Neal's Internerd Studies Blog

NET11 - Unit Reflections

2008-08-24T07:17:00.000-07:00

Well, what an interesting way to start my university studies.

I thoroughly enjoyed this unit, and whilst I can't deny that there were cirumstances that certainly made it difficult to participate and learn sometimes (like my laptop dying right before the course started, and our Internet being taken away when we moved... What a nightmare), I certainly tried to make it up in my course work/learning log and participate in threads via WebCT as much as possible.

I think what I enjoyed most about this unit was the opportunity to learn on my own. Like a true Internet nerd, I tend to operate best behind a computer screen rather than in a classroom. Though, uh, I think I need a new glasses prescription.

From Internet protocols, social aspects and usage, as well as the basics and advanced email usage, I think if I were to finish my studies here, I'd certainly be in a position to discuss the Internet and it's features in a more learned and knowledgable way. Of course, I won't be ceasing my studies here, but my point is that I consider this unit a great jumping off for people not only who think they're well versed in the use of the Internet/WWW, but also those new to the technology.

Module 5 - Preparing for "future shock"

2008-08-24T05:09:00.000-07:00

Internet2

The idea of Internet2 isn't overly shocking to me. It would shock me more to think that universities, governments and think-tanks weren't interested in further the capacity of the WWW and the Internet as a whole. However, this portion of Learn the Net: The Future of the Internet blew my mind.

"NASA has developed a Virtual Collaborative Clinic that connects medical facilities around the U.S., allowing doctors to manipulate high-resolution, 3-D images of MRI scans and other medical imaging. Not only can doctors consult and diagnose, but they can simulate surgery by using a "CyberScalpel." Virtual surgery gives surgeons an opportunity to practice before ever entering the operating room, reducing the time required for the actual procedure."

If that's not the coolest thing I've read all years, I don't remember what's cooler. I'm a bit of a nerd for science advances and such, but this is just beyond awesome, in terms of the power that the Internet could possibly possess. Imagine med students having this kind of technology at their fingertips, at every med school in the world? Forget cadavers, real simulations could be performed every day. An entire class could be operating on different simulations, encountering different problems and all learning to react differently. I realise this course isn't about me geeking out over medical advances, but woah. That's just amazing.

Uh, moving on...

PlanetLab

PlanetLab is a little bit harder for me to grasp, simply because I couldn't find any information that clearly stated it's intentions. A "geographically distributed overlay platform designed to support the deployment and evaluation of planetary-scale network services" could mean a lot of things, really. That being said, I found this portion of information interesting:

"Experience shows that the experimental networking
performed on PlanetLab can easily impact many external
sites’ intrusion detection and vulnerability scanners.
This leads to requirements for policies limiting what traffic
PlanetLab users can send to the rest of the Internet, and a
way for concerned outside individuals to find out exactly
why they are seeing unusual traffic from PlanetLab. The
rest of the Internet needs to feel safe from PlanetLab."

It's interesting to hear that safety measures are being looked at for new technologies now. One has to wonder if policies and rules put in place now will even be needed in the future, as the WWW and Internet we currently have in place evolves and grows on it's own. An idealistic view, perhaps, as all technology is always flawed. But with the advances in Anti-Virus and encryption programs and protocols, I'd sort of hope that the issues that we face online today would be erradicated before this sort of technology is put into place. Wishful thinking, maybe? Based on the articles I'm about to discuss... probably.

Forecasting

I can't deny that I'm forever an optimist about the future. When you read about technological advances like that of NASA with medical devices (sorry, I'm still geeking out about that), you can't help but be inspired by what technology can bring in the future. And yet, David D. Clark leaves me with this statement:

"...the Internet these days all too often resembles New York's Times Square in the 1980s. It was exciting and vibrant, but you made sure to keep your head down, lest you be offered drugs, robbed, or harangued by the insane."

Firstly, have to love the visual imagery that brought me :)
Secondly, that's a pretty fair analogy of how the Internet can operate. Though I genuinely don't think things are that bad... The Internet operates like any society. Trouble is there, if you look for it. Trouble is there, if you're naieve. And trouble is there, if you operate in circles where trouble is known to exist.

I found it interesting that one of the commenters on this particular article said, "The internet is not broken, M.S. Windows is. The issue of unwanted email (spam) warrants some changes in the underlying structure, but the other problems are really OS problems, and Windows bears the brunt of responsiblity for this." I'm not 100% sure how true this is, but surely some of the blame for the "broken" Internet has to lie with operating systems. Can the same complaints about the Internet (poor security, spam, etc) be made for Mac's OS, Tiger OSX? Or for Linux? Being a long-time Windows users, I've never encountered Internet-based problems myself, but I also don't "mix" in Internet circles that would encounter problems. I get the bare minimum of spam, I can't recall ever having a virus (that I've known about). But I'm not exactly a programmer-level user, so maybe comments like this need to be taken seriously. Does an overhaul of the Internet also mean an overhaul of Windows, or scrapping of Windows altogether?

I think the real answer to all of this is simply in Dr Cerf's comments in the BBC-based article, What the Net Did Next:

"The internet is a reflection of our society and that mirror is going to be reflecting what we see," he said. "If we do not like what we see in that mirror the problem is not to fix the mirror, we have to fix society."

Now that is something I can buy.

Module 5 - Peer-to-Peer

2008-08-24T00:56:00.001-07:00

I've had a bit of experience with peer-to-peer programs, though maybe not as much as some people who are around my age (23). Having grown up with the Internet in my home since I was 12, I've had the opportunity to form my own opinions already, regarding P2P (peer-to-peer) technology, and used Napster briefly when it was originally created.

Having roots in music and the music industry, I'm aware of the impact that, in particular, music downloading and piracy can have on not only record labels and retailers, but musicians and music contributors themselves. Hence, I've tried to stay away from downloading music since around 2001. I'm also not a fan of downloading movies (though I do download, legally, a lot of movie trailers... Mostly via websites like Dave's Trailer Page though, and not via P2P clients). I think my personal opinions in this area will influence my studies, and I hope to look at further studies in this area in the future.

Henry Jenkins, in his article Playing Our Song?, that there's a emotional and social attachment with a P2P client like Napster, as opposed to the legal and "sterile" downloads of something like iTunes. Whilst I don't disagree entirely, I think it's a little too emotional point of view. Sure, sharing music is fun, and it's nice to find that someone else likes the music you do. But to rip off the artists you love isn't fun, to my mind. Maybe it's because a lot of the music I personally cherish is put out by independent artists or labels, who don't have wallets as big as Sony BMG or Warner Music, but the thought of taking someone's art without paying for it is criminal, in my opinion. I'd rather a "sterile", as Henry Jenkins puts it, environment like iTunes. At least I know that my 99c per song is going where it should be going.

