Major Assignment 4: Digital Media Distribution

Many incoming college freshman don't know what they're getting into. This was the case for me. Because I had no one to discuss with and teach me what to expect from the college lifestyle I don't think I was prepared. If I could go back to my freshman year with the knowledge I know now, I think I would do things differently. I wanted to create a platform where my thoughts and ideas of college life could be shared and read by others. I also wanted to be able to answer questions and gain from the receivers of my information.

I am generally a shy person. This doesn't mean I don't have interesting thoughts. I may not speak out verbally but I do have opinions. This is why I enjoy blogging. Blogs allow me to write my thoughts and opinions down in any matter I choose and at any pace I choose. A blog post can be written in 1 minute or it could take hours to write. They allow me to spill my thoughts as they come to me. O'Reilly touches on this in his reasoning as to why blogging is a major feature of Web 2.0:

"If an essential part of Web 2.0 is harnessing collective intelligence, turning the web into a kind of global brain, the blogosphere is the equivalent of constant mental chatter in the forebrain, the voice we hear in all of our heads. It may not reflect the deep structure of the brain, which is often unconscious, but is instead the equivalent of conscious thought. And as a reflection of conscious thought and attention, the blogosphere has begun to have a powerful effect." 

Because blogging allows me to organize my ideas easily and allows connectivity through commenting and sharing, I thought that a blog would be the perfect place to publish my digital media project on advising incoming college freshman and parents.

I used the blogging platform, Blogger to create my blog and organize my ideas. I chose this platform because it is popular, I had a bit of experience with it, and I liked the way it was set up. In my opinion, one of the greatest features of Blogger is that it is owned by Google and is therefore connected to the user's Google account. For example, I can create contacts, subscribe to other blogs, read those other blogs with Google reader, and search for other blogs with Google Blog Search with ease. Blogs created with Blogger are also conveniently viewable through mobile devices. This creation of an easy-to-read, mobile version of the service ("Software Above the Level of a Single Device") is another feature O'Reilly uses to define Web 2.0. Through the use of an RSS feed, users who follow my blog can get instant updates whenever I post something new. Again, instant distribution in the form of a stream can be considered a feature of Web 2.0.

I decided that for now, Facebook is probably the best means of advertising my blog on my own. As Boyd suggests, we are living in a time where our information is accessed through a stream. I can distribute my blog on my feed so my friends can access it through their streams. When I post the hyperlink I can tag friends of mine whom I know are going to be incoming college freshmen in the near future so that I can make a pretty good assumption that part of my audience was reached. I understand that by distributing through facebook, I will only be reaching a fraction of my audience. I am unaware of better options at this time, however. Tagging my brother (who will be attending college next fall) and telling him to pass it on to his friends seems to be the most attractive method of reaching my audience right now. Facebook is now designed so that often when someone "likes" or comments on something posted by "friend 1", the content will show up on "friend 2"'s feed even though the "friend 1" and "friend 2" aren't friends. This means that I could reach a large amount of incoming college students even if my brother didn't share but simply liked the post. 

I feel that in my case, the success of reaching a large audience will be completely based on user distribution and sharing. I believe if incoming college freshman and parents appreciate my help and learn from my blog, the information will spread. I think that my blog could become a place of discussion among users. This participatory culture and participatory learning is discussed in more detail by Jenkins. I believe that the best case scenario would be if my blog eventually became a well known source for students and parents to gain knowledge, ask questions, and add input.

References:

O'Reilly, Tim. "What Is Web 2.0." O'Reilly Media. N.p., 30 Sept. 2005. Web. 20 June 2012. <http://oreilly.com/pub/a/web2/archive/what-is-web-20.html?page=1>.


"Web 2.0." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 20 June 2012. Web. 22 June 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_2.0>

Suthersan, Vinod. "5 Best Blogging Platforms 2012." 5 Best Blogging Platforms 2012 ~ Internet Tech Column. ITechColumn.com, 21 Feb. 2012. Web. 20 June 2012. <http://www.itechcolumn.com/2012/02/5-best-blogging-platforms-2012.html>.

Gillmor, Dan. "Google Buys Pyra: Blogging Goes Big-Time." SiliconValley.com. N.p., 15 Feb. 2003. Web. 20 June 2012. <http://web.archive.org/web/20031008161432/http://weblog.siliconvalley.com/column/dangillmor/archives/000802.shtml>.

Pilgrim, Mark. "What Is RSS." Xml.com. O'Reilly, 18 Dec. 2002. Web. 20 June 2012. <http://www.xml.com/pub/a/2002/12/18/dive-into-xml.html>.

Boyd, Danah. ""Streams of Content, Limited Attention: The Flow of Information through Social Media"" "Streams of Content, Limited Attention: The Flow of Information through Social Media" N.p., 17 Sept. 2009. Web. 20 June 2012. <http://www.danah.org/papers/talks/Web2Expo.html>.


Jenkins, Henry. "Why Participatory Culture Is Not Web 2.0: Some Basic Distinctions." HenryJenkins.org. N.p., 24 May 2010. Web. 20 June 2012. <http://henryjenkins.org/2010/05/why_participatory_culture_is_n.html>.

Art Form for the Digital Age

I agree with the points Jenkins makes in his discussion of video games as art. I have noticed that this has become a highly debated subject. I don't think it's fair to state that games cannot be art but cinema can be because games are pixelated images. As Jenkins refers to in his mention of Bambi's mother, animated films get the same respect as live action films. How are games any different? Jenkins states that games aren't able to bring tears to our eyes. I would have to disagree with this statement. As the player you tend to become attached to the characters you control and interact with. If, for example one dies or gets taken out of the story, it can be very emotional. This can be illustrated by the death of Aeris in the game Final Fantasy VII. Her complex character structure, background and story line coupled with the unexpectedness of her death affected many gamers.

I think in the coming years critics will come to accept games as art. The evolution of technology and digital media will be the driving force behind this movement.

