is up to you which one to click. The software also excepts you to know English. Icons that are conveniently across interfaces are toolbars,search engines, and help buttons. Even ads and pictures are across many interfaces. Icons that are not conveniently across interfaces are small icons or pictures of what the words are describing. Many toolbars have these, but many interfaces do not. Since most interfaces only have English as the possible language, I think icons would be useful for non-English speaking people to understand what the words mean. Symbols can help represent words.
I would make this interface less busy. There are so many links and buttons that I feel it becomes overwhelming. Too much of something is not always necessarily a good thing. The page is so busy that it could drive people away. It becomes confusing when there is so much to pick from. I would customize a search engine like they did. By putting it at the top, dead center, it makes the page easier to navigate and understand. I would customize the email link. Many people go to this site primarily to check emails, so I would make that more prominent on the page. People are going to be annoyed if they have to search around for this link. I would also customize the toolbar. The font size on the toolbar is different for each word, which I think looks tacky. It is almost insulting in a way, implying that some are more important than others. So, I would make all the tools the same shape and size. The interface I chose had so many functions and features that I would probably not add any more, I would maybe take some away. I think there are too many ads on the page. Ads make the page looked cluttered and unprofessional.
The Politics of the Interface article really made me think about how websites can be directed towards one specific group of people. If many people cannot even read major, prominent webpages, such as yahoo, because it is in a different language is that fair? It seems like many groups of people are deliberately being left out.
The Eat Me, Drink Me, Push Me article was really informative to me. I had no prior knowledge about interfaces, I did not even know what they were, so it was interesting to see the different categories of interfaces. By looking at the different ways in which they are constucted, you can get a good idea of what you want yours to look like. It was interesting to see the transformation from page to website.
I would make this interface less busy. There are so many links and buttons that I feel it becomes overwhelming. Too much of something is not always necessarily a good thing. The page is so busy that it could drive people away. It becomes confusing when there is so much to pick from. I would customize a search engine like they did. By putting it at the top, dead center, it makes the page easier to navigate and understand. I would customize the email link. Many people go to this site primarily to check emails, so I would make that more prominent on the page. People are going to be annoyed if they have to search around for this link. I would also customize the toolbar. The font size on the toolbar is different for each word, which I think looks tacky. It is almost insulting in a way, implying that some are more important than others. So, I would make all the tools the same shape and size. The interface I chose had so many functions and features that I would probably not add any more, I would maybe take some away. I think there are too many ads on the page. Ads make the page looked cluttered and unprofessional.
The Politics of the Interface article really made me think about how websites can be directed towards one specific group of people. If many people cannot even read major, prominent webpages, such as yahoo, because it is in a different language is that fair? It seems like many groups of people are deliberately being left out.
The Eat Me, Drink Me, Push Me article was really informative to me. I had no prior knowledge about interfaces, I did not even know what they were, so it was interesting to see the different categories of interfaces. By looking at the different ways in which they are constucted, you can get a good idea of what you want yours to look like. It was interesting to see the transformation from page to website.
interfaces...
Interface…(mastercraft.com)
I think this site wants you to create and personalize your own boat. Also I think that it wants you to look and buy a boat; along with clothing and other accessories to match your new boat. I also think the interface wants you to learn about their company and give you reasons why you should by their boat and what makes them better than other companies.
Good Buttons:
The design your own boat
The new 2008 series
The dealer locator
Bad Buttons:
The topic bar- master craft boats, living, company… it’s a roll down and on slow computers it might not roll down fast enough
Mctv. Cause you don’t know if it is an actual button
The check it out button that just lights up… what are you checking out
After reading the second article, it reminded me that my facebook homepage where you login is actually in Spanish for some reason. I did not change anything. One day I just noticed it was in a different language and I was kind of confused. I never thought about how people of different ethic backgrounds really used a computer. It would be hard for a Spanish speaking person to write a letter or anything in Spanish using word because it does not recognize it. I think it would be a good idea for some schools to get the programs in order for students to use different languages. I remember when I was taking Spanish and French in high school when we had to write paper or dialogue, it had to be done by hand because it was harder to deal with the computer changing or not allowing the word to be typed.
After doing the exercise it really made me look at the site. I could not find anything I wanted to add or customize. Though it was a website and most professional websites are done very well, I thought I would be able to come up with at least one thing to add. I did find some things to change though:
Change about interface…
The topic bar- master craft boats, living, company… it’s a roll down and on slow computers it might not roll down fast enough
Mctv. Cause you don’t know if it is an actual button
The check it out button that just lights up… what are you checking out
The eat me drink me article was very informative. The more I learn about website and the proper names for things, the more I realize how hard and how much time must go into them. When the article talked about the control panel, I just thought it was a standard thing not something that had rules of when to use it and when to use say one page layout. It is nice though when website make it easy to compare products and I think more and more of them are doing it. Even when you google something, it compares it with a bunch of other places and prices.
