Dreamweaver

Self promotion is necessary when trying to positively affect your future. There are multiple ways to self promote including social media, business cards, flyer's, etc., however, more people have been gravitating toward personal websites to exhibit their work. People use these sites as a more complex resume which can also include visuals and previous work done. Websites used for promotional use typically include a brief biography about the person, portfolio pieces, and links to social media accounts. A website can be more of an benefit for promoting yourself as opposed to a resume because a website can display what a resume can't. A resume will list skills and previous work done, but a website can support the resume's accuracy. For example, a resume can list that someone is proficient in Microsoft software, a website can exhibit work done in these programs to determine how accurate the statement is. Resumes are often subjective and more of a personal opinion when listing skills. The benefit to having a having a personal website is that it can lead to internship opportunities, networking, and gives design experience. Other advantages to this style of self promotion is that it displays a level of organization, it's an innovative way to gain employer's attention, opportunity to outshine other candidates, and it allows a "personal touch" that will display the type of person you are the same way other social media sites can as well.
Other social media sites tie into this project by becoming external links that can be placed on the website. These extra sites allows viewers and potential employers to learn about the candidate allowing them to view other work on these sites as well as opinion. With technology constantly advancing and online resources being utilized more, it allows potential employees to remain up to date on how to determine which candidates may be better qualified for a job and more rounded. On the other hand, different social media sites are used for different things, for example, Instagram is used for visual work done while LinkedIn is a more professional platform where employers can contact you based on your resume. While Twitter is used for opinions and political reasons, Facebook is used for networking and advertising. Each of these site contribute differently but have the same end goal - self promotion.
 The overall process of designing a website can become stressful due to its level of difficulty. There are a lot of things that have to be considered prior to starting the webpage altogether - color schemes, layout, how it will be viewed in a mobile site, and more. One of the most difficult things will be coding. This is difficult because the way you imagine something should look will not always appear that way once placed into the site and may require additional coding. Organizing the content ahead of time makes the entire process easier throughout, it helps determine spacing in certain areas of the page and the overall flow of things. Organization is the most important element in designing a website because not only will it help the site look better, but says something about you to potential employers and other people viewing site.

Investigative Tweeting

              Twitter has become more than just a social media site that allows you to connect with your friends. It has become a platform for business, news releases, advertising, marketing, and more while connecting people in ways other sites can’t. The constant and quick updates with twitter allows its users to engage directly with the source. Aside from those mentioned, twitter overall isn’t just a social media site or a blog, it’s something other sites aren’t and that’s what makes it so different.

               Twitter’s many uses is what makes the site so beneficial depending on who’s using it. For example, many people do not sit and watch the news anymore because society has become accustomed to cell phones and social media. This happened because it is easier and more convenient than sitting and watching the news. It allows people to be mobile while receiving their news. Twitter benefits from this convenience because of its speed and access. Twitter verifies certain accounts to place confidence in users that a specific account is legit. In doing so, these verified accounts can reach its audience faster on twitter than any other social media site. Twitter is meant to be used frequently with constant updates on a variety of subjects. Its informative platform is what makes it so beneficial in a journalistic and political aspect. The ease of quick updates, links to breaking stories, and live streams on highly publicized topics such as presidential debates or large court cases, puts the users of these verified accounts in a perfect position to keep their followers updated on topics they follow. From an organizational standpoint, businesses use Twitter as a marketing and advertising tool to target a specific audience or gain competitive advantage. The major advantage organizations have while using Twitter is the direct contact with the consumers. Users can mention organizations while attaching their experience with organization’s product or ask questions directly to gain more insight before a purchase. Although organizations have accounts with other social media sites, Twitter provides quick responses and the most interactions of them all.

               Elected officials, sports pages, and electronic companies are followed frequently. People follows these pages to remain up to date, keep up with changes, and be notified of new products releasing soon. Following pages such as Samsung can be intriguing in note of their recent downfall in the cell phone market. By following Samsung’s page, insight is gained on how the company will recover and how they plan to deal with the competition in light of their latest mishap. Sports pages such as the NBA, NFL, or MLB are constantly being followed due to the recurring changes throughout the seasons. At any point in a sports season a major change or injury can occur that can have a large effect on a professional team or a well-known player.  Sports and politics are always topics that people want to be up to date on. Keeping up with politics is especially important because it can affect a person’s life in a major way. Following politics closer to home such as a mayor or governor can be beneficial because the information being released is directly related to the resident.