Dream Machines

Will Wright seems to know exactly what he's talking about in his article, Dream Machines. When I realized it was Wright who wrote the article this became very clear to me. It is easy to relate what he discusses about personalization and customization to the products he produces. His "Sim" games have always embraced these concepts. His games allow customization and this leads to learning.

One passage I could relate to was:

"Just watch a kid with a new videogame. The last thing they do is read the manual. Instead, they pick up the controller and start mashing buttons to see what happens."

This is very true. I don't think I ever read an instruction manual as a child. Wright's point that this leads to experimentation and learning is valid in my opinion. Some adults don't even bother with instruction manuals. My mom always jokes that my dad's first step in constructing something (furniture, toys, equipment) is to throw out the directions.

O'Reilly

O'Reilly's list of Web 2.0's defining features in his article, What Is Web 2.0 doesn't make the most sense to me. I understand that he is making comparisons between "web 1.0" and "web 2.0" but I am so familiar with web 2.0, I have trouble understanding. I guess I was too young in the days of web 1.0 to really understand its qualities.

From what I understand, web 2.0 is basically more streamlined. Things are instant and connected. Companies offer services that make things easier on the user or searcher. One defining feature O'Reilly mentioned that I agreed with was "Software above the level of a single device." I agree that today's web can be defined by the devices that access it. New innovative devices have completely changed the way we view things.

Boyd

When I began reading Boyd's "Streams of Content, Limited Attention: The Flow of Information through Social Media" I immediately thought of Twitter and the piece I had written on it. I then found it fitting that he referred to Twitter in the next group of sentences I read:

"Those who are most enamored with services like Twitter talk passionately about feeling as though they are living and breathing with the world around them, peripherally aware and in-tune, adding content to the stream and grabbing it when appropriate. This state is delicate, plagued by information overload and weighed down by frustrating tools."

This group of sentences beautifully illustrates what Boyd is talking about.

As I continued reading, one thing began to bother me. This may be me being picky but it seemed as though Boyd assumed everyone in the world has access to the internet:

"Internet technologies are fundamentally dismantling and reworking the structures of distribution. Distribution is a process by which content creators find channels through which they can disseminate their creation. In effect, they're pushing out the content. Sure, people have to be there to receive it, but the idea is that there are limited channels for distribution and thus getting access to this limited resource is hard. That is no longer the case."

I understand the point he is trying to make but I don't think it's correct to allude to the fact that obtaining internet access is easy for everyone.

My favorite part of the piece:

"Figuring out how to monetize sociality is a problem. And not one new to the Internet. Think about how we monetize sociality in physical spaces. Typically, it involves second-order consumption of calories. Venues provide a space for social interaction to occur and we are expected to consume to pay rent. Restaurants, bars, cafes… they all survive on this model. But we have yet to find the digital equivalent of alcohol."

Very true.

 

Jenkins

I wasn't quite sure what point Jenkins was trying to make in his post, Why Participatory Culture Is Not Web 2.0: Some Basic Distinctions until the final paragraph. He seemed to contradict his title up until then. I guess I may not know what web 2.0 really is. From what I gathered he appreciates the fact that people with similar interests are able to learn through producing artifacts collaboratively but he doesn't think the web sees it that way. He thinks that the web sees users as consumers and nothing more. I'm not sure if I agree with this or not. I'll have to think on it and hear the class' opinion tomorrow.

Uncomfortable Silences

In class today while someone was preparing their presentation we had a short discussion on silence. Our professor made the point that as the teacher she has the power to talk about nothing ("bullshit") and as students we would listen to it. While we were discussing this a scene from one of my all time favorite films came to mind. I thought I would share the scene. (Warning: there is some explicit language).

I've often thought about this scene and the point Mia makes. As a generally shy person I find myself agreeing with her. When I'm with my friends or family I can appreciate a comfortable silence but when I'm in the company of people who are acquaintances or people who I'm not the most comfortable with I often feel the urgent need to discuss something, anything, just to break the silence. I don't know why I must "feel it's necessary to yak about bullshit in order to be comfortable." As Vincent says in the video, "[It's] a good question."

Major Assignment 3: Digital Media Paper

While brainstorming a topic for Major Assignment 3 I needed to make sure I chose a topic with which I could meet all of the assigned requirements. I began thinking about a purpose. I really struggled to find a purpose for about a week or so. I fell behind because I couldn’t find exigency in anything I was experienced with or interested in. I couldn’t decide on something to argue for or against. I finally decided to meet with my professor and see if she could give me any advice or spark any ideas. After talking it over with her, I decided that I wanted to educate and inform students and families who are inexperienced with or uneducated about the college lifestyle.

The primary reason I chose this topic was because I am the first in my immediate family to attend college. I was unaware of what to expect when I got there. Unlike many students, I didn’t have parents to tell me how to act in new situations that would arise as a result of the college lifestyle. My parents didn’t have access to this information and therefore were illiterate in it. I believe that this illiteracy possibly contributed to some of the choices I made (and didn’t make) while attending college. I wanted to create something that would inform, educate, and entertain students who were excited yet nervous for college. I decided that I was going to create a blog to document my thoughts, experiences, and pieces of advice regarding this topic.

As the first in my family to attend college I think I was a little reluctant to travel too far away. This was something else I wanted to try to address through my blog. I named my blog 80 Miles from Home because I thought it reflected the fact that I was a first time college student living somewhat close to home. I wanted to illustrate that my parents had influence on me even though I was gone to college. I chose to use a blog template with a “highway” background because I felt it went along with the traveling theme that comes with the subject of college life.

My primary audience was originally supposed to be students who had been the first in their family to attend college. I soon realized that many of the things I included in my project could apply to all incoming college students. Some of my blog posts seem to be aimed towards first time families while others could be taken as good advice for any incoming college student. When I was deciding on which topics to include I had to think about my audience and ponder which topics would be important to them and which would capture their interest. I believe that part of the class audience will be made up of students who are either first year or will be first year students in the fall so I think it is important to consider what they think is important and reflect and remember how I felt as a first year and the types of things I wish I would have known back then.

