The end of Transient Spaces…
Finally, after hours and hours of trying to get my website to work, let alone look good, it is up online.
I spent quite a while with Dean ironing out the kinks in the webpage, and in the end it wasn’t perfect but I did the best I could so can’t complain.
If you want to take a look at it you can here
An overview of Transient Spaces
This semester has absolutely flown by, I cannot believe we only have five months left before graduating! For the purposes of looking back and evaluating things, I thought I would write a blog about Transient Spaces.
The course has covered a number of issues surrounding new technology and the move from real space and time communication to what some might call ‘transient spaces’; online worlds where geographical location no longer matters and time differences have been reduced. This online world changes our lives, the way we communicate, the way business operates and the way we access information. No longer do we go to the library to find information, we ‘google it’. It is a significant step in the world when a brand name becomes a verb. Similar to ‘hoover it’ in the UK.
In the lectures each week we have learned about the issues and consequences surrounding networked media, and this has allowed us to become more inventive about developing innovative media in our own professional practice. The use of these blogs allow us to develop our online personality for both our professional and personal lives and also connects us all together as a class. Wha’t I have enjoyed most is recieving comments from people I haven’t even met, but may have searched for my blog or one of my tags. For example, I wrote a blog about my love hate relationship with ebay and another user wrote:
“Hi Elizabeth,
You’re exctly right about the setup of the Ebay website! So busy and frustrating! I was making a similar point about Amazon, but I’m not sure if their layout is a conscious effort to stimulate buyer-panic, or if it’s just what I think of as bad, old, American web design… I can’t understand why they don’t tidy these sites up, apart from the notion that they rake in the profits just as they are. D’you reckon you’d use the sites more (or spend more money) if they were cleaner?”
The most visited blog I have written is actually the task we did for our thesis subject on quantitative research. This was also the most searched term on my blog, showing that online users are looking for informative and thoughtful blogs as well as personal blogs from people we know. Many users use blogs as references (even though this is not widely accepted as an academic resource).
Specifically we have learnt to make a website, or rather, an online documentary. Overall more time was needed in learning the techniques and skills of all programs that we used. I have however, developed my network search skills and online literacy, as well as what makes a good website, which is vital in the predominantly online world of communications in the 21st century.
It has been great learning how to use Dreamweaver and the technical aspects that go into making all of the websites that we use to often. It is also important to understand the basics of coding, in case we ever need to fix a problem with a website.
So all in all I think Transient Spaces has been an informative course that will assist us in future careers no matter what we are trying to get in to.
Sex Sells…
We had a little bit of a connection yesterday between our Communications Revolutions Class and our Transient Spaces class, which i found very interesting.
In comm rev we have gone through the ages starting with the invention of print up to the digital era we live in. This is where Transient Spaces comes in: the online world, virtual realities.
In our comm rev class we watched a video about the world of Second Life, the online world that hundreds of thousands of people live in. What interested me was the way that even on the internet, sex sells. The ideas of pornography and child sex were rife throughout Second Life and in reality there it not much they can do about it.
The founder of Second Life was interviewed and he was saying how much he didnt want to intervene or govern the world of Second Life, but they had recently made the first law which was to take off any advertisement selling child sex. In Second Life you may choose whatever ‘Avatar’ you would like to be, and this can be either sex. As an adult you can talk to children, invite them to your home, do anything with them really. So I want to know where the line is for behaviour on Second Life?
We have all seen the adds for sex predators on the internet and I believe Second Life is the perfect breeding ground for this kind of thing. According to the creators Amsterdam is one of the most popular locations to go to as an Avatar and you can go to brothels, strip clubs, do anything really. Even if you are a child.
I realise that the creators want Second Life to be sort of ‘for the people by the people’ where everyone can have an imput and everyone can have their own imagination, but I think its been proven in real life that if everyone can simply do whatever they please, its like a Pandora’s Box. Every freak and sicko will soon be on Second Life gaining their sexual pleasures from god knows what. But then again…perhaps its better than having them in real life?
Changing times…
In our Transient Spaces lecture last week we discussed the changing nature of communication due to mobile phones and the internet (and various other communication technologies). I found it particularly interesting talking about the way mobile phones make us talk.
