I’m playing catch up today. It’s been a heck of a last week or so in my family life and I have fallen so far behind in all my classes, I worry about ever catching up. I know I will get back on track if I just work really hard this week, but in my sleep deprived, stress driven state, I am scared and frustrated and felt the need to vent. There. Done. Now, on to my next blog posting.
Blog Fodder-”Infinite choice equals a database.” October 5, 2009
“Infinite choice equals a database. Just because you can make a choice doesn’t mean it’s an interesting one.”
I think what is being referenced here is sort of a “quality” over “quantity” idea. In writing for multimedia purposes, presenting an infinite number of choices to a user does not guarantee that user a better experience. If the user has hundreds of choices that lead him nowhere, he is better off with five good choices that make his visit to your site worthwhile. I think that this presents a huge responsibility to the writer to keep the audience in mind when writing pieces and presenting data to the user.
Second Life-Blog Fodder September 20, 2009
As part of the e-voice experience, we are to be exploring the world of Second Life. To be honest, I’m finding it all a little overwhelming. I had previously thought of myself as pretty computer saavy, but this Second Life thing has thrown me for a loop. I thought it would be like SIMS, which I enjoy, but it’s so much more complex than that. During our latest assignment, a scavenger hunt, I was able to understand more about the program and what all it has to offer, as before I just felt like it was a fancy chat room. There are so many places to go and see and explore. It really is an incredible game! I honestly think the most challenging thing for me right now is my own avatar. I continue to be challenged by trying to change clothes or the appearance of my avatar. I have gone through the instructional information and met during a class meeting for further instructions, but I feel like my avatar doesn’t really represent me at all. I need to continue to work on my appearance. The most enjoyable thing thus far has probably been the scavenger hunt, particularly finding the beauty in a video game in places like the Botanical Gardens and Inspire Space Park. My interactions with other avatars, outside of my classmates, have been minimal. The first couple of times I logged in, I made a point to talk to others, as I was trying to figure out the point of Second Life. I found two other newbies, one a student in New York and the other a guy in England, who were also trying to get the hang of it. They added me as friends, but I have not since spoken with them. I also chatted with a few people in Inspire Space Park, but am not really sure where/how to start a conversation. When I do start one, I’m not sure what to talk about beyond the game. This will also take some more work.
Getting Started-Blog Fodder September 12, 2009
I decided to enroll in this class based on a recommendation by my advisor. He stated, and I quote, “you should sign up for this class. I think you’ll really like it.” The biggest motivating factor in taking this class was that I was having trouble fitting all that I needed into my schedule and finding an online writing class was perfect. I’ve taken “Writing for the Web” and found that it was more about designing a website than actually learning how to write content for an online community, so I suppose I am hoping “Finding Your E-Voice” will be more about writing and my “e-voice” rather than simply designing a website. I expect to gain knowledge about different online communities, which I’ve already started to in the form of Second Life. I feel I bring an open mind and an eager desire to learn, but realize that I need to be more technologically saavy to prosper online. I would say that practice and exploration will be the two biggest factors in my success in this online journey.
