Week 5 - Analysising a website

The website i have decided to analysis is ... Darlington College - Homepage
http://www.darlington.ac.uk/

a) How is your chosen site structured.

Any website needs a basic structure to hold and organised the information and content. The three essential structures that are used to build a web site are sequences, hierarchies, and webs.

Sequences - A sequence is a logical way of ordering your information. This is simple to organise as well as simple to follow. Linear navigation is used to set a simple path to find different content on one site using links. More complex but still sequencial webpages may have more links on each linked page.
Hierarchies - The best way to orgaise a more complex web site, normally organised around a single home page, is to use hierarchies. Most users find this structure easy to use becuase it is the most common structure used. A hierarchie organised website also imposes a useful discipline on your own analytical approach to your content, because hierarchies are practical only with well-organized material.
Webs - A web organised structure has few restrictions on a pattern to hold the information and content. This structure allows the user to follow their interests in a unique 'free-flow' pattern of ideas. Web structures are often the most impractical structure for websites because they are so hard for the user to understand and predict.

With this information in mind i can see that the Darlington College website uses a logical but complex Sequenced layout. The home page to the website has captions such as 'courses and enrollment' 'apply online today' 'student support and resources' and these are hyperlinked to other pages. There is also eyecatching colours and your eye is directed from left to right - top to bottom. The user can be in-control of going straight to the chosen information by clinking on a hyperlink or brouse the website in good time - which is a positive thing.

A website like this, and may other college and university websites, where the user is being a researcher, needs to be simple but effective structure. Ive found a lot of shopping websites, such as large supermarkets that make online shopping avalible, use the same logical structures. A benefit of using a logical sequenced website is that the user, who wants to be able to explore freely but not get lost or confused, can do.

b) What is it about on a cultural level?

On a cultural level this website is helping persuade and inform young people, as well as middle aged people, to come to this college and be educated in the many different courses provided. The ideology from this website is promoting education to be the way forwards and offering chances as well as guidence for many people. Class is mainly built upon wealth and social experiences and education helps develop this. You could say that this website and many other university and college websites are guiding people into different cultures - cultures of personal choice.

c) What is the appeal for you as a user?

As a user for this website you are being a researcher. To explore this website you have a personal need and reason to find out information.

Personally i used this website, althought it has been slightly more update since, when i was looking into which college was best for me. As a user of this website i was attracted by the layout, it was easy to use and basic to follow which was helpful as well as useful. (finding the right college was hard enough without having to fight with a website too).

The home page looks youthful but practical, which is good as the site is aimed at adults as well as teenagers. Its attracting the right audeinces by the immediate look. The home page also gives the main links to other helpful pages and these are outstanding (but easy on the eye) so i didnt feel like i was searching but being guided (polietly).

Week 5 - Explanation of analysising a website

BY/FOR WEEK SIX: Briefly analyse a website (not blog, forum nor SNS) you like that you have come across recently.
a) How is your chosen site structured.
b) What is it about on a cultural level?
c) What is the appeal for you as a user?
Refer to some of the concepts we have discussed so far in the unit and link to pages you discuss as examples in your blog. You should write enough for you to feel that you have done your chosen site justice, and also your current level of understanding of the issues in the unit.

Week 5 - Meikle A-E

Meikle

a) para. 7-9 What do you think constitutes ‘news’ on the Web?

In paragraph 8 it says 'audience members are transformed into researchers.' News on the internet can be viewed in many different ways by the audience. Videos, pictures, text as well as newsgroups and news blogs. Having news online means that more imformation and different concepts of the imformation can be shared with people all over the world who are interested in the specific story. The audience trusts the intenet as a source of imformation and become comfortable with a wider source range. To summerise news on the web consitutes as a shift of comsumption from newspapers, television etc to a mix of all in one area - online.

b) Para 9 Are there ‘new kinds of journalist’ online? If so, how so?

Line 5 - 'newsgroups and Weblogs are considered as additional sources for information retrieval, rather than as new avenues for new kinds of journalists to develop and publish new kinds of news.' I'll be interested in seeing other peoples opinions on this matter. I agree and disagree with this statement made by Meikle. By new journlism im thinking about online interviews instead of face to face interviews. But i also think that online journalism is just the same as journalism but used in a different way e.g. instead of the information being processed and made into a newspaper (text form) its processed as an online text document or instead of a reconstrusction of news being played to the audeince on a television its uploaded online so it can be watched on a computer instead. Whats does everyone else think about this question?

c) Paras 14-15 Are those who want to make DIY news online, best thought of as part of an alternative culture (that also exists offline) or is it more diverse than that? Think of examples beyond Indymedia.

