Week 2 Topic 3

This is pretty much the same as the previous task but relating it to our own blog and forum, which I think I mentioned in my previous topic anyway, but here goes, sorry if I'm repeating myself!

Navigation- Blog spot for me is very easy to use, I think I worked out pretty qucikly, other than the trouble I'm having with missing text, which is very confusing and annoying! The dashboard on this site makes it very easy to navigate and see who has posted what and to create a new post your self, editing your profile is again very easy, just something I haven't got round to doing yet. This isn't so much an online converstaion like a forum or a chat-room but more of a indivdual thing. You post your views on a topic or question for who ever wants to read it, they are then able to post a comment stating what they thing, questions can be asked which may create a sort of converstaion, but it doesn't seem to follow as much as a forum or such.

Expression- I don't think I express myself in the same way as I do in seminars or in the forum we have for our groups. To me the forum is much more for posting queries or questions I have about the unit or a certain topic. Its much more brief. This on the other hand is for me to give my opinion and answers to questions we've been set and to discuss my thought on them. I don't tend you use text speech at all, not even when I text mates or chat on MSN Messenger, but I think the way I may phrase things on here may be different to in a real life seminar situation. I don't know about everyone else but I feel pressure in seminars in case you get put on the spot and don't know the answer to a question, where as here you have chance to think about your opinion and answers.

Interaction- I like the interaction on here, face-to-face seminar are obviously more formal and you only have a certain amount of time to listen and interact with one another, where as on here, there's no rush we have a week to do all the work. Also its a lot easier to get your opinion across on certain points or others opinions, I find that in seminar it can sometimes be hard to do this, as everyone else is trying to talk, people talk over one another and there's always people louder and more eager to give their opinion.

Time- I guess I've mentioned this in the above, the time scale is different than with a face-to-face seminar, You always have a week to do any prep for the next seminar, similarly to on here were we have a week to do all the topics and questions and reading, but we have a lot longer to get are thoughts and idea across, a face-to-face seminar you do all your work for an hours discussion, sometimes not even that long and that why I feel sometimes its a competition to see who can get their ideas across, where as on here having a week allows us all to get as many ideas across as we are capable.

Authority and Identity- I think everyone is in charge with this unit, everyone is in charge of their own blog. Everyone has a responsibility to get their blogs done in time and discuss the right topics. We're are all being told what we have to think about and write about so in that case I guess the tutor's are still in charge, but not in the same way as a normal seminar, where they would stand in front of the class and tell us exactly what to do for the whole time.

Speech/Writing- With this blog it gives us the chance to focus on one topic/question/opinion we might have, it also allows us to change text, style and add images. You can make certain points in your text stand out by making these kinds of alterations.

The last point is exactly the same as in topic 2 for this week, so just look at that one!!!!

Week 2 Topic 2

To go back to Livingstone’s point in lecture 2, is the asynchronous online seminar just doing what we would normally in a seminar do but online, or does the shift online change the nature of the communication and potentially the nature of your learning?

• I certainly think that there is defiantly a difference between a normal seminar and that of an online one, the change for me is quite obvious. The way you speak online to that of in a seminar, the way you feel, I myself feel much more relaxed with this online work, it feels like there's a lot less pressure your not point on the spot like you might be by a tutor in a seminar. Your able to comment on each others ideas easily with out others talking over you and butting in.

a) Navigation – how do you get around the web forum; is it an online conversation?

An online forum is easy to navigate round and are generally laid out in such away that anyone will be able to you it. A forum its self is where people from all across the world go online to discuss certain topics that they are interested in, for example there are a lot of forums on Music which enable fans from anywhere to interact with one another. They create a conversation type discussion, as one user starts a link on the home forum page to a specific topic he/she has thought of and anyone who goes to the forum and sees this topic can instantly reply to the discussion, it maybe answering a question or just giving your feelings on a certain matter, this continues and who wants to comments on this topic or what certain people have replied to it, therefore creating a conversation. It is very informal and chat like speech is used, the only really difference from online messenger services is that its not an instant conversation.

b) Expression – do you express yourself in the same way? How do we ‘take turns’?

Again it is a very chatty use of speech that is used and some users may even use 'text speech', as some see it as easier and faster to use. But the major difference with online forum to a face to face chat in seminars, is that you could be anyone you wanted to be you can create a totally new self image and pretend to be someone your not. This is the scariest thing about online forums, you never know who your actually talking too. The 'take-turns' aspect is much better in an online situation than in real life, as I mentioned above, no one will talk over you or push your answer aside like they might do in real life. A forum allows you to make your own comment on the situation/topic without any trouble and it can't be ignored as its there written in front of the whole message board.

c) Interaction – how does it compare to face-to-face seminars?

