Wikipedia

I’m very comfortable working with wikis. They’re simple, easy to use and fun to work with. One aspect I would like to add is color; wikis are a bit bland, so I do agree with what Lawley said on the ‘ugly’ aspect.

I didn’t know there were two ties of ‘documentation’, i.e., ThreadMode and DocumentMode. I’m more comfortable working in DocumentMode in the academic process; ThreadMode makes me think of IM’ing or text messages just because they contain bits and pieces, so they seem incomplete to me. I know ThreadMode is a conversation, and when I hear DocumentMode, DocumentMode seems to be a better fit in an academic setting.

The idea of returning to a wiki to edit it and expand it is very collaborative. It gives other people the chance to add to the topic or touch it up; it’s a good way to accept change and be more open.

Levinson has a section of Chp. 4 that discusses Wikipedia and libraries. There are lots of pros and cons to both. Libraries provide book and articles that can be outdated, and Wikipedia users can mishear something or be misinformed, and give out incorrect information (like the ‘deaths’ of Kennedy and Byrd). The thing I like about libraries is it’s a public place, easy for person-to-person interaction, which users don’t get in using Wikipedia.

#en3177

Levinson, Chapter 7: Facebook

I want to start off by talking about posting pictures of breastfeeding on Facebook. I am a mom and I do breastfeed my baby. I personally don’t like the idea of posting these kinds of pictures. I enjoy breastfeeding my baby; it’s such a great bonding experience, and it also gives you (both mom and baby), quiet time; a time to un-wind. Breastfeeding in public and posting pictures of breastfeeding on Facebook are 2 different things. Lactation rooms are becoming more available to women who need to breastfeed. I saw a mom breastfeeding her baby at a mall, and she was very casual about it. She had a blanket draped over herself and her baby, so nothing was showing, and that I think is a great way to breastfeed. The thing about posting these kinds of pictures on Facebook that bothers me is I think something like breastfeeding, should be a special time between mom and baby. And personally, I would prefer not to see a a boob hanging out. If moms can be quiet in public and not draw attention to themselves, then people shouldn’t have a cow over it, but if moms are not covering up and being loud about it, then I would have a problem with it. Users on Facebook have people they hardly connect with anymore, and if I wanted to share pictures like these with my friends and family (not that I would), I would share pictures with my friends and family that have had kids.

I think of Facebook as a place for people, mainly young adults in high school and college. Facebook is a social network, and is open to everyone for almost anything. Having a Facebook for political use is a good idea. It gives people the chance to catch up on ideas, people running against each other and new ideas. People not using Facebook for just connecting with friends and family is something new–I use Facebook for staying connected with friends and family–and using something, like Facebook, for political or job-related is a way of saying people are taking the uses of Facebook to a more serious level, something different, but a good kind of different.

Overall, Facebook is way to connect to people, and it is still growing.

#en3177

Rettberg, Chapter 3: Facebook and MySpace

Facebook v. MySpace is the main focus in this chapter.

Facebook was created for people, like students, (friends and family as well) to stay connected with one another. A pro about Facebook is that you, the user, has a better chance of actually knowing people/friends. I know most of the people on my Facebook, but I don’t talk to quite a few of them anymore for a few different reasons: I haven’t seen them in a very long time, I’ve moved away or I just don’t really like them (I don’t know why I haven’t deleted the people I really don’t like). It originally was for college students only, but in 2006, Facebook opened up to everybody.

I guess over the years, MySpace has been the site where the user can have ‘friends’ and not know them at all; basically, complete strangers. I had a MySpace back in the day (maybe 2005?) and I knew a few people personally, but otherwise, I didn’t know any of them (I think I had somewhere around 30 friends). I basically got rid of my MySpace because it seemed kind of like a juvenile thing to me. Most of my ‘friends’ on my MySpace were a couple years younger than me, and I wanted to actually stay connected with people/friends, and i went to Facebook for that main reason.

Some schools have blocked not just Facebook, but social networking altogether. Social network users don’t interact with people as much as they use to. So, in a way, I guess it wouldn’t be bad to limit yourself when you sign into a social network. As for myself, I probably spend too much time on Facebook. Facebook changed its look repeatidly, and I think that is part of the reason people spend as much time as they do on Facebook; people have to figure out to to work things, and that takes more time. I use Facebook to stay connected with friends back in my hometown, college friends and family.

#en3177

For my #en3177 class

In New, New Media, Levinson talks about how blogging is replacing other media aspects like newspapers. I can see where he’s coming from. A lot of my friends have started blogging in recent years, and I can’t remember the last time I actually bought a newspaper. I can easily find out what’s going on by checking out recent blogs. It’s only a matter of time before the newspaper becomes obsolete, which is kind of sad because it’s been around for such a long time. People who don’t know how to use a computer, or don’t like using a computer, probably rely on things such as news papers.

Getting more comfortable working with Twitter, WordPress and Diigo. There’s a learning curve to these, but I think it’s on the same level as learning about Facebook or working a new email.

#en3177

Hello World!

So far, I have set up a web blog, a Diigo account andy a Twitter account-and it was all pretty easy. I think I’m gonna like this!

#en3177

Hello World!

The best books I have read so far (as of 2011):

1. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

2. Some Things That Stay by Sarah Willis

3. The Giver by Lois Lowry

4. Hole in the Sky by Pete Hautman

5. Shakespeare pieces