I think this site wants you to create and personalize your own boat. Also I think that it wants you to look and buy a boat; along with clothing and other accessories to match your new boat. I also think the interface wants you to learn about their company and give you reasons why you should by their boat and what makes them better than other companies.
Good Buttons:
The design your own boat
The new 2008 series
The dealer locator
Bad Buttons:
The topic bar- master craft boats, living, company… it’s a roll down and on slow computers it might not roll down fast enough
Mctv. Cause you don’t know if it is an actual button
The check it out button that just lights up… what are you checking out
After reading the second article, it reminded me that my facebook homepage where you login is actually in Spanish for some reason. I did not change anything. One day I just noticed it was in a different language and I was kind of confused. I never thought about how people of different ethic backgrounds really used a computer. It would be hard for a Spanish speaking person to write a letter or anything in Spanish using word because it does not recognize it. I think it would be a good idea for some schools to get the programs in order for students to use different languages. I remember when I was taking Spanish and French in high school when we had to write paper or dialogue, it had to be done by hand because it was harder to deal with the computer changing or not allowing the word to be typed.
After doing the exercise it really made me look at the site. I could not find anything I wanted to add or customize. Though it was a website and most professional websites are done very well, I thought I would be able to come up with at least one thing to add. I did find some things to change though:
Change about interface…
The topic bar- master craft boats, living, company… it’s a roll down and on slow computers it might not roll down fast enough
Mctv. Cause you don’t know if it is an actual button
The check it out button that just lights up… what are you checking out
The eat me drink me article was very informative. The more I learn about website and the proper names for things, the more I realize how hard and how much time must go into them. When the article talked about the control panel, I just thought it was a standard thing not something that had rules of when to use it and when to use say one page layout. It is nice though when website make it easy to compare products and I think more and more of them are doing it. Even when you google something, it compares it with a bunch of other places and prices.
Mar 25, 2008
Assignment for Thursday
Our next assignment will focus on online interfaces. Please read the following 2 articles:
Eat Me, Drink Me, Push Me: In which the subtle arts of the interface are examined.
The Politics of the Interface:Power and Its Exercise in Electronic Contact Zones
Much of the last article is geared towards teachers of writing although, there are a few sections that reallly interrogate how interfaces function and what they represent. So, read those sections:
--Mapping the Interface of Computers as Educational Space
--Interfaces as Maps of Capitalism and Class Privilege
--Interfaces as Maps of Discursive Privilege
"Within the virtual space represented by these interfaces, and elsewhere within computer systems, the values of our culture--ideological, political, economic, educational--are mapped both implicitly and explicitly... interfaces are cultural maps of computer systems" (Selfe & Selfe, p. 485).
Then, move on to the next part of the assignment:
Launch an application that you use regularly and examine the interface. Think about the following:
* Based on the initial interface, what are a few things the software expects you to do?
* Identify a few icons or symbols that are conventional across interfaces
* Identify a few icons or symbols that are not conventional across interfaces ( are unique and/or proprietary)
Create a list:
* What would you change about this interface?
* What would you customize?
* What functions or features would you add?
Blog on the articles and your reactions and/or what you have discovered from the exercise.
Eat Me, Drink Me, Push Me: In which the subtle arts of the interface are examined.
The Politics of the Interface:Power and Its Exercise in Electronic Contact Zones
Much of the last article is geared towards teachers of writing although, there are a few sections that reallly interrogate how interfaces function and what they represent. So, read those sections:
--Mapping the Interface of Computers as Educational Space
--Interfaces as Maps of Capitalism and Class Privilege
--Interfaces as Maps of Discursive Privilege
"Within the virtual space represented by these interfaces, and elsewhere within computer systems, the values of our culture--ideological, political, economic, educational--are mapped both implicitly and explicitly... interfaces are cultural maps of computer systems" (Selfe & Selfe, p. 485).
Then, move on to the next part of the assignment:
Launch an application that you use regularly and examine the interface. Think about the following:
* Based on the initial interface, what are a few things the software expects you to do?
* Identify a few icons or symbols that are conventional across interfaces
* Identify a few icons or symbols that are not conventional across interfaces ( are unique and/or proprietary)
Create a list:
* What would you change about this interface?
* What would you customize?
* What functions or features would you add?
Blog on the articles and your reactions and/or what you have discovered from the exercise.
GIMP tutorials!
Gimp tutorials
I have found a number of GIMP tutorials for you to peruse:This site has links to many tutorials, focusing on both simpler and more advanced concepts.
The Gimp User Group has a number of tutorials on image and text manipulation, creating backgrounds, etc.
This tutorial is for your "first friendly contact with the gimp", according to its description.
This one has a number of useful tutorials, as well.
Mar 17, 2008
CSS resources
CSS Tutorial for FP
Front Page Wizard Tips and Tricks (has a lot of tutorials about front page, including CSS:
Tons More Resources and Tips!
And, here is what I went over in class on Thursday:
Front Page Wizard Tips and Tricks (has a lot of tutorials about front page, including CSS:
Tons More Resources and Tips!