Interaction on the online forums is very different to that of face-to-face in the class room interaction.When a seminar is held you have the tutor at the front of the class leading and provoking a discussion, the tutor holds the power in a seminar setting, where as in an online discussion anyone can have that power, the person who creates a topic is the one provoking the discussion. Forums are much more informal in the way things are discussed, such as the use of 'text speech' etc.

d) Time – activities being over a week?

Time within online forums can never be predicted, you have no idea how long it is going to take to get a reply from another user on the discussion you have started, where as in real life you get an immediate answer, that is as long as someone knows the answer or have an opinion on it. In relation to our online work, the idea of it being over a week and continual being assessed is a good idea. It encourages us to do the work in stages over the course of the week, rather than doing what a lot of people do and leave work right until the last minute.

e) Authority and identity – who is in charge?

I've already mentioned the change in authority in online forums in a previous answer, but there us that obvious change. The tutor is now not necessarily in charge of what is being said and what is being discussed. Anyone can start a conversation and essential they can start it on any topic they like, although with our online unit we know what what have to discuss. And anything inappropriate that is put online will be seen by the individuals who run the forum.

f) Speech / writing – does the forum have features we would associate with either? A combination.

Forums as mentioned before are used by anyone, so any type of language or speech can be used. Even if your told not to use 'text speech' for example, if your used to using it when chatting to friends online its very difficult to stop your self in other online conversations. Forums allows users to use any form of communication, whether it be the written word,images, video or audio sound clips.

g) Do you have the knowledge, the media ‘literacy’ to be a user, an advanced user? If not how does it feel?

I don't feel I am an advanced user or forums or blogs, but I know the basics that are needed to set up a blog or join a forum, for some who may never had experience with this going into a forum may be very daunting. But in today's society I doubt there are many who haven't had some sort of experience with MSN or Facebook, and forums have a similar sort of concept

Week 2 Topic 1 F, G, H and I.

Right, I struggled a little with these last four questions of this topic, so if anyone thinks what I'm saying is wrong please say!

f)p. 21 What do you make of Lunenfield’s concept of ‘immersive interactivity’? What could we apply it to?

'Immersive' Interaction is to do with online gaming and 3D environments. Its when a user gains access to a 3D world and the use of data representation. With online games the user creates what is known as an 'avatar' (An online character of themselves)users are able to communicate with one another and play against each others and being immersed in an online world. I don't really know that much about online gaming .... as of yet, something i need to research more!!!

g)p.27 What do you understand by ‘non-linear, non-sequential reading and writing?’ Does it capture the experience of the Web?

Non-Liner is when events in a story are revealed in the 'wrong' order, you tend to find out more about the story as it goes on, flash backs etc show non-liner, when something jumps back and fourth in time to show different scenarios. When researching on the internet you can jump from link to link and pick at random what to look at, so you may get stories, and tails of events happening in different orders. There are many different 'pathways' to take, its not as straight forward as when you read a book and its all laid out in a certain order for you.

h) p.33 If new media allows more people to be involved in cultural production (compared to mass media) what are these new voices saying in public? In a DIY and click-to-send setting, what kind of things are people sharing with others that comes from their private/domestic world and might otherwise not be distributed?

This question immediately makes me think of social networking sites.Ones such as Myspace and Facebook allows users to upload photos and publish personal information for who ever wants to see it. When you first meet someone at University or when your out you wouldnt straight away tell them your realtionship status, your age, where you live or show them hundreds sometimes thousands of photos of your self. But thats essentially what these sites do, people add friends of friends or people they may have only meet once, and for some reason believe its okay to tell and show people these things.

i) p. 42 (and preceding discussion of interactivity) Is there such a thing as ‘ideal interactivity’? What form might it take? You can also refer to Meikle’s four types in the week 2 lecture.

Ideal interactivity. Can there truely be such a thing as ideal. There are many forms of media that incorprate interativity and I believe it depends on the user and to what they think as being ideal to them. Whether its online gaming in a 3D world, communication sites (such as forums, blogs and social networking sites) Interactive Tv (Sky plus etc) depending on the person and what they like, there idea of ideal interactivity will be different from those of another person.

Week 2 Topic 1 C and D and E

C) p.11 Are new media a source of ‘progress’ in the sense that they enhance things we do in spheres of social activity – business, education, shopping, democracy etc? Could we say that such a proposition involves an ‘ideology of progress’?