I felt that context was important. I wanted my audience to be college students at any university. The problem was that I was only experienced with Michigan Tech University. I tried not to limit my audience by using too many examples in the context of Michigan Tech. I attempted to write each piece in a general, unbiased way so that any student would understand my references and points.

I think that my piece turned out pretty good. I was extremely nervous about it when it was first assigned. When I fell behind I was sure that I wasn’t going to be able to produce a quality piece. I am fairly satisfied with the work I have done. I wish that I had gotten more feedback on it, however. I am not sure what others in the class think of it because I wasn’t able to test it in class and no one gave me feedback outside of class. I have shown it to a few friends who aren’t in the class but I can’t help but feel that their feedback isn’t as valuable as feedback from those who truly understand the assignment.

More In Class User Testing

Sarah
What is the major argument?
The main theme involves running from something; continuing and staying strong when you are tired or when you fall.

What is done well?
Good environmental setting. I also thought using a vehicle to move alongside the characters while they ran through the woods was a good idea.

Suggestion(s):
It may have been because you were having a bit of technical difficulty in class but it seemed like some of the transitions were choppy. Consider smoothing them out.

Greg
What is the major argument?
Copyright and fair use laws are confusing and lengthy and most people don't have the time or attention to read through and understand them. This site was created to simplify and educate.



What is done well?
The scrolling wheel at the top was a great way of presenting your topics. Easy to read and follow.



Suggestion(s):
I couldn't fine a "home" link that goes back to the welcome page. This might be something you could add for ease of use.

Kay
What is the major argument?
Son has grown over the past year. School progress.



What is done well?
I liked the transitions while flipping through the number/alphabet work and art work. Good presentation. Some of the themes from the music match what is happening on screen (swings).



Suggestion(s):
I'm unfamiliar with the song used in this piece. I may have imagined or misinterpreted it but I thought I had heard some swearing in the music. While I agree that rock music over a more tame song is a good idea, your audience (teachers, principals, other parents) might not agree that it is a good idea to use a song with swearing in it to present your child and his accomplishments.

Kyle
What is the major argument?
Presentation of himself, experience, portfolio, etc.



What is done well?
Cool logo banner. Good quote. I think it's a good idea to include links to things like NHL.com and Lids.com that subtly highlight some of your outside-of-school interests.



Suggestion(s):
Consider making the picture on the main page a link to somewhere even if it just enlarges it. I really wanted to click it.

Jifu
What is the major argument?
The player is talented at this game. It is a showcase of their skills.


What is done well?
Music goes well with the video. You seem to have some good videos of talented game play.


Suggestion(s):
I thought the piece got a bit boring after a minute or so. It was very repetitive. I would consider adding some depth to the piece. Also, I think a title would help clarify your argument and purpose.

Major Assignment 3

Here is the blog I've been working on for Major Assignment 3. A major problem I am having is that my time stamps are incorrect. They all say February 2009. I have tried messing with blogger's time settings but it didn't seem to do much. Any advice on this or any other feedback on the blog would be greatly appreciated!

In Class Project User Testing

Alex
What is the major argument?
Pro-tattoo mindset through his artwork.

What is done well?
Visuals appear in rhythm with the music.

Suggestion(s):
Possibly add more color. I'm not sure if you're planning on moving away from blue and black but including a variety of colors might be helpful.

Chris
What is the major argument?
We aren't in control. Nature and time control our lives.

What is done well?
Narration over video with music. The calm tone of your voice along with the classical music adds to the piece and fits well.

Suggestion(s):
I agree with what was stated in class. A moment of silence would be a good addition to this piece. You could also add something you don't think the audience will expect to further illustrate that they are not in control.

Craig
What is the major argument?
A montage is a useful way of illustrating events that occur over a period of time.

What is done well?
Video seems to be put together well. Pace of video matches the pace of the music. Comedy attracts the audience, draws them in, and keeps their attention.

Suggestion(s):
I'm sure you will be working towards this but try to figure out your technical issue with the higher quality video. I think that your video needs to be well put together because quality affects your credibility.

Steven
What is the major argument?
We may not be sure what we're looking for in life.

What is done well?
You obviously have experience with film. Very well put together.

Suggestion(s):
Some of the dialogue seemed a bit unclear to me. This may have been my fault but you could double check to make sure there isn't anything interfering with the clarity.


Ronnie and Stevie
What is the major argument?
Be yourself and do what you want to do.

What is done well?
The interview style works well. The effect of having the "record" symbol as if this were a rough cut or through an older video camera is cool and adds to this style.

Suggestion(s):
The beginning text sequence was bright and a bit difficult to read. I would darken the text a little so it is more clear.

Challenges

I have had a couple challenges while producing my digital media artifact.

My major challenge so far is determining the types of subjects and topics I want to write about on my blog. I don't want my writing to be interpreted as me complaining about my parent's inexperience with a college lifestyle. I want to continue to inform and advise new students. I want some of it to be like "If I could go back and start my college career over, this is how I would do it differently." I also want to discuss the issue in more depth. I want to relate it to our class discussion on access, fluency, and literacy.

Another challenge I've been concerned with is my blog design and layout. I'm inexperienced with site editing and I don't know too much about html. I would like to create a custom banner for my site that goes along with its theme. I haven't attempted to create one yet but with my experience with photo and image editing I know it will be challenging.

Design Plan

Statement of Purpose: I am a student who's hometown is only about an hour and a half away. I am also the first in my immediate family to attend college. Through this situation I have come to realize that there is a lack of knowledge and understanding in parents and family who are experiencing college life for the first time through their children. There is an absence of access, which leads to an absence of literacy, which leads to misunderstanding. I feel that there is an exigence for education and literacy of these families. As I am very familiar with this situation, I would like to share selected parts of my college experience in order to educate and inform.

Description: 

Medium: I would like to share my ideas and stories via a separate blog. I will be creating a  new blog using a blogging service I am somewhat familiar with, blogger.com.

Audience: My primary audience will be the students in my HU2642 - Introduction to Digital Media class. They will be viewing my presentation in the morning in the summertime. Other major audiences will be parents who have not attended college, prospective college students, Michigan Tech students and faculty, friends, and possibly my family.