And, here is what I went over in class on Thursday:
3 kinds
- External style sheet—(same as linked)—link to it
Good if you want to apply all same styles consistently across your site
2. NEW button
3. type a period and then name without spaces for new style (.redtext)
4. format button—font—arial—12 point—red
5. supply new style
- choose whichever one you want and save it as .css
From scratch
- format—style sheet
- highlight on element you want to modify
- modify—make selections
- click ok
- make as many styles as you want
- save in .css format
link to your style sheet
1. open page—format/ style sheet links
2. add—select .css file--ok
Mar 13, 2008
Webstyle Guide
I really agreed with the fact that posting text on a computer screen for a website is harder than in print. In print, it is much easier to see how the text will fit on a page and for most publications, editing would quickly discover if text were off the page. With a website, it is much easier to make mistakes with the complex coding and all of your steps must match up -- to the out-dated operating system that won't allow you to have certain fonts, to missaved files, etc. More details mean more room to make a mistake. I think contrast is very important to the style of the website and directly contributes to the reader's want to read it. I would rarely ever read something that was just plain text unless I was forced to. The alignment and use of white space are always important, especially on the web were you have more than just text, you have images, links, backgrounds, etc. that also need to be on that page, so deciding what goes where without taking attention off of what you want to be most important is critical for a good web page. The alignment also talks about justified, flushed left, and flushed right in deciding how a text should be presented. Most of the time, I believe it is better to go with flushed left because that is where the eye naturally goes. Centering is ok for headlines, but I find that flushed right is more distracting than helpful. I feel like I have to read each line carefully or I will miss the next line. It does not make for an easy read. Another major theme is use of white space to generate a space between paragraphs instead of indentation. It is more reader-friendly, and since some screens are small with the text smaller because of the other elements on the page, it is easier to distinguish a break in the paragraphs. Reading a book is different because the pixels are much higher and easier to read with just indentations. The typefaces will need to be different between the books and the computer screens. I have always understood that Times Roman was the best font to use as a standard font for a lot of text, but I did not know that it wasn't the best choice for web documents. I thought about using it for my first website but found out that Georgia looked much better, so I'm glad I make that choice so my readers could read my text more easily. I also found that I was using a bigger font size because I did not want my readers to be strained in any way and have to hurt their eyes from trying to read small text on screen.
Consistency was my biggest concern with my first website. I wanted to make sure that all of my links were visible on every page as well as the same font, same headings, etc. so people would know that they are still on the site, and I believe that this is an important part of digital text and something that really separates it from printed text, which is usually consistent. The possibilities are seemingly endless for digital text, which would make it a lot easier to stray off the track with other design ideas that could really confuse the reader. Something I learned from this reading which can be very helpful to me is the antialiased type that can be created to smooth out a look through Photoshop. This could help out a lot with bigger headers and also create a more reader-friendly web document. Overall, this site contains very good reference points for web designers just starting out and in need of direction.
Consistency was my biggest concern with my first website. I wanted to make sure that all of my links were visible on every page as well as the same font, same headings, etc. so people would know that they are still on the site, and I believe that this is an important part of digital text and something that really separates it from printed text, which is usually consistent. The possibilities are seemingly endless for digital text, which would make it a lot easier to stray off the track with other design ideas that could really confuse the reader. Something I learned from this reading which can be very helpful to me is the antialiased type that can be created to smooth out a look through Photoshop. This could help out a lot with bigger headers and also create a more reader-friendly web document. Overall, this site contains very good reference points for web designers just starting out and in need of direction.
3/13 readings
Chapter 10 was pretty straight-forward and easy to understand. I already had a general understanding of a lot these things, but it was good to have it simplified and I think I was able to get a better grasp on these concepts. To me, the most useful part of this chapter was the breakdown of file sizes for different types and sizes of pictures. Just from minor experience working with websites and photo editing programs, this does tend to get tricky sometimes, so it was good to learn some new ways to deal with potential problems, and some new ways to use pictures and graphics as links and things like that. I also found the typography reading to be pretty useful. I hadn’t really read anything like this before, so it was good to look at an article like this and get a better grip on the subject. I think the most interesting part about this reading was just the general explanation of exactly what typography consists of and the definition of the role it plays within technology and how people use it.
I looked at George Landow’s and Julian Dibbell’s websites. Landow’s home page gives links to three other pages he has created and or managed at the top of the page. At the bottom he links to his own personal page with biographical information and his professional accomplishments. There’s also a link to a site that lists honors he has received. Over this site is pretty simple and easy-to-use and lets users move easily from site to site. Julian Dibbell’s was a lot less formal, but I thought it was a much more interesting website. The layout, color scheme, and overall style of the site are pretty cool to look at, and fit with his laid back writing style and presentation.
