Wysocki & Lynch: A Rhetorical Approach to Communication Ch. 1 & 2

I noticed in the first two chapters that Wysocki and Lynch were discussing the importance of context, audience, and purpose in regards to communication.  These are the important concepts that Bitzer discussed in his writing about rhetoric.  Obviously if audience, purpose and communication are being repeated in various works, then they are extremely important for good communication.

I really enjoyed how the Wysocki and Lynch reading gave important tips for how to perfect a communication project.  There were great examples that helped to reinforce the information.  The best tip was to create a statement of purpose.  I feel that this is similar to a thesis; however it seems that the process to create a statement of purpose is a great way to develop what the communication project will focus on.  A statement of purpose is great for mapping out an outline so that the communication stays clear and goes well.

I never really understood what context mean in regards to rhetoric.  I figured that it was what was in the speech and that's it.  In Wysocki and Lynch they explain the importance of forming the communication project context around where the project will be shown and what event or occasion the project will be shown at.  By considering place and occasion, the creator of the speech can see what is appropriate to include and what should be left out.

Copyright, Web Ethics, and Open Sources

 Copyright:

While copyright laws are great for protecting the artists and creators and their works, it seems that most copyright laws are pointless.  As stated on this web page, copyright infringement is hard to monitor.  To me, it seems that copyright infringement is not only hard, but extremely hard to nearly impossible. There is no way to catch every single person that may be committing a copyright crime because there are millions upon millions of people participating daily.  The governments cannot hunt down every single person and track their computer use.  It would be a waste of time and resources.  The best that governments can do is to help prevent copyright abuse by shutting down sites that rely on it, like Limewire which allows users to upload songs and download songs for free.  It is next to impossible to stop all abuse, but it is a start to try and prevent it.


Open Source, Open Culture from DJ Spooky:

I can honestly say that in regards to music, I have bought blank CD's and put songs onto the CD's to give to friends.  However, every song that I put on came from a CD that I owned already or a song that I owned already.  I do understand that  this may still be copyright infringement, but I believed when I was younger that it was okay because I was not selling the songs.  As DJ Spooky said, the number one selling CD is the blank CD.  I can completely relate to this because when I was in junior high and high school, the cool thing was to make a mixed CD for your friends.

Ethics of Web 2.0:

I never knew that there were true sharing sites and fake sharing sites.  I always thought that Youtube allowed users to use songs as long as they list them and that when I downloaded a picture off of a site like Flicker, I was just saving the picture.  However, I understand how Youtube is a fake sharing site.  I remember trying to find a video online that one Youtuber had talked about in their vlog.  The video was one that was made by them, however Youtube had removed the video due to copyright issues and then put the video back up, and then they took it down again.  I can't really remember why the video was taken down, however the video was made by a user.  Maybe it had songs or other clips that Youtube thought went against their rules and regulations for sharing.

Lloyd F. Blitzer: The Rhetorical Situation

What is a rhetorical situation?  From what I gathered from this piece of writing, a rhetorical situation includes a response that fits the events at the time, creates responses that fit the events at the time, and a true rhetorical situation always has three main components which are exigence, audience and constraints.

Exigence, as defined by Mr. Blitzer, is an imperfection marked by urgency.  The audience is who the rhetorical situation is being applied to as in who is listening etc.  And constraints are anything that change the exigencies.  Mr. Blitzer stresses the importance that a good rhetorical speech will not only be applicable to present events but also that a rhetorical situation will create responses from the audience that are fitting to the events and content of the speech.  He gives a great example using President Johnson and the events that occurred during is presidency campaign.

I can't seem to figure out how this applies to digital media.  I felt that the reading was more fit for a philosophy class, but I did like how Lloyd Blitzer stated that most readers will think of the perfect thing to say after the fitting situation has passed.  It happens to me all the time.

Internet Access and How It Affects Technological Literacy and Fluency (Rought Draft)

Internet Access and How It Affects Technological Literacy and Fluency

Wireless access is offered to students on almost every college and university campus in the nation.  Michigan Technological University offers Rovernet to students, which allows them to be anywhere on campus and still have wireless internet because of hotspots and guest access.    Even though the school offers internet on campus, students who live off campus are responsible for internet at home.  Michigan Tech offers Microsoft programs and anti-virus programs for students with personal computers, but there is no off campus internet program available.  With Michigan Tech being one of the most expensive universities in the state of Michigan, many students who attend receive one or many forms of financial aid.  Some students may not be able to afford paying monthly for internet at home; therefore they may spend a majority of their time on campus in labs or the library just for internet access. 