I think that 'new media' in some ways is very much a source of progress with our social activity. I can't say that I go for very long in a day with out checking my phone or facebooking or emails, with out these forms of 'new media' I would not be able to stay in touch with people, these things all increase my social activity.

I feel business and education have probably benefited more from 'new media'. With the increase in communication devices and software, this has to of had a massive affect within business. Company can get/order anything they need by touch of a button, they can arrange meetings much quicker. In work in general can be completed much quicker with the use of computers and certain software (Such as data inputting)

It would also take a lot longer to complete an essay for University if it had to be hand written or with the use of a type writer.

D) p.12 Is there a clean break between analogue and digital media (cf. Bolter and Grusin’s concept of ‘remediation’)? Can you identify any commonalities? For example, is email based on the language of ‘letters’ and ‘the postal service’ because we have tried to fashion its communication functions in terms we are already familiar with?

I think there is a clear difference between analogue and digital media. But how clear this difference is depends on the medium you look at.

Take email and letter for instance, there is clear difference in that a letter is an actual object (Has a physical form) and an email does not have a physical form, but is data (A code of binary numbers)

The actual use and concept of an email and a letter aren't that different. There to communicate/ inform other's, one is just a lot faster than the other!

e) p. 17 Digitality and code. Imagine you couldn’t compose your assignments on computer. How would a hand-written editing and composition process be different?

Having to write and essay with out the use of a computer is not something I really want to think about! So much time is put into completing an essay with the use of a computer. not having one would increase this time by a huge amount.

You'd have to firstly write a draft, read it, add any new thoughts or ideas, read over that correct any errors, and re-write the whole thing, this would not be fun at all! Your hand would ache for one! And the stress it would course if you thought you were finished and then noticed a silly mistake and you then had to correct this, meaning re-writing the whole essay, which would be really annoying. I don't know about anyone else but I know I have to read through and correct my essays a lot before I can say they are done.

This blog really doesn't like me, it keeps saying error when i tried to post and is coming up with a html code in the compose section... and then published it with out any writing hope its working now, even if the writing is all weirdly spaced!If it seems like any sentences are missing, they probably are!Stupid thing! I don't like blogs

Week 2 Topic 1 A and B

Right so here is the first part of topic one for this week, felt it was better to post them a couple at a time and therefore make it easier for people to read and comment on.

A) p. 2 With Windows Vista replacing XP and Office 2007 replacing Office 2003, (and so on), what is ‘upgrade culture’ all about? Is some new media change just consumerism thought up by big business?

'Upgrade Culture' is the constant changing of media technologies, leading to society always wanting to have the 'latest' and up to data thing, including software, phones, TVs, Computers and gaming systems, the list could go on and on. The constant need for this newness shows how much of a consumer society we live in and just how greedy the majority of society are. No one ever seems happy with the laptop, phone or camera they have, even if its the best around, you know there will be an updated and newer version within a few months even weeks. You hear people say 'you might as well wait there will be a new one out soon enough'.
I feel that windows office 2003, 2007, XP and Vista replacing one another is kind of an unnecessary occurrence. To me the previously mentioned software seem to be pretty much the same and do the same thing. Okay well there is a difference between office 2003 and Vista,but the lastet ones all seem to be the same. Why then do consumers still replace their version with the so called "Next one up" if their all pretty much the same?
Its the desire to have the best and latest product. I think a lot of it is just the companies marketing the same product as something new and different.

B) p. 3+ According to Lister et al., some commentators stress the ‘newness’ of new media, but others (such as Kevin Robins) can be seen to be saying that nothing fundamental has changed, because new media technology is another product of capitalism, and therefore will fit into and serve a pre-existing capitalist society and culture, rather than transform it in any fundamental sense. Any thoughts? Can we critique this position?

I can kind of agree with both of the above. Robins idea of how new is 'new media' is an important question to ask. Is the lastest phone, laptop that different from the last?
The conceptand basic technology for almost everything within 'New media' criteria is exactly the same as the first of that type of product. I'm not suggesting that techonology doens't change, of course there is changes to everything,but is anything totally, whole hearted new?
If you look at the first telephone, the main use is still exactly the same as now a days. You use a phone to call others and use it as a main communication device, has that changed?
I know that even house hold phones has new features now, such as text messaging or faxing, but you can't argue that the basic technology of being able to communicate with someone else who has a phone isn't the same.

Week1 Topic 2

A) How does Goebbels' view of radio link to a political ideology? Why does he identify certain kind of communication potential in the medium?