Identity
Mariann Daniel
March 12, 2008
Electronic Word
The readings we had for today were interesting because they informed me about things that I knew very little about. For instance that while creating a web page a person should keep the line size of a text down or that while making the page the type should be larger because it will appear smaller on the net. It is also interesting to note how files should be saved which is very important for organization for projects. Also the anti-aliasing section was interesting and showed the importance of a well done picture and how that enhances a site as a whole.
I took a look at Sherry Turkle and George P. Landow's websites. Sherry's was interesting because it looks so professional. The first thought when I saw it was that this site is sort of like her personal resume for anyone who wants to know what her professional life is like. The site gives no personal information--it does not connect her reader to the Sherry Turkle outside of work. Her site conveys the aura of being her life being all about her profession. It is interesting to see hers that focuses so much on her professional career-her interviews, profile, work history, and affiliations-and compare it to George Landow’s which is professional yet still personal.
George Landow’s site began with a frontpage that allowed the viewer to view the multiple sites that he created. This in turn allows the reader to understand what Landow’s interests are such as post-colonial works, victorian literature, and hypertext. By clicking on the site entitled main the viewer is brought to Landow’s personal page. On this page one can not only find his professional history but also his hobbies which he entitles “Very Unprofessional Activities” which include building small models and photography. I would consider this site to to construted to allow the reader to think that he puts his personal life first, then his publications and profession, and then his hobbies. A good layout to make the site connect to the viewer more—his life is not all about his profession.
It was helpful to take a look at these sites to understand what I should include in my identity site because I now know that I can make it very professional or professional and personal—before I did not understand how to combine the two.
March 12, 2008
Electronic Word
The readings we had for today were interesting because they informed me about things that I knew very little about. For instance that while creating a web page a person should keep the line size of a text down or that while making the page the type should be larger because it will appear smaller on the net. It is also interesting to note how files should be saved which is very important for organization for projects. Also the anti-aliasing section was interesting and showed the importance of a well done picture and how that enhances a site as a whole.
I took a look at Sherry Turkle and George P. Landow's websites. Sherry's was interesting because it looks so professional. The first thought when I saw it was that this site is sort of like her personal resume for anyone who wants to know what her professional life is like. The site gives no personal information--it does not connect her reader to the Sherry Turkle outside of work. Her site conveys the aura of being her life being all about her profession. It is interesting to see hers that focuses so much on her professional career-her interviews, profile, work history, and affiliations-and compare it to George Landow’s which is professional yet still personal.
George Landow’s site began with a frontpage that allowed the viewer to view the multiple sites that he created. This in turn allows the reader to understand what Landow’s interests are such as post-colonial works, victorian literature, and hypertext. By clicking on the site entitled main the viewer is brought to Landow’s personal page. On this page one can not only find his professional history but also his hobbies which he entitles “Very Unprofessional Activities” which include building small models and photography. I would consider this site to to construted to allow the reader to think that he puts his personal life first, then his publications and profession, and then his hobbies. A good layout to make the site connect to the viewer more—his life is not all about his profession.
It was helpful to take a look at these sites to understand what I should include in my identity site because I now know that I can make it very professional or professional and personal—before I did not understand how to combine the two.
Ch10 & Typography
I thought that Chapter 10 was really useful. I noticed that there is still so much for me to learn. Every chapter that I read teaches me things I have never even heard of. So far in the class I have a better but general understanding of how to put a website together but I wasnt completely satisfied with my first website and wish I could change things around and learn how to stop my pictures from moving around ever time I open up my web. I've struggled in the past with understanding file format, which the book did a good job at explaining. I have heard of GIF and JPEG before but didnt even know when it would be better to use one over the other. It was interesting to read the section about bitmapped versus object-oriented because I felt that these technical terms were being defined by other technical terms I dont understand. It is good to know these specifics that deal with pictures because I feel that pictures are the most uncooperative and difficult when putting them on the web. I was definitely mixed up about compression. I thought that compression dealt with the actual size and clarity of the picture, and not the file size which actually is what it deals with.
Also, it was kinda fun to learn about bits and bytes. I guess I knew that for them to be standard measurements they need some specific amount that they cover. In turn, I learned that bit is the smallest unit of measurement. 8 bits equal 1 byte which is enough to cover just 1 letter on the screen. Computer screens are always filled with so much text and colors, that it made me realize that a lof of memory is needed. When I was reading about the image map I was a bit confused, but the picture helped a lot. I thought it was something much more confusing. Overall, there were a lot of things I added to my minimal knowledge concerning these terms. Thumbnails for example, werent new to me. I knew what a thumbnail but after reading this Chapter I realized their convenience in being small. You can look at a small version of the picture without having to wait a while for it to load.
The typography reading had more information that I already knew. I like that it lists that typography works verbally as well as visually. Margins provide visual relief and separate elements. Its weird to go from the person reading the web pages and sort of taking their elements for granted, to actually putting the website and their elements together. They talked about how some elements come up differently on some monitors which I think is very annoying. I think that is what happened to my first web page, but being brand new with making web sites, I have no idea how to fix it?!