               Twitter differentiates itself from blogging and other social media in the way it’s used in an interactive sense. It provides a more personal feel for users as opposed to Facebook or Instagram where the updates are less frequent and users feel like a spectator more than anything else.  In a personal sense, Twitter is used to state an opinion, give personal experiences, or share a memory, however, its 140 character limit forces users to be cut throat and straight to the point unlike other social media and blogs. Other social sites and blogs give users an unlimited amount of characters to post about anything. Blogging is usually done as a means to express a feeling toward something or report on something that may not receive heavy coverage but is still relatively important. The major difference between blogging and tweeting is its primary use and purpose.

               During the presidential election, Twitter was used as a news source. There were constant updates from all major news networks as well as from the personal accounts on both candidates. During this time, Twitter had become a platform for news on the election. Twitter provided the convenience of live streaming debates which allowed users to tune into the debate while still using the mobile app. Twitter capitalized from this by providing users with the most relevant information as it occurred instead of leaving users to be overloaded with information when watching the news.

               Twitter is also used to raise awareness regarding specific subjects. When a group of teenaged girls went missing in D.C Twitter was used to cycle their photos around in case anyone had seen them. The constant retweets and brief information given lead to some of these young girls being returned home. The awareness that was being raised in regards to this situation displayed the success in using Twitter as a platform for the issue.

               Twitter was also used as a marketing and advertising tool followed by the incident that occurred on United Airlines. Similar to the teenage girls in D.C., the video of the incident kept cycling to keep the public informed on what was happening. The issue of an overbooked flight soon became a case that involved race and discrimination on the victim’s behalf. As this was occurring, other airlines sought this as an opportunity to gain competitive advantage. Many marketing strategies were used including Southwest Airlines tweet that stated “we beat our competitors’ prices, not you”. Instances like this occur more frequently than people notice where competitors utilize the competition’s downfall as an advantage.

               Twitter is more than just a social site and an angle for marketing, it is most commonly used for reporting. Although twitter is usually the first to release the news, because it is so widespread, fictional facts are tweeted very often. For example, while the Boston marathon explosions were occurring, tweets were being generated from trusted sources and users who were using the tragedy as an opportunity to gain retweets. This incident revealed the flaws of Twitter and that just because its first doesn’t make it facts. A similar outcome occurred in Egypt during protests in Tahrir square in regards to the role Twitter played. Twitter was used as a means to remain organized and in unity with other protesters fighting the same cause. As a result, the same platform that had brought them together eventually tore them apart. Twitter can be an advantage as well as a downfall depending on its use. With Twitter being so accessible and a platform for open opinion, it is often difficult to separate the facts from the fiction.

Saying It Without Saying It, Can You Do It?

               Communication is the foundation of all interaction despite what form of communication it is. Verbal communication is usually the most common amongst all forms, however, other forms of communication are still commonly used. Visual communication, which includes body language and gestures, are commonly displayed in theater acts which include plays, movies, videos, and other acting scenes. Although these types of visuals normally include verbal communication as well, some of them can still get a point across with no words at all.

               Making a video with or without words is a process in itself. Prior to filming anything, knowing the topic and direction that the video should go can become very frustrating. Having a multitude of ideas and plans can be very beneficial but can be annoying in the same breath. Some ideas can be more well-rounded than others while other ideas may struggle executing the desired message. The key to a successful video is making sure the video has a plot that makes sense and easy to identify and understand what is happening. The reward of this success is knowing the viewer can recognize the theme, purpose, and message within the video without being told. Outside of determining a theme and plot that chronologically makes sense, other challenges tend to come about when the filming itself begins.