IM NOT SURE ABOUT THIS QUESTION, ANY OPINIONS AND HELP WILL BE APPRECIATED! THANKS!

d) Para 18 Is open news quality news?

I think that open publishing online is more quantity rather than quality. Para 18 line 8 says 'One issue was the large number of items being posted to sites, which meant that even especially well-researched or significant stories would be replaced quickly on the front page;' I think this statement sums up that well-researched 'quality' stories are not online long enough for the audience to read them and take notice of what the story is. So no i dont think open news is quality - however i also think there is more information about this subject to be read as well as this 1 paragraph so if anyone disagrees i do have an open-mind on the matter.

e) Para 19 Can open news ever be completely open? Do people take different (possibly unequal) roles in collaboration?

Para 19 line 7 'automated open-editing... or translate the story from one language or style to another' (Arnison, 2001). Peronsally i do not think that open publishing will ever be completely open. If the online news can be edited by anyone then how do we know that the story is definatly true? The quote states that audeinces can contrabute - this means anyone. facts can be checked and sources can be added - but how will we know that these facts and sources are true on an open site?

Week 5 - Explanation of topic 1 - Meikle

Things to think about. Meikle

a) para. 7-9 What do you think constitutes ‘news’ on the Web?

b) Para 9 Are there ‘new kinds of journalist’ online? If so, how so?

c) Paras 14-15 Are those who want to make DIY news online, best thought of as part of an alternative culture (that also exists offline) or is it more diverse than that? Think of examples beyond Indymedia.

d) Para 18 Is open news quality news?

e) Para 19 Can open news ever be completely open? Do people take different (possibly unequal) roles in collaboration?

f) What do you think of the overall claim that ‘the Net could facilitate new types of media institution’?

Week 4 - Social networking sites.

I think its important to express that you can get general and specific social networking groups. personally i have more use for general social networks however after some research i also have a knowledge about specific networks too.

Specific

Amie Street is an alternative online music store and social network service created in 2006 byBrown University seniors Elliott Breece, Elias Roman and Joshua Boltuch. Users have a individual customizable account where they add other users. comments can then be posted onto each users 'space' freely. There is also a "fan" feature so users can easily connect with bands on the site. Artist can upload their own musicdirectly to there site as an mp3. As the users buy the songs the artists get credited. Amie Street is simply decorated - and slightly simuliar to facebook in the use of colours - white and blue. the layout is easy to follow, from left to right, well indicated links to different pages etc.

Broadcaster is a video entertainment community and live webcam social networks . The site allows users to create personal profiles, post pictures, upload videos, and chat with the site's other users through a live webcam chat feature. Broadcaster is often refered to as an 'alternative media'.

General

Facebook is one of the most popular general social networking websites at the moment. This is a website i use daily. A personal account is set up easily by entering basic information about yourself, e.g. email address, age, create a password. Once your account is set up you can add photographs, videos a little like Broadcaster, but not live videos. Users can also add applications. A few applications i personally use on my facebook account is 'pet society'. this allows you to create a pet, feed it, look after it, complete races againt other pet etc. some other avalible applications are 'what colour are you?', 'super pokes', 'top friends', 'sticky labels', 'bumper stickers' and so on. Facebook also provides the users with private chat. you dont just have to post messages on 'the wall' because as long your your friends are also online at the time you can instantly chat.

Myspace and Bebo are also social networks that i have personaly been a member of. They work in the same way as Facebook by having personal accounts and the creativity of being able to upload pictures etc. adding friends and family members is the high idea of these social networks so people can keep in touch from afar and near. Myspace is well known getting unsigned bands noticed. Users create not an individual account but a band account. they add pictures, links to www.youtube.com of videos of the band, and their music. there music can be downloaded and added to profiles.

A good thing about all these social networks is that they are monitored. if any user feels that unappropriete footage, images or comments are being used this can be reported to the administraters and delt with.

the manipulation of personal identiy is not really an issue on Facebook and Myspace etc. the people you are friends with online are your friends also in 'the real world' so you dont have to pretend to be someone your not. also you can pick and chose who are your friends. if you do not know someone you can reject them.

as you can see there are a lot of simularities.