Janis Ian writes, in her article The Internet Debacle - An Alternative View, "most of the downloads are people who want to try an artist out, or who can't find the music in print". That's just not true. Maybe in 2002, when this article was written, it might have been a bit more accurate. But as P2P technology becomes second nature amongst Gen Y, and BitTorrent takes over, it's only getting easier to download music and film... I've seen .zip files available for download on Limewire, containing a musician's entire back catalouge! I certainly can't claim to have spoken to the RIAA directly about this as Janis has, but I just can't buy that that's a good thing for artists.

This all being said, I don't think we can deny the presence of music on the Internet, both legal and illegal. And I think P2P technology can have a purpose beyond the sharing of multimedia files (such as sharing files within a workplace, pulicising your own art, etc). However, I don't think one can argue that P2P is primarly used for the illegal download of music and other media. This is where bands like Radiohead and Bloc Party have the right idea, offering their music for download (before a physical version of the album is released), directly from their website, in a high-quality mp3 format, for only a fraction of the cost of the CD version. Radiohead even offered a "pay what you like" service, offering people the opportunity to pay only as much as they wanted to for their latest album, "In Rainbows". Even when the album was released on a physical CD in the real world, it still peaked at number 1 on the UK charts. Could this be the new direction taken by musicians? Or was this success only achieved because Radiohead are so well regarded (critically and by fans) and well known, particularly within the alternative music industry?

Module 5 - Information Ecologies

2008-08-23T22:28:00.000-07:00

Before I get into this, I'm going to familiarise myself with the term, "ecology".

From Dictionary.com:
'"Ecology"
1. The branch of sociology that is concerned with studying the relationships between human groups and their physical and social environments. Also called human ecology.
2. The study of the detrimental effects of modern civilization on the environment, with a view toward prevention or reversal through conservation. Also called human ecology.'

Questions
How might the metaphor of an ‘ecology’ impact on the way you think about, understand or use the Internet?
Rafael Capurro says in his article, Towards an Information Ecology, "modern information technology plays a major role in the process of shaping not only the ways we communicate but also all aspects of our individual and social life." Armed with this information, and the meaning of ecology itself, I can safely say I've had a view of the Internet as an ecology since the beginning of this unit, and perhaps before that. I'm an advocate of using the Internet to the complete advtange of society, from paying bills to building relationships. I therefore don't think that my view will be changed or impacted by the metaphor. It will, however, better equip me to explain my views later in my studies ;)

How are the concepts ‘information’ and ‘communication’ understood within the framework of an ‘information ecology’?
As I understand it, we should consider both the concepts of information and communication as tools within the ecology of information. Based on that theory, "information tools are, or should be, primarily people's tools" (Capurro, R., Towards an Information Ecology, 2000). From that, I understand that we use tools within the information ecology to better use and construct the ecology itself, as well as to better conduct ourselves within this ecology.

Module 4 - Evaluating the Web

2008-08-18T00:14:00.001-07:00

Seeing as the subjects I've previously searched about have mostly been rock 'n roll-centric (I have a one track mind, I'm afraid...), I've decided to use a different resource for this excercise.

Email Etiquette (Netiquette), David Tuffley (10 July, 2007). Sourced from http://www.cit.gu.edu.au/~davidt/email_etiquette.htm on 18/08/2008.

Purpose: This site is definately a reference tool. Not much to advocate or commercialise when it comes to Email Etiquette, you'd think.

Author: David Tuffley, Griffith University Lecturer in ICT
Currently completing Doctorate in Philosophy, and Graduate studies in Research Management.

Content: Though I wouldn't consider this particular topic (Email Etiquette) to be a topic where one can be particularly biased, the nature of the author's education and experience in the subject would suggest a balanced point of view.

Coverage: New Rules of Email Etiquette (Lynn Gaertner-Johnston, December 15, 2005) and EmailReplies.com (Email Replies, n.d.) are both sources on the same subject, and both offer different amounts of advice. Whilst New Rules of Email Etiquette (Lynn Gaertner-Johnston, December 15, 2005) doesn't provide enough specific information, particularly for general email users, EmailReplies.com (Email Replies, n.d.) seems to provide too much information, confusing even business-related readers. Both sources seem somewhat outdated also, even though in reality one of them is under three years old. The current source seems far more suited to both the casual and business user.

Currency: The information was published in July of 2007, making it just over one year old. As email hasn't advanced greatly in the last year, and the subject itself isn't time sensitive, there seems to be no issues with the age of the information provided.

Recognition: Though links were few, reputable American "ivy league" university Harvard links to the article within their own Email Etiquette guidelines for their Department of Psychology (http://isites.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=k3007&pageid=icb.page66400&pageContentId=icb.pagecontent152481&view=view.do&viewParam_name=email.html). Certainly a vote of confidence in it's content, to my mind.

Though a direct comparison to my research in the previous task cannot be done (because I'm a silly girl who search for a band, rather than something to do with the unit... *sigh*), I can say that this method of presenting research is certainly an easy way to evaluate it's worthiness and credibility. Whilst I certainly don't expect to use it on every single link I come across within my Net Studies degree, I do expect to use it often whilst preparing for exams, assignments and projects. I imagine this method would also be useful within a business environment, compiling research for presenations, or assiting in research for events or for different departments.

NET11: Concepts Assignment

2008-08-03T21:01:00.000-07:00

Concept 1: Asynchronicity
“Asynchronous electronic communication is not the opposite of real-time, synchronous communication: rather it describes forms of communication that appear differently 'located in time' depending on the perspective of the sender and receiver.” (Allen, n.d)

Yesterday at roughly 3pm Perth time, I sent an email to my Dad. This was in response to an email he sent to me at 1:30am (Adelaide time) that morning, whilst working a late shift. Though I was aware of the time he’d sent the email, and the fact that he wouldn’t be reading my email straight away (not only due to the time difference between our two states, but also due to the fact that I knew he wouldn’t be at work), I wrote to him as if our conversation had been happening in real time. When he probed me with the question, “has you new laptop arrived?”, I didn’t respond with the exact time it had gotten here, in comparison to when his email was sent. I simply said, “it just got here!”.

“Asynchronicity means that questions aren’t answered immediately, and while waiting for someone’s IM message, time has marched on” (Kip Kniskern, 2008). Whilst this statement certainly isn’t a brilliant description of what Asynchronicity is, it’s a layman’s understanding of how it works. Though, to my mind, it’s not that simple. To say that asynchronicity means that communication isn’t “real time” isn’t accurate either. In all forms of asynchronous communication that I’ve participated in, it’s not that the communication isn’t real time, it’s that though the message or email you receive was actually sent several hours ago (if not days ago), you respond as if it was communication to you in real time. Because, to you, it was.

