Assignment 3

1. I am going to make a portfolio for my final project. For the research aspect, I am interested in how people chose to present themselves online, and how it changes in different online environments, similar to how it changes in the real world.

2. This topic relates directly to society because it focuses on how we interact. From a classroom setting, to a job interview, to hanging out with friends, our behavior and motivations for image-management change per situation. Goffman (1959) claims that we are always and everywhere playing a role. This phenomenon happens online as well. In each situation or environment, different influences make people act in certain ways.
In certain realms, cultural references and social standards play a huge role. In online social networks, like the Facebook, pop culture and what is considered “cool” are huge influences. In online games, people self-representation is unique because it does not have to similar at all to the real person. With this freedom, people tend to draw on past experiences and what they wish they could be to create a persona.
In other dimensions, the influences change. Blogs tend to be considered more for the author’s personal use than other possible viewers. This results in a more true and accurate self-representation, when other external influences are not as strong. In portfolios, such as I am creating, the technology is used as a marketing tool. Only the best side is shown, and everything is geared for what the viewer, or possible employer, may be looking for.
Overall, it has been said that creators of online personalities or self-representations tend to view the net in each environment separately. They do not consider the information out there for anyone “surfing,” but rather a specific and defined crowd in each respective realm (Rosenstein 2000).

3. http://www.polysemy.com/awr/dissertation/awr_webidentity.pdf

This site provides a wealth of information about self-presentation online. The author is a doctoral student at the University of Texas. I feel this is a very credible source because of the amount of research that went this document. It is a dissertation by Aviva Rosenstein, in fulfillment of her Doctor of Philosophy degree, including 14 pages of references and citations. It is called: Self-presentation and identity on the World Wide Web: an exploration of personal home pages. It focuses on the publication of personal web pages, and how people use them as a “resource for self-definition.” It discusses the influences that affect people when they are given the opportunity to choose how to present oneself. A major focus is that despite the fact that publishing online makes the information available to everyone, people basically consider it only read by a certain crowd.

Rosenstein, Aviva W. (2000). Self-presentation and identity on the World Wide Web: an
exploration of personal home pages (Doctoral dissertation, University of Texas,
2000) Google Scholar

http://www.proud.co.uk/exhibitions/exhib_ego/.

This interesting site discusses an exhibit at a London art museum, paralleling real people to their avatars from online role-playing games. It illustrates just how much freedom is allowed in the online world. With games, nothing has to be reality based, so the influences are completely different. There is no worry about misrepresentation. The players are able to chose whatever they have always wished to be, possible or impossible. The exhibit was featured last year, and contained hundreds of real photographs of the players and still-frames of their characters.
Cooper, Robbie. (October 2004). Alter Ego. Proud Galleries. Retrieved May 26, 2005
from http://www.proud.co.uk/exhibitions/exhib_ego/.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04333/417839.stm

Another source I found was an article published in the Pittsburg Post-Gazette. Focusing on Facebook specifically, it talked about the cultural influences and pop-cultural references used so frequently in this type of program. It discusses how fast and widespread this new phenomenon has taken over campuses across the country. The self-representation on these sites is very different than in other forums, and now is leading to new connections and relationships in the physical world. Written by Bill Schackner, a Post-Gazette journalist, the article follows some of the trends that have now arisen due to the Facebook. The Post-Gazette is large, respected paper in Pittsburg, but according to AllTheWeb and Google Links, most of its links were to itself.

Schackner, Bill. (2004, November 28). How to win new “friends” with a click: Web site
provides college students an innovative way to meet others. The Pittsburg Post
Gazette. Retrieved April19, 2005, from LexisNexis. http://www.post
gazette.com/pg/04333/417839.stm

4. One technology we discussed briefly was basic HTML. I am very interested in learning more about it. I was hoping that we might cover more of it in class. That is why I chose to create a portfolio, because it would force me to explore the technology more thoroughly. I think it would be a very marketable skill to have since our society is so internet driven. I am interested in the publishing or marketing field, both of which would utilize this technology often. Everyone uses it, but very few understand how it works. I used SimpleSite to create my website, and it is pretty basic and plain. I would like to experiment more with coding and other programs like Dreamweaver, etc.

