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
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