Also, it was kinda fun to learn about bits and bytes. I guess I knew that for them to be standard measurements they need some specific amount that they cover. In turn, I learned that bit is the smallest unit of measurement. 8 bits equal 1 byte which is enough to cover just 1 letter on the screen. Computer screens are always filled with so much text and colors, that it made me realize that a lof of memory is needed. When I was reading about the image map I was a bit confused, but the picture helped a lot. I thought it was something much more confusing. Overall, there were a lot of things I added to my minimal knowledge concerning these terms. Thumbnails for example, werent new to me. I knew what a thumbnail but after reading this Chapter I realized their convenience in being small. You can look at a small version of the picture without having to wait a while for it to load.
The typography reading had more information that I already knew. I like that it lists that typography works verbally as well as visually. Margins provide visual relief and separate elements. Its weird to go from the person reading the web pages and sort of taking their elements for granted, to actually putting the website and their elements together. They talked about how some elements come up differently on some monitors which I think is very annoying. I think that is what happened to my first web page, but being brand new with making web sites, I have no idea how to fix it?!
Chapter 10 & Typography Readings
Madison Ultis
Typography Reading & Chapter 10
13 March 2008
I particularly liked the reading on Typography from the WebStyle Guide because it opened my eyes to different programming things that I was using in DreamWeaver, but really had little no idea about, especially that of CSS. I used that on my first website for the class, but did not really understand what it was that I was creating; I was more or less just following along with my tutorials, never thinking too much about what I was doing, just trying to get it done well. I really liked CSS because they do have complete control over the visual style of headers, paragraphs, lists, and so on. It also let me create one page, and then it was used as this sort of template for all the other pages. The marginal information and properties like that were all fixed then from this one template. So much of this article was focused on the difference between basic HTML and CSS.
It’s crazy to me how many variables there are to consider to when choosing a typeface for a site; these include size, color, and font, how you want the text to fit on a line, the justification, et cetera. It’s important to consider white space when designing a page. If the text bounces around too much and there are not any consistencies with the white space, a reader will lose his/her focus and a site may be viewed as poorly designed. The reading suggested keeping line length to approximately nine or ten words per line. This increases readability because readers do not have to work so hard to get to the next line of text. While you can use any font you’d like for your site, most operating systems have default fonts installed, and therefore, your font may not translate correctly from computer to computer. It is very important to remain consistent with these choices, also, so as not to make a site look messy. The reading suggested no more than two different fonts per site.
Chapter 10 began with the different types of file formats and what each of them meant in terms of web design. It also included information on file sizing and the importance of finding the correct size, as well as how to do that. It ended with information on thumbnail graphics and how to create those. I had some basic knowledge of most of this information from my years as Editor-in-Chief of the school yearbook/newspaper. It was important to know how to save the photos we had in order to pull them back up in the correct format; as well as know how large to bring the photo into the computer as when scanning it in. One thing I did not know much or anything about was anti-aliasing, which was also in the Typography reading. Anti-aliasing involves the smoothness of the edge of a graphic. According to the chapter, most designers in today’s world think that anti-aliased, or larger sized graphics are better for a higher quality image. I have seen my fiancé do this a few times in Photoshop when he was working on a site. He took some sort of tool, and defined the edges. This made them appear smoother to the viewer’s eye, which in turn, enhanced the page.
Overall, I thought this information was definitely some worthwhile reading. It was a combination of things that I knew either nothing about or very, very little about. I think that knowledge of all these variables will definitely help me create a much better second website, as well as however many I may create in the future.
Typography Reading & Chapter 10
13 March 2008
I particularly liked the reading on Typography from the WebStyle Guide because it opened my eyes to different programming things that I was using in DreamWeaver, but really had little no idea about, especially that of CSS. I used that on my first website for the class, but did not really understand what it was that I was creating; I was more or less just following along with my tutorials, never thinking too much about what I was doing, just trying to get it done well. I really liked CSS because they do have complete control over the visual style of headers, paragraphs, lists, and so on. It also let me create one page, and then it was used as this sort of template for all the other pages. The marginal information and properties like that were all fixed then from this one template. So much of this article was focused on the difference between basic HTML and CSS.
It’s crazy to me how many variables there are to consider to when choosing a typeface for a site; these include size, color, and font, how you want the text to fit on a line, the justification, et cetera. It’s important to consider white space when designing a page. If the text bounces around too much and there are not any consistencies with the white space, a reader will lose his/her focus and a site may be viewed as poorly designed. The reading suggested keeping line length to approximately nine or ten words per line. This increases readability because readers do not have to work so hard to get to the next line of text. While you can use any font you’d like for your site, most operating systems have default fonts installed, and therefore, your font may not translate correctly from computer to computer. It is very important to remain consistent with these choices, also, so as not to make a site look messy. The reading suggested no more than two different fonts per site.
