This the last chance to rant and rave about this class.
I have learned so many new things! I learned to make a poster using regular 8.5" x 11" printer paper, I have learned new things about manipulating photos (which is one of my favorite things to do), I have learned about making videos, vlogs, podcasts and picked up a lot of pointers on doing them well. These are things I will be playing with for a long time to come.
My favorite project is hard to pinpoint because I enjoyed doing nearly all of them! The challenges were even better when they were accomplished.
My least favorite assignment was critiquing other people's websites because it was assigned rather than solicited by the site's creators. I tried hard to help fellow classmates when I thought I had something useful to say and hope my comments and suggestions were helpful and not hurtful. I know it's hard for some people to accept constructive criticism in a positive way.
Overall, I have really enjoyed this class and am somewhat sad to see it end. It went by so fast! Lisa, I will definitely do my best to stay in touch and will enjoy sharing new information about multimedia with you. Thanks for everything you have helped me learn this semester!
As a final note to fellow classmates who had a hard time with this class, I would like to say I hope none of you were too discouraged or disheartened by all of this. Today's failure will be tomorrow's success. Have you ever struggled with something at one point in time, and then in future encountered it again and been able to get through it relatively easier? You may not think so right now, but if and when you encounter situations in the future where these types of lessons and projects could be useful for another class, for your kids, or for anything else you may come up with, I believe you will see these things in a whole different light. At least that has been my experience.
I wish you all great success in your lives. It has been a great pleasure meeting all of you and sharing in this class with you. Have a wonderful holiday season. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Hare Krishna, or whatever fits with your beliefs, and have a wonderful and prosperous New Year!
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Week 14
In my opinion, the concept that a minor change to someone's work is considered "creative" and that it creates and builds on another person's idea is ludicrous. Credit should be given to the original artist, and then credit can be given to the artist who built upon his/her idea. That Stephen Colbert could make a few scribblings on the cover of Lawrence Lessig's book, then commit plagiarism by drawing a profile picture of Snoopy on the inside and now claim the book as his own was ridiculous on it's face. What about the writing inside? He clearly did not do that. How could Lessig say that was okay? I would not want someone to do that sort of thing to any work of mine and claim it as their own simply because they changed, or added, a few things to it. Besides, the only reason this book could probably have added value would be because Colbert is a celebrity. If I did that to someone's book, I doubt it would become more valuable.
On the other side of it though, if an artist creates something and another artist totally transforms it into something else based on the original idea, that would be a different story. People do see things differently. In my mind, Colbert would have to totally redesign the cover, make the Snoopy drawing inside much different, and re-write the text. That, to me, would be a new work.
On the other side of it though, if an artist creates something and another artist totally transforms it into something else based on the original idea, that would be a different story. People do see things differently. In my mind, Colbert would have to totally redesign the cover, make the Snoopy drawing inside much different, and re-write the text. That, to me, would be a new work.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Week 13
The Facebook Generation vs. the Fortune 500
The title of this article, all by itself, suggests a battle between the corporate world and "Generation F". Since this article is obviously dated, he could probably write a more current article that reads more like "Fortune 500 Growth via The Facebook Generation". I firmly believe that the upcoming generation(s) of technology developers and users are currently "growing" many Fortune 500 companies, bringing about the changes that ultimately come with the evolution of anything. Yes, change is something most are simply afraid of, but once it starts happening, it can't be stopped. There is no "battle"; merely an inevitable transition.
The "list of 12 work-relevant characteristics of online life" are on spot. They highlight how much people care about the freedoms of speech and expression. These things should be important to "Corporate America". Without them, it's just the same old bureaucracy. Going "viral" is the key to success on the Internet and if they are to succeed in the future, the Fortune 500 had better get a grip. It's coming, and they can't do anything about it. To stay in the same rut could prove to be disastrous, as Mr. Hamel so adeptly pointed out in his opening paragraphs.