               When filming a few things should be considered – sufficient lighting, proper body language, and that the scene will flow with the theme. When making a home video, lighting can become the most frustrating things to deal with. Imagine capturing a perfect scene in the perfect moment and not having decent lighting. This can potentially throw off an entire scene because it can give off a darker message than intended. Proper lighting can make a noticeable difference between scenes that are supposed to display a happier theme opposed to a depressing one. Although it may not be intended that way, from a viewer’s point, more light can indicate a happier time because that’s what past trends have shown. When dark lighting is used viewers typically associate it with a dark and sad time. Body language and scene flow are also key components in a successful video. Making sure gestures and body language are compatible with the story being told is necessary. The wrong body language can give a different impression than intended, especially a video with no verbal communication, ultimately making the video more confusing. This is where things can get difficult from a creative aspect.

               Making a video with absolutely no verbal communication but intending to clearly send a message needs a creative advantage. Since there are no words to insinuate the purpose of the video, the creative impact needs to take its course. During this portion, actions will tell the story since there is an absence of words. Determining the proper way to physically express a theme or emotion will be the largest challenge. Being careful to not mistakenly give off the wrong expression other than the one intended will have to be a constant reminder to keep the flow of the video clear and concise.

               Using video as a preferred method of communication opposed to writing or photographs has its many pros and cons. The disadvantages, based upon preference, are the extra creativity needed to fill the space for the lack of verbal use. This can become frustrating in the instance a person begins to deviate away from the theme because all routes have been exhausted. The advantages of using video as a preferred method of communication is the chance to test the level of creativeness. The actions will be used to define what the video is about and make statements other methods of communication cannot exhibit as well. Photographs are well in the instance of capturing a memory or attaching as a part of something else. In other instances, photographs aren’t strong enough to tell a story because many misconceptions and wrongful assumptions can made. The lack of motion within a photo or series of photos make it difficult to understand the purpose behind something without being told. After all, the purpose of any good story is for a viewer to understand it without being told what they are expected to know. Writing can be advantageous depending on its use. As a communication method, it is commonly misconstrued because there is no visual or tone to put with the writing itself. Too often are mistakes made because what was written gave off a different feel then what its written purpose was, because of this, written communication is probably the least effective out of all forms of communication.

                  When filming any type of video, the nature of the video should not affect the subject matter being discussed. The video should clearly identify what the intended message is. To do so, the content of the video needs to be direct and clear in the message it wants to send. There should be little to no confusion about what is being communicated, therefore, every action has to be considered and every gesture has to be accounted for to avoid leading the viewer in the opposite direction. This can become extremely challenging in the instance one has to film himself. The greatest challenge here is assuming viewers know your intentions simply because you know yourself and what your expressions mean. The best way to avoid any confusion is to use body language that is recognized by an abundant amount of people. By doing so, any possible misinterpretations are being eliminated because the viewer can recognize a specific gesture or body movement (i.e. giving a hug displays affection). Other challenges also come into play when filming oneself. Aside from assuming the viewers will understand a specific gesture because it has become habitual in one’s personal life, capturing the right angles and proper scenes can become irritating if not done as intended. Overall, making a video should clearly communicate the direction an idea is headed toward. Knowing the purpose for the video and where it can ideally be seen will also play a role when deciding what to film. If filming for fun or personal reasons, there should be no issues with uploading it via YouTube, Facebook, or Vimeo. With technology and the web advancing so rapidly, it makes it that much easier for movies, videos, photographs, and memories to be shared. 

The Wonders of Wiki

Wiki pages are the prime example of Web 2.0. These pages are basic forms of communication that allow people to interact through the web in a convenient manner. The most common forms of wiki are Wikipedia and Wikihow. Both forms of wiki allow individuals to place information on the internet that can later be edited by either contributing more information or removing false information as well as basic instruction. Wikipedia provides information on academic matters, theories, people, cars, and almost anything one can think of, while a WikiHow is pure instruction on how to do something. Although they are very similar in how they can become part of the web, they are also very different in their functions.

With writing a wiki, the key factor is communication and expression. Basic communication is necessary for getting someone to understand the point(s) an individual may be trying to convey. There are multiple things one needs consider when communicating through wiki. For starters, education level and prior knowledge should always be considered. When informing or instructing someone how to do something an individual should assume the reader has no prior knowledge on the subject and can only comprehend in the most basic terminology. This is not put in place to undermine the reader or diminish their education level, but to ensure that the information provided is comprehendible to a multitude of audiences and not just a specified group. In addition to making wiki pieces understandable to all, how they are expressed is also of great significance. 