Chapter 10 began with the different types of file formats and what each of them meant in terms of web design. It also included information on file sizing and the importance of finding the correct size, as well as how to do that. It ended with information on thumbnail graphics and how to create those. I had some basic knowledge of most of this information from my years as Editor-in-Chief of the school yearbook/newspaper. It was important to know how to save the photos we had in order to pull them back up in the correct format; as well as know how large to bring the photo into the computer as when scanning it in. One thing I did not know much or anything about was anti-aliasing, which was also in the Typography reading. Anti-aliasing involves the smoothness of the edge of a graphic. According to the chapter, most designers in today’s world think that anti-aliased, or larger sized graphics are better for a higher quality image. I have seen my fiancé do this a few times in Photoshop when he was working on a site. He took some sort of tool, and defined the edges. This made them appear smoother to the viewer’s eye, which in turn, enhanced the page.
Overall, I thought this information was definitely some worthwhile reading. It was a combination of things that I knew either nothing about or very, very little about. I think that knowledge of all these variables will definitely help me create a much better second website, as well as however many I may create in the future.
Mar 12, 2008
Chapter 10, Identity, and Typography
The authors really seemed to stress the importance of chapter 10, which really made me examine it closely, because the authors are usually so laid back. But with his chapter, they seemed serious and down to business. GIF files seem to be the most popular because they can be viewed on all computers, compressed, and can create animations. It was interesting to learn about GIF and JPEG files because those are the ones I use most often. I never really thought about them before. The section on image maps was interesting because I see those all the time, but I never knew what they were called. I automatically thought back to that Melanie Griffith website that we visited in class. Her home page was an image map.
At first glance, Sherry Turkle’s website portrays her as a professional career woman. Her entire website is about her job, career, what she does for a living, and all the accomplishments she’s achieved. Her second page lists everything that she has written and or published: books, reports, chapters, articles, notes, lectures, papers, affiliations, accomplishments, and other professional activities. Her final page is about her interviews and profiles. To me, her identity is a very professional one. I also get almost a conceited feeling of identity from her page. Everything on this page revolves around her accomplishments, it’s almost as if she is bragging about all that she has done. I don’t get a personal sense of identity from her at all. We know nothing else about her. Every single page has the same layout, text, and a picture of Sherry Turkle. She seems very guarded.
The identity I got from Robin Willilams’ website was a very approachable, conversational one. She seemed like a genuine person from the quote at the top describing her to her personal website to her books. Her identity seemed very real and true. She is not afraid of who she is and letting people know who she is. She’s very willing to share herself with anyone who cares to look at her page.
The typography website was interesting because before this, I had no idea what typography was. The part that interested me the most was learning that alignment, line length, white space, typeface, type size, and case were all part of typography because I never really associated them with anything; I just knew they were there. It was interesting to learn what they did and how they worked.
At first glance, Sherry Turkle’s website portrays her as a professional career woman. Her entire website is about her job, career, what she does for a living, and all the accomplishments she’s achieved. Her second page lists everything that she has written and or published: books, reports, chapters, articles, notes, lectures, papers, affiliations, accomplishments, and other professional activities. Her final page is about her interviews and profiles. To me, her identity is a very professional one. I also get almost a conceited feeling of identity from her page. Everything on this page revolves around her accomplishments, it’s almost as if she is bragging about all that she has done. I don’t get a personal sense of identity from her at all. We know nothing else about her. Every single page has the same layout, text, and a picture of Sherry Turkle. She seems very guarded.
The identity I got from Robin Willilams’ website was a very approachable, conversational one. She seemed like a genuine person from the quote at the top describing her to her personal website to her books. Her identity seemed very real and true. She is not afraid of who she is and letting people know who she is. She’s very willing to share herself with anyone who cares to look at her page.
The typography website was interesting because before this, I had no idea what typography was. The part that interested me the most was learning that alignment, line length, white space, typeface, type size, and case were all part of typography because I never really associated them with anything; I just knew they were there. It was interesting to learn what they did and how they worked.
Chapter 10, Identity, and Typography
The authors really seemed to stress the importance of chapter 10, which really made me examine it closely, because the authors are usually so laid back. But with his chapter, they seemed serious and down to business. GIF files seem to be the most popular because they can be viewed on all computers, compressed, and can create animations. It was interesting to learn about GIF and JPEG files because those are the ones I use most often. I never really thought about them before. The section on image maps was interesting because I see those all the time, but I never knew what they were called. I automatically thought back to that Melanie Griffith website that we visited in class. Her home page was an image map.
At first glance, Sherry Turkle’s website portrays her as a professional career woman. Her entire website is about her job, career, what she does for a living, and all the accomplishments she’s achieved. Her second page lists everything that she has written and or published: books, reports, chapters, articles, notes, lectures, papers, affiliations, accomplishments, and other professional activities. Her final page is about her interviews and profiles. To me, her identity is a very professional one. I also get almost a conceited feeling of identity from her page. Everything on this page revolves around her accomplishments, it’s almost as if she is bragging about all that she has done. I don’t get a personal sense of identity from her at all. We know nothing else about her. Every single page has the same layout, text, and a picture of Sherry Turkle. She seems very guarded.
