the light

Week 9: Closure

2008-03-12T07:15:00.000-07:00

The project has finally come to an end and I must say I am a bit sad; the nine weeks have literally flown by. From a personal perspective the course has been a huge eye-opener, and I really didn’t think that I would learn so much in the short space of time, but at the same time it has been really challenging.
Through Nigel’s teachings I am a lot more aware and more open-minded towards the idea of virtual identities and online communities. To be honest I had a very negative view on online social networking, I just thought most of it was deception, fraud, and a social gathering for paedophiles. But furthering my knowledge and reading up on academic texts on this specific topic I really have seen the light.

As a group we have come so far and the end product is very impressive (well that’s a personal opinion). I mean it was a bit of a slow start at first and then towards middle of the course we had a set back, which then changed the entire concept of our ‘big’ idea. But hay I’m a firm believer in that “everything happens for a reason”. Ok I can’t actually believe that I am going to say this but I will continue to keep blogging, I mean in some weird way I really do find it quite therapeutic being able to express myself even though nobody is listening. I remember when we first started blogging I found it so daunting knowing that people all over the world are able to access what I write, and be able to form an opinion about me through the few sentences that I note down, but I’m sooooo over that now. Overall the course has been a really good experience and I take with me a bag full of knowledge.

THE END

Week 8: Countdown.....

2008-03-04T11:38:00.000-08:00

A week to go before the final countdown, and yes things are shaping up pretty well. The wiki is finally coming together, and it’s starting to look really nice. The session was mainly focused on editing down the research that had been conducted for the project. I have finally finished my section and it is ready to be put on to the wiki page. I am very optimistic that we will finish by next week, because most of the work has already been uploaded onto the wiki, so we have no excuses.

Week 7: Redundant

2008-03-03T10:42:00.000-08:00

During last weeks session we had discussion on the globalisation of online journalism. The main theme of the discussion was on how the Internet has replaced the traditional task of journalism. We now witness many publications having online versions of magazines and newspapers.

Over the past year or so it has been said that the purpose of journalism is gradually being erased. The arrival of new interactive services such as the Internet has given rise to the prospect that in the future journalistic involvement in political communication will no longer be required. By now it is apparent that information is growing explosively, but the downside is that quicker reporting means less time for variety and processing.

The ‘Guardian’ would have to be a very good example in the fact that it has arguably been at the forefront of successfully translating traditional journalism online, with their website being updated by the minute containing a variety of usability and choice. The ultimate control is by the user and they decide when, and where and how to consume media. It has now come to a point where journalists are finding it gradually difficult to catch the attention of the public within a society that is overfull with information. Increasingly it is now the receiver to whom the task of selection falls on.

‘My CNN.Com ‘ offers a ‘cerate’ your own newspaper service, which is based on the reader’s individual interests and details. It makes something like the ‘clipping service’ used by journalists for the past century or so, accessible to its readers.

In a medium that encourages such a substantial proliferation of voices, so how do readers select those which offer reliable news, can the same practise still be used as to how we once selected the daily newspaper? A lot of comments on news websites are now produced by the reader’s, so what role is there left now for the journalist.

Week 7: Reflection

2008-02-25T06:25:00.000-08:00

Its week 7 into the multimedia course and the pressure is on; we have so much work to do but yet so little time. I have finally started reading Howard Rheingold’s book on virtual community, and yes it is very good book. Through reading this book I think I have finally changed my pessimistic opinion on virtual communities. Before I really didn’t see the point in why people enjoyed spending time in online socialising, I just found it very dull and boring, but I think I have finally seen the light. I have realised that many people find comfort in these groups for example many join illness support groups, where they are able to communicate with people who have suffered from similar illnesses and be able to share their stories with one another. I can see why many people find it stimulating in engaging in topical conversations online, because of the simple fact that we are not geographically limited, which enables us to share our interests with people from all over the world, rather than a location.

Quote of the week:
Virtual communities do just about everything people do in real life, but we leave our bodies behind.

RHEINGOLD Howard (2000) The Virtual Community: Homesteading on the Electronic Frontier, London: MIT Press

Utopia or Dystopia

2008-02-18T11:00:00.000-08:00

Today’s society many will argue that we have entered a new age governed by a new concept where society and its economic relations are no longer primarily organised on the foundation of material goods. Instead they are now controlled on the basis of information and knowledge, which is referred to as the arrival of a global information society. The information society is best represented by the internet which has changed everything that we witness in today’s society, for many it is seen as the remaking of a new world with better opportunities and resources that would be installed to advance society. for many it prompts celebration of an approaching utopia, but some do say that these developments also mean progression towards a dystopia.

Many have argued that changes in (ICTs) have transformed the way in how we see the world. This suggestion was made by Marshall Mcluhan, who had popularised the term ‘global village’, the ‘age of information’ and ‘the medium is the message’. He argues that new technologies have extended our capabilities and has enhanced certain aspects of practise which previously had been limited, however at the same time new technologies can implement these advances and make them seem as part of everyday life. Individuals have the ability to restructure their society by remaking their communication networks, which confine the structure of identity. Sherry Turkle argues that one key transformation that has come out of the information society is the ability recreate your own identity which is due to the high rate of secrecy of online communication, the internet gives one the opputunnity to become more than one person, presenting different ‘selves’ which is freeing one from social control.
(C. May, 2002, Pg: 9&11

Week 6: 192.com

2008-02-18T05:37:00.000-08:00

Today’s session was quite an eye-opener, I don’t think I realise that we are under surveillance. All I did was click a few buttons and within seconds my all of my family information was displayed on the big wide web, and if I signed up for membership I would be able to access my full address. I think I have been quite oblivious towards this issue and not realising that it is a very serious matter. Only today it occurred to me how easy it is to access our intimate data on the web. I also realised how much of Foucault’s theory has been taken into effect in today’s society. I can see how his ideas and abstract terms have become part of our ways of thinking and understanding the world. One the best examples of his work would be Bentham’s theory based on the Panopticon, which is a method for a single guard to see every prisoner, but for no prisoner to see anything else, witch intern will make the prisoner act as if they were under surveillance at all times. But what Foucault claimed was that the machinery of the web forms as a kind of camouflaged panopticon. Cables that bring information into our homes today are technically capables that are bringing information out of our homes instantly, and then transmitted to others. Which then makes me wonder how much of our private information is actually being abused.