The title of this article, all by itself, suggests a battle between the corporate world and "Generation F". Since this article is obviously dated, he could probably write a more current article that reads more like "Fortune 500 Growth via The Facebook Generation". I firmly believe that the upcoming generation(s) of technology developers and users are currently "growing" many Fortune 500 companies, bringing about the changes that ultimately come with the evolution of anything. Yes, change is something most are simply afraid of, but once it starts happening, it can't be stopped. There is no "battle"; merely an inevitable transition.
The "list of 12 work-relevant characteristics of online life" are on spot. They highlight how much people care about the freedoms of speech and expression. These things should be important to "Corporate America". Without them, it's just the same old bureaucracy. Going "viral" is the key to success on the Internet and if they are to succeed in the future, the Fortune 500 had better get a grip. It's coming, and they can't do anything about it. To stay in the same rut could prove to be disastrous, as Mr. Hamel so adeptly pointed out in his opening paragraphs.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Week 12
Happy Thanksgiving a little early. Since the instructor posted this assignment early, I am going to get it done early.
This was a really good talk by Chris Anderson. It is definitely dated, and I date myself by saying I remember, and participated, in just about everything he talked about. We bought a home theater setup when they cost $2000. I remember paying top dollar for a 40 meg hard drive, around $150 if I remember correctly, and thinking it was more storage than I could ever use. The prices of these goods were considered a bargain at that time. I learned back then to "wait and see" with new technology because it is extremely expensive when it first hits the marketplace. If you are close to my age, you should remember the first calculator and how expensive they were. Now, companies GIVE them away...free.
The one thing that jumps out at me as having changed is Mr. Anderson's presentation. I think this is because it is very simple with no animation; just pictures. Of course, as with anything, the software has gotten better. It's also free in many cases, as we have learned in this course.
This was a really good talk by Chris Anderson. It is definitely dated, and I date myself by saying I remember, and participated, in just about everything he talked about. We bought a home theater setup when they cost $2000. I remember paying top dollar for a 40 meg hard drive, around $150 if I remember correctly, and thinking it was more storage than I could ever use. The prices of these goods were considered a bargain at that time. I learned back then to "wait and see" with new technology because it is extremely expensive when it first hits the marketplace. If you are close to my age, you should remember the first calculator and how expensive they were. Now, companies GIVE them away...free.
The one thing that jumps out at me as having changed is Mr. Anderson's presentation. I think this is because it is very simple with no animation; just pictures. Of course, as with anything, the software has gotten better. It's also free in many cases, as we have learned in this course.
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Week 10
Wow, what a week! This thing called "screencasting" is really something. I have seen many of them but had no idea how they worked. It was very frustrating, but I got through it. I am usually real good at figuring out software but these types of programs really got the best of me. I am glad for the knowledge because I will now be able to make tutorials to help my husband. He does hunter safety courses and has a hard time managing things on his email, so now I can make him a couple of screencasts that he can refer to to help him through it.
My screencast is located HERE in my ePortfolio.
Here is my Vlog:
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Week 8
What a wonderful presentation Mr. Rosling gave! He had my undivided attention the entire time. I really enjoyed it when his data starting moving while he was talking about it. The way he interacted with it was genius. His knowledge of the subject matter and use of the tools available in Power Point were obvious. He appeared comfortable and managed them well.
I think the key elements of his technique were the ability to keep the story going, interacting physically with the animated data, and his vocal inflection while talking about it. All of these things combined gave him a decided edge in keeping the audience's attention.
I will always remember this presentation. When doing one myself, I hope to make it interesting to my audience like he did.
I think the key elements of his technique were the ability to keep the story going, interacting physically with the animated data, and his vocal inflection while talking about it. All of these things combined gave him a decided edge in keeping the audience's attention.
I will always remember this presentation. When doing one myself, I hope to make it interesting to my audience like he did.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Week 7
In the article by the NY Times, I think the statement made by Roy Blount, Jr., president of the Author's Guild, "that authors have a right to a fair share of the value that audio adds to Kindle 2’s version of books" is just another example of yet another way to initiate a frivolous lawsuit. Amazon is merely integrating new technology into a device that is helpful for people and it has nothing to do with the intellectual property. None of the work is being affected. No words are being changed, and the story lines are still intact.