I think, though, that asynchronicity goes far beyond the reach of standard email communication though. Speaking about web-based learning (like our Open Uni program itself!), Jana O’Keefe said “Asynchronous electronic message boards allow students to submit assignments, read and comment on one another's contributions, and share experiences and advice when they are off campus” (2000). As Open Uni student through Curtin, I utilise asynchronous communication every day to study, and to communicate with my lecturer and peers. Not only does this allow me to study and work, it enables effective communication with my peers, in a way that isn’t disruptive to the learning process. And so, even with the obvious downsides (website down time, inactive students, etc), asynchronous communication has the potent ional to “offer contemporary students and faculty truly extraordinary potential for re-designing and expanding the learning environment” (Jana O’Keefe, 2000).

“Our appetite for information seemingly has no end” (Kip Kniskern, 2008). A bold statement, but one that rings true in today’s Internet-reliant society. From learning to communication, asynchronicity in our society is only making it easier to access this information, and making time and space irrelevant in this transfer. Right now, for example, I’m participating in an online university course unit, a unit that hundreds of other students are taking… Like any synchronous university experience, I communicate with my classmates and tutor on a regular basis, and respond to their messages in a manner that would mirror any real world interaction. In the same way that I respond to my Dad’s email as if it were a flowing conversation, I discuss the details of this unit in the same manner. Though obviously different from a standard synchronous interaction, asynchronous communication isn’t the opposite, but rather an advanced state of synchronicity… A state which we should only embrace in the future.

References:

Kniskern, Kip (2008, April 30). Asynchronicity, Or, Time Zones Suck
Message posted to http://jkipk.com/Graffiti/

A short but well-written blog post on the nature of asynchronicity in a Live Web environment. The writer obviously has a wealth of knowledge on the subject of online communication and the sharing of information. That being said, the post itself isn’t overly in depth. It does, however, contain some key information that may help those who misunderstand the term of asynchronicity to gain a better understanding of how it works in a modern Internet-using society. The author also makes references to different online communication tools, helpful for those who often use the items to communicate with friends, family, etc.

O’Keefe, Jana (2000). The Electronic Internship Advisor: The Case for Asynchronous Communication. Business Communication Quarterly Retreived July 26, 2008 from http://www.allbusiness.com/human-resources/workforce-management-hiring/513620-1.html

An extensive article on the nature of asynchronous communication within an education/college environment. The article heavily endorses the use of asynchronicity, particularly for post-graduate students, and students undertaking internships as part of their studies. Whilst it does tend to focus on the American education system, elements of the article are of particular use to this unit, particularly when trying to think laterally about the use of asynchronicity in our own studies. Of particular note are the first three paragraphs, which speak generally about asynchronous communication and give circumstances in which it may prove valuable for students and teachers alike.

Concept 2: Your audience’s use of communication
“Informational exchange consists in the content of messages but also the uses (intended or unintended) to which the information is put.” (Allen, n.d.)

I’m a sarcastic person by nature. I never really mean it to offend anyone, it’s just the way I am. I’ve had to learn the hard way that a friendly sarcastic joke in person just doesn’t translate well into an email, a post on a message board, or a message in a chat room/IM client. Even with an emoticon to try and make the joke obviously humorous, it just doesn’t always work. It’s this sort of experience that’s led me to realise that online communication allows for a vastly different set of rules, in comparison to real world communication, particularly if you want to communicate in an effective and friendly manner.

“Words on a screen are two-dimensional. Reading these words in isolation of usual communication cues lends itself to "coolness" that can lead directly to overreaction and flaming” (Ken W. White, n.d). It’s amazing how true this statement is. To the casual or professional Internet user, the term “audience” may seem excessive, in terms of the people they communicate with. And yet, it is an accurate term. When you send an email (in any number of environments), that email can not only reach the intended recipient, but hundreds, thousands, millions of other people! If just one of those extra recipients finds what you’ve said offensive or unclear, you may find yourself on the back foot.

So, how to we avoid embarrassing ourselves? Just exactly how do we determine how to address our intended audience? Lynne Breil offers the suggestion, “remember that e-mail is not a substitute for face-to-face or telephone communication” (2008). Sounds obvious enough I suppose, though being a child of the Internet age, I’ve always considered email the easy alternative to a phone call or face-to-face meeting, not a completely different method. In the past, I’ve written emails as if I was speaking them. When I read an email back, it sounds normal to me, but I can now imagine how someone reading the text on the screen can be offended, confused or, even worse, uninterested.

Furthermore, Ken W. White adds, “Online defensiveness tends to be reduced when people ask questions rather than make statements” (n.d). In other words, the simple act of changing a statement to a question can change the way your communication is processed by the receiver. I’ve tried this over the last few days (having had more issues with my ISP), and have noticed a turn around in the way the person handling our issue is communicating with me. Their intial defensive manner has changed to that of someone who needs to fix a situation. Just by taking an extra few minutes to examine the language I use, I’ve ensured that the recepient of my email isn’t offended or confused, and that they fully understand what I’m asking. I’ve also added “deadlines for response” (Ken W. White, n.d), ensuring that the recipient is aware of when I expect a response. It’s amazing… Such easy steps ensure that I understand my audience and that my audience understands me.

References:

White, Ken W. (n.d). The Write Way To Communicate Online. Electronic Educational Environment (University of California, Irvine). Retrieved July 29, 2008, from https://eee.uci.edu/news/articles/0407write.php

This extensive guide on online communication is excellent, and particularly relevant to university students who are studying online. Written in an easy to understand manner, and featuring key ideas and statements relating to this unit, it is an excellent resource for students and educators alike. I found both the sections on “Responsive” and “Warmth” particularly helpful to me, and have taken the time to apply them not only to my communication in this unit, but also in other aspects of my online communications. A second to none resource, I highly recommend it to all readers interested in this subject.

Breil, Lynne (2008, March 29). Botched! A Word on e-mail
Message posted to http://botched.wordpress.com/

Though this blog post itself was particularly relevant to this unit, this entire blog by Lynne Breil will provide valuable information for those wishing to better communicate with their audience in many different situations, particularly within a business environment. This post itself is short in length, but gives a great example on what not to do if you want to impress your audience, and create a great first impression. However, the author provides minimal advice on how to counteract the behaviour in the example, the answer is just implied. Ensure you read the post with the appropriate amount of humour and sarcasm get her point.

Concept 13: Communication is not complete upon receipt.
“The key to effective email management is to consistently and conscientiously respond to and act upon the email you receive, while recognising that others may not be as efficient as yourself.” (Allen, n.d)

I am a child of the information age. Though I recognise the need for face-to-face and phone-based contact, if I can sort out or engage a situation via email, I will. I’m not sure if this is purely because I’m a young woman who is a product of constant access to the Internet, or more so because I find it much easier to communicate my thoughts effectively via the written word. However, it appears now (after initial learning in Module 2.1, as well as additional research) that I may not be an effective email communicator.