In today’s time, access to the web is a vital component in achieving a college education.  If the internet went out for one day the campus’ electrical infrastructure would fall apart.  Without internet access students cannot submit assignments, check school email, or look up research that is not in print.  For those students who cannot afford monthly internet, their desire to learn and their interest in taking future internet-reliable courses may decrease greatly.  Their grades may suffer and so would their overall stress level. 

A university cannot expect students to become literate or fluent in their lives if access to resources is not offered.   Literacy is the capacity to understand one’s goals.  Becoming literate in technology requires comprehension of tasks and troubleshooting as well as the understanding of the technology that is being used.  Being fluent in technology means that a person has learned the skills, concepts, capabilities, and domain specific knowledge of the technology that they are using (Williams 5).  A student cannot become literate or fluent in technology if they do not have access to the resources that are specific to technology and without the access, they will not have the interest in becoming literate (Williams 6).  Some resources that are essential to access are internet, computers, and basic knowledge of working devices.  A student must be competent, comfortable, and poses confidence in the basic tasks that relate to accessing technology (Blackmon, Samantha. "(Cyber)Conspiracy Theories?; African American Students in the Computerized Writing Environment." Labor, writing technologies, and the shaping of composition in the academy. (2007): 154. Print.).  Without competency, comfort, or confidence access will be affected because the student will not have interest in the access.  Literacy and fluency in technology are directly affected by access.

A simple solution for students who lack the economic resources to pay monthly is a mobile broadband USB device.  A mobile broadband USB device would allow students to have access to the internet any place in the country, whether it is off campus or on.  It may be more convenient for students to add the cost of the mobile broadband device to their tuition bill at the beginning of the semester.  The worry of being able to afford the monthly bills and the stress of being on campus all the time would be decreased or eliminated.  By offering an internet source that can be used anywhere off campus, Michigan Tech would be increasing the students’ access to technology. 

Access to technology for university students would be changed in many ways because location, economic resources and time affect interest, which in the long run affects access.  Location would not be an issue because the internet could be accessed in the students’ homes.  Their time would be saved because instead of having to drive all the way to campus or arrive early on campus to finish an assignment or do research, students would be able to access their assignments at home.  The extra ten, twenty, or thirty minutes could be applied to their work.  Income would not be as big as a problem as before because the university could offer the option of adding the extra cost to tuition instead of paying out of pocket each month for internet from a company such as Charter or AT&T, which can be costly.  AT&T offers a mobile broadband USB device for customers.  The no commitment price is $239.00.  Michigan Tech could offer the option to rent a device per semester or year.  Not only would it be more cost effective for the students, but there is the potential for an extra source of income for the university.

Internet has formed an important role in technological access.  According to the U.S. Census Bureau, seventy-one point four percent of individuals in Michigan accessed the internet from some location during 2009.  Out of the population of Michigan, seventy-three point eight percent of residents lived in a household that had internet access in 2009.  The interest to use this essential technological resource is there, but it is still a challenge for some college students including the students that attend Michigan Technological University.

As Kate Williams stated, “Literacy is power…Computer literacy standards  might be a way to bring everyone up,” (Williams 9).  By simplifying access to resources, technological literacy would increase.  The access to resources could increase the interest and desire in students to learn and discover.  A mobile broadband USB device would not only influence the technological access of students, but it just might lead them to becoming literate and possibly fluent in technology.  Wireless access is offered to students on almost every college and university campus in the nation.  Even though the school offers internet on campus, students who live off campus are responsible for internet at home.  This restriction affects technological access, literacy, and fluency of students all across the nation and at Michigan Tech, whether it is obvious or not.

Internet Browsers and Their Affect on Access

There are many, many internet browsers available for use today.  Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, FireFox...with so many it is hard to decipher which ones are the best.  When talking to different people, it is apparent that some have a browser that they love to use.

While in my first semester of college I had to download FireFox because I needed it for a chemistry program.  I had only used FireFox once or twice before when Internet Explorer would stop working.  I found that FireFox was okay, but it was nothing compared to Google Chrome.  I loved Google Chrome because it was so quick and I could customize my background.  I also had all my favorite sites organized on tabs.  And then an unthinkable thing occurred.  My laptop went crazy and deleted Google Chrome.  On its own!  I freaked out and ever since I have use FireFox on my laptop because I became so used to how it works.  While I still haven't figured out how to set favorites or view browser history (mainly because there are no tabs on top of the browser) I have become used to the layout and to me it seems fast enough.