I agree more with Wendy Seltzer, in the Wired article by David Kravetz who said "no rights are being violated. Amazon’s newest gadget, she said, "is enabling another feature to make further lawful uses of that book." I further agree that it is yet another step in making written materials more accessible to the blind and visually impaired.
More recently, in a lawsuit that was won by the HathiTrust digitization project, accessibilty appears to be the key point. “For the first time ever, blind students and scholars will have the opportunity to participate equally in library research,” NFB president Marc Maurer said. “The blind, just like the sighted, will have a world of education and information at their fingertips." The article I read about this is located HERE.
I agree more with Wendy Seltzer, in the Wired article by David Kravetz who said "no rights are being violated. Amazon’s newest gadget, she said, "is enabling another feature to make further lawful uses of that book." I further agree that it is yet another step in making written materials more accessible to the blind and visually impaired.
More recently, in a lawsuit that was won by the HathiTrust digitization project, accessibilty appears to be the key point. “For the first time ever, blind students and scholars will have the opportunity to participate equally in library research,” NFB president Marc Maurer said. “The blind, just like the sighted, will have a world of education and information at their fingertips." The article I read about this is located HERE.
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Week 6
Fairey claims he did not remix the image for profit. Nor did he use the entire image, as I did here with my "Mirror, mirror, on the wall" image. The fact that his creation did earn a profit, and ultimately led to monetary gain, is not a clear indicator he violated "fair use". He did not design it with the intention of marketing it for profit, but since it did become a marketable image that brought profit to his companies, I think there should have, at the very least, been some sort of credit given to the photographer and the Associated Press for the original image.
After reading all of the suggested articles, I don't recall there being any mention of a Creative Commons license on the photo, nor do I recall there being any mention of the orginal photograph being connecteed to any kind of phrase or wording that stated it could not be used. Had he mentioned the photographer and/or AP, then I think Creative Commons would apply.
I viewed the plagiarism videos (YouTube, Paul Robeson) but I'm not sure that applies here. It's difficult deciding which laws apply...there are SO many!
Street art can be very inspiring. I grew up in a big city and have seen some really beautiful "graffiti". It always made me wonder if any of the people who created it ever did anything artful with their lives. This form of expression is more important that people realize, I think, and they deserve credit for their work just like any other artist. Someone should work with these people and help them copyright their works for added protection.
Did you know that every street artist signs his work? That's how police figure out who did what "graffiti". I learned this from watching the news years ago, so to cite the exact newscast at this point in time is not possible. Here is a link to a really cool site that plays host to street artists. While most of it appears to be orginal art, I think you will recognize some of the artwork as pure plagiarism as it is described in the YouTube videos we watched this week. It is unknown to me if any of these artists got permission to use some of the images they have painted. I have never seen a citation on any of these types of images or phrases, so I hightly doubt it. It's a great site to peruse, nonetheless, so enjoy!
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Week 5
The world of digital images is amazing to me. I love taking pictures, uploading them to my computer, and manipulating them to make them look their best. Being able to create and print a quality photo and putting it into a frame for display is a very gratifying experience for me.
I like to use my digital camera. I have an Olympus SP-550UZ. The specs are: 7.1 megapixels, 18x optical zoom, 28mm lens, image stabilization and shoots at 15fps. It takes real nice closeups. I love taking pictures of insects and plants and enhancing them. It's a fun hobby that I spend many hours doing!
As far as drawing goes, I'm not that talented. I appreciate the artwork of David Lanier. It's a pretty incredible addition to the world of drawing and painting. My favorite work is the picture he drew of the staple puller. I related to it immediately because it is something I use in my work every day. I love that he described it as being "ferocious", but obviously don't agree with the term "useless".
I like to use my digital camera. I have an Olympus SP-550UZ. The specs are: 7.1 megapixels, 18x optical zoom, 28mm lens, image stabilization and shoots at 15fps. It takes real nice closeups. I love taking pictures of insects and plants and enhancing them. It's a fun hobby that I spend many hours doing!
