Midterm Presentations

I liked the second time over... presentations and projects were revised and better focused upon. I like the fact that people decided to use technology and visual aids in their presentation; it really helped me better grasp their ideas and intentions. I also liked the fact that people made efforts to better their original presentations; whether through practice, eye-contact, or visual aids, there was clearly an effort.

Wiki Wiki

http://199.17.178.148/%7Emorgan/cgi-bin/blogsAndWiki.pl?WhatIsAWiki

Wow. I find Wiki's to be unique tools; only made possible by the nature of the Internet itself. Just like most technology in the information age of today, Wiki's are dynamic, ever-changing entities that just "fit" into the World Wide Web. They seem to be the most logical evolution of the Internet, free from any type of control. (You could also liken them to the open-source software coding movement).

This virtue can also be a flaw; in essence, any author can be rebutted, or worse yet, overwritten. Such freedom can, understandably, be troublesome to an author of unique content; if anyone happens not to agree with what's written, s/he can just as easily remove it. Thus, without such safeguards, I am not too sure about using this medium as a platform for argumentation. Nonetheless, Wiki is a remarkable tool, and stands only to become more widely used as the Internet evolves.

New Look...

Time for a change.

Starting Point...

I suppose this is the beginning of the end: hypertext draft, that is. I've officially started a "new web site" in FrontPage, and began typing my first few sentences. What's ahead: actually fleshing out my ideas onto the site, as well as figuring out exactly what works best with what. Heh. Looks like I have my work cut out for me. Nothing left to do but jump in...

Next Presentation...

Ha! Next presentation... ummm... not quite much to share about it. Admittedly, I haven't really thought about it, simply because I had too (read: way too) much work and too many exams this week to really think about the "future" in any one particular class; I just needed to get through the "now". Fortunately, I'm about done with that, so hopefully, I'll be able to focus more on the topic at hand. (Crossing my fingers, hoping that I haven't fallen way too behind)

Well, I suppose I can start by rattling off some things about the next presentation that come to mind:

(ever more crucial) Engage the audience
(next up) Be more innovative and creative
Be specific

Anyways, I'll probably be back to this entry to reply and add to it...

(edit: 1)

After discussion of my topic, I must say, I am still a little unsure of how I'll go about doing this presentation. I discussed different methods of presentation, which my neighbor found each to be good. I suppose I'll have some weighing to do for this weekend...

Thoughts on Electronic Reading

"Electronic Reading" from Hypertext Now

I feel that this reading touches deeply into our circles of discussion in eRhetorics. It covers the advent of technology in the texts and readings of today. It asserts that the hypertext and the electronic book are inevitable changes that will occur to our society in the near future. It also attempts to dispel the notions that the technology behind eBooks will always fall short of a paperback book, or that certain texts, arguments, and ideas cannot exist in a non-linear form like a hypertext.

While I do agree with the reading - I do believe that the eBook will carry a much more significant role for reading in the future - I disagree with the notion it puts forth: that we, as people, the users of the technology, must radically adapt ourselves in order to use the new technology. I believe that defeats the purpose of inventing new technology; granted, I understand that people must adapt at least a little to something new and different, but I believe the change required of people is way too much.

I am of the camp that believes eBooks are less than adequate in their current form. I believe that much of the text currently online is definitely much more difficult than print media, and I believe change on the part of technology is required to make any progress in the electronic reading arena. I hope that one day, such changes are made, and we will begin to take advantage of a new and exciting medium of information exchange.

Initial Research Thoughts

After spending a few days thinking about what to research, I found a couple of topics that have interested me: copyright(s) in the age digital culture and gaming (particularly, massive multiplayer online/network games). These are both fresh issues, topics that have recently spawned only from our entrance into the digital age. Though both issues seem to be worlds apart, research into both will have a significant impact on the way we conduct ourselves, our business in the age of information.

Copyright, copyright infringement, and the DMCA have become hot button topics in the past few years. With the rapid growth of computers and computer networks, information has never been easier to obtain, share, or distribute. Unfortunately, with such ease, come the woes of abuse. As files change hands from one computer to another, the questions of copyright and infringements arise. But what exactly are the roots of such issues? Their implications? Does our definition of a copyright need to be changed to adapt to a changing world? And what of enforcement of these rights?

Possible starting point:
Government Copyright Site, DMCA Act: www.copyright.gov/legislation/dmca.pdf

Online gaming… long gone are the days of gaming purely against the AI of a computer. Now, with faster internet connections and even faster fingertips, we are thrown into a world where we can challenge real-life people! In essence, a whole new avenue of social networking is born. What does this mean? How does this impact our lives as social beings? And what of the old, existing (“real” in some minds) networks?

Possible starting point:
Stanford Course Site, STS 145, Game Design: www.stanford.edu/class/sts145/

At this juncture, I must say that I’m more sided towards the online gaming issue, likely because I myself am an avid gamer… I must do some more research, though, before I can make a choice, because both are very good issues of study.

First Entry: Blogs + Me

Blogs… well, I must first state that I do (did) not actively keep a blog. I have kept a blog in the past: a writer’s blog, for a previous PWR1 iteration of this course. I’ve commented on the blogs of friends and peers. I’ve even use blogs as a source of inspiration and technical information. I believe that the blog can be a useful tool for human expression.

But as for personal blogging… zero, zip, nada. I suppose the simplest reason why I don’t keep one is precisely that: keeping it. You could call me lazy all you want, but I like to think of it as a statement of my privacy. I do not believe I need to showcase my innermost thoughts to the world in order for others to understand me; I prefer the old-fashioned interactive conversational approach.

Now, don’t get me wrong; this is not to say that I disdain those who keep weBlogs. On the contrary, a great number of my friends do keep such diaries of their lives. Some are much more intimate than others; some are decidedly better at keeping their blog entries up to date than others. Of course, when I first discovered that they were blogging, I was taken aback… “How could you let people know so much about you? It’s the internet… People that don’t even know you can read what you’ve wrote.”

I soon discovered, however, that, though this concern is not without merit, the benefits of the blog would greatly outweigh it. With this tool, I am able to peer into my friends’ worlds without leaving my computer seat. I can relate to them, comment on them. I can do this no matter what distance separates us; Blogs have become a very useful tool for us to keep in touch. I suppose this is the greatest asset to blogging, and the information age in general: it keeps me in tune with my friends, even if we are a world apart.