Week 16

I've never been able to get into politics or, well, even the news for that matter. I'm more concerned about upcoming video games, movies, books, and comics. I don't know when I'll grow up and Geoffrey the Giraffe likes it that way.

 

Regardless, it's still amazing how the internet affects the realm of politics.

 

The book references Gil Scott-Heron's "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" when talking about how different views/interests are limited on television due to being run by major conglomerates. In contrast to this, you've got the internet. Pictures are Photoshopped, videos are edited, and even games are made. Having the ability to find like-minded individuals in your area and "rally up troops" has never been easier before. Posting/responding to blogs gives people that much-needed humanistic edge. Unlike with television, the internet lets even those with the smallest voice speak out.

 

Have you ever read Ender's Game? In it, the brother and sister of Ender create online personas to express their own political insights. Over time, they're able to rally up enough followers that their voice actually matters. They use their newfound power to help change governmental procedures. While we haven't gotten to that point yet, the smaller pieces combine to create a collective whole. 

 

 

Week 15

My pre-college school career was entirely spent in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky. Beechwood was fairly small- we're talking less than a thousand kids from kindergarden to the twelfth grade. Naturally, our curriculum matched that. Sure, we had your standard "subject" classes, recess, and a few odds and ends to select from each year. However, religion classes be damned; we were given typing, marriage, and fine arts classes instead.

 

Being in that type of environment, we all heard of the Harry Potter versus religion dilemma. Truth be told, most teachers avoided any passing reference to a God of any type. This chapter caught me up to speed with the situation.

 

People are always going to complain about something. No matter what.

 

In a nutshell, that's my stance on it all. I could go on for pages discussing both sides of the argument, but that'd be a bunch of wasted space on a Wikipage. Instead, I'd rather focus on another main theme of the chapter: fan fiction.

 

Outside of the Star Wars: Galaxies book that was written a long time ago (har har...), I can't think of a single piece of fan fiction that actually produced a profit. So where's the harm in any of it? A single theme/idea/phrase could inspire someone to write an entire book. With big-budget franchises, people become emotionally attached to certain characters and don't want the world to die. If an 8 year old feels compelled to write a 800 page epic using your world, let him. If people read it, it's just free promotion.

 

Unless you make creepy "adult fan fiction" like this. Obviously NSFW. Hilarious though.

 

Week 14

Grassroots efforts and DIY ordeals might not have the highest production values, but they at least have heart.

 

Well, sometimes.

 

Continuing with the trend of Star Wars related transmedia endeavors, jump back to July of 2003. LucasArts released their very first massively multiplayer online role-playing game-  Star Wars: Galaxies. Think World of Warcraft but instead of Orcs, you have Ortolans, Rodians, and Wookiees. 

 

Players had the option of choosing their race and the ability to do whatever deed they wanted. You could grow crops, be a bounty hunter, or even a politician. But hell, no one wants any of that. Star Wars is about lightsabers and Jedi. I want a weapon that's so powerful that it instantly cauterizes any wound (except the Cantina scene in Episode 4). That's what I want to be!

 

And the same goes for every other player.

 

To counter this, [just like in the movie] LucasArts decided that not every person has midichlorians pumping through their viens. If you were destined to be a Jedi, at some point in your virtual life, you would randomly "unlock" a force sensitive skill. 5 months after the game's release, Akinom T'Sam was the first avatar to do so. 

 

Believe it or not, in the Star Wars: Galaxies fan community, Akinom was a star. Those MMOers took their stuff seriously. In fact, they were so hardcore about their ever-evolving storyline, that they actually wrote a book about it. Everyone hated it.

 

As we've learned time and time again this semester, fans and communities are the driving force behind any cult-status property. Once the franchise is over (by studio terms), fans take matters into their own hands.