It is true that we now will message each other rather than calling. Who can be bothered actually talking to anyone these days?! Recently I have made a concerted effort to actually call people rather than sending emails, particularly with things to do with business or contacts for my thesis. You immediately make a bigger impact by calling people rather than them recieving an email, one of about 500 emails that they will probably delete or put in junk anyway. When you actually call someone these days, they take notice and might actually give you the time of day.
I was discussing this with my family over the dinner table last week and my brother explained his theory that the world went digital, and now certain things are actually going backwards. Take education for example, he teaches at one of the most prestigous schools in Melbourne and none of the students have laptops in class. They must use pen and paper for taking notes as well as exams. We also discussed this in our thesis class, where many students are now writing their thesis by hand rather than on the computer to allow their ‘creative juices’ to flow through their hand. It is an interesting notion.
For most people, particularly in the business world though, most communication occurs online. When I sit in an office I no longer walk three desks down to talk to a colleague, I email them. This not only saves time and the chance of getting side tracked just chatting away to them, but it allows them to answer in their own time and not interrupt their work flow.
In our lecture we also discussed many of the new networks on the internet catering for freedom of information and new press, such as:
- democracynow.org
- nowpublic.com
- smartmobs.com
- indymedia.org
We also discussed social polarisation and social exclusion, which is an integral topic when thinking about the internet. Oh the great digital divide. Our lecturer just said that 50% of the worlds population has to walk 2 days to get to a telephone, let alone pay to use the internet! We are living in a completely digital world when msot of the world couldn’t even comprehend something like the internet. I loved travelling through regional Thailand and going into villages where one elder owned a mobile phone and people could pay her to call someone!
Communications technologies certainly have changed the way we live, who knows what the future has to hold. Will we go back to pen and paper when we realise machines have taken over our lives? Or will we continue to live in our square eyed monitor world…
Generation ZZZZZZZZ
Our course Transient Spaces covers all kinds of communication and the transition between the real and the online. I wanted to write a blog about my concerns for the future: CHILDHOOD OBESITY.
It seems that these days there is so much going on online that children are spending longer and longer in their dark bedrooms on computers - whether it be on Second Life, playing online war games, or simply playing on YouTube. Either way, it is a dire situation we are getting our children into by allowing them to play games and not be outside socialising and playing real games.
As the obesity epidemic gets worse and worse in Australia, we can look at the internet as one of the causes. I grew up on a small farm and never did we stay inside playing on computers on weekends, we were out riding horses and throwing cow poo at each other! Granted this was the time of games such as ‘Where in the world is Carmen Sandiego?’ and Grand theft auto (the 90s kind not now).
What kind of life are these children going to look back on when they are obese 40 year olds with no friends and have bought a wife from some Asian country becuase they no longer know how to socialise?????
It truly worries me the the amount of online gaming that is done. I think second Life and war games are creepy at best and let me tell you right now, internet friends ARE NOT REAL. This is a dangerous road we are heading down both from a health aspect and a social aspect. For me, the future is not online, particularly not at home. My kids will have happy healthy lives outside. Not creating war in some imaginary land with imaginary online friends from Slovakia.
Generation Z must be saved!!!!
Upper Beaconsfield Association
After reading my last post I know you’ll all be so enthralled with my home town that you’ll want to see for yourself! You should check out this website for Upper Beac, the photo on the home page is from the top of my road – - I don’t need to tell you how Beautiful it is!
Defining a Community…Transient Spaces
This semester I am undertaking an elective called Transient Spaces. It’s all about the big ol’ world of the world wide web and the way communication is being transformed. For our major assignment we are required to develop a 16 page online documentary around the theme of ‘community’.
It has taken me a long time to come up with my theme, however now that I think about it, it should have always been my first choice. When the word community even comes into my head the only place I think of is my home town, Upper Beaconsfield.
Now, most people have heard of UB, however until you live there you cannot truly understand the concept of community. It is the most amazing place to bring up children and I would have no doubts of buying my parents property and moving back there when I have a family.
If you can picture a 20 acre property, just an hour from Melbourne, rolling green hills that were really never effected too much by the drought. Horses, cows, sheep you name it we have it. I’m not pretending I grew up in the outback with jackeroos and thousands of acres, but this to me was enough. Now this is not what I mean when I’m referring to the community. It is the people of Upper Beaconsfield. When I was growing up the town had only around 2000 residents, now I would presume it would have more, but everyone used to know everyone. They always say that harship brings communities together, and that is certainly what the Ash Wednesday bushfires of 1983 did to my town. There are support networks, community groups, all kinds of things that people can be involved in. In fact, my Dad is part of the founders of the Community Care Group, which help local residents in times of need.