One of the main sources of information that people consume comes from web sources.  Because of this, which browsers people use affects their access to information.  If a browser is slow, then the amount of information that people consume is limited.  It it truly astounding that speed affects information processing.  A faster browser is preferred over a slower browser.  Modern society is infatuated with speed.  The faster something can get done the more can get done.  If a browser is lighting fast, then that allows more work to get accomplished and it makes the user happy.

Speed is affects access exponentially.  If something is slow, like a web browser or internet connection, then that may decrease the user's interest and the amount of time that they have to see information.

(Cyber) Conspiracy Theories

Growing up in a predominately white community, I never really thought that technology could be racially prejudice or that it could stereotype certain racial groups.  The concept that minority groups must become a cyber human, giving up their race and beliefs in the virtual world is odd.  I cannot understand why anybody including minority groups cannot be themselves while they interact online or with technology.  Especially the internet where everyone is connected.

The statistics that go along with race and computer use make sense.  Minority groups may not have access to computers however I do not believe that this only applies to minority groups.  The predominate races in our country also have their demographics that have not used email or have access to computers. 

One of the quotes in the article was expressed by an African American male who believed that it is a miracle that minority groups are allowed to browse websites because he believes that the internet is run by Whites who have control over what is posted on the internet.  To me this seems dramatic, but for all I know it could be true.

One of the main themes of this article seemed to be that by being misrepresented online, the interest for minority groups to use technology was/is low.  This lack of interest is one of the causes for minority groups being behind when it comes to technology use.  Interest is one of the factors that affects technological access.

Growing Up Digital

While this post is late for my Digital Media Class (I posted on the wrong reading) I still wanted to discuss this reading.

Palfred and Gassee discuss what it means to be born digital.  They use the term "Digital Native" to refer to the generations that are born into technology.  Somehow this mean anyone after 1980.  In their introduction they give examples of how Digital Natives are affected by being "native".  One of the examples is that an eight year old may be able to beat you at video games.  This is common.  My little brother who is nine is better than me at video games, but this is because he owns practically every gaming console there is.  I on the other hand only owned a Super Nintendo (so I could probably beat him at that).

The authors stated that while Digital Natives may have great qualities there are some annoyances, such as how most Digital Natives do not know how to write emails or letters correctly or that most do not even know what a library card is.  First off, I take extreme offense to this.  I was born in the early 90's but I know what a library card is and how to write a proper email or letter.  Just because I am considered a Digital Native does not mean that I am naive and stupid when it comes to "old fashioned" technologies.  It seems that while the authors are saying us Digital Natives are smart, we're stupid at the same time.  I do remember printed letters because I still write printed letters. 

Being able to have the technical knowledge be at such a high level allows younger and younger generations to change their environments.  The term "Digital Immigrant" was used to categorize the people who were born before 1980.  While I know that my mom can use a computer, operate a digital camera, and figure out Facebook, my grandparents may not know how (In reality my grandma was one of the people that taught me how to use a computer and how to type).  The older generations are being taught by the younger generations.   Advancing technologies are shifting the roles of mentor and student.

The Oatmeal and How Media Is Viewed

One of the ideas that we touched upon today in Intro to Digital Media was how media can be viewed.  My professor gave the example of her son being in the paper without her knowledge.  She stated that while the article was positive she viewed it as an upsetting moment because her son was in the paper.  Other readers of the paper may have viewed the article as a positive thing.

Most people know about a comedian who goes by the moniker, The Oatmeal.  He draws comics for his site and has published some books.  On his Facebook page, he recently posted an article that was written as a response to a comic he drew about Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison.  The writer of the review was from Forbes and completely dissected his comic.  Most of The Oatmeal's readers go to his page for humor.  It is safe to say that they know what he says is exaggerated and he himself even stated that he exaggerates ideas for comedic purposes.

The Forbes writer viewed his comic as a negative insult to Thomas Edison, while The Oatmeal and his readers may have viewed it as a comedic and exaggerated approach on Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla.
In response to the Forbes article, The Oatmeal dissected the review himself and the result is quite hilarious.

I believe that this is a perfect example of how media is viewed differently by people.

Literacy and Computer Literacy by Kate Williams

What is literacy exactly?  How about computer literacy?  Kate Williams attempted to theorize on the definitions and the different view points about literacy.  She did a great job at providing different viewpoints for her different thesis about literacy. 