 

Week 13

Although I haven't read anyone else's Wiki yet, I have a feeling there might be a few complaints about Chapter 3's length. I don't fall into that group. Out of everything I've ever had to read for school, this has honestly been my favorite text thus far. I mean, The Matrix, EA Games, and Blade Runner all in the same chapter? That's almost not even fair.

 

However, with me being meself, I do have a couple issues:

1.)  "Someone who had played the games would have spent, perhaps, a hundred hours controlling Niobe's character, compared to less than four hours watching Morpheus..."

 

That's not true, Mr. Jenkins.

 

Enter the Matrix couldn't last more than 15 hours tops. And that's even if you completed both of Niobe's and Ghost's storylines. With beer goggles. And your vision's blocked because your mom is vacuuming the entire time.

 

It'd literally be impossible to play for more than that. It's not some spikey-haired RPG that has hours upon hours of replayability. You play through it, beat it, and that's it. Besides an easily accessed alternative ending, there weren't any unlockables to work for.

 

In all, here's what I learned from the game:

Niobe's hair looks like a ball from Katamari Demarchi. She also drives cars. And shoots things/fights.

Ghost doesn't talk. At all. He shoots things better than Niobe. He also fights.

 

While still a part of the Matrix canon and largely contributed to some major scenes in the series, they were stale characters and honestly didn't have any depth. Morpheus is more monumental on so many levels.

 

2.) Danny Bilson and Neil Young:

You're not doing anything special.

 

Whenever there's a video game based off of a movie, the developer naturally works alongside the film company to make the two coexist. Production notes/sketches are shared; the storyline from the film is almost entirely reflected in the game. Sure, sometimes extra levels are added to "bridge" the gaps of certain scenes, but still, that's nothing new.

 

Video game companies purchase film rights and try to release it at one of two dates. Either (a) the film's opening day or (b) the home video release. While normal games take 2-3 years to develop, movie-based games are usually put on the fast-track. What we get are half-assed (and super shitty) games that were made the milk the cash-cow. 

 

Except for Escape From Butcher Bay. That game was badass.

 

/end rant

 

All kidding aside, Electronic Arts has really started to get their stuff together. Buying companies out left and right, next to Activision Blizzard, they're the biggest company out there. With each acquisition, they try to further potential franchise properties. Every game has a potential for a sequel; every game has potential to be a movie and/or comic series. At the same time, they're still developing brand new IPs.

 

This October, they released Dead Space for PS3/360/PC. Think Resident Evil 4 meets Alien. You're an engineer aboard a ship that's atmosphere is a complete nod to Event Horizon. Everyone's dead and is eventually reanimated as crazy monsters. To survive, you have to kill 'em all. As gung-ho as this sounds, there's surprisingly a lot of backstory involved.

 

An ARG was launched in August of 2008. (PART 1; PART 5)

For the four months leading up to the game's release, they partnered with Image Comics to create a comic series. (PART 2)

The game was released on October 14, 2008. (PART 4)

A movie, Dead Space: Downfall was was released two weeks after the game. (PART 3)

 

Transmedia in action.

 

While an economic no-brainer, for those that are interested, it lets you delve deeper into the story. The more time and effort you put in, the more you're emotionally attached.

 

 

Week 12

Okay, so we apparently skipped a week because of spring break. I wasn't thinking and incorrectly labeled one of the below "posts." I don't know which one (and have too much homework to figure it out). Hence, the awkward number-jump.

 

Reading this chapter, echoed my writing for the second paper. In a nutshell, traditional advertising is failing. Tivo lets a user bypass commercials and web banners are being completely overlooked and un-clicked. Wishing to fulfill their need of brand acknowledgement, companies are turning to any/all available media outlets.

 

My favorite example has to be Napoleon Dynamite. Although I sincerely hate the movie (please don't ever quote it...), Fox Searchlight's advertising campaign was completely original. 