5. I think that the most important thing to remember with new media is that it is ever-changing and developing. The innovation process will not stop and our society will continue to change with it. People and businesses must evolve too, or they will get left behind and not be able to function at the level of everyone else. These new technologies are not only affecting our business practices but our everyday interaction. Our techniques of communication are changing and influencing our social interactions.

Extra Credit - VoIP

In my three internships (yes, nine months of unpaid work) I made a lot of phone calls. From a huge company in New York with hundreds of employees, to a small Seattle company with about 20 workers, long distance calls were being placed constantly. For the smaller magazine, there was basically no income (other than ads), and I can’t even imagine the phone bill for it. I myself called long distance at least 20 times a day, sometimes international. If they could adopt VoIP, that money could be put into other things that are in need of replacement. It could make everything a lot more efficient. The huge magazine in New York probably wouldn’t even notice, there is so much coming and going all of the time. It all depends on scale, but at every level, people in the business world could benefit from this since every business now is at least inter-state, if not international.

VoIP

I think that the possible impacts of VoIP are very far reaching. Last year I studied abroad for 3 months, and made calls home from each port. It was so expensive; one of my calls from Africa was $80, for a 10-minute call! Only my parents got a call each time because it cost too much money for me to call anyone else. The greatest thing I found was an internet café in Vietnam that had a VoIP option. I was able to call anyone I wanted because it only cost 8 cents a minute (the cost of general internet use at the cafe,) unheard of by my other standards. If this become readily available, no one will use regular phone services.

I do think it will take a while to catch on. Many do not have the equipment, or connection speed to make it work. Until the technology develops, and becomes more efficient, it will be a slow adoption curve. The slight delay during my Vietnam call was a nuisance and a little confusing, but $2 later, it was well worth it.

Extra Credit - Political Websites

I think that it’s interesting that the most influential people in America don’t have the best of everything. The importance and popularity of these sites should encourage top-notch development, and I was surprised that it didn’t. Though the nature of elections, and political involvement in general, has a resurgence every four years and calms down in the interim, for that time- it is one of the most important issues on everyone’s mind. You would think that these sites would be the most comprehensive and well-designed sites possible.

Perhaps the effort to include everything as it instantly develops may play a role in the creation of what seems to be not thought out. This situation is unique, as we discussed with voting, that it has such a diverse crowd. People who rarely use the internet may be very politically minded, and check the sites daily during election time. These are all difficulties that must be considered, but they are not unreasonable obstacles. Maybe in upcoming elections, they can consult Jakob Nielsen for some advice before launching the new and improved sites.

Accessibility - Public vs. Cyber

I would have never even considered this issue. For some reason, it never occurred to me. It makes sense though; people have the right to everything others have, despite their disabilities. Just as buildings must accommodate for those in wheelchairs, their online counterpart must be accessible to those who are blind. This would be a very difficult obstacle; I don’t know how this could be accomplished, but it must be faced.

However, I don’t consider people’s lack of technology knowledge, or up-to-date equipment a disability. McDonald’s isn’t responsible if you don’t understand how to use the microphone in the drive-thru, just as it is not their fault if your old car’s window won’t role down. We are a long way from having accessibility standards across the board, but I think it is an important issue that should be brought into the public eye.

Assignment 2

1. I am going to make a portfolio for my final project. For the research aspect, I am interested in how people chose to present themselves online. I think that finding real examples of others, with similar interests or in like fields, would be beneficial for me to see what is appropriate for mine.