Production Strategies: I hope this blog will allow me to be opinionated on specific topics related to its purpose. I would like to detail events, stories, and thoughts from my 4 years at MTU. A few major prospective topics which come to mind include: Orientation, Fraternity Life, work load, Graduation/Commencement, career search. I hope that this blog isn't viewed as an insult to my parents or means for me to vent frustration. It will be a challenge to make sure it doesn't turn into something of this nature. I hope that my points will focus on the fact that while my parents were inexperienced, so was I. While others had parents to compare and contrast experiences to, I didn't. Because I had access to this lifestyle the literacy gap grew quickly.


Arrangement: Unless a brilliant idea comes to mind while producing this blog, I don't really think there is need for special arrangement. If I am able to post enough on specific topics I may be able to arrange topics into groups for organization purposes.

Testing: I will share my project with some of my peers in order to gain prospective. I will be showing my blog to some of my friends, roommates, and possibly a couple fellow classmates before I give my presentation and make my blog public.

Statement of Purpose II

I have decided to scrap my last idea regarding change. I realized that I needed a more concrete and clear topic for this project. Also, the creation of a music video wasn't realistically feasible in terms of my competence with video and video editing software and the project due date.

After doing some quick brainstorming with my professor this morning I have decided upon a new topic idea. I am a student who's hometown is only about an hour and a half away. I am also the first in my immediate family to attend college. Through this situation I have come to realize that there is a lack of knowledge and understanding in parents and family who are experiencing college life for the first time through their children. There is an absence of access, which leads to an absence of literacy, which leads to misunderstanding. As I am very familiar with this situation, I would like to share selected parts of my college experience in order to educate and inform.

Purpose:

          -Educate first time college students and parents through stories, opinions, ideas.

Audience:

-Students enrolled and attending the 9:35 am section of Summer 2012 HU2642 (Track A).
-Professor
-Michigan Tech students and faculty who may not be in the class.
-Friends of Michigan Tech students and faculty.
-Parents of Michigan Tech students.
-Parents/Adults who have not attended college.
-Prospective and first year students (@Michigan Tech and elsewhere)

Context:

-Will be presented in class.
-After presenting in class I will most likely not be in attendance when this blog is viewed and the communication takes place.   

-I would like to present this in the form of a separate blog meaning that it should be able to be viewed via a computer with internet.

Statement of Purpose

I will be officially done with my undergraduate studies at Michigan Tech in July. Being a U.P. native my entire life I'm not sure how I feel about leaving. I'm not sure where I'll be in 6 months but there's a pretty good chance I won't be here or in my hometown of Negaunee. There aren't a lot of jobs for chemical engineers in the Upper Peninsula right now and I expect to have to relocate to other parts of the country/world in order to begin my career. Part of me is excited yet part of me is terrified.

I think I would like to base my project off of this experience I am having. I would like to argue that change can be depressing, sad, and scary. I'm not exactly sure of what type of media I'm going to use to portray this argument. My immediate thought is that I'll create a video for a song about change. I have a couple songs in mind but I haven't decided quite yet. If I decide to do a video I need to remember that it will require quite a bit of work because I am inexperienced with video and video editing.

One of the messages I may want to incorporate is to "seize the day." Major, inevitable change can occur at any time so enjoy your life today because you may be afraid of what comes tomorrow.

My audience will not only be the students in class but also any students at Michigan Tech and the surrounding area. If I am proud of my work and others enjoy it, it will most likely be shared on facebook or twitter so I can consider facebook and twitter users as part of my audience. Fans of the band or the song could be exposed to the video as well. My primary audience will be the students in class. They will be viewing my presentation in Walker 120A in the morning during a summer class. I will have to make this interesting if I want to appeal to this audience.


Summary:

Purpose:
                -Show that change can be scary, upsetting.
                -Communicate that change is inevitable so enjoy today.
                -Change is bittersweet.

Audience:
               -Students enrolled and attending the 9:35 am section of Summer 2012 HU2642 (Track A).
               -Professor
               -Fans of the music I choose to use.
               -Michigan Tech students and faculty who may not be in the class.
               -Friends of Michigan Tech students and faculty.

Context:
               -Will be presented in class.
               -Possibly facebook, twitter, youtube, vimeo, etc.

Wysocki & Lynch Ch. 1, 2

I've read Wysocki & Lynch chapters 1 and 2. I am not sure what my argument or statement of purpose will be for my rhetorical situation digital production assignment. I want to work on something that I am interested in and feel passionately about. I feel like this would lead me to to my best work. In terms of idea brainstorming I think I'll begin with listing a couple ideas involving what I am interested in...

Sports- I'm very interested in following professional baseball, football, and basketball. For a similar assignment for another humanities class, I gave a presentation arguing that Major League Baseball should adapt more frequent instant replay into their rules. I don't really want to do the same project so I might try to stay away from an argument involving sports.

Music- I could possibly make an argument involving remixes and sampling. As I've mentioned, I've become increasingly fascinated by this debate in the past few years.

I plan on thinking about this frequently over the weekend. It is important to me that I select a topic and an argument as soon as possible.

Copyright and Fair Use

I just read Copyright and Fair Use. This seems to be a pretty good source of information regarding the laws. They seem to be pretty specific in what is considered legal. I know that I have seen many productions that have used pictures, video, or music outside of these guidelines on the internet. Do every day people get charged for using someone else's music in 11% of their videos? I wonder if digital media has brought in a period where it is too difficult to prosecute every instance of "copyright infringement" based on these policies.

Girl Talk

While thinking about Girl Talk I remembered something cool. He did an online interview through ESPN's SportsNation in which users could submit questions for him to answer. Here is mine with his response:

Sadly, he didn't come...(Not that I really expected him to).

Lessig

Lessig gives some very good points in his TED talk on "the laws that choke creativity". What I found particularly interesting was his final point. He argues that because of the "choke" on creativity and the limitations and views of copyright law, the generation of today lives a life "against the law". Every time someone posts something online that contains any type copyrighted material, it is technically against the law. He expresses that he feels that this is not the way it should be in a democratic society. I agree that we should embrace this creativity, not limit it.