Skellie (2007) suggests, in her “10 Tips for Managing E-Mail Effectively”: “whenever you read an email, answer to it right away” (p. 1). Sounds simple enough, though I admit to not adhering to this frame of mind in the past. Previously, I would read a batch of emails in bulk, and then take the time to respond to each of them. As Skellie (2007) once again points out, “this process will also consume more time, since you will probably need to read each email a second time before remembering what you will need to say in the reply” (p. 1). True enough. I’ve found that, adhering to the advice previously given, I’ve saved critical time by simply replying to emails as I read them.

With this new approach to email, I’ve found myself now getting agitated with the time is takes others to respond to my emails. Whilst I admit to being far more pro-active in my checking and replying to emails than many, I’ve often felt that if email is offered by a particular person, company or organisation as a way of communicating, then the email inbox in question should be checked as diligently as the phone is answered. However, of late I’ve had to rethink this point of view… Could it be my emails themselves that are making it difficult to respond to? Am I not providing enough information on how or when I’d like a response? MindTools.com suggests, “Make sure to include any call to action you desire, such as a phone call or follow-up appointment” (“Effective Email - How to communicate powerfully by email”, Mind Tools, n.d). This, once again, sounds simple enough, but is an action I’d never thought of taking before. Perhaps I thought it too pushy or assuming. However, the simple act of asking for a response within a certain timeframe, and by what medium, has increased the turn-around of my online enquires immensely. I’m currently in the process of purchasing a new laptop through the online-based computer company, Dell. Any enquiry I make about my laptop’s progress in getting to me is now suffixed with when I’d appreciate a response by, and how to contact me. It’s a simple and polite way of encouraging response, and one I’d previously never considered.

Though I certainly wouldn’t claim to be a perfect email communicator, I think these simple steps have, at the very least, increased both my productivity and the productivity of the responding party.

References:

Mind Tools (n.d). "Effective Email - How to communicate powerfully by email". Retrieved August 1, 2008 from http://www.mindtools.com/CommSkll/EmailCommunication.htm

A website dedicated primarily to career furthering and assistance, this particular article provides vauable information for those wishing to communicate more effectively with colleagues, customers, associates and similar. Though the article itself is aimed at professional environments, it provides useful information for anyone wishing to manage their email successfully. Of particular note is the section relating to subject headings and their effect on an email as a whole. I found this article particularly useful for not only brushing up on skills I already have, but also for learning new skills and sets of rules that I otherwise wouldn’t have considered.

Skellie (2007). "10 Tips for Managing Email Effectively". Retrieved August 1, 2008 from http://www.dailyblogtips.com/10-tips-for-managing-email-effectively/

This particular article will provide excellent information and ideas on managing email for bloggers, but also provides useful tips for general Internet users, as well as workplace-based users in a professional environment. Descriptions are informative and detailed, but easy to understand. I was particularly impressed with the step-by-step instructions for using Gmail to manage domain-based email accounts, as well as the information on replying to emails you receive. Though probably not the best resource for clear-cut rules on advanced email management, it will be of particular interest to those using email for the first time, or those making the transition from casual email user to professional or constant email user.

Concept 20: Active communication generates identity awareness
“One can only generate awareness of one's membership of an email list by posting messages; others' awareness of your identity will enable them to include you in their discussions and enable you to play your part in the community that is the list.” (Allen, n.d)

As a moderator of Empire Magazine’s online message boards, I’ve had personal experience with online postings, and developing your identity online, as well as online relationships. Though simply posting in a list or message board can create awareness of your particular identity, it’s another thing entirely for whether your identity is going to be embraced by other members of the list or message board.

As a new member of a email list or message board, you are putting yourself in a situation of vulnerability. Even upon reading the board or list’s specific rules and regulations, you are yet to know any of the posters themselves. I’ve seen many new members of message boards be the subject of online hazing, or initiation rituals, designed to weed out any members that might disrupt the particular balance that the message board or list in question has. “Newcomers who refuse or fail to abide by social norms are dangerous to the elite in-group because they harbour the potential to break down the boundaries of the group” says Courtenay Honeycutt (2005), discussing the boundaries established in online communities.

And so what does one do, when targeted by “elite members” (Courtenay Honeycutt, 2005)? Though there’s always the choice of simply leaving the message board or list, or attempting to fit within the particular group’s ideal frame, one also can simply change who they are. “Communicating only with typed text, you have the option of being yourself, expressing only parts of your identity, assuming imaginative identities, or remaining completely anonymous” says John Suler, Ph. D (1996), offering a path that many may consider. Being online, joining a message board or email list multiple times, with different user names and/or email addresses is a simple task. In an instance on the message board I moderate, we had one member sign up with several different usernames, until the “elite members” (Courtenay Honeycutt, 2005) embraced the personality he chose to portray online. Only when he confessed this to another member was he, once again, an outcast.

And so, where does this leave the new member? Though posting about the list or message board’s topic should alone be enough to garner some kind of inclusion, it is not always the case. Whilst some members take joy in using their power or “elite” (Courtenay Honeycutt, 2005) status to bully other members into a particular type of identity or way of behaving whilst posting on the list or board, other members have no interest in such behaviour. Does this mean that you’re taking a chance on being accepted when you join an online community, or perhaps should one take the time to not only learn the specific rules of the list/board, but also learn the particular way that board operates and other members interact, before making their first post? John Suler, Ph. D says, “What determines your influence on others is your skill in communicating (including writing skills), your persistence, the quality of your ideas, and your technical know-how” (1996). And so perhaps, for those who care to make a positive impact on an online community, email list or message board, the best thing to do is simply try.

References:

Suler, John, Ph. D. (1996) The Basic Psychological Features of Cyberspace. In The Psychology of Cyberspace (2.1). Retrieved August 4, 2008 from http://www.usr.rider.edu/~suler/psycyber/basicfeat.html

This extensive e-book provides in-depth look at the Internet, as both a medium for communication, and an opportunity for people to re-invent themselves as a new identity or avatar. The author has taken a great deal of care in describing many facets of Internet usage, and provides detailed descriptions of both the positive and negative effect cyberspace can have on a person’s true identity. Whilst much of the book is of little use in this particular course, much of the information in the second chapter would be of particular note to anyone wishing to further their studies in virtual communities, message boards or email lists.