  Although expressing a topic using words is among the most common, there are other ways to adequately express something as well. Photo instruction and picture references can be extremely helpful when trying to learn how to do something. For example, if someone wants to learn how to do make up, words may not be enough. In this instance, demonstrating steps through visuals may be more useful than simply just stating words because someone can visually see where things are placed and how it is applied. Depending on the subject, picture references may do more justice than photo instructions and words. For example, if someone wants to learn about the Periodic Table of Elements and how it works it would be difficult to demonstrate this in a step by step photo tutorial. In this case, instead of step by step visual instructions, showing exactly where each component is located may be of greater assistance (a picture referencing where the element number is located, where the group number is located, what group it belongs to, etc.). In addition to photo references, other forms of references are commonly used to help a reader gain more knowledge on a subject.

References to other wiki pages and/or collaborating with another wiki page are also options that individuals often explore. References to other wiki pages are useful because they provide extra support that is related to a topic but not necessarily needed in that exact wiki itself. For example, if there is a topic about surviving college in four years, references to other wiki pages may include wiki pages about dealing with stress and time management. Although these topics may be mentioned and deemed as important tools to surviving college, going into depth about them within the article may take the entire subject off track resulting in losing or confusing a reader. Collaborating wikis are also considered when a topic can be more empowering when combined with a topic that provides very similar information. In this instance, another author would contribute more information whether it be in depth or newly discovered information that can strengthen the wiki altogether. Some wikis alone are weaker than when combined with an already established wiki that essentially provides the same information. To avoid a wiki being combined with another established one, research is required to decide which topic would be the best choice.

Prior to writing a wiki, making sure a topic of interest has not already been written about once or various times can save time and trouble in the long run. By doing this, the possibility of having a wiki combined or seen as unneeded because of an abundant number of resources on this topic can be decreased by a significant amount. Writing on a topic that has not yet been covered or has very little coverage can be more beneficial to the wiki environment as well as its readers.

The experience of writing a wiki can become very stressful because once the information is published and made public, almost anyone can add, edit, and delete as they please. On top of this, just like most technology, nothing is guaranteed to be saved. Technology can be a hit or miss and it doesn’t always function properly because it is constantly evolving. Work is often misplaced, completely gone, or pieces are missing. With wiki being such an unstable environment, it is highly recommended that work is constantly saved and backed up to avoid any tragedies or work lost.    

Writing a wiki can be simple and difficult in the same breath. As simple as it may seem to tell someone how to do something, teaching it step by step can get tedious and frustrating. The process of breaking down each step to the simplest terms possible can be challenging because the brain has to revert back from just doing something out of habit to actually remembering exactly how it’s done. Deciding how to visually communicate the instruction can be difficult as well. Putting words with a picture doesn’t always explain things comprehensively. Sometimes, words attached to a picture can say one thing while the picture itself can demonstrate an entire new meaning. Making sure the visuals being used can be understood universally is essential. When writing a wiki, assumptions should never be made that the reader will understand what the author means or interpret it the way you intend it be. Visuals should be clear, concise, and easily demonstrate the instructions being given. On top of this, communication should be clear and the flow should be smooth. A wiki should not be difficult to understand but instead easy to learn and easy to retain.

           

Rags to Riches or Tags and Widgets

Defining the Web

               Evolution of the web has turned the internet into an even more powerful tool. Comparing the web from what it was to what it is now shows the constant remarkable growth and how much everything has changed. Many people often see the Internet and the World Wide Web as the same thing, however, they are quite different. The Internet is a computer network that consists of connecting a variety of other networks while providing a variety of information. On the other hand, the World Wide Web is an information system on the internet where documents and other resources can be connected. In simple terms, the difference is quite noticeable; the Internet connects networks while the Web provides the information of these networks. They tend to be confused with one another due to how close knit they are and how one typically needs the other to function. The Internet has always been what it is, but the Web is what keeps evolving.