The identity I got from Robin Willilams’ website was a very approachable, conversational one. She seemed like a genuine person from the quote at the top describing her to her personal website to her books. Her identity seemed very real and true. She is not afraid of who she is and letting people know who she is. She’s very willing to share herself with anyone who cares to look at her page.
The typography website was interesting because before this, I had no idea what typography was. The part that interested me the most was learning that alignment, line length, white space, typeface, type size, and case were all part of typography because I never really associated them with anything; I just knew they were there. It was interesting to learn what they did and how they worked.
At first glance, Sherry Turkle’s website portrays her as a professional career woman. Her entire website is about her job, career, what she does for a living, and all the accomplishments she’s achieved. Her second page lists everything that she has written and or published: books, reports, chapters, articles, notes, lectures, papers, affiliations, accomplishments, and other professional activities. Her final page is about her interviews and profiles. To me, her identity is a very professional one. I also get almost a conceited feeling of identity from her page. Everything on this page revolves around her accomplishments, it’s almost as if she is bragging about all that she has done. I don’t get a personal sense of identity from her at all. We know nothing else about her. Every single page has the same layout, text, and a picture of Sherry Turkle. She seems very guarded.
The identity I got from Robin Willilams’ website was a very approachable, conversational one. She seemed like a genuine person from the quote at the top describing her to her personal website to her books. Her identity seemed very real and true. She is not afraid of who she is and letting people know who she is. She’s very willing to share herself with anyone who cares to look at her page.
The typography website was interesting because before this, I had no idea what typography was. The part that interested me the most was learning that alignment, line length, white space, typeface, type size, and case were all part of typography because I never really associated them with anything; I just knew they were there. It was interesting to learn what they did and how they worked.
Typography and Chapter 10
Typography is the balance and interplay of letterforms on the page, a verbal and visual equation that helps the reader understand the form and absorb the substance of the page content. It plays a two part role, verbal and visual. Though headlines are just headlines, they server some importance. The main on is so that both human readers and automated search engines can look at a document and easily determine its information structure. CSS sheets are Cascading Style Sheets. The provide control over the exact visual style of headers and other text on the page. Good typography depends on certain things, such as legibility, alignment, surprising enough the kind of computer one has. Repeating patterns established throughout the pages help the reader establish the location and organization of your information and increases the legibility. Alignment, define the reading area of a page by separating the main text from the surround text. Lastly, depending on whether you have a MAC or Windows affects the font sizes. On windows web browsers the text display will look 2 to 3 times points larger than on a MAC. For example a 12 font size on a windows will look like a 14-16 font size on a MAC.
Chapter 10 was very informative. I never actually knew the difference between the file formats. I always just saved things as what would come up. Also I agree that when you open a website and it takes to long to load it is just annoying and you don’t want to wait. I usually just skip ahead and find a new one, which in many cases probably isn’t good because if I waited for it to load it could be an amazing site with lots of good information. The anti-aliasing thing was very interesting to me. I have noticed before images not always being clear on a site but just thought maybe it was my computer or a bad picture. I did not know there was an actual reason and name for it. Later I learned that it is good for large display type, but it is not good for small type sizes. Anything small than 10 points wouldn’t work because it reduces it too much that one could probably not even read it.
After reading the Typography piece it brought to my attention color bind people. I completely forgot that without seeing the colors a page may look like nothing of importance. I really enjoy colors and like to use them whenever possible but like in the article you have to show another way to emphasis what the color means because not everyone can see the color. Also sometimes colors do not always show up the same on different computers. Another thing that was interesting was that the font sizes are different between MAC’s and windows. I have always used windows so I would not even know how to use a MAC but I did not think they would be different in font size.
Chapter 10 was very informative. I never actually knew the difference between the file formats. I always just saved things as what would come up. Also I agree that when you open a website and it takes to long to load it is just annoying and you don’t want to wait. I usually just skip ahead and find a new one, which in many cases probably isn’t good because if I waited for it to load it could be an amazing site with lots of good information. The anti-aliasing thing was very interesting to me. I have noticed before images not always being clear on a site but just thought maybe it was my computer or a bad picture. I did not know there was an actual reason and name for it. Later I learned that it is good for large display type, but it is not good for small type sizes. Anything small than 10 points wouldn’t work because it reduces it too much that one could probably not even read it.
After reading the Typography piece it brought to my attention color bind people. I completely forgot that without seeing the colors a page may look like nothing of importance. I really enjoy colors and like to use them whenever possible but like in the article you have to show another way to emphasis what the color means because not everyone can see the color. Also sometimes colors do not always show up the same on different computers. Another thing that was interesting was that the font sizes are different between MAC’s and windows. I have always used windows so I would not even know how to use a MAC but I did not think they would be different in font size.