Honeycutt, C. (2005). Hazing as a process of boundary maintenance in an online community. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 10(2), article 3. Retreived July 29, 2008 from http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol10/issue2/honeycutt.html

This particular case study focuses on the use of hazing and degrading initiation rituals in an online environment. An excellent source of information for those interested in behavioural studies relating to the Internet. The article itself focuses on what the author calls “elite members”, and the effect their actions have on providing boundaries in an online community, message board or email list, as well as the effect their actions have on individual members themselves. The article also includes an in-depth look at a particular message board, and provides fascinating statistics on the use of hazing techniques on the message board in question.

Module 4 - Searching the Web

2008-07-16T00:38:00.000-07:00

As this tasks requires me to use my "most commonly used" search engine, I've decided to dedicate this portion of the task to searching Google.com.au.

I'm about to search "the web" for "bloc party". I'm using the quotation marks in my search to ensure accurate results.

I got about 9,840,000 results! The first result was a link to the official Bloc Party website, BlocParty.com.

Using Copernic, I got 51 results, with the official Bloc Party website being the same first listed result. A quick comparison between these results, however, and the plethora of Google results show that the Copernic results are much more focused on the term I've searched for. For instance, many of the results via Google appear to be mentions of the band on other, unrelated websites (like Last.fm or YouTube). I think the more focused results of Copernic are the better ones, as it seems to provide results with websites relating to the topic, not websites that simply mention the topic once or twice.

Organising Search Information

For this take, I've chosen the three best Bloc Party sites display.

BlocParty.netM - http://www.blocparty.net/
Author: James (no last name included)
Institution: None specified
Summary: Fan-run website, providing information, media and downloads realting to UK rock band, Bloc Party. Features include gallery, forum and guitar tab archive.

BlocParty.com - http://www.blocparty.com/
Author: Wichita Records, Vice Records
Institution: RIAA (Vice Records)
Summary: Bloc Party's official website. Features an online store to shop for records and merchandise, as well as up-to-date news and a band-endorsed fan club.

Wikipedia - Bloc Party - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloc_Party
Author: Various Contributors (Content owned by Wikipedia.org)
Institution: None
Summary: Thorough Wikipedia-based biography and discography of the band. Includes news on the band's upcoming album and info on the chart success the band has had worldwide.

Module 4 - Downloading Tools/Plug-Ins

2008-07-15T23:48:00.000-07:00

For this task, I chose to download two programs I haven't used previously.

For a Search Manager, I downloaded Copernic Agent Basic (as it was free... I like free things). As an Offline Browser/Copier, I got PageSucker (mostly because I liked the name and, once again, it was free).

Copernic Agent Basic:
I'm sort of in love with this program. I did a search for "Ben Folds" (noticing a theme in my searches, anyone?).

The program searched about 10 search engines (Google, Yahoo!, Alta Vista, etc) and provided me with 42 results. Almost every result related specifically to Ben Folds, and was displayed in a easy-to-read fashion. The most relevant results were displayed on top too, and not the most popular. Impressive to be sure. I think I'll be using this again!

PageSucker:

This is an interesting concept to me... I can sort of see the benefit of this program for dial-up Internet users, but for the modern-day broadband connection, I don't really see the need for this type of program. It doesn't really save on downloads, because your downloading the page whether you view it online or on your computer. I guess it has the capacity to save on downloads if you're going to visit a page more than a few times... But it's not something that I feel has as much value now as it perhaps once would have.

Even so, it does what it aims to do well. It took about a minute to download all of DudleyParkHome.com, including the images. Whilst it's not something I personally would utilise often, I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a simple but effective page saving program.

Module 3 - Web 2.0

2008-07-09T19:59:00.000-07:00

HTML-based page: Whilst it's not pretty, it does the job. Each link is displayed in an easy-to-read fashion, and the page loaded very quickly... it was in front of me almost as soon as I clicked the link from WebCT. It's not filled with anything overly pretty, but it does the job and does it well.

Web 2.0 page: Firstly, though I assume this is no fault of the page itself, it's taken me a good three or four tries to get this page loaded. That being said, once it worked, it worked well. Much prettier than the other version, and also provides options like rating, "blinks" and reference or filed under terms. While it serves it's purpose, it also features things like Ads by Google (and while at least they aren't pop-ups or offensive banners, they still drive me mad). Also, it appears that not all of the links are displayed on one page, they're split up over two... Perhaps to increase loading time?

I think both versions have their advantages. Whilst "on paper" I prefer the Web 2.0 version, I see nothing wrong with, and would happily use, the plain HTML version. I think the other options utilised by the Web 2.0 version are the clear things that set it apart from the other version, but those options will only appeal to so many people... Having a link "rated" by other users is brilliant, but the "Blinks" function and such doesn't really interest me at all. I think as the WWW as a whole moves toward the Web 2.0-style of publication, we need to remember that having 100 different functions and options isn't always a good thing, and can often complicate what is, essentially, simple information.

Module 3 - Blogs

2008-06-30T04:14:00.000-07:00

Blogging, to me, is the future of personal expression and corporate/commercial communication. The amount of people, companies, organisations, etc that embrace blogging technology these days is both astounding and invigorating.

I started "blogging" with a site called LiveJournal, an easy-to-use and entire web-based journal site. I used to it rant about my daily life, keep up-to-date with the going's on of my friends and family who used the site, and also post comments to others in LJ-based "communities" that piqued my interested (I'm still an active poster on one of the bigger LJ communities, MadRadHair). It was fun, rewarding, and ultimately began my love affair with Internet-based writing and journalisim.

Blogging is changing people's lives, and changing the world. Companies are using blogs to keep clients and interested parties up-to-date on their latest products and developments, to the point where it's almost essential for a company to have a blog, or at least a constantly updated newssource, on their websites. People are becoming famous from blogging... Even winning Academy Awards (like the amazingly incredible Diablo Cody)! Even humble NineMSN has a full-time blogger to report on Hollywood and Entertainment gossip. Blogging is a phenomenon, pure and simple.

As much as I love the idea of blogging, and the voice it gives to regular people, it obviously has it's drawbacks. It means that the middle-man (ie, fact checkers, editors, etc) is being taken out of reporting, and so anyone can essentially say whatever they like, without truth or reason really coming into question. For every beautiful, funny, articulate and truthful blog out there, there seems to be a rumor-based, poorly edited and hate-filled equivalent.

To the core of the argument, I personally love blogging because it really embraces that age old liberty we tend to take for granted... Freedom of speech. I'm lucky enough that I live in a country where I can bad-mouth the Prime Minister (or rather, the former prime minister), promote homosexual rights, discuss the wonders of rock 'n roll and talk about any and all emotional baggage I'm dealing with, in the anonyimity of "cyber space", without anyone batting an eyelid. Unfortunately that also means that those who disagree with me have a voice too :P But who wants to live in a world where no one can debate, and no one has the right to free speech? Blogging gives everyone the opportunity to excercise that right. To my mind, it's worth the drawbacks for that reason alone.