In Lessig's blog post he mentions his concern with Youtube and other "fake" sharing sites. He discusses that Youtube doesn't allow users to "get" the content from the site as sites like Flickr and Google do. What I found interesting is that Google had purchased Youtube just 10 days prior to the writing of Lessig's post. A quick look at Google's video service showed that most of the videos provided are simply links to Youtube. Therefore Youtube and Google both don't allow users to "get" this content. Maybe this blog post is a bit outdated...

"Let's Talk-Girl Talk" , "DJ Spooky"

Just some thoughts I've had on remixes, innovation, copyright, etc....

-I've become incredibly fascinated with remixes, "idea thieves", "rip off artists", and "copiers", recently. If you refer to one of my past blog posts, I shared a series of videos, "Everything is a Remix." This series discusses the idea that media has built upon itself. Music, movies, etc. have stolen ideas from each other. "New technologies are based on existing technologies."

-Today in class while going over examples for our next assignment, we viewed a portion of a video presentation given by a University of Minnesota student, Christopher Austin. When the professor brought up the video I sat up in my seat. I am a huge fan of Girl Talk and have been for years. I've been fortunate enough to get to see one of his shows. I love the way he mixes songs that I love (or dislike!) with other songs to produce something that is fun, interesting and new.

-I'm not going to pretend that I know all the details of copyright and fair use laws so please excuse me if I seem ignorant. I would agree with Austin as he states "...I believe copyrights are crippling artistic and creative growth.” I believe that in order to create something new, there needs to be some influence or imitation present. Copyright hinders the use of this tactic so it cannot be used to its full potential. I agree with DJ Spooky in that copyright law seems to be related to the "18th century’s relationship to physical goods. And as things move more and more to a digital media, hyper-connected world we need to transform the models of how we think of ownership." Along with his discussion on why he is fine with people downloading his music for free, I believe that if copyright laws were to be altered, advertising and marketing through digital media would skyrocket.

-I sometimes ponder the thought that maybe we've reached a point where nothing genuinely "new" can be created. We've come so far as human beings and the technology we have available to us is simply amazing. Is it possible to create something without the influence of an existing idea? Are we nearing a metaphorical brick wall in terms of innovation? In the future will copyright law exist or be as strict (or soft?) as it is today, and how will this affect innovation?

I am very interested in class discussion on copyright and fair use in the next few days.

"The Rhetorical Situation"

Bitzer's "The Rhetorical Situation" is a discussion on how important situation is to rhetoric. It was a bit of a challenge to read and understand in my opinion. From what I was able to gather, he explained that rhetoric is a response. He explained that an "exigence", an audience and constraints must be present  as constituents of a rhetorical situation.

A line that I thought was interesting and that I related to was "...we all have the experience of creating a rhetorical response when it is too late to make it public." I hate when this happens. I am the worst at this. I can never "think on my feet." I always come up with a perfect comeback or response minutes, hours, or days after it is too late or awkward to use it. I guess I'm not a quick thinker.

Technological Access, Fluency, and Literacy Proposal: The Implementation of Computer Focused Courses in Michigan Tech's Engineering Curriculum (Final Draft)

Entering my freshman year of college here at Michigan Technological University (MTU) I felt pretty confident in my ability to keep up with the technology used here. I now know what it's like to lose that confidence. Throughout my experience here I have been introduced to many new computer programs. Knowledge of these programs was essential to keeping up, completing, understanding, and doing well in most of my chemical engineering courses. What I found difficult was becoming "literate" and understanding how these programs worked while juggling 100 other homework assignments and trying to comprehend every educational concept. I can't speak for other departments but in my opinion, I don't believe that the Michigan Tech chemical engineering department does the best job when it comes to introducing students to new computer programs and technology. There are currently no mandatory courses that strictly focus on engineering computer programs in the chemical engineering curriculum. Students are briefly introduced to these programs as means of solving problems in other courses. This is why I would like to propose that the chemical engineering curriculum at MTU be altered to include mandatory computer program courses to be taken during the students' freshman or sophomore years. These classes could be major specific and be offered to other areas in need as well but I am most familiar with the chemical engineering program so that is my area of focus.They would focus strictly on how to use and understand the computer programs that would be used to solve greater problems later in the students' career. They would improve the students' computer literacy.

According to Palfrey and Gasser, I am a "digital native". I am one who has grown up with and lived with digital technology, my entire life. I feel that because I have grown up in this digital age, I am fairly "computer literate."  I am comfortable with computers and I am able to use my knowledge of digital technology every day. This comfort isn't always there, however. As mentioned in Williams' report on "Literacy and Computer Literacy...", technology is always changing and specifically, new, more useful, computer programs are always being released or updated. As Williams contradicts the NRC's view that literacy is "too modest a goal" in this ever changing technological world, she explains her theses on literacy and why she believes it can truly be defined. In my opinion and as discussed in my Digital Media class, "Literacy" can be defined as the capacity to understand goals and the ability to apply one's skills to achieve them. It is the confidence and comfort one has in understanding. 

Briggs, Carnahan, and Williams discuss that students must not only understand and be comfortable with present technology but also have the ability to understand and adapt to the technology of the future in their report, "The Use of Computers in Chemical Engineering Education". In this report, Briggs, Carnahan, and Williams struggle with the question of when a student should learn engineering computer skills. They ponder if the university is responsible for teaching these skills or if it is better for the student to learn in the workforce. In my opinion, this shouldn't even be a question, today. The use of computers in the engineering discipline has become the norm. Whether used for Computer Aided Drafting or problem solving through simulation and modeling, it is nearly impossible for an engineer today to work efficiently without the help of a computer program. It has therefore become extremely necessary for universities to incorporate technology education into their curriculum. As a graduating chemical engineering student I am curious to find out how prepared I am for computing in a chemical engineering career. I have been exposed to chemical engineering computer programs but I am by no means an expert.