So i’ll be developing a website all about the Upper Beaconsfield community, the people, the clubs and the all round community spirit!
I think I missed the boat…
I seem to be still living somewhere circa 1995. While I love the internet and use it now more than I watch TV, I still can’t come to grips with blogging. It is like having a diary or journal, but online…where everyone can read it.
But who does read it? No one really…except for my two lecturers, and possibly nosey people in my class. Oh and today I got a comment from a stranger, which was rather exciting!
I’m afraid when it comes to diaries I’m an old fashioned kid who likes to write in a book, not on the internet. What is it that makes so many people create a website, then write random things in it for other people’s benefit?
It’s funny I’m saying this as I am firstly writing a blog, and secondly thinking about how many professional blogs I read. I’m also thinking about what we learnt probably in first year, that blogs are a good way of neworking and creating an online personality for yourself for potential employers. Now this is ultimately shutting down my whole argument about how I don’t understand blogs. HHmmm…
My Love Hate Relationship with Ebay
I love to hate Ebay. I also love to love Ebay.
Let me explain. I am a shoppaholic (oh how cliche!) But no seriously I must spend any money that enters my bank account within a designated period or I feel like I am wasting away. That’s when Ebay comes into it. The thrill of the bidding! The test of your courage!
OK so it’s not really that exciting, but when you get a piece of clothing, or some other random object you really didn’t need, it is quite exciting. So basically what I’m trying to say is that the idea of Ebay suits me to a tea!
BUT! The design of the Ebay website drives me insane! It is so difficult to navigate, especially when you are in the ‘My Ebay’ section, it is always going to different screens, then you have to hit ‘back’ and you lose your product that you wanted to bid on. The worst part about the Ebay website is the home page, it is crazy! So busy that there are things just everywhere. But you know…I think they do it on purpose. It is the objective of Ebay to create a sense of panic and excitement when you reach the home page so you immediately start bidding on unnecessary items and feel like you have to BUY BUY BUY!!! How sneaky of them….but it works a treat!
Good Web Design
Transient spaces is very similar to a subject I did last year, Desktop Publishing. Although we are going into a lot more detail, all we really did in that class was make a website.
Basically, to me, good web design is simple, keep it clear and keep it simple. I think thats why Google has had so much success; you don’t need to understand the internet to use it. There is only one space to do anything, so its logical to write your topic in the one line. There aren’t crazy adds popping in your face or numerous different search bars, just the one clear simple path to take. We take ourselves for granted for being so computer literate that we forget that many internet users are either elderly, disabled, or just simply do not understand how to use it.
What I hate about websites is not being able to find the home page again, and so you type in the basic web address and it still takes you somewhere you don’t want to be! Take for example hotmail. I was using a shared computer recently and the person who used it before me was French, so she was in www.hotmail.fr. no matter what I did when I tried to use the computer it would always stay in French! even when I typed in www.hotmail.com
Surely there is a more simple way
Now I need to talk about eBay.
I love to hate Ebay. I also love to love Ebay.
Let me explain. I am a shoppaholic (oh how cliche!) But no seriously I must spend any money that enters my bank account within a designated period or I feel like I am wasting away. That’s when Ebay comes into it. The thrill of the bidding! The test of your courage!
OK so it’s not really that exciting, but when you get a piece of clothing, or some other random object you really didn’t need, it is quite exciting. So basically what I’m trying to say is that the idea of Ebay suits me to a tea!
BUT! The design of the Ebay website drives me insane! It is so difficult to navigate, especially when you are in the ‘My Ebay’ section, it is always going to different screens, then you have to hit ‘back’ and you lose your product that you wanted to bid on. The worst part about the Ebay website is the home page, it is crazy! So busy that there are things just everywhere. But you know…I think they do it on purpose. It is the objective of Ebay to create a sense of panic and excitement when you reach the home page so you immediately start bidding on unnecessary items and feel like you have to BUY BUY BUY!!! How sneaky of them….but it works a treat!
