1. Using the virtual and RL communities you are a part of for
evidence, describe how you agree and/or disagree with Bell and
Bauman’s notions of virtual communities as peg communities (250-
300 words).
People may react and behave differently in different environments, but it is true that their current mindsets will remain fairly consistent. People are people, across the board, and no matter what the environment they will bring across who they are and the mindsets they currently adhere to. As far as communities along the virtual and real world, I would argue that they adhere to pretty much the same standards. In all of these environments, we hang up a part of ourselves as a part of our identity, which exemplifies Bell's idea that online communities act as peg communities (pg. 254)
Communities act on several different levels. It's a broad term, used to group people together based upon interest, location, beliefs, etc. We can start off at the top of the hierarchy chart of communities, say for example, the Tri-Cities. Because I live here, and my neighbors live here, we are part of the Tri-City community. From there, we can define smaller communities such as the separate cities, or perhaps places in which we work. An optional community that I choose to take part in would be my church. It is evident that there are communities that I inherently belong in whether I like it or not and those of which I actively choose so on my own.
Virtual communities give off this same sort of rapport as well, grouping people into communities that are inherent and/or selective based upon the user's actions. An easy example would be to use Facebook--because we all know everyone who /matters/ has a Facebook. We all belong to the FB community and do just fine. We can sub categorize based upon what schools we decide to list ourselves as having attended, where we live, etc. If I so decided, I could join a FB group based upon interest and/or likes.
For Assignment #2, I'd like to use Facebook and deviantART to compare and contrast different types of communities. Facebook is like the umbrella community while deviantART is a selective, interest based site.
Bell, David. The Cybercultures Reader. 2nd. 1. New York, NY: Routledge, 2000. 254-63.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Monday, September 13, 2010
Notes:
Access is the opportunity to use technology whenever you want to use it or need to use it.
Burbles:
Links are not all of the same type.
Ex: Some links take you out of a site and some keep you in a website.
Reading the author is trying to put on you with the link.
Audio, video, static image, text, broken links.
Links use and placement is a vital way tacit assumptions and values (ideologies) of the design are shown in hypertext.
Ex: highlighting the word devil with a link to GW.
Link to PETA's website suggests a relationship that you are for animals.
Links change the way material is read and understood.
Ex: Rock music and drug info.
Ex: Drug info site, browsing the web, finding links to bands. Association implies that these bands have drug problems.
Links control access to information, offer possible pathways of movement, suggests relationships between items.
Activity: Find a likeable website. 2-3 sentences how links are like the trope.
Burbles:
Links are not all of the same type.
Ex: Some links take you out of a site and some keep you in a website.
Reading the author is trying to put on you with the link.
Audio, video, static image, text, broken links.
Links use and placement is a vital way tacit assumptions and values (ideologies) of the design are shown in hypertext.
Ex: highlighting the word devil with a link to GW.
Link to PETA's website suggests a relationship that you are for animals.
Links change the way material is read and understood.
Ex: Rock music and drug info.
Ex: Drug info site, browsing the web, finding links to bands. Association implies that these bands have drug problems.
Links control access to information, offer possible pathways of movement, suggests relationships between items.
Activity: Find a likeable website. 2-3 sentences how links are like the trope.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Blogo numero threeeeee.
"Oh my god, so many links."
The first thoughts that spill from my mind as I enter yahoo's website. Where do I start? What am I looking for? This is complete and utter--oh wait. Picture. Portal. Riiight.
Burnett and Marshall explain how this very busy page came to be. Stemming from hypertext mark up languages on over to links, yahoo.com is a massive conglomerate of links abound. Taken from their standpoint, the web is nothing too extraordinary. It seemed as if it were an eventual child to birthed from all these different media sources. Yahoo gives the viewer the means to find whatever it is they want on the web, and they do so by organizing it accordingly. Links in the form of pictures and diagrams, moving images meant to capture and hold the user's attention sit with the intention of waving the user down. I find it interesting that they provide links to outside resources that then point back to them, creating a sort of web-clique.
This snapshot taken from yahoo.com as it stands today accurately depicts the web, in my eyes. The web came to around as a hodgepodge of items and links and technology, and so thus, we have an equally created hodgepodge to help us navigate through the spidery and sometimes difficult to navigate, web.
While this is super nice and seemingly useful, I find that having so many elements, so many pictures, despite how "organized" it is detracts away from my experience--if not once calmed peace. It is mentioned that sites such as these are helpful in steering the user to helpful items, but I believe yahoo.com does it at a price that I don't really want to give up. Sites such as google.com provide the same services while keeping a nice, clean, sleek appeal. Google is my go-to man for all my needs--my email, my email... my.. basic daily functions, driving directions, hits for news. Google is so successful at what it does, it has been incorporated outside the web in our daily language, "I don't know.. why don't you just Google that?"
And that, I will.
"Web Theory": Burnett, Robert; Marshall, P. David. "Web Theory: An Introduction". 2003. Routledge.