This brings up a new point. In my opinion the terms access and exposure are very closely tied. According to Blackmon, access directly affects literacy. She argues that African Americans have fallen behind white Americans in terms of digital literacy because the African Americans have fewer opportunities to be exposed to computers and the internet. I don't believe that a lack of access is the problem at Michigan Tech. The campus has many computer labs available to students. They provide exposure to all of the programs needed by students. In the case of my argument, I don't believe access greatly affects literacy. Even though I've had access to programs like MathCAD, UniSim, and COMSOL, since my freshman year, I was clueless as to how these programs were used until I had a bit of instruction. Yes, it is entirely possible for one to blindly teach themselves how to use these programs but because of their complexity it would be extremely difficult. I think in cases like this, instruction must also be present in order to influence a student's literacy.

Changing the curriculum may be difficult. As Arden discusses, “The educational challenge will be to continue to develop students’ physical intuition and critical judgment of designs as they become more reliant on computerized design.” I believe that this can be done. I believe that although computers assist in solving problems, it still requires the intuition and judgment of the user in order to completely solve the problem. The user needs to understand the problem in order to solve it, even if a computer is being used. 

With the rapidly changing world of the digital era upon us, it is unavoidable. Dependence on computers and other forms of digital media to solve engineering problems will only increase as technology improves. If MTU refuses to evolve with technology, it will no longer produce intelligent, high quality engineers. Engineering companies will become more and more interested in students' computer literacy when recruiting for jobs and will ignore MTU grads if they aren't literate with engineering computer programs. Being educated and literate in this technology is and will continue to be a great advantage for years to come.

"Literacy and Computer Literacy..."

Kate Williams' "Literacy and Computer Literacy: Analyzing the NRC's Being Fluent with Information Technology" is a study of the definition of computer literacy. The discussion is based on the National Research Council's report, "Being Fluent with Information Technology."

The question is at what point is one computer literate? What should schools teach if they want students to be computer literate? Williams' report examines eleven theses on literacy and discusses them in detail. Some which are included in the NRC's report but most separate.

I'm not sure how I would define computer literacy. One point from the reading I would agree with is that literacy is social. The social setting which one resides influences what computer literacy is for them. Computer literacy can change in different situations. It all depends on which types of programs are being used and in what situations.

I think to outline some of the components in Table 1, you could say that in order to be fluent with information technology, you must be able to solve problems. A comical representation of computer literacy is shown below. I think this is true in most situations.

credit:  http://xkcd.com/627/

"Everything Is a Remix"

I came across a 4-part video series recently, titled "Everything is a Remix." I don't wan't to spend too much time discussing it at this time but I thought I would share it because I find it to be extremely interesting. It supports the idea that media builds upon itself. Movies, music, games, etc. have all been influenced by previous versions. Greatness is achieved through imitation.

Addition to my "(Cyber)Conspiracy Theories?" post...

While writing my response to Blackmon's "(Cyber) Conspiracy Theories? African American Students in the Computerized Writing Environment" I didn't really know how to express my opinions. After reading other students' responses I was able to find an opinion that matched mine. Ronny's response reflects how I feel about this reading. People need to stop making excuses and do what they need to do to accomplish their goals.

As a white male am I supposed to feel bad for minorities for being less media literate? That's the sense I get sometimes when I read articles like this one. I don't feel bad. Some minorities make excuses for lack of success and feel entitled to benefits. This is something that really bothers me. As Ronny suggests, everyone is in charge of their own lives. If one wants to be media literate, they can find a way to be.

Major Assignment 2 Brainstorming Idea

I have been trying to think of topics to investigate for my Assignment 2 paper on Digital Access, Literacy, and Fluency. Thus far I have been able to come up with only one possible topic. This topic involves cell phone coverage in the Upper Peninsula. I feel that we are extremely limited in our coverage compared to other regions of the United States. With smartphones, we are missing out. While the rest of the country is experiencing 4G LTE data speeds, we're stuck with the less attractive 3G data speeds. In my experience my data connection isn't even 100% reliable like I would expect. Pretty soon we will get upgraded to 4G. All will be well for a while until the next best thing is discovered or released and we will be behind again. I feel that the U.P. will continuously be behind in cell phone technology. I will continue brainstorming ideas and post them in the next day or so if I find time.

"(Cyber) Conspiracy Theories? African American Students in the Computerized Writing Environment"

Blackmon's "(Cyber) Conspiracy Theories? African American Students in the Computerized Writing Environment" explains an interesting theory that African American students are behind white students in terms of technological competence and experience. The article explains that the web is predominantly white in nature and most representations of African Americans are either through images of athletes or rap artists.

I'm not sure I completely agree with some of the statements presented in this article. I don't think all African American students really think about this stuff. Are they really any more afraid of technology than white students are? A point I could agree with involved the idea that African Americans and minorities don't have as many opportunities to access technology as white students because of household income and community economics and finances. I agree that this could hold students back and limit them in the technology-dependent world of today.

I didn't really like this article. I agree with the author's argument that one must be comfortable with something to understand it and master it but I thought many of her points were exaggerated.

"Home Broadband Adoption 2009"

According to the report, "Home Broadband Adoption 2009", broadband internet use seemed to increase from 2008 to 2009. From the statistics I was able to conclude that more and more people are finding it necessary to have home broadband connections. The internet is becoming an everyday appliance of the home. It is becoming no different than the television or the kitchen stove. It is completely normal and somewhat necessary for a person to have a computer with internet in their house.

While reading about the amount of people who have switched to a broadband connection I focused on one particular statistic. The report stated that only 7% of Americans are dial-up internet users at home. It amazes me how obsolete the dial-up connection has become. I remember in 1998 when my parents bought our first home computer. For a while, dial-up was the norm. I didn't know any better. Soon some of my friends started getting faster connections and I became insanely jealous. My parents weren't "up on technology" and I don't think they were ready to pay for the internet. I don't think we got a broadband connection until 2007 or 2008; approximately 10 years after we had first experienced the internet in our home. Now that I've seen the statistics, it's interesting to think of how much of a minority we were back then.