Week 4 - Explanation of topic 2

Start considering user-generated content / social networking sites.

In terms of the themes of the unit discuss with your study-group peers your own experiences and views on them, and give some links to examples.

Week 4 - A,B,C and D

a) p. 174 What do you think of the notion that online community can be empowering/disempowering?

I think the empowering part of an online community is that you (the online user) can be anyone or anything you want to be. you have the power to manipulte and control your personal identity to the extreme, if needs be. it is empowering to think that your online community share 'the same common relationships, shared values and shared spaces' pg174. as much as this is empowering to you, it could be empowering to another. knowing that personal identity can be manipulated, changed and false puts a trust issue on everyone within that online community.

the other way of looking at this question could be if you are popular in your online society, or if you started the only community you will have more power than less popluar or visitors to the community. belonging in a society or community can be quite empowering because you'll have a sense of belonging.

b) p. 177 Does the Net provide a ‘public sphere’ where citizens can engage with each other? If so, how, and are there any limitations?

Yes i do think the internet provides a 'public sphere'. people (citizens) from all over the world can engage and interact with each other. newsgroups, forums, bulliten boards, emails, MSN messanger and more all provide citizens with the technology/equipment to be part of the 'online public sphere'. communication, either instantly e.g. MSN or over a period of time e.g. fourms, provides a one on one as well as group interaction. these networks 'encourage us to take part in online debates and offer us a chance to talk back to the media' pg177.

this active consumption of the internet give us (the public) change to speak back to the media, for example newspapers and some magazines are now online with the ability for us to email them, complete online competitions, most have blogs that can also be interacted with. newsgroups for example the BBC online web, gives the public the chance to have their say using forums/ blogs etc about culture, enviromental issues, class, shared beliefs, politics, religion etc.

c) p. 181 To what extent are ‘dangerous materials’ prominent on the Internet (or ‘junk and jerks’ as Kollock put it)? What do their existence mean in terms of the ‘freedoms’ the Net allows? Is freedom always positive?

Freedom is not always a possitive thing on the internet, especially not for children and the younger generation. pornography and paedophilia alert panics. 'the internet is often seen by the consumers as a potentially open channel for frightening materials to enter the home' pg181. i can personally think of suicides that have been uploaded for people to watch, sadam's exicusion was almost immediatly put online. images such as these are not good for anyone to watch but children especially should not have the freedom to access all of the internet for reasons such as these. chatrooms are another network where freedom is not nessaserially positive. with the change of identity between some users, conversations that are obsense and inapropreiate can immerge.

hackers are also dangerous to us on the internet. 'revolutionaires of cybersociety' pg181. hackers can distroy and vandalise our personal electronic files. this is classed as trespassing. file exchange e.g. people can send photo files over MSN and downloading e.g. from websites such as bittorrent can mean computer viruses, set up by a hacker, can get into your system. meltdown. as we can see the internet has a lot of negative issues as well as positive e.g. interaction with friends and family, entertainment. it can be a dangerous place for many users.

d) p. 184-5 To what extent can ‘ordinary’ Net users become producers of culture, rather than people who ‘respond’ to culture supplied for them?

i think the obvious example i could use is music on myspace. depending on the defention of 'ordinary', ordinary people who form bands and produce music of a different and new genre are creating a new culture and are doing this online by creating a myspace page. myspace is a social network where people can post and comment on friends pages. but it is also a good way to get new and up coming bands music heard and noticed.

Week 4 - Explanation of topic 1

Respond to some of the points raised in the reading, Lister pp.172-82

a) p. 174 What do you think of the notion that online community can be empowering/disempowering?

b) p. 177 Does the Net provide a ‘public sphere’ where citizens can engage with each other? If so, how, and are there any limitations?

c) p. 181 To what extent are ‘dangerous materials’ prominent on the Internet (or ‘junk and jerks’ as Kollock put it)? What do their existence mean in terms of the ‘freedoms’ the Net allows? Is freedom always positive?

d) p. 184-5 To what extent can ‘ordinary’ Net users become producers of culture, rather than people who ‘respond’ to culture supplied for them?

Week 3 - Sherry Turkle 'Who am we?'

some interesting points picked up from the reading by Sherry Turkle ...