Module 3 - FTP

2008-06-30T04:12:00.001-07:00

My uploaded test page:

DudleyParkHome.com/Net11

This page has been uploaded to my personal webspace.

Module 3 - WWW Standards

2008-06-30T00:51:00.000-07:00

This is where my interested is piqued. As my major goal is to write online(specifically, to review films, music and various other things), I've found this particular part of the module both interesting and relevant to my chosen career path.

Taking an "encyclopedic" approach to writing online is an interesting way of describing the type of communication that needs to be done when writing online. I'm a big fan of lists and pockets/chunks of relevant information being placed together, as I'm definately a bit of a scanner when it comes to reading! Even reading books in the "real world", I always find myself skipping entire pages in a book and then having to go back and re-read sections!

"It's okay - even necessary - to be redundant when writing for the Web."
This is an interesting quote. I spend a lot of my writing time desperately trying to not be redundant, so having the permission to be so inclined is a little unnerving. Personally, I don't think that simply because you're writing for an online source, that all traditional elements of writing and keeping a reader interested should be thrown out the window.

"Most people prefer to read lengthy or complicated texts offline."
Um, I actually disagree with that comment. This may have been the case a few years ago, but with the intergration of the Internet into every day life (and with the increasing popularity of notebook/laptop computers), I think more and more people are becoming very comfortable with reading large amounts of information online. I mean, the amount of people that get 99% of the News and Current Affairs information from an online source (like ABC News) proves that at least SOME people are quite comfortable with large amounts of online reading, let alone the HUGE amount of people that read many of the more popular blogs.

"Since web visitors decide in a matter of seconds whether your page is worth reading, when you choose bland, content-neutral words for your hyperlinks, you miss an important opportunity to communicate."
This blew my mind a little, because I've never really thought about hyperlinks in this way before. But it's true!

My 5 "rules" for online writing!

Be concise. Don't spend three paragraphs talking about what could be explained in one.
Be interesting. Concise doesn't mean boring, and vice versa. Take the time to choose your words and descriptions carefully, so they engage your reader.
Make your articles scannable. Be aware of people who will spend a lot of time scanning over your words, and ensure there's key headings and phrases to ensure the reader can easily find what they're after.
Make your articles easy on the eye. To me, this means keeping bright colours, animated images and any kind of typing that LoOkS LiKe ThIs to an absolute minimum. Remember, some people have spent a few hours in front of a computer screen, you don't want your fluro pink background and lime green text to melt their eyeballs.
Keep your links relevant and meaningful. Don't overcrowd your page with links to elsewhere, or links to sites and pages that have little to do with your information. Also, a meaningful link is one that gives the reader information on where they're clicking before they get there... A much more effective way of linking to another site!

Module 3 - HTML

2008-06-30T00:41:00.000-07:00

I've been pretty familiar with HTML, JavaScript, XHTML and PHP for about six years, so I admit to not spending a huge amount of time on this task, though I certainly took the time to read through the tutorial, and even learnt a thing or two!

I added some CSS into my web presentation, partially to show off and partial because, for some reason, I loathe plain blue underlined links.

Web design is such a brilliant skill to have. It assists with everything from setting up a website for your small business, a page for photos of family... Or, in my case, selling your house!

Module 2 - Newsgroups

2008-06-29T07:47:00.000-07:00

As this task was to monitor and post in a newsgroup, I've take a screenshot of my post at alt.music.ben-folds-five:

Ah yes, always dedicated to the cause of Mr Ben Folds :)

Newsgroups are interesting. I used to be a member of this particular group about six or seven years ago, when it had over 1000 members. Now it has 18. Perhaps an indication on the popularity of newsgroups waning? Or maybe more of an indication of BF5's popularity fading away (since uh, they have actually broken up...).

Either way, interesting to note the severe drop in members. I couldn't find many newsgroups with over 100 members in my searches. That being said, my dodgy Internet connection was dropping in and out, and so the search was a tad tiresome and hard at times.

Module 2 - Lists

2008-06-28T01:49:00.000-07:00

Lists

I remember being quite into Email lists back in the late 90s/early 00s. If there was a "Buffy: The Vampire Slayer" email list, I was on it! It'll be interesting to have a look through the lists now and see what's around!

So, as you can see above, I logged onto the Yahoo! Groups website, and did a search for Dave Grohl (for if anyone should be talked about a lot, it should be Dave). I got a few responses, mostly Foo Fighters-related, but there was a group called InYourHonor, which seemed cool and dedicated to the cause. I decided to venture in.

I think I probably picked one of the quieter lists on the site, though that being said, the popularity of email lists seems to have died down. I remember being on lists of over 5000 members, back in the day. The biggest list here has barely broken 100. Anyway, I've had a read through the topics, and the site itself operates like a less-cohesive message board, though of course it presents much different via email.

What are the pros and cons of email lists versus discussion boards?

The biggest pro for message boards is simply that you can pick and choose what you want to read and respond to. An email list sends you all kinds of information on the topic of your choosing, whether you want it sent to you or not. Another MB-pro is that topics are organised in a way that groups them together. For example...

Above is an example of a message board I frequent. With several thousand members and hundreds of messages posted daily, you can imagine it would be hard to keep track of them all, if every single one (or even just a portion of them) are emailed to you daily. The message board method allows for greater organisation of topics and posts, and for you to bee-line to a particular topic, post or subject that you want, whilst bypassing alot of other comments.

However, the above is also a con. On many message boards, posters seemed to fall off topic very quickly, due to the ease of posting and the opportunity for banter with other members. This lack-of-focus seems limited in email lists, and more time seems to go into posting and replying to the various topics on hand.

Another tick for email lists in convinience. Simply open your email, and you're kept up-to-date on the topic of your choosing. Also, you can still browse through your messages already sent to you if the particular lists' site is down. Handy plus.

Are there certain kinds of communication or purposes more suited to one than the other?

From my research (or rather, browsing and prior experience), I think simply that people who like to focus on and talk A LOT about a particular topic will enjoy an email list. You're kept up to date pretty constantly with the list, and it allows for focused discussion.

If you're someone who likes to pop in-and-out of discussions and take the opportunity for off topic banter with other members, the message board is for you. Most message boards have specific sections for general chit-chat, and allow you to post and return days or weeks later, and easily keep track of the topic you were discussing.

Module 2 - E-mail Tasks

2008-06-27T23:28:00.000-07:00

Gah, I'm finally getting around to this. After moving house over TWO WEEKS ago, I'm finally getting online again! My current ISP is driving me mental, and is having "issues" getting both our home phone and Internet re-connected.

Anyway, on to this portion of the task!