               The first version of the Web, often referred to as Web 1.0, was the first stage of the World Wide Web and consisted of view only sites that had little to no interacting content. With this version being as simplistic as they come, Web 2.0 had soon evolved from it. Web 2.0 was the beginning of something new and included additions that Web 1.0 could not achieve. Although there were not many technological improvements, the level of interaction had sky rocketed. In short terms, Web 2.0 is the social media platform. I refer to it as such because on a social media sites people are constantly interacting, exchanging information, commenting back and forth, and sharing things that have gone viral. Because of this, Web 2.0 had surely outgrown its past 1.0 version. In my opinion, when Web 2.0 evolved it changed the way people interact forever. Prior to, people had more physical interaction than technological, now, people often feel more comfortable interacting through the web because people feel less pressured and can find more people online to relate to how they feel as opposed to people in their surrounding area. Web 2.0 provided another alternative for communication that 1.0 couldn’t. This version of the web not only allows us to read on what information is out there, but also comment, join, and sometimes edit to it as well. Web 2.0 released a sense of power when it came to be and although it can be seen as positive, it has its downsides too. For example, I remember as a kid spending majority of my time outside and when I had access to the web I played games and read about whichever current artist was most popular (there was really nothing else to do). When 2.0 had come about, it provided an entirely new level to what was accessible. Not only could I have games on the computer, but I could have access to these same games on the phone and even download more if I needed to. All these new additions were great, but society became dependent upon it. Unlike Web 1.0, the second version didn’t require as much personal interaction and things such as working from home and being interviewed through a video chat came to be. Web 2.0 depreciated the sense of reality that society once had and this is the largest con about its existence. While Web 2.0 was connecting information on the internet, Web 3.0 was gathering it and connecting the information to people. I see the third version of the web as a robotic note pad memorizing every stroke of our keyboard and every search then conveniently allowing these searches to reappear in places such as your Instagram ads that appear on your timeline. This is good if you’re looking to research something and when you visit a social media platform the company or product’s associated social media page appears allowing you to become more connected than when you previously searched elsewhere. It can also be frowned upon in the aspect of privacy. When we log onto our home computers or search something from our personal phones, we see these actions as private and personal. To most, myself included, searching something on amazon then logging onto Facebook to find the exact product you searched appear again is bothersome. It makes you question whether the privacy of your home is honestly privacy of your home or privacy of the web. 

Social Media In A Nutshell

On the World Wide Web people can access almost anything within a matter of seconds. There is no hard searching for something or trying different phrases to find exactly what you're looking for, it's just a few strokes of the keyboard and a plethora of information on topics is in your lap. Although this is quick and advantageous, how much of that information being received is accurate and if the source of where it is coming from is credible is a responsibility of the user. For example, if there is a big news story on a controversial issue that comes across a Facebook feed, it is up to the user to double check whether this source is accurate or not. Anyone can post anything, however, just because it's on Facebook or Twitter does not mean it's accurate. One positive about most social media site is that they verify accounts

of celebrities and news outlets making it easy to identify the legit ones from the counterfeit ones. While social media has its many pros, it also has its one con that many people seem to be bothered with - invasion.

There are some people who use blog sites and other social media sites as an online diary to express feelings, views, and opinions while others just use them as a means to stay connected with people and updated on the news. Everyone has their own reason for their use of social networking, but what people don't ask is for their privacy to be intruded on. For example, if a person has an account through Google they are most likely always logged into their account on their personal computer. On that same computer, if a person shops for a product on amazon then opens up their Facebook page, there is a high probability that an ad for that same product being searched for will appear. Some may look at it as a coincidence while others may notice how intrusive it is.

Aside from social media being intrusive, it is used heavily in controversial events. For example, the Black Lives Matter campaign was plastered and debated about on every site from cases with cops to any other suspected racial crime. The role social media played in it with allowing people to discuss their views concerning these matters were fair. The issue of race is a topic that should be discussed and not covered up. Social media gave people a voice and a chance to make a difference.

In the future, social media will become a mainstream news outlet and major communication form. There is very little people to people interaction because of the way social media has evolved and expanded. As generations change in addition to the time, electronics are becoming an even bigger deal. Companies now have pages connected to every social media site and usually hire a specialist to maintain control of each of these accounts. Social media will be the future as society continues to move into a strictly digital age.