"Born Digital"

The introductory section of Palfrey and Gasser's "Born Digital" described today's generation as "digital natives." It is a narrative that explains that anyone born after 1980 has been native to the digital technology of today, their entire lives. They have grown up with it. There is a gap in knowledge between these digital natives and those who were born before 1980 who had become comfortable to analog lifestyle.

One section of the reading describes the fear teachers may have become worried that they are "out of step with the Digital Natives they are teaching, that the skills they have imparted over time are becoming either lost or obsolete,...". While reading this section I thought back to when I would study for my high school and college courses. Quite often I would think to myself "Why am I spending so much time trying to memorize this material? The material is all online and can be instantly accessed whenever I need it." I also don't have trouble selling my old textbooks anymore. I used to worry that I would someday need to look up the information they contained but realized that a majority of it can be accessed online.

The narrative also hinted on problems that come along with the digital age and how lawmakers will try to limit its power. We are seeing this now with ideas and acts such as SOPA. It will be interesting to see how digital media changes in the future as a result of these types of laws and acts.

Digital Media Artifact Analysis: Twitter

Social networking by means of the internet has become increasingly popular type of digital media in the past 10 years. I know first hand that it can be very interesting and can become very addicting. When Twitter was first released to the public in 2006 I wasn't sold on the idea, however. It seemed to me like Twitter was a "dumbed-down" Facebook. All it had was a list of "status updates". Because of my stubbornness I didn't give Twitter a fair chance until a few years later. Even then, after I had created an account I didn't use the service very often. I would maybe log in once or twice every couple of months if I had remembered to check it. I really didn't quite understand what the point was until I purchased my first smartphone in November 2011. I now use Twitter every day. I don't think my experience is unique. I believe that the invention of the smartphone and other mobile devices correlates to increased Twitter use, worldwide.

Twitter is an online social networking website that offers a unique “micro-blogging” service to its users. It offers entertainment, ideas, stories, opinions, news, etc. The literal definition of “twitter”, according to Google Dictionary, is: “A series of short, high-pitched calls or sounds.” Although not necessarily, "high-pitched", each message ("tweet") shared on Twitter is short and to-the-point. The service places a limit on each tweet, requiring that each be a maximum of 140 characters. The result is a medium that allows for an instant stream of thoughts. As Sullivan discusses, there is appeal in the idea of a medium that provides "instant and global self-publishing." In today's fast-paced world, people enjoy the ability to discuss ideas and share information instantly. Through Twitter, users are able to share their ideas as they come in a tweet or a series of tweets.

Who uses Twitter? Millions of people around the world. As it is easily accessible and user friendly, anyone with internet access can use Twitter. Although the site doesn't share its exact numbers, it is estimated that the site will reach 600 million registered accounts and 250 million active users before the end of 2012. This means that one has the opportunity to share ideas and information with millions of people around the world, instantly.

As I've stated, the invention of the smartphone and other mobile devices has made it even easier for Twitter users to share their ideas. It should be no surprise that with the rise in popularity of mobile devices in recent years comes a rise in registered Twitter accounts. More and more people are exploring the world through Twitter on their mobile devices. According to recent research, about 54% of Twitter users access the site using their mobile phones. This is significant because the nature of the posts made on Twitter are short and similar to an SMS message sent via mobile phone. It is often called, "the SMS of the internet" because of it's instantaneous abilities and short, to-the-point posts. Mobile devices and the Twitter platform are two types of media artifacts that complement each other very well. An instantaneous idea-posting application along with a portable, mobile device provides the user with the ability to share any idea, thought, picture, or video at any given time. A Twitter user today doesn't even need access to a desktop computer or laptop. For instance, I very rarely log into my Twitter account at home. The mobile smartphone has made extinct the notion of "waiting until we get home." For example, one is no longer required to wait until they return from the grocery store to share the brilliant idea that popped into their head while walking through the cereal aisle. The idea can be shared with millions in seconds with the touch of a few buttons. With this instant communication to millions of others in the palm of the hand comes the ability to tweet about all aspects of ones life. By "following" celebrities, for example, one is able to get a glimpse into what their daily life is like and the opinions they have. I have often thought of it as a simulation. In reference to Baudrillard's Simulacra and Simulation, Twitter can be viewed as means of simulating ones reality through text based media. One's Twitter page can be a likeness or simulacra of their life. For example, we can follow Oprah Winfrey. She regularly tweets updates on her life. As a viewer we get to look into her life using Twitter as means of simulation. With this we must also consider the opposite. Twitter gives the user the freedom to post whatever they'd like. As with many types of online digital communication platforms the user has the freedom to have themselves portrayed in any way imaginable. One could disguise or "dissimulate" their identity and create a completely different reality. For example, the Twitter account Mickey Mouse obviously belongs to a human. Some fan of Mickey Mouse is simulating the life of the character through Twitter. The account even communicates with other fictional characters' accounts like Minnie Mouse and Donald Duck. They are disguising their realities through simulations of fictional ones.

As Gitelman discusses in "Always Already New: Media, History and the Data of Culture," we must be aware that digital media isn't always accurate. She points to one study where a database misread the word "interest" as "internet." This resulted in inaccurate results of this particular study. The same critical mindset must be used with platforms such as Twitter. Because tweets can now be made anywhere one has phone service or internet access, news often breaks on Twitter before it appears anywhere else. Often reporters or analysts will tweet information before major the news media has the opportunity to write up and publish a full article. Because of the 140 character limit, these stories are often more like headlines. It can be a great way to monitor news stories but with this instantaneous flow of information comes the necessity to be critical. One can't always take a tweet for fact. Tweets are instant and anyone can post them so news or information may be stated prematurely or falsely. These tweets cannot always be trusted. 

As I've stated, because of complementing media types, I've come to use Twitter every day. I believe many others are accepting it as a useful digital media tool. With technology constantly evolving and improving, communication is becoming increasingly faster and easier. Mobile device technology is improving every day. It's difficult to imagine what will be popular means of communication in the future. It is interesting to compare these norms to the norms of the past. Similar to what Vannevar Bush explained in his article, "As We May Think", it is interesting to think of what the future holds for us in the field of media (and mobile) technology.