 

I'll highlight some of it's high-points:

1. Fan Club Competition. Hoping to spread movie awareness through word-of-mouth, Fox created a Fan Club for the film. Over 20,000 contestants competed for "Fan Club President." Whoever got the most people to sign-up as well as whoever presented the best president-like qualities, won.

 

2. Iron-on transfers. Downloadable PDFs were available off of the official Fan Club's website. Print 'em off on cheap/affordable iron-on paper and each fan became a walking billboard.

 

3. Napoleon Dynamite-themed Pre-movie "mixers." Alcohol + comedy film = a fun time. People would naturally discuss about their wonderful and hilarious evening.

 

Fox did more than that, but those are just a few of my favorites. 

 

Just think about the above examples. Once created, they're self-sustaining. Why shell out millions of dollars to sponsor X-Games events, tv commercials, and billboards? The average consumer dismisses all brand-attachment and just sees (and ignores) a normal ad. With the new way companies are advertising, it's not only subliminal, but it's viral. Cult classic movies become cult communities.

 

Week 10

Covergence Culture: Chapter 1

 

If you've ever cruised through any internet forum, you've no doubt run into a post that begins such as:

!!!!!!SPOILER WARNING!!!!!!!

I'm not at Survivor fan. I hate the show with all my heart. Seriously.a

(Highlight the space above this to see a hidden message.)

 

If not, after a few posts, you've probably run into quite a few "flaming" situations. As with many areas with the internet, it's a trial and error process; you do something people don't like and they'll tell you. Sometimes with angry emoticons and/or capital letters.

 

Chapter 1 introduces a concept to the unfamiliar- forums entirely dedicated to collectively spoiling a certain show/movie/video game/etc. With Jenkin's example, he focused on Survivor. People with different backgrounds, different strengths, and different connections worked together to piece together clues about the series. Satellite imagery, first-hand accounts, and "insider information" were all carefully deciphered to fill in the gaps of coming episodes. We're talking some serious detective work here.

 

This whole chapter echoes Brad King's Virtual Worlds class I took a couple semesters ago.

 

Have you ever heard of an alternate reality game? You've seen/heard about those fake websites dedicated to Lost, right? Yeah, it's almost the same concept; mainstream/well-known ARGs usually focus around viral marketing. 

 

With an ARG, players from all over the globe collectively use their knowledge to finish puzzles and advance a story. With Survivor spoiling, spoilers were doing the same exact thing. Mark Bennett and company openly admit to editing clues into the series as well as offering red herrings through various media outlets. With the help of the worldwide web, TV now becomes an interactive medium; it's not just a show to watch but an experience.

 

 

 

Week 9

Scanning through the contents page of Convergence Culture, I saw that The Matrix, Star Wars, Quentin Tarantino, and Harry Potter were mentioned.

 

I think I'm going to like this book.

 

But first? I have to get through the boring bit. With Jenkins' introduction, it's more of the same old stuff we've come to expect. However, one thing really caught my eye: the man brought up video games. At this point, it feels like video games are the long-forgotten, almost taboo, ugly sister of media. The Mrs. Braslavskys of America (South Park reference!) condemn them for everything: 

1. They degrade their brains. 

2. They cause kids to "play indoors."

3. They cause kids to kill each other. And steal cars.

Negative connotations aside, they've almost a step above other media when it comes to quote-unquote converging.

 

The Most Epic Steps of Video Game Convergence:

1. Tech Model Railroad Club created multiplayer aspects in SpaceWar! (Two joysticks were used)

2. Hudson Soft creates the first "multi-tap" for a console. Their peripheral allowed the TurboGrafx-16 to allow up to 5 players.

3. Sega develops of the Sega Channel. For $15 dollars a month, a user had unlimited access to ~50 Sega Genesis games. The adaptor would connect through the coaxial cable normally used for cable televison. The service was released near the end of the console's lifespan, so it wasn't a huge success.