Mar 11, 2008
my avatar
OK, so I just figured out how to upload my avatar. This did not take me as long as I orginally thought it would. I was going to spend my time picking out clothes and stuff like that, however, the avatars that truely represented me had premade outfits, and I could not change them. Therefore, I picked the one I thought most represented my style. I also put the background in so as to allow others to identify that I like science fiction. I picked the hair, glasses, and jeweraly according to what I normally wear. I had fun doing this. And I feel it went well with the articles we read.
Assignment for Thursday
Constructing Identity
All the people listed below are authors of pieces we have read for class or authors I have mentioned in class. Choose two authors and explore their web sites.
Pay particular attention to how they construct, represent, and assert identity on their sites, paying specific attention to how they visually construct their identities (e.g., through graphics and photographs, with the use of particular colors or font faces).
Be ready to share the sites and to talk about the visual identity-construction work the author(s) have done.
Jessica Helfand (Screen)
http://www.jhwd.com/
Julian Dibbell (My Tiny Life)
http://www.juliandibbell.com/
Sherry Turkle (Who am We?)
http://www.mit.edu/~sturkle/
Lisa Nakamura (Race In/For Cyberspace)
http://www.lisanakamura.net/
George Landow (What's a Critic to Do?)
http://www.landow.com/
Robin Williams (NonDesigners Web Book)
http://www.ratz.com/
Jean Baudrillard (Simulations)
http://www.egs.edu/faculty/baudrillard.html
http://vv.arts.ucla.edu/projects/current.php
March 11, 2008
Mariann Daniel
Electronic Word
I think the most interesting thing about the essay “Who Am We” is the differences between the expectations for computers from when they first came out to now. Before, as the author states, all that was expected of a computer was to be one huge calculator. Now, the author states, children especially expect a computer to be almost like a brain. The problem is that children see all the things a computer does and all the different programs and they assume that a computer can think—they believe a computer to have intelligence even if it does not half blood. This is untrue, it is the programmer who gives a computer its life and one that can take it away. In a sense the computer is still just a calculater with larger more complicated calculations. I think it is interesting to believe that the computer has intelligence when humans are the ones putting all the intelligence into it.
In the beginning of the essay the author stated that there are many of her on-line and then proceeded to list them all. Within her essay, an interviewed subject expressed this same type of belief, stating that he can be many different people at once and indulge each one of his different personality traits by having one corresponding life on-line. This is an interesting expression of what life is to people in this day and age. It also is interesting that people who have these lives on-line think that their real lives are too narrow. An interesting contrast to how some of the human population think of on-line gamers or people to spend too much time from there life on-line to begin with.
Yet as Nakamura’s essay states, “This utopian vision of cyberspace as a promoter of a radically democratic form of discourse should not be underestimated.” Identity is a key aspect to most gaming sites. As a member creating a new character, one must give a description about one’s self. This type of identification allows people to express the different aspects of their personalities. All in all, the on-line societies, even with no thought, are as real to some people as real life is to the rest of the human population.
Electronic Word
I think the most interesting thing about the essay “Who Am We” is the differences between the expectations for computers from when they first came out to now. Before, as the author states, all that was expected of a computer was to be one huge calculator. Now, the author states, children especially expect a computer to be almost like a brain. The problem is that children see all the things a computer does and all the different programs and they assume that a computer can think—they believe a computer to have intelligence even if it does not half blood. This is untrue, it is the programmer who gives a computer its life and one that can take it away. In a sense the computer is still just a calculater with larger more complicated calculations. I think it is interesting to believe that the computer has intelligence when humans are the ones putting all the intelligence into it.
In the beginning of the essay the author stated that there are many of her on-line and then proceeded to list them all. Within her essay, an interviewed subject expressed this same type of belief, stating that he can be many different people at once and indulge each one of his different personality traits by having one corresponding life on-line. This is an interesting expression of what life is to people in this day and age. It also is interesting that people who have these lives on-line think that their real lives are too narrow. An interesting contrast to how some of the human population think of on-line gamers or people to spend too much time from there life on-line to begin with.
Yet as Nakamura’s essay states, “This utopian vision of cyberspace as a promoter of a radically democratic form of discourse should not be underestimated.” Identity is a key aspect to most gaming sites. As a member creating a new character, one must give a description about one’s self. This type of identification allows people to express the different aspects of their personalities. All in all, the on-line societies, even with no thought, are as real to some people as real life is to the rest of the human population.
Articles/Avatar
The Nakamura article, which dealt with identity on the internet, was fairly straight-forward, and for the most part just affirmed many things I have come to accept as part of the internet. She discussed how the internet can function as a buffer between real life and the online communities where users of particular groups are asked to represent themselves through gender and self description, but little other than that. Additionally , she points out, users can and often do intentionally misrepresent themselves in a form of what she calls “cross dressing.” She also discusses race and how this classification is less defined in online communities where gender and physical description is often asked for without the mention of race or ethnicity. I found this article to be pretty interesting because it identified some of the things I have come across when playing games or surfing around online. I didn’t really think there was as much research and thought being devoted to online representations of self, and I think this article did a good job of taking a closer look at this.
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