It is obvious from the start of Goebbel's speech that his main idea for the radio is to use it as a form of propaganda for the political ideas of his regime. He goes on about wanting to inform the people and bring the nation together, but the way he feels he can do this is via the radio, it was a tool for his ideology to reach the 'masses'. He seems to have a problem with others using the radio for entertainment purposes 'The radio is the most influential and important intermediary between a spiritual movement and the nation', showing that he feels he can reach everyone, he even talks about reaching out to the whole world, to let them know what german is all about. 

He talks about the French Revolution and how the press was the best way for political ideas and views to be put across, and then how the radio is what the press was in the 19th century. Again giving the idea for total political takeover of the radio. 

B) How might his views seem to people today? What is radio 'good for' in your opinion?

I think the people of today would not totally agree with Goebbel's ideas in relation to the radio. Yes it obviously does still play a major part in todays society, if it didn't it wouldn't exist, it has to have some purpose to still produced.

Today radio is used much more for entertainment than anything else, the majority of shows are chatty, informal and have some comedic value. Its not like Goebbel's wanted, its not all serious, its not all about politics. He also goes on about it being spiritual, I don't think people today would believe or take that idea seriously. 

However you can't argue with his idea of radio being informative to the masses and that it will reach everyone, because it does, the huge extent of radio audiences shows this. 

C) What kind of things have been said about the Internet and the impact it is having on society? from hyper and utopian dreaming to moral panic? 

There has been a lot of debate around the Internet and whether it is safe or not. The majority of arguments have been negative and discouraging of the use of the Internet, especially when it comes to children. Although there is a lot of censorship anyone can gain access to pornographic images or contact a stranger that could course a user harm, such as a pedophile or an online scammer, as-well as the violence they may come across in images and videos. To a lot of people these risks seem to high, and I think that you have to be very careful when using any Internet site and never give away certain details. It has also made illegal actions much easier for anyone to do, such as illegal music and film downloading. 

However the Internet can't be seen as all bad, it helps a lot of people in their everyday life. whether it be for educational purposes, informational in any away,purchasing goods that may otherwise not be available and for general recreation.

 

My experience of 'New Media'

I'm not to sure if we have to post a separate blog on our experiences of 'New Media' as this is sort of mentioned in topic one for this week. But here we go anyway!

I use 'New Media' a lot with out even realising it. Everyday I come into contact with some form of 'New Media' whether this is by choice or for University purposes. The internet plays a massive part in my life, maybe more than I would like to admit. I use it everyday with out fail, whether its emailing my Mum or Nan to update them on what's happening up here! Or if its going on facebook to contact friends from home and anywhere in the world. I also use it to shop online and get things that are unavailable to me here in Lincoln, and I also use it for informational purposes, mainly to do with my University work, to research some kind of topic and gain a wide knowledge. Thats why I think its so great, it's useful to everyone. At least anyone with access to a computer and an internet provider. 

I also use interactive TV quite a lot, to catch up on programmes I have missed or just to watch something good, when nothing else is on real-time Tv. 

Most days I also come into contact with 'New Media' formats such as CD's, DVD's and My MP3 player. I use all these things with out even thinking about it. There a part of my everyday life. I always have a CD or my MP3 player on to listen to music.

Thats all I can think of right now. 

Week 1. Topic 1

Emails and email lists are Electronic mail, is any method of creating, transmitting, or storing primarily text-based human communications with digital communications systems. It can be one to one or one to group message distribution. You can send text files and pictures to others via email. It’s a good way of stay in touch with people anywhere in the world, there is no limit. It is also free and therefore very appealing. I use emails on a daily bases to keep in touch with family and friends will I’m away from home. It’s the best way to contact tutors if I need help with any work. I also use it to send work to myself when I need to go and work somewhere else, such as the library.

Bulletin boards and Usenet’s- Usenet’s are a topic based comment and discussion communication site. A user posts a comment or message on a certain topic and others reply and therefore create a conversation. Bulletin board systems are mini Usenet’s site. They work in a similar way to forums I believe. Someone posts a thread and others can then comment on it. I have never used a bulletin board or Usenet’s.

 IRL’s chat rooms, Messenger services are much like emails, but much more instant. Users sign in and are immediately able to chat in real-time to other users.  Chart rooms are more of a subject specific communication source, most have a subject of which to discuss and anyone is able to join and chat to other users. It’s a way to speak to complete strangers.                     Messenger is more of personal chat space. Its software that you have to download to your computer to enable you to use it, such as msn or yahoo messenger. You add those who you want to chat to generally friends and family. No one can contact you unless you’ve given your ‘addy’ making it slightly more private than a chat room.                                              I use MSN quite a lot to stay in touch with friends who are not in Lincoln, and my family while I’m away. It’s a cheap and easy way to stay in contact no matter how far the distant.