4. The Sega Dreamcast becomes the first home-console to allow online gaming.

5. Sony comes out with a PS2 network adaptor.

6. Xbox creates a subscription based online service called Xbox Live. For a fee each year, you pay for actual server space. Hence, better games (lag destroys any amount of fun). Eventually, retro games were available for download. This feature wasn't entirely successful until the advent of Xbox 360.

6. Nintendo tries to jump into the free online gaming business for their Gamecube system. They fail. The only games that used the service were Mario Kart: Double Dash and Phantasy Star Online.

7. The Xbox 360 is released. More and more, video game consoles are becoming like home computers. It features a Windows Media Center connection for streaming of pictures/videos/etc.

8. Microsoft tries to integrate their Xbox Live service with Windows-based PCs. "Gamerpoints" (nerd-cred) would carry over between both your PC and Xbox. The PC version of Halo 2 and Shadowrun are the forerunners for the program. It was met with mostly negative results (no one wants to pay twice...).

9. Nintendo tries again. This time, they offer Miis (online avatars), messaging, and a retro-game downloading service.

10. Microsoft debuts a video downloading service. Downloads are fast and viewing is immediate.

11. Microsoft jumps on the Mii bandwagon and creates their own avatar system.

12. Sony creates their own video downloading service.

13. Sony follows suit and releases Home. Going for the more realistic look, their avatar system allows furnishing of a house.

14. Netflix works with Microsoft to bring their service to Xbox 360s.

 

Now, I know what you're thinking. How can all this be "converging'? Well, just think about it. Peripherals and services offered involve different companies joining together to make things, well, work. Not only that, but video games are beginning to compile different forms of media into one small machine.

 

I'm sure I'm missing a couple "steps;" it's late and I want to go to bed. I'm a console gamer, not a PC gamer (so all my points reflect that). If you want to know more about the PC side of things, take Brad's Virtual Worlds class. <-- Shameless plug. Oh, and all that was from the top of my head. So if you want to know the actual date, just Google/Wikipedia it. 

 

But as you can see, video games have come a long way. For the gaming culture, it's just that: a culture and they had to communicate. Gamers weren't content with playing 1 on 1; their friends watching wanted to play too. Gamers weren't content with playing by themself; the advent of the internet opened up millions of opponents. Even then, those online services weren't enough. They had to have an online avatar and a messaging system. Throw in PC-like elements such as media center functionality, and you can see the convergence in action.

 

 

Week 8

Projects!

 

Week 7

Chapters 6 & 7

At the beginning of the semester, Brad scoffed at me for saying that the book "feels out of date." Never to back down,  I stand by my statement. Hell, I always will. That goes without saying that seven chapters later, I now hold a new appreciation for the book. Yes, we've talked about the monotony found within. Yes, we've talked about it's content, it's relevance, and constant repetition. Even then, there's no denying of the fact of how pertinent the book truly is.

 

"But in fact, the questions we ask aren't going to predict the future. They will create the future."

 

Locke and Weinberger continue on and question if the web would become a broadcast medium and how quickly commerce will move to the web. Written in 1999, most people were still in their dial-up AOL days. They had no Youtube and no Hulu. Their buying habits consisted of going to a local electronics store. ABC did not broadcast an entire TV series on it's website after it aired on television. Ten years later, with broadband internet speeds, we spend more time surfing the net than watching television. Instead of picking up a local newspaper, we click through global news online; with "free shipping" deals, we wait at home for any tangible item.

 

I'm not proposing that the duo inadvertently spawned streaming video and online stores. I'm sure many-a-webhead suggested the idea. As a collective whole, people found a question, and found a solution.

 

While some of their concepts/ideas seem dated by today's standards, they definitely knew where things were going. While we may have overlooked some of their snide/tongue-in-cheek comments, who knows what could happen. The four writers joined together and created a pixelated 8-ball.