RHEINGOLD. Howard (2000) The Virtual Community: Homesteading on the Electronic Frontier, London: MIT Press

week 5: New Turn

2008-02-12T14:52:00.000-08:00

Its week 5 into the multimedia course, and our group project has taken a new turn. The original idea was to look at the effects of a virtual community, for example, identity deception, online relationships etc. so we then decided that rather than looking at the negative aspects of the internet, (with a bit of inspiration from Nigel), why not look at the significant contribution that the internet had made to today’s society.

We had a brainstorm of a few ideas that we could look at, but our main focus was “things you can’t do face to face, but you can online”. I must say it was quite difficult coming up with few ideas, but we got their in the end. The two key ideas that we have come up with so far is how people are now marketing themselves online, and even showcasing their talents on social networking sites like my-space. We will also be looking at the globalisation of the information society and its effects, meaning that even though we are not geographically limited, yet there are parts of the world like Asia and Africa who don’t have access to ICT’S.

week 4: Continued

2008-02-10T13:15:00.000-08:00

A few days ago I put a question forward to find out whether, the internet was the only means of a virtual community, or can one speak on the phone or send a text be the same?

Well it took me some time to think about this particular issue, but I think I have come up with a conclusion. I think there are various interpretations, one being that we need to realise that a virtual community is a meeting place, but in a non-physical environment. New need to also take into account that a non-physical environment doesn’t only mean the internet, by just tuning into the radio instantly puts you in a virtual community. The big difference between the real and the virtual is that the virtual community is not geographically limited.

http://www.virtualhotwings.com

Week 4: The Hype

2008-02-05T10:44:00.000-08:00

I think i'm quite sick of hearing about facebook people seem to have an obsession with it, they are constantly updating their profiles and adding new friends while on the go, which I can't seem to understand. I will be honest and say that I do have a facebook account, because I had to find out what the big hype was all about. But once I signed up I found it incredibly boring because all I seem to do was look at pictures of people which made me feel like a stalker.

So my next question is, Is the internet the only means of a virtual community, or would sending a text or having a conversation with one be the same?

Good versus Bad

2008-02-01T14:10:00.000-08:00

So what is a good website? well for me it has to be accessable, easy on the eye, bold, bright, etc. And an essential trait for a good website is that you find yourself staying on the site for awhile. I also think a good website should be updated regularly and well-edited just like a magazine or a newspaper, but most inportantly it's users should find it easy to read. I find the the Topshop website very easy to navigate beacuse its straightforward and simple and makes online shopping very easy.

http://www.topshop.com/

I now will swiftly move onto BAD WEBSITES, so what do they consist of? Mainly an overload of information, slow load time which is one the biggest problems I find with a lot of sites, oh yes, flshing graphics and scrolling text which ends up making you feel just a bit dizzy.

http://www.fishing.co.uk/

Week 3: Reflection

2008-01-29T10:09:00.000-08:00

It's week 3 of the multimedia course and I must be honest I am finding it quite difficult to get to grips with it. But i am quite impressed because I have learnt so much in the short space of time, I mean yesterday I made my own web page and learnt how to insert tables, columns, colour's etc. But I think I mite have a bit of difficulty remembering all those different formats "back-slash, close bracket, open bracket, back-slash". Oh yes we now have a new group member joining the "NAFA cult" Nadia, and I'm sure her contribution to the group will be very helpful. So far as a group we have been making positive progress, our web page is up and running "well under construction" but it's looking very nice, we have also taken a group photo but a few finishing touches are being made to it, so it should be on your screens very soon. Our target for next week is to find at least three case studies on virtual communities and also some theory based around this model of work.

http://images.google.co.uk

NEWS

2008-01-28T03:28:00.000-08:00

Recently I have been quite concerned with the way in how the Internet has fundamentally changed the way we deal with news. Stories are now posted the moment they break and readers are consistently expecting to access both the sources of news and local perspectives. The control and the distribution of online news I would say raises a few significant questions about the basic essence of news value such as truthfulness and objectivity. In today's society we now witness stories 'broken' by the people at the scene, by texting, blogging, emailing and taking pictures, even videos and then posting them online. As the Internets viewer's increase and expand by the touch of a button its reporting becomes more general.

My Group

2008-01-21T05:59:00.000-08:00

Me fahima , Natalie, Ana, Amy and Nadia

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?

Week 2: Reflection

2008-01-21T05:33:00.000-08:00

Today we have been told to write a few words or evan a few sentences on reflection. Well for me reflection is a conclusion, a summary of what you feel, practise and believe. I think for most people reflection is the return of an image or a serious thought which helps one to find answers.

food

2008-01-14T07:23:00.000-08:00

hello

I have some very important information to share with you all, today was the first day of my DETOX and yes its going quite well. So far I have had a double chocolate muffin with a layer of custard and plenty of sugar on top. And I know what your thinking Im digging myself a very big hole. Only recently it occurred to me how bad my diet really is, last week alone I had a different takeaway everyday but I blame my dear brothers for that. This is a very sensitive issue so if you have any tips or advice on how I could move forward to a more healthier lifestyle so feel free to drop me a line.