I've been familiar with e-mail for half my life time, so to say the basics are ingrained is an understatement. That being said, I've found it interesting and ultimately fascinating to really think about the way I send e-mail, how my messages could be better constructed, and how they're viewed by others.

PART 1 TASKS: ADDRESSES

I'm about to undertake the Lycos People Search, which I never knew existed! Will be interesting to see what comes up when I search for myself, and friends.

Bizarre. Obviously I'm not in the USA, and have an odd name as it is, but it's found a record for my father on some obsure US-based site! Talk about comprehensive. Apparently I need to pay for more information... I know plenty about my father already, so I think I'll pass.

Oooh, pop quiz time!
Q: Which of the following elements must be included in an email address?
A: Of course, both the username/account name, and the domain must be included.

PART 2 TASKS: MESSAGES

For the sake of this task, I'll rely on some screen shots from the e-mail program I use, Mozilla Thunderbird.

You may notice that I use both an ISP-based email address, and a web mail address (in this instance, Gmail) through this system. As I have two main email addresses, I find it easier to check them both at the same time, utilising the POP function of Gmail to do this.

I have the list of emails organised by date recieved, and a preview pane below, with the list of folders found at the left hand side of the window. Currently you can see a lovely flyer for StrawberryNet.com, hooking me up with lots of lovely discount cosmetics :)

Ooh, another pop quiz!

Q: To check for new e-mail, you must:
A: Enter your password. And thank goodness for that, I wouldn't want some stranger looking through my various discount flyers and pizza discount vouchers! ;P

PART 2 TASKS: ATTACHING FILES

I'll admit right now, I'm hopeless at attaching files. Not because I don't know how to do it, but because I always forget to attach anything before I send the message! Then I end up sending a second message, with the actual attachment, sheepishly explaining my mistake and looking very silly in the process.

Above is what attaching a file in Thunderbird looks like. Pretty simple, really.

Q: If you don't know what kind of computer or software your recipient has, send a document attachment as a:
A: A plan text (or ASCII) file can be read by anyone, so would be the best choice.

PART 2 TASKS: MANAGING YOUR EMAIL

Since I'm a bit of an organisation freak, this is where I shine. As you may have noticed, I have two completely separate email addresses coming into my Thunderbird client, to ensure my own privacy. I also have folders and rules set up for particular situations, in order to better organise my inbox and other folders.

Time for another pop quiz!

Q: You can transfer messages to another mailbox by:
A: Using the email program menu, or setting up a filter to automate it. Too easy.

PART 2 TASKS: SIGNATURES AND STYLE

Another point where I shine. I try to be a bit of a grammar, presentation and spelling nazi (particularly since the online world is full of StIcKy CaPs and terrible spelling!), so this is all second nature to me.

POP! QUIZ!

Q: "Flames" are:
A: Rude or provocative remarks. As a moderator on a popular message board, I deal with this kinda thing daily!

Now, onto the harder stuff! Coming from a coporate environment, I'll try and include some examples in my answers.

1. What information about a user's email, the origin of a message, and the path it took, can you glean from an email message?

When I recieve an email, the first thing I look at is the sender's name. Obviously this tells me who's sent me an email! However, I also check out their username... If I'm receiving an email from someone who's proper name I don't recognise, I may recognise their email username, perhaps from an message board or chat room.

I then look to the domain from which the email was sent, to better give me an idea of who this person is and, more importantly, where they come from. For example, receiving an email from george.clooney@warnerbros.com would show me that George is emailing me from a Warner Bros email account (oh, if only...). This could mean a number of things, but it would mostly give me a better idea of who the sender is, and maybe even an idea of what their email could be relating to, without even looking at the text!

Using both the username and domain name of an email address, you can generally put together an idea of where and who the email came from, and even what the message could be relating to. For example, after setting up the electricity online for my new house, I recieved an email from "accounts@synergy.com.au". Right away, I knew that the email would be referring to my new electricity account.

2. In what cases would you find it useful to use the 'cc', 'bcc' and 'reply all functions of email?

CC: Handy for when you wish to include another person (or other people) in an email message, without directly addressing them. This also lets the main addressee know that other people are viewing the message and are aware of it's content. It's a great function, and I used to use it alot when organising events at my previous workplace. I'd email an invite to a particular person, and ensure that I CC that person's personal or executive assistant. This ensure that the email was sent to and recieved by the invitee, but that other key parties were also aware of the event.

BCC: Another great function of email. Like CC, it allows you to include other people into an email message, without specifically addressing them, but the original sender doesn't know about it! I'm sure this could be used for sneaky purposes, but I often used to use it when addressing internal conflict issues at work. For example, if I needed to address a collegue about a behavioural issue, I'd send them an email, but also BCC my supervisor or manager, so that they were aware of the situation, but the addressee wasn't informed of this. It's also a great Netiquette tool, ensuring that people's feelings aren't damaged by knowing someone else has been included on an email message. Could also cause some trouble, I imagine!

3. In what ways can you ensure that an attachment you send will be easily opened by the receiver?

Always send plain text attachments, unless other specified! I can't stress how much I practice this rule. It's bugged me for a long time that I'll often recieve email attachments in a format that I can't open, view or edit! Why would the sender, who's taken the time to send you an attachment, not want to ensure that you could open it?

4. What sorts of filters or rules do you have set up, and for what purpose?

I'm a filter fan. Though I've tried my best to avoid spam and unwanted newsletters, they always somehow manage to slip through, so I've taken the time to identify the major offenders, and filter their messages straight into my spambox.

I also filter every message I recieve from my boyfriend into it's own special folder, so I can keep it. Aww, aren't I adorable? :)

5. How have you organised the folder structure of your email and why?

I'm a basic girl, and organise my folders accordingly. I avoid too many folders, and only route important and worthy messages into the ones I have set up. For example, I have a Finances folder, which keeps a copy of all of my e-mailed bank statements, bills, etc. I also have a boyfriend folder, which keeps track of the various cute messages we send each other (how sickening, I know), and a folder for any particular uni-related correspondence. Finally, I have a folder for Facebook-related correspondence. That's about it. I don't get a huge amount of email on a daily basis, and would obviously change my folder structure if I started to recieve more.

Phew, I kinda went on there for a bit.

Module 1 - Reflections

2008-06-12T00:08:00.000-07:00

It's interesting, I tend to take a lot of my ingrained Internet knowledge for granted. I'm a bit of a nerd by nature, I guess, and so thinks like FTP are second-nature to me.

That being said, the world of Telnet was, for me, virtually unknown. I'm familiar with the CommandPrompt function, in relation to exploring your own computer, but had no idea a similar (at least in look and feel) system existed to connect to an external computer! A great experience. Whilst I still feel that the advances we've made in online communication and searching (like the oh-so-lovely Google) are so much eaiser and better to use that a Telnet application, it was suprisingly effective in terms of finding what I was looking for. That said, I requested the information emailed to my Curtin email address, and it didn't show up for at least three days. Not sure who's end that delay would have been on, but it's certainly interesting to note.