If you are interested in simulating my life, you can follow me on Twitter: @rthill.

"The Medium is the Massage"

I have just finished reading "The Medium is the Massage: An Inventory of Effects" by Marshal McLuhan and Quentin Fiore. To completely understand this book I had to again consult Wikipedia. I found this book to be interesting because of the way it is presented. There are many pictures throughout the book and some of the text is mirrored or upside down. I think that this was done to reinforce the authors' point that a message depends on how we interpret the medium. That the technologies are the messages.

I hadn't realized that the title of the book contained "Massage" rather than "Message." After some background reading, I learned that this was done semi-intentional. McLuhan had often used puns on the term "message", referring to it as "mass age" or "mess age" or "massage." He had thought that the mediums "massaged" the viewers senses.

I enjoyed the short reference to John Cage. I had taken a Music History class in the past where we studied some of the works and philosophies of Cage. It makes sense that he was mentioned in this book because he composed his pieces in a very strange fashion. He reinforces the idea that listening to music and sounds and the way they are presented is more important than the music itself.

Again, this philosophical reading was kind've difficult for me to understand completely. I hope that my insights are accurate. I look forward to discussion in class.

"Simulacra and Simulations"

Jean Baudrillard's "Simulacra and Simulations" was a very difficult read for me. Once I finished reading the article I consulted help from articles found on Google and Wikipedia. From what I was able to gather, Baudrillard compares and contrasts the ideas of simulation and reality.

One interesting example he discusses is that simulation of an illness is different than feigning an illness. By simulating an illness one produces symptoms and emulates an illness. To feign an illness is to pretend that one exists. This made sense to me because when I imagine a simulation I picture something being created. In my opinion, a simulation is a creation intended to mimic or parallel reality.

According to Baudrillard, we have lost sense of reality. He explains that our society has become dependent on signs and symbols (simulacra: likenesses) which simulate reality. I kind've get a sense of what he is trying to explain but overall it is too "deep" for me to completely grasp.

I found Baudrillard's discussion on Disneyland to be interesting. I believe he was trying to explain that when one enters Disneyland, they completely forget about the reality of the real world. Walt Disney was able to simulate a completely different world. A passage that I found interesting and confusing was,

"By an extraordinary coincidence (one that undoubtedly belongs to the peculiar enchantment of this universe), this deep-frozen infantile world happens to have been conceived and realized by a man who is himself now cryogenized; Walt Disney, who awaits his resurrection at minus 180 degrees centigrade."

Is this true or is Baudrillard using sarcasm in this passage? What point is he trying to make here? I have no idea how cryogenics work and a quick Google search tells me that this is an urban myth.

Although very confusing and complex, I understand why this piece was chosen as an assignment in my Digital Media class. The fact that simulation is all around us and we've lost sense of reality is an interesting thought. I look forward to tomorrow's discussion. Hopefully through this discussion I can gain some more insight on this article.

"Always Already New: Media, History, and the Data of Culture"

"Always Already New: Media, History, and the Data of Culture" by Lisa Gitelman focuses largely on the importance of correctly archiving historical media. What I found interesting was the discussion about how the World Wide Web changes so frequently. There doesn't seem to be an accurate archive of how the World Wide Web was in the past. I think it is important to record changes to web pages and make them accessible to the public.

This piece was kind've difficult to read for me. At points I didn't really understand which direction Gitelman was heading in her discussion or the points she was trying to make. I feel discussion in class will be valuable to my understanding.

"What Is New Media?"

Manovich's "What Is New Media?" is an extensive analysis of new and digital media. It discusses the history and present forms of new media in great detail. I was able to relate to many of the forms of media discussed within this reading. Because society is so technology based and computers and digital media are used every day, I found it easy to understand many of the things Manovich explained. I believe this made the reading slightly boring for me. I agreed with the points he made but most of it wasn't new information to me.

While reading I couldn't help but think of how new media can be related to my area of study. Throughout my college experience I've had the luxuries of computer programs such as MathCAD, Honeywell Unisim, Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint, etc. I can't imagine completing my degree without these types of media. In the past year I have learned that digital media is becoming more and more important in the control of chemical processes. Manovich's discussion on modularity reminded me of my study of ISA-88 philosophy. As Manovich explained, modularity is important when editing or deleting parts of a project. ISA-88 is completely modular so that additions and subtractions of this type can be made without digging too deep and effecting the entire project.

Although I said most of the reading was boring to me, I did find interest in the historical discussions made by Manovich while explaining how new media came to be. It is always important to understand what was done in the past and how historical decisions and inventions have effected the future.

If interested, additional information on ISA-88 can be found at http://www.batchcontrol.com/s88/ .

"As We May Think"

I have just finished reading "As We May Think", an article written by Vannevar Bush and published in the Atlantic in July of 1945. I found that the date the article was written was very important in understanding this article. I thought it was amazing how accurate Bush was in his predictions of future technologies. There were no computers in 1945 yet he was describing them and how they could be used.

I found it particularly interesting the way he described the importance of compression. As I read I couldn't help but relate his theories to the technologies of today. I immediately thought of a USB flash drive or hard drive used to store information for later use. Bush's vision of storing large amounts of information in a compressed, compact form has become a reality. He mentions that "The Encyclopedia Britannica could be reduced to the volume of a matchbox. A library of a million volumes could be compressed into one end of a desk." As I read this, I immediately recalled an article I had read within the past year which stated that the Encyclopedia Britannica would no longer be published in print. They will be completely digital from now on. The accuracy of Bush's statements amaze me.

It interests me to think about future technologies. I have trouble fathoming a successor to the computers and internet we use today.Have the engineers and researchers of today made theories in the same manner as Bush? What will technology be like in 50 years?

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog for HU2642: Introduction to Digital Media. On this blog I will be discussing various readings assigned in my Digital Media class. This is my first blog so please forgive me for my inexperience.