The first thoughts that spill from my mind as I enter yahoo's website. Where do I start? What am I looking for? This is complete and utter--oh wait. Picture. Portal. Riiight.
Burnett and Marshall explain how this very busy page came to be. Stemming from hypertext mark up languages on over to links, yahoo.com is a massive conglomerate of links abound. Taken from their standpoint, the web is nothing too extraordinary. It seemed as if it were an eventual child to birthed from all these different media sources. Yahoo gives the viewer the means to find whatever it is they want on the web, and they do so by organizing it accordingly. Links in the form of pictures and diagrams, moving images meant to capture and hold the user's attention sit with the intention of waving the user down. I find it interesting that they provide links to outside resources that then point back to them, creating a sort of web-clique.
This snapshot taken from yahoo.com as it stands today accurately depicts the web, in my eyes. The web came to around as a hodgepodge of items and links and technology, and so thus, we have an equally created hodgepodge to help us navigate through the spidery and sometimes difficult to navigate, web.
While this is super nice and seemingly useful, I find that having so many elements, so many pictures, despite how "organized" it is detracts away from my experience--if not once calmed peace. It is mentioned that sites such as these are helpful in steering the user to helpful items, but I believe yahoo.com does it at a price that I don't really want to give up. Sites such as google.com provide the same services while keeping a nice, clean, sleek appeal. Google is my go-to man for all my needs--my email, my email... my.. basic daily functions, driving directions, hits for news. Google is so successful at what it does, it has been incorporated outside the web in our daily language, "I don't know.. why don't you just Google that?"
And that, I will.
"Web Theory": Burnett, Robert; Marshall, P. David. "Web Theory: An Introduction". 2003. Routledge.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Blog # 2
1. What exactly is the digital divide? (150-200 words)
The digital divide is the separation of literacy level or access to technology between groups and communities. In other words, it's that profound gap that occurs between people when technology tries to proceed as the forerunner without making sure everyone else is on board. Because we have put so much emphasis on technology in our culture, there exists a group of people without the proper knowledge to use it, or even in some cases, gain access to it. It is this separation in being able to utilize technology which defines the "digital divide". Without the sufficient access or knowledge to technology, it creates an economic gap, hindering and even compounding those without it. Consider a family who is already in a poor spot financially, without the funds to afford a computer. Without access to the internet, to a computer to type, this could hinder their student's grades at school, potentially leading to a minimum wage job.
Waschauer notes, "In addition, the notion of a digital divide - even in its broadest sense - implies a chain of causality, i.e., that lack of access (however defined) to computers and the Internet harms life chances. While this point is undoubtedly true, the reverse is equally true; those who are already marginalized will have fewer opportunities to access and use computers and the Internet. In fact, technology and society are intertwined and co-constitutive, and this complex interrelationship makes any assumption of causality problematic."
2. Can you think of any other metaphors besides the office
metaphors used with Windows and Macintosh operating systems that
might be better? How come these might work better? (150-200
words)
Facebook? Without having a facebook account, the current users may regard the others as non-existent and without sway in their affairs decided upon via the website. It is centered around communities of people and communication. Without that communication, it's like being part of the digital divide. Being a part of the lower strata, compounding yourself into a tiny not-so-technological hole within society.
I honestly can't think of any better metaphors, for the facebook reference relies on the usage of a technological device. Although this may be another reason why NOT having that technology or literacy towards it serves to further separate communities and society.
The digital divide is the separation of literacy level or access to technology between groups and communities. In other words, it's that profound gap that occurs between people when technology tries to proceed as the forerunner without making sure everyone else is on board. Because we have put so much emphasis on technology in our culture, there exists a group of people without the proper knowledge to use it, or even in some cases, gain access to it. It is this separation in being able to utilize technology which defines the "digital divide". Without the sufficient access or knowledge to technology, it creates an economic gap, hindering and even compounding those without it. Consider a family who is already in a poor spot financially, without the funds to afford a computer. Without access to the internet, to a computer to type, this could hinder their student's grades at school, potentially leading to a minimum wage job.
Waschauer notes, "In addition, the notion of a digital divide - even in its broadest sense - implies a chain of causality, i.e., that lack of access (however defined) to computers and the Internet harms life chances. While this point is undoubtedly true, the reverse is equally true; those who are already marginalized will have fewer opportunities to access and use computers and the Internet. In fact, technology and society are intertwined and co-constitutive, and this complex interrelationship makes any assumption of causality problematic."
2. Can you think of any other metaphors besides the office
metaphors used with Windows and Macintosh operating systems that
might be better? How come these might work better? (150-200
words)
Facebook? Without having a facebook account, the current users may regard the others as non-existent and without sway in their affairs decided upon via the website. It is centered around communities of people and communication. Without that communication, it's like being part of the digital divide. Being a part of the lower strata, compounding yourself into a tiny not-so-technological hole within society.
I honestly can't think of any better metaphors, for the facebook reference relies on the usage of a technological device. Although this may be another reason why NOT having that technology or literacy towards it serves to further separate communities and society.
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