Week 6

Chapter 5: The Hyperlinked Organization Thoughts/Impressions

 

Since the beginning of the decade, Circuit City has been the retailer equivalent of a sinking ship. Blockbuster, Best Buy, and even Wal-Mart have been rumored to buyout/bailout the failing company in hopes of turning in some much-needed revenue. After closing 150 of their non-profitable stores during a Chapter 11 bankruptcy (a reorganization of the company), it was ultimately concluded that their attempts were futile. 

 

The remaining stores have already concluded or are finishing up the act of liquidation. Among the latter is the Florence, Kentucky location. There, I've been employed for the past two years. Rising up to the rank of Tech/Mobile/Merch Manger months ago, I sink with the ship. 20-50% off (complete with fine print), "All Sales Final," and "Please do not open merchandise" signs litter our 25+ year old building. Moral is naturally low, the place smells and looks like a Flea Market, and our stock slowly diminishes.

 

Since January 16th, there have been rumblings of severance packages for all employees. On the only available document to employees, a "Store Closing FAQ," a single sentence was added, deleted, re-added, changed, deleted, re-worded, and then finally deleted. Sometimes all employees were included, others, only full-timers, sometimes none at all. All of this was done over the period of one month. Even though our corporate offices will be open for the next two years, we were never able to reach them. Phone calls and e-mails were never returned.

 

The first three paragraphs could be the opening lines of an Unsolved Mysterious case due to the dramatic effect of abrupt information. While all true, in my eyes, it really is just a college job. I just feel bad for all of the other 34,000 employees and in particular, the ones with families.

 

Back to the main point-- Circuit City is/was a business hierarchy that embraces the pyramid notion that Weinberger so aptly references. However, one of their biggest follies might be their inability to change with the times. 

 

Circuit City was not hyperlinked.

 

Any customer in a checkout lane can tell you- our computer system was ancient. Our once-white monitors are now beige due to 20 years worth of fluorescent lighting. Because of their age, store and web communication was usually delayed by half an hour at the very least. All company news had to passed down from the President, to his minions, to the regional managers, district managers, store directors, department managers, and then finally to the employees. A simple e-mail would've done the trick.

 

Don't get me wrong though; we did have an e-mail system. Its biggest problem lies in the fact that you can only contact employees within your store. With a radius like that, I felt like I was playing with a Power Rangers-themed 2-way radio. 

 

We had a company website that granted us exclusive access to, well, nothing. You could check your benefits, find good accommodation deals, and read an occasional letter from the president saying how great we all are. But what happens when  a company goes belly-up and shuts down?

 

Pure chaos. Bedlam.

 

Being shut out from the rest of the company, each individual store was able to succeed (succeed in failing?) on their own. People would show up to work and do their thing. When the need to actually communicate arose, everyone began to freak the hell out. Some common questions I got: What happens to our benefits? What about our paid time off? Are we still getting severance packages? I heard about getting a raise while we are closing; is that true? Etc etc etc.

 

Because of my position, I had to get answers. And fast. Those late night phone-calls and early-morning texts kept me from my precious sleep. 

 

So where did I turn to? The web. As Weinberger put it, "It throws everyone into immediate connection with everyone else without the safety net of defined roles and authorities." All 34,000 Circuit City employees were going through the same thing. Someone would have to have answers, right? As it turns out, no, not immediately.

 

Forums were made to actively discuss events that happened to each store. People would know if a store was going to close early, if they got severance packages, how long benefits lasted, everything. Without corporate to talk to, we depended on each other. It's a shame these connections had to be made without the company's backing.

 

As it turned out, some stores (usually the bigger ones) got severance packages. Through all of that communication, I was able to find out about the WARN program that our store didn't even qualify for. While the news was disheartening to all of my associates, it was better than being kept in the dark.

 

"In fact, the real business is the set of connections among people." Circuit City had very few. Ironically being an electronics store, you would think it would have kept with the times. As for now, the "plug" store in Florence will serve as an Egyptian tomb highlighting the old pyramid hierarchy. 