2. I used Google to search for examples of others’ portfolios:
view personal portfolio (design)
3,570,000
personal portfolio and (journalist or photojournalist)
10,200
(journalism or photojournalism or design) jobs
77,600

Then I looked in some of those sites (monster, journalismjobs, and looksmart) for real examples that I could draw comparisons with:
Photography (in moster.com)
1000
Photography and design (in journalismjobs.com)
208

3.
On a freelance journalism site, I found Kathleen Sindell’s personal page. It follows the format set by the site, which is similar to a resume layout. It was interesting to see her description of her work. It was fairly in depth for what appeared to be a basic format, with an assortment of link, including her company’s website. She is a Ph.D so I consider her a reliable source. What she does and does not include are all things that I should pay attention to. She would be someone who I would work for, or would be in charge of the hiring process.

Sindell, Kathleen. All Freelance Work. Retrieved 15 May 2005.
http://www.allfreelancework.com/viewprofile.php?id=133134.

This site is a good example of me; it is a girl with the dream of being a travel journalist. Her profile is available on moster.com, and follows a basic format. It provides very little information, highlighting her qualifications and experience in the “In My Own Words” section, similar to a cover letter. It is interesting as a comparison, the type of experience she has, and the responses she has fostered. I would use this site more as a base of comparison, than to get details from.

V., Cathy. Monster.com. Retrieved 15 May 2005.
http://my.monster.com/NetworkProfile/ProfileDisplay.aspx?uid=23b0a2d&source=search&searchresultsqs=searchType%3dKeyword%26vi%3d100%26vo%3d100%26page%3d3%26pagesize%3d20%26lcid%3d1033%26maxfound%3d5000%26sort%3dPoints%26q%3djournalism.

This is personal portfolio website called Liquid Moon. Published by Darvin L. Atkeson, this sites purpose it to showcase his work. He is both and artist and photographer, and provides extensive galleries for his work here. Though his site does not contain a resume, which I plan on including in mine, his “about” page describes his educational and work history, confirming that he is a legitimate source for this type of work. It will be useful to me because I plan on including a gallery of some of my better photography, and it gives me an idea of a working layout.

Atkeson, Darvin L. Liquid Moon. Retrieved 15 May 2005.
http://www.liquidmoonlight.com.

4. I think that one relevant point in class discussion was that of usability. Part of the discussion with voting was the age gap. Many elderly people are unfamiliar with technology, and quite hesitant to get involved with it. That must be kept in mind in the job-hunt scenario. I plan on referring possible employers (who will probably be much older) to my new online portfolio as a supplement to my resume. It might be in vain, because they may not even bother to look at it. However, it must be very logical in its layout, so it is easily navigable and has a positive effect on the viewer.
The public space discussion is pertinent to my portfolio project also. I will be posting personal information about myself, and other involved parties. I must be careful at how I make this data available. It would not only affect me, but also past employers and references as well. I must take a tactful approach, so even if unrelated people stumble upon my portfolio, there can be no negative consequences.

5. There is a lot left to do to with my final project. I feel that it is going to be a struggle to complete the website and the paper. The website is going to take a significant amount of effort to create. I am excited to dedicate the time needed to learn how, and designing the site, and I look forward to actually utilizing it once complete. I feel like the paper is just busy work.
Since we did not cover as much coding in class as originally planned, the amount of research needed to create the portfolio went up significantly. Beyond the time spent creating a good resume, contacting references, and compiling clips- we need to set aside a lot of time to experiment with html. I want my portfolio be very comprehensive and look professional, because I do plan on using it post graduation. There is no motivation for the paper. The research aspect is good, so I can learn what is appropriate for my field, but other than that, I feel that is just attempting to balance the workload with the other final project options. I don’t think this balance is necessary due to the slight alteration in the lecture content. I’m sorry if I am off-base, I may be unaware of other influencing factors. I do know, however, that these last few weeks of college will be quite busy.

Internet and Political Activity

I think that internet technology has a huge impact on political activity. As discussed earlier, online communities are growing, and people are connected across boundaries and in ways we could have never imagined. This medium has made distance and time obsolete, and is being used as a great political tool.