The FTP task was, in a way, like "coming home" for me. I've been a long-time FTP user, mostly for the purpose of uploading websites and files to external servers. For example, I've been using the CoffeeCup FTP program to upload my parent's website (DudleyParkHome.com) to their domain name and server. However, brushing up on the basics of the system is always important, and learning the back-end details of FTP was certainly interesting. I think the first time I ever used FTP, I sort of bluffed my way through the process, with no idea on what was actually going on behind the screen.

Module One - Internet Tools

2008-06-05T01:57:00.000-07:00

Being familiar with the concept of Pinging, Tracerouting and routers, IP addresses, etc, I welcome the opportunity to brush up on my knowledge in this section of the unit.

After reading through HowStuffWork's "How Router's Work" section, as well as the accompanying material, I took myself over to Network-Tools.com to perform a traceroute back to Curtin.edu.au. Results as follows:

TraceRoute to 134.7.179.53 [curtin.edu.au]

Hop (ms) (ms) (ms) IP Address Host name
1 15 29 18 72.249.0.65 -
2 7 6 15 206.123.64.22 -
3 16 23 12 216.52.189.9 border4.g3-2.colo4dallas-3.ext1.dal.pnap.net
3 10 13 19 216.52.191.103 core1.tge5-2-bbnet2.ext1.dal.pnap.net
5 22 11 10 144.228.250.113 sl-st20-dal-8-2-1.sprintlink.net
6 7 12 24 144.232.20.82 sl-crs2-fw-0-15-3-0.sprintlink.net
7 46 36 41 144.232.18.38 sl-crs1-ana-0-8-0-2.sprintlink.net
8 59 48 41 144.232.2.171 -
9 55 55 57 144.223.30.26 sl-aarne-46055-0.sprintlink.net
10 216 224 222 202.158.194.153 so-3-2-0.bb1.b.syd.aarnet.net.au
11 227 237 253 202.158.194.33 so-2-0-0.bb1.a.mel.aarnet.net.au
12 257 244 259 202.158.194.17 so-2-0-0.bb1.a.adl.aarnet.net.au
13 268 261 259 202.158.194.5 so-0-1-0.bb1.a.per.aarnet.net.au
14 267 262 260 202.158.198.178 gigabitethernet0.er1.curtin.cpe.aarnet.net.au
15 280 276 279 202.158.198.186 gw1.er1.curtin.cpe.aarnet.net.au
16 263 264 267 134.7.16.46 te2-4-b309-cr.net.curtin.edu.au
17 267 264 270 134.7.248.65 te1-1.b309-sr.net.curtin.edu.au
18 269 265 272 134.7.179.53 -

Trace complete

With 18 hops and an average time of around 270ms, the test was successful with the corresponding IP address being identified as 134.7.179.53.

Module One - FTP

2008-06-05T00:55:00.000-07:00

Ah, FTP. A medium I'm more than familiar with.

As I'm a long-time FTP veteran, I think I'll stick with my own FTP client for this task. I've been using CoffeeCup Free FTP for a decent amount of time, and only have good things to say about it. I use the program primarily to upload web pages and graphics to various web projects I have on the go, as well a place to store files when I need to access them away from my home computer.

So, after logging onto recall.curtin.edu.au, I located the readme.txt file in the MSC folder. The answer is, of course, that CAPITALIZATION MATTERS.

As a long-time FTP user, I don't see how I can not like this method of file transferring. It's simple, effective, and beats having to spend time logging into a website to transfer files.

Module One - Tasks A & B

2008-06-04T23:40:00.000-07:00

Task A
2:40pm: So, let me start by saying that I always considered myself a bit of an Internerd. And yet, I've never really heard of Telnet... Not outside of very, very dorky conversations at Internet cafes anyway, hah.

Anyway, I've set up Telnet on Vista. I'm not a huge fan of this O/S, it seems to be pretty buggy, be we'll see how it goes.

2:53pm: Ah, so the program itself is much like a Command Prompt window. Gotcha. Having logged onto the system, I'm presented with a screen that is similar to the old Video Library search systems.

2:58pm: This is pretty easy to use. The menu is set out plainly and is simple to navigate, and results are displayed in a way that isn't confusing. Once again, very much like old video store or library software. An author-based search for Bennahum produced two results, which I had mailed to my Curtin uni email address.

Task B
3:20pm: After being somewhat impressed with the usability of Telnet, I logged on to towel.blinkenlights.nl and had a few laughs... I think the nerds of the world will especially find the fun in text-based Star Wars animations!

That being said, I ultimately find something like Telnet to be a dated medium. I don't like to imagine a world where I have to buy all of my DVDs from Amazon.com, only via a Telnet-based system! Why, how would I see the pretty covers and such? Whilst I think the interface is clean and there's certainly a lot that can be done with it, I think the kind of information you're seeking is limited by the text itself. There's only so much that can be communicated by the written word, and though it'd be nice for pretty text-based animations to be able to provide the same effect as photos do, it just isn't the case.

Initial Post.

2008-06-04T03:33:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my blog, provided to assist in my Internet Communications unit.

TOP FIVE TIPS FOR BLOGGING SUCCESS!

1. Organise Your Thoughts!

In any form of journalism (whether it be via a blog, in a newspaper, or even in a book), having an organised structure to your article or post is one of the best ways to get your point across in a way that is both cohesive and easily understood. Think about what you want to say before you say it!

2. Avoid L33T SpEaK

This may just be a pet-hate of mine, but I don't see how any kind of sticky typing (eg: "WhAt R u GuYs DoIn???") is appropriate for published works... Even if it's just in your personal blog. Similarly, avoid Internet acronyms (like "LOL" or "OMG"), and find proper words to describe your particular emotions. The effect is far more professional, and it (once again) brings a more cohesive feel to your blog and posts.

3. Embrace Humor!

Having a blog is like having your own personal audience. Make 'em smile! Whilst I wouldn't suggest anything offensive or in poor taste, you'll find people are more receptive to what you have to say if what your saying has an element of fun to it.

4. Punctuate, punctuate, punctuate!

Just because this it the Internet, that doesn't mean sentence structure, grammar and punctuation have died! Embrace full-stops, captial letters (properly used, of course), commas, etc. Whilst many may throw away grammatical rules while posting online, your blog will always stand-out from the crowd if it's actually, y'know, readable.

5. Have fun!

One of the best things about having a blog is simply that it's fun. Be creative! Make your blog as pretty as you want, experiment with HTML and different blog layouts, different forms of writing... And don't settle until your 100% happy!