MUDs, Multi User Dungeon. Its an online environment. Multi-user real-time virtual world. It combines elements of ‘role-playing games’, ‘hack and slash’, ‘interactive fiction’, and ‘online chat’

I don’t know what a MOO is, anyone know???                                                                     I don’t use either of these, as I think there a little strange and don’t see the appeal myself. 

Website is a collation of web pages, images, videos etc, that is hosted by one specific web server. They are usual of a certain topic and written in XHTML Code. They are accessible to everyone who is in reach of the Internet.                                                                             I use website on a daily bases, mostly to purchase things, such as DVDS, CDS and Presents. 

I don't know why this has gone all funny in relation to the lay out and font size, I've tried to correct this but nothing is working!

The rest of my notes on the reading. Week 1

So I've read through the rest of this weeks reading of New Media: A Critical Introduction, pages 1-44.
The reading as cleared up my understanding of New Media and what the main focuses of this is.
Firstly looking at the idea of 'The Media' to help understand, media is normally used to mean 'Communication Media' and 'The Institutions and Organisations people work'.
Media is a fully social institution, and new media immediately makes you think of change. The media is always reinventing itself and is ever changing. New media is seen as creating this 'new techoculture' and bringing a cultural change.
It also looks into the link of Modernist beliefs to new media, and the idea of bringing in opportunities. I feel I need to look into this further to full understand the relationship.
The term 'New Media' and its definition, can mean different things to different people, one may take it to mean something to do with the internet, others may associate it with television. The connotations of 'newness' are taking by people to describe a certain medium to give it some glamor, to make it seem the best, give an idea of power over other things.
The idea of Analogue and Digital seem to be quite important.
I struggled to come to terms with the difference, but I think I have some idea.
Analogue is where one physical thing is taken and stored in another physical form.
Digital is the process where the physical thing is taken and changed into data(codes) of binary numbers, not into another physical object like analogue. And is stored in a computers memory, or a memory stick if the thing is a photo for instances.
Please comment if you think this is not quite write or you feel differently.
Finally Interactivity, is where the viewers, become a 'User' it is an important change. The User can 'manipulate' and 'intervene in the media, they have the power, they can change what they see.

I don't get Dispersal??????? Help anyone!

Introduction of 'New Media: A Critical Introduction"

I first of all read through the Introduction chapter of this book.
To try and gain a better understanding of what the book is about, what it covers and to develop my understanding of 'NEW MEDIA'.
It seems that the concept of New media is more difficult to understand than just knowing the latest technology that are available. It incorporates:
-The methods of communication.
- Representation
-Expression
that have changed and developed using digital, multimedia, networked computer.
This includes all types of media such as Books, television, telephones. The majority of things we use in everyday life, with out even taking a second thought.
'Computerisation' and 'Digitisation' are mentioned and the impact upon media.
My understanding of these is that the world has become much more of an interactive place, it's now the norm to have comptuers and interactive television sets in ever house hold, most forms of media play some part in everybody's live.You can't get away from 'New Media' it is everywhere!!
Media is forever changing and it is therefore hard to analysis and discuss, if you go back to look again, it more than likely wont be the same as when you first looked at the medium. Linking to the concept of 'upgrade culture'.

I trying to read the book as thoroughly as possible to try and get a good understanding, although I'm struggling to get through it all.

Lecture and Seminar 1.

So this is my first real post.
I feel I have got to grips with the site and the idea of blogging pretty quickly.
It was easy enough to set up, with help from the first seminar.
From the Seminar I now know that I should blog at least three times a week, to enable the best mark possible.
From the Lecture I know that twenty hours a week is expected from us and that this blog counts as fifty percent of unit.
Each week we have a Study guide that has topics for discussion and questions to be answered. There is also weekly reading from 'New Media: A Critical Introduction', which I shall read and post my thought and ideas about the reading. Thankfully I have this book, which should make it much easier for me.
The lecture also went through the Idea of RINCY. This is very important within our blogs, the meaning of the term Rincy is 2Read It No Comment Yet".
If I've looked over a post by a member of my study group, they know that I have done so and that there work is actually being read.
Reading for this week is pages 1-44 of the above mentioned book and i shall post again later once the reading is complete.

My first post to my fun time blog!

Wellllllll...

I dont' really know what to say, or what we are meant to use this blogging for!!!
Hopefully we'll find out soon. Otherwise I might start moaning about my life and how terrible it is!!

Over and out!