Rallies, groups, and movements can be organized. Information can be easily distributed to thousands for almost nothing. Information about all candidates and issues is at anyone’s fingertips. However, one must also be careful when judging the source’s credibility since there is no one patrolling, and making sure it’s accurate.

The most effort it takes to get involved would be to move to the computer and type. If electronic voting continues to be developed and becomes a standard, people may be able to vote from their own home, or office. It will basically nothing more than simple interest to get involved politically with the ever-developing internet technology.

Extra Credit - Week 6

I found it very interesting that Sweden and Norway ban advertisements geared toward children. In the US, it is such a huge market. I’ve seen sources that say children spend, or influence parents to spend $150-200 billion each year. Depending on the hour you are watching, almost all of the ads on TV are specifically approaching that age range. I wonder what else fills all of their air-time.

The California textbook ban also caught my attention. I don’t remember specifically any advertisements in any of my school books. I wonder if it is that big of issue. The only class that I do remember having commercial images, etc. was my marketing class. The entire book was based on actual companies and scenarios of brands we were familiar with. Marketing is a very different topic though, and real world examples require those things.

Public Space

I think that there should be no censorship on the internet. As Oxblood pointed out, it began as wealth of unfiltered information. That is the idea the world wide web is founded on. I can understand where some people may be coming from, such as parents, when trying to control the internet. I feel that their attempts to block pornography or other controversial material are warranted, however, other tactics can be used. If we begin there, than our simple plan of protecting children can be magnified, and morphed into what is now seen in places like Saudi Arabia or Iran. Giving the government the power to decide what you can or cannot learn about, or seek out, is inappropriate. But sadly, that is the nature of these nations without the internet. I feel that “public space” should be public and available to all.

update bibliography

Ellen Jovin. (1998, November). Mixed Messages:Online reporting gives clients immediate access to their portfolios, but it fosters short-term thinking. Financial Planning,163-164. Retrieved April 19, 2005 from ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 35642019).

McCarthy, Marianne. (1999, March). Online portfolio managers. Link – up, 16(2), 16-18. Retrieved April 19, 2005 from ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 39712074).

PR Newswire Association LLC. (2005, April 11). The New College Social Networking Phenomenon – iProcrastinate. Retrieved April 19, 2005 from LexisNexis. http://www.prnewswire.com/cgibin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/04-11-2005/0003384067&EDATE=.

Rosenstein, Aviva W. (2000). Self-presentation and identity on the World Wide Web: an
exploration of personal home pages (Doctoral dissertation, University of Texas, 2000). Retrieved April 19, 2005. http://www.utexas.edu/coc/rtf/graduate/dissertations/00-rosenstein.html.

Schackner, Bill. (2004, November 28). How to win new “friends” with a click: Web site
provides college students an innovative way to meet others. The Pittsburg Post Gazette. Retrieved April19, 2005, from LexisNexis. http://www.postgazette.com/pg/04333/417839.stm.

final project

So far, the time I have spent on my final project has been gathering all of the documents I want to present in my portfolio. I have been accumulating references, letters of recommendation, fixing my resume, and gathering all of my assorted clips. I have not spent much time researching the “research” aspect of the project yet, other than for assignment 1. I’m actually glad we had to do that, so I have at least some sort of start. I feel like it’s going to sneak up on me though and my paper won’t be ready. I also have to dedicate a lot more time to figuring out the html aspect to create my portfolio. I feel lost in that sense, and that I am completely unequipped to attempt it.

Help from my friends

There are a lot of similarities between this week’s reading and last. I feel that Moore’s discussion of a “second superpower” definitely parallels open-source software. It is the concept of opening the door to a wide range of participants, not just the creators, or rulers. They both focus on the more than just the select few understanding what is going on and having input.

Kirkpatrick’s put it well when he said, “there may be anew kind of Internet emerging—one more about connecting people to people than people to websites.” This also follows some of the concepts of open-source software. When people have trouble, they go to other users rather than a centralized help line. If this pattern continues, our current system will be completely overturned.