As far as drawing goes, I'm not that talented. I appreciate the artwork of David Lanier. It's a pretty incredible addition to the world of drawing and painting. My favorite work is the picture he drew of the staple puller. I related to it immediately because it is something I use in my work every day. I love that he described it as being "ferocious", but obviously don't agree with the term "useless".
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Week 4
It's odd that Creative Commons would come up this week. When I posted my video on YouTube, it asked if I wanted a Creative Commons license or the general YouTube license. Since I did not know what Creative Commons meant, I selected the latter. It wasn't important because I only posted it for this class and will be removing it in the very near future.
John Buckman's brainchild, "Magnatune" , is awe-inspiring. He has revolutionized the sharing of all kinds of media and brought it to a whole different level. In my opinion, the Creative Commons license is one of the most innovative ideas for sharing I have ever heard of. I have a very close friend who writes and records the kind of music he is talking about, so I will be sharing this information with him. He may already be aware of it, but I am excited to share the information nonetheless.
John Buckman's brainchild, "Magnatune" , is awe-inspiring. He has revolutionized the sharing of all kinds of media and brought it to a whole different level. In my opinion, the Creative Commons license is one of the most innovative ideas for sharing I have ever heard of. I have a very close friend who writes and records the kind of music he is talking about, so I will be sharing this information with him. He may already be aware of it, but I am excited to share the information nonetheless.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Week 3 / 5000 Days of the Internet
Wow. What a video. Kevin Kelly is a very prolific speaker. I enjoyed listening to him.
I don't agree that we are moving towards a total "Internet of Things" like he described it. There have long been programs that link our computers to things like the lights in our homes, our cars (OnStar for example), and to tiny chips that can be implanted in our pets. They are even devloping, if they haven't already, chips that can be implanted into people so we can keep track of our children or our elderly if they are missing. However, I don't see myself living in a totally "virtual" world, which is where I thought he was going.
He was right about "carrying relationships with you" when spending time on social networking sites. Just take a look at Facebook. It was not the site it is now at the time he was giving this talk. I hope that the changes coming in the next 5000 days don't completely compromise our ability to keep some things private...
I don't agree that we are moving towards a total "Internet of Things" like he described it. There have long been programs that link our computers to things like the lights in our homes, our cars (OnStar for example), and to tiny chips that can be implanted in our pets. They are even devloping, if they haven't already, chips that can be implanted into people so we can keep track of our children or our elderly if they are missing. However, I don't see myself living in a totally "virtual" world, which is where I thought he was going.
He was right about "carrying relationships with you" when spending time on social networking sites. Just take a look at Facebook. It was not the site it is now at the time he was giving this talk. I hope that the changes coming in the next 5000 days don't completely compromise our ability to keep some things private...
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Week 2 / Cloud Computing
The term "Cloud Computing" is a new term for me. I have interpreted it to mean anything done online where your personal information is stored for retrieval at any time. My presence is relatively limited compared to most people. I don't use Facebook, Twitter, MySpace or any of the other types of social networking sites. This blog is a form of "cloud" computing and I am only doing it for this class. I will delete it when we are done because I just don't want to be out here like this.
My experiences with
Web 2.0 five years ago wasn't all that different except the only online service
available in my area was dial-up. As far as the future goes,
who knows? I have watched the web grow in leaps and bounds over the past 15+
years. It is truly amazing how far it has come. I probably won't change a lot of
what I do now because I am comfortable with it, and have been for about 10 years
now.
Thursday, August 30, 2012
First week of class...a little scary!
Hi everyone. My name is Val. I am 52 years old, I am very happily married, have 4 children at home (8 to 16 years old), and a beagle/border collie who is 6 years old and very opinionated! I work full-time in the health care industry and LOVE my computer!
I have no experience with creating a blog, so this is all new to me. I am a little nervous about it but look forward to any comments, suggestions and/or criticism you may have, so please don't hold back.
I have no experience with creating a blog, so this is all new to me. I am a little nervous about it but look forward to any comments, suggestions and/or criticism you may have, so please don't hold back.
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