 

 

Note: Circuit City also made the horrible decision of backing Beta, DivX, and HD-DVD =P

 

Website: This post shows that things are different for each region; we still are able to accrue/use p.t.o. Browse through the hundreds of comments and see similar stories, rants, and information. 

 

Week 5

Chapter 4 Thoughts/Impressions

"See these magazines? They’re a form of market conversation. We should already be in their stories. We are key to the subject, but we’re missing in action after working in secret for years. Our only hope is to talk. Starting now."

 

Doc Searls and David Weinberger believe that the most effective way to advertising is through global word of mouth. Naturally, this is where the web takes a hold of the reigns. Testimonies on blogs, e-zines, and forums (among other informational hubs) provide an in-depth and even personal vantage point in determining an item's worth. 

 

For example: The Snuggie keeps Jane pretty toasty but she's not a fan of red or blue. Not to mention, she can't wear it in public without being pegged as a cultist. She'll most likely condemn it with a long rant involving Christ, the Old Testament, and Left Behind. Oh. And a "thumbs down" rating.

 

Be it useful, reliable, or just plain trendy, e-people ascribe adjectives that we use to assess an item's caliber. Looking past the multitude of negative "I-hate-everything-and-give-zeroes-no-matter-what" reviewers, most people turn towards the overall rating. If an item is just that good, the item still has a credible score despite all those naysayers. 

 

Now to provide the counter-thesis to this whole chapter: I think there's a pretty thin line between too much and too little market conversation. Finding that proverbial sweet spot might be easier said than done.

 

The chapter begins with a French computer company that failed due to their inability to actually release information on their product (thus eliminating any sense of hype). They became forgotten. Being in the dark for a lengthy period of time and then saying "Hey guys, remember me?" couldn't bode well for any company.

 

Well, except for Apple. Each fall, they hold a press conference, temporarily disable Apple.com, announce a new item, and pretty much say, "Guess what? It's available to order right now both online and in stores."

 

And people buy the shit out of said item.

 

Sure, with companies like Apple they're already well established; they have a loyal consumer fanbase. How is that even possible though? Technical specs and blueprints are leaked but most of them are fake. Without any internet buzz, they're still able to successfully release and profit from a product.

 

Contrasting to this, there's such a thing as too much hype. While things become a little more opinionated here, take Will Wright's Spore as an example. Browsing through gaming websites back when I was a senior in high school, I first heard of the title. Four years later and it's finally released. While I admit, it does boast some originality, it just wasn't up to par with my expectations. In the end, all that buildup left me feeling pretty letdown. In my mind, it was supposed to be the second coming of Christ.

 

I think this is exactly why corporations/companies need to start listening to their customers. And not as consumers. Unless your company is already "big" (and sometimes even then), be out in the open. Be more down-to-earth and don't carry a corporately-structured swagger. Otherwise, they might be plagued with less stars, frowning smileys, low numbers, and/or a thumbs down.

 

 

 

Note- I sort of realized I had a few too many religious references in this post. I'm really sorry if they offend anyone; they're purely meant for a comical purpose.

 

As for a related website, I searched around for marketing/PR for Apple. With my dumb sense of humor, I figured this is more important. While the Penny Arcade comic depicts a personal standpoint on the new MacBook Pro "notebooks" that were just released, the comments section contains a little fight about why companies no longer use the term "laptop." PR marketing at its best?

 

Week 4 

As the title of Chapter 3 suggests, because of the advent of the web, talk is cheap. Without having to resort to printing presses or DIY binding, the internet creates a new (and in many cases, free) portal for communication. Unlike print/broadcast media, "The percentage of "raw" content published, direct from a creatorís fingers to our eyes, is much higher than in traditional media." That creates a slight problem for Levine and I.

 

My name is Chas Pangburn and I have a problem. I suffer from self-diagnosed ADHD. 