• online, windows allow us to be in more than one place at the same time playing different roles in different settings. does this mean that our real lifes are just one open window but there are also others that we may or may not know about?
• conversations online manipulate persona, romance and what can be counted on as 'real' in virtual space.
• being online links millions of people from all over the world. people from different cultures, with different genders, race, class, sexuality etc.
• 'we are using life on computer screens to become more comfortable with new ways of thinking about evolution, relationships, sexuality, politics and identity.' does anyone agree or disagree with this? i think i personally agree with this. i think people find it easier to express themselfs on screen rather than face to face because people are scared of judgement. also you can go to chatrooms etc where people have the same views as you about sexuality, race etc so you do feel more comfortable talking about these issues.
• being online makes us the creator/ producer of our own world. we have control.

Week 3 - online identities

a) In what way can the Net be thought of as an 'open architecture?'
HELP. does anyone have any ideas about this question because im not sure. good start i know!

b) Do you think that assuming an online persona (via screen name/handle etc) encourages people to play with identity they present online and take risks in the ways they express themselves?
i think people take many risks by experiementing with there online persona. pg 166 it is suggested that our online idenity is different to our writing a letter idenity and i agree with this but i also think it depends what manner you need to be in. for example if you were righting to a friend on a postcard you'd be relaxed, quick and prehaps quirky - which is how the friend would know you be to. however if you are writing to a new boss the letter would be more formal with expression such as 'dear sir/madam' or 'yours sincerly'. i think online idenity can be seen in the same way. who ever you are perceiving to be online will have different characterisics which will be expressed. a huge risk is pedophilla. a 35 year old white man could be online i either a chatroom or MUD etc pretending to be someone there not e.g. a 12 year old girl, someone there not to become closer and gain the trust of unsupected victims. being caught is a huge risk. there is a advantage to chaging your personality, which is you can be who ever you want to be if you dont like your real self. your online identity could be seen as a get away from the real life you!

c) What do you think of postmodern views which stress the fluidity of online selves and their apparent disembodied status, which has been argued frees people from being represented through signs of their race, gender, class etc?
pg 168 'online experiences are determind by social reality, material resources, by gender, sexuality and race.' i think this is suggesting that your real self influences who you are online (unconsiously or consiously) but i agree that these issues can also free people online. for example a lower class, female, who has poor education but enjoys playing tennis could interact online with a upper class, male, who plays tennis in his private school. these two people may never think of interacting together face to face because of the class and gender differences but online there real identities can be manipulated.

d) Do cyberidentities constitute an alternative to 'normal social reality'?
'Who are you when you are online' pg 167. i have mentioned before that your identity online can be an escape from your real life. for example - if your were being bullied, or if you were in foster care and you didnt think you life could get any worse, online you dont have to be that person. you could be a superhero if you wanted to be. i do agree that cyberidentities are an alternative to 'normal social reality' but they are maybe not the answer to some peoples overall problems. if you were being bullied you couldnt pretent to be a superhero forever in hope that it might change how you really are. the other thing id like to think about is what is normal? to people who are use to sitting in front of a computer in cyberspace it might be normal to them to not be themselves. other people online will actually talk about their true selves, to try and get help with any issues they may have. (i may have trailed off a little bit there)

e) Are online relationships the same as offline ones?
your never going to get the same atmosphere/representations online as your are face to face. althought you could be who ever you want to be online you in real life you have to be who you are, so deluding yourself i the long run isnt going to work to your advantage. people can make friends and chat online just as easily online if not more easily an this could be seen as an advantage to shy etc people but you are also missing human contact, body language, touch etc which you would get from a face to face relationship. i dont think online and offline relationships are the same but whos to say which way of having a relationship is right for who? i do think that now a days, since cyberspace etc has beena round people are more likely to sit at home and form virtual relationships than going out in the real world and actually making friends face to face.

Week 3 - Explanation of topic 1

This weeks topic 1 consisits of ... Respond to some of the points in the reading Lister et pg 164-172. raise any issues yourself on your blog.

a) In what way can the Net be thought of as an 'open architecture?'

b) Do you think that assuming an online persona (via screen name/handle etc) encourages people to play with identity they present online and take risks in the ways they express themselves?

c) What do you think of postmodern views which stress the fluidity of online selves and their apparent disembodied status, which has been argued frees people from being represented through signs of their race, gender, class etc?

d) Do cyberidentities constitute an alternative to 'normal social reality'?

e) Are online relationships the same as offline ones?