 

Take any internet-browsing hour of my day and examine it. You'll notice I frequently hit the same sites just basking in the latest movie/music/video game/comic news. Look a little closer and you'll see that nine times out of ten, I wrap up at Wikipedia.com or IMDB.com (usually the former). My personal quest for knowledge has me clicking through page after page of trivial/sometimes meaningless information, yet I can't get enough of it.  

 

I personally try my hardest to limit my time on social media outlets to once every few days (for this simple reason), but I share the same voyeuristic standpoint as Levine: "In my mind's eye, I watch myself clicking off my intended path, wondering what the draw is, why am I allowing myself to be diverted from my goal. It's because I enjoy listening to people. They give me windows into their lives, providing substance as a foil to the superficial factual gloss of their day jobs. I'm seduced into spending time staring at evidence of their humanity, despite my better judgment against such a "waste of time." And then I do it again. And again."

 

Being allowed to take a more intimate look at someone allows us to understand their voice.  We're allowed to see who they are and what makes them tick. Or in this case, I guess "click."

 

Website: While I've already shared this with Brad, sometimes we get too much information.

 

 

 

Week 3

Okay, sure, I admit it: even with two snow days under my belt, I completely forgot about this week's homework until an hour or so ago. With a class based around social media, you don't necessarily have to be in class to turn in homework. Stupid me.

 

 

Chapter 2 Summary:

The web is not some all-knowing living entity, a vacation getaway, or a fully tangible/physical item. If anything, it can only be described as a mysterious "thing." This magical "thing" pulls from unlimited resources to supply users with whatever they desire. For some, it's an endless source of information. For others, it's a meeting place to set up a good 'ole LARP battle. For the majority, it's an endless supply of nude photos (but that's besides the point...).

 

Being arbitrary has its benefits; good or bad, every user can interpret this "giving tree" in whatever way they want. However, the web always shares one common root: "the promise of the return of voice."

 

Well, what squashed our voice in the first place?

 

Weinberger's cubicle woes echo the cookie cutter lifestyles seen in Bret Ellis's American Psycho and Richard Yates's Revolutionary Road. Day after day, we wear the same suits, type up the same TPS reports, and stare at the same off-white walls. By carrying out this monotonous lifestyle, we begin to conform to the managed environment. He states, "We are all victims of this assault on voice, the attempt to get us to shut up and listen to the narrowest range of ideas imaginable. It is only the force of our regret at having lived in this bargain that explains the power of our longing for the Web."

 

Whether you're looking at a fourteen year old's blog about how she's more "scene" than her friends, a forum post about an incorrect Fall Out 3 walkthrough, or even an "a/s/l" chat on AOL Instant Messenger, you'll feel a sense of unity. Each person is publicly voicing their own opinion. No longer forced to keep their thoughts to themselves, they're able to speak their mind without any repercussions. Well, except for an occasional flame war.

 

My response:

Alrighty! So after typing all that I realized that I pretty much just summarized everything in the chapter. Yeah. I didn't identify a single idea that really "struck me" or anything that could be applied to my final project. EPIC FAIL. In all, I guess I showed that I understood it all.

 

But!

 

If I could take one thing from this chapter, just one thing, I'd say it has to be the fact that people don't like being managed/fully moderated. If the web allows for a voice, why silence it? As we've stated in class, you don't want to slap someone on the hand and say "No, stop it! Bad!" before it even happens. Keep things open, allow for change, and let things run their course. If/when a problem arises, just deal with it. With a site that's primarily built around social networking, the bigger your audience, the better. A totalitarianism mindset probably wouldn't help.

Side-note: This "magical" thing called the internet seems pretty tough to some people. In the book, he references how different companies tried to capitalize off of being able to "create your own home page in five minutes." I can't believe that this commercial is real.

 

 

 

Week 2

I bought that book.

ChasPangburn.com is up and running =)

 

 

 

Week 1

I have to buy a book! 

(This is my "test page")