One statement she made was that authors like to use the term fluency rather than literacy because literacy is too modest of a term for something that includes being able to keep up with the rapid change that IT provides.  I can understand this.  I would rather be called fluent in Latin rather than literate in Latin because saying a person is fluent implies that that person has put time and effort in studying whatever it is that they are fluent in.

Ms. Williams also stated that research committees prefer to look at college grads because college graduates want to be able to use IT to their best.  But what about high school students?  While I was in high school I had a want to be able to use computer software as best I could.  It was rammed into my head that once I got into college and the workforce I would need to be "fluent" in IT.

Her thesis that literacy is social seems to be a true observation.  People will choose to become literate if it suits their needs or interests.  For example, having a Facebook and learning to understand how it works would be a huge part of a teenager's computer use.  While a senior citizen may not have any need or interest to learn about Facebook.

It is interesting that researchers believe that computer literacy could bring up standardized scores in secondary schools.  I never thought that understanding computers well could affect the knowledge of children enough to bring up math, science, and English scores.  For one, my high school forced every student from seventh grade up to take at least two computer classes.  We learned the whole Microsoft software system as well as CAD.  While my junior class had the highest overall ACT scores in the state of Michigan, I never thought to link the fact that maybe all those boring computer classes had a part in our ACT scores or MEAP scores.

Pinterest: An Identity Creator (Revised)

Pinterest: An Identity Creator

Pinterest.  The name combines the word “pin” with “interest”.  Its name describes the site perfectly.  Users pin pictures onto boards which they categorize by their interests.  The concept sounds simple, but there is still plenty of interest and confusion about what the site Pinterest really is.  Pinterest first became a concept in 2009 by Ben Silbermann (DesMoinesRegister).  In a year he managed to get the site up and running with the help of Cold Brew Labs Inc. which still manages the site and is located in Palo Alto, California (Domain Tools).  The creators of Pinterest included a mission statement which says, “Our goal is to connect everyone in the world through “things” they find interesting.  We think that a favorite book, toy, or recipe can reveal a common link between two people.  With millions of new pins added every week, Pinterest is connecting people all over the world based on shared tastes and interests.”(Pinterest)

The concept of Pinterest is unique in that potential new members must first request an invitation to join.  Waiting to receive an invite takes about two weeks.  After new members have been sent an invitation they have the option to sign in through their Facebook account or an email account.  Logging in through Facebook allows for members to post their pins onto their wall.  The layout of Pinterest is similar to sites like CraftGawker and Stumble Upon. These are the pins that are pinned from other users.  Members create boards based on their personal interests.  The boards can be titled by the owner of the account and the pins are pinned onto the boards.  Users can like other users pins, follow other users or just certain boards.  They can also re-pin other pins of the site.

On the Press section of Pinterest they include quotes from media sources.  A quote from Time magazine stated, “Perusing other folk’s boards, featuring everything from picturesque travel scenes to oddly beautiful bacteria, is as enjoyable as building your own.”(McCracken)

Any individual with online access can use Pinterest.  The creators also made an app for smartphones and other digital devices.  The site gains new content (pins) by outside web sites that have the “Pin It” button on their page.  Outside sites must agree to Pinterest’s terms of use, Acceptable Usage Policy, and Copyright Policy before they can include the “Pin It” button or the “Follow Me on Pinterest” button (Pinterest).  The “Follow Me on Pinterest” button allows Pinterest users to easily follow the outside site’s Pinterest account.

Pinterest relies heavily on user interaction and other websites.  The pins are links to other sites where the information is originally from.  Pinterest is a form of digital media called hypermedia (Manovich 39).  It is many links that are independent of each other, but they connect users to other websites.  Hypermedia is the digital concept of Pinterest.  One reason for the site being a digital artifact is that it is a website and therefore it has numerical representation (Manovich). Pinterest is not a digital photo journal, nor is it a website that produces its own material.  Instead it is a form of digital media that allows users to link and archive other digital artifacts.  Pinterest allows users to interact with other users as well as sites.  While it does not allow users to change the content of the links, it allows them to change the comments and what board they want to post on.  This is another reason why Pinterest is a true digital media source (Manovich 37). 

It is almost certain that Pinterest was targeted to both sexes; however the majority of users appear to be female.  The age range caries from young teens to moms to older middle age women.  The characteristics of these particular demographics are generally creative, have an interest in health and beauty and are interested in cooking.  While Pinterest has a strong female following, the creators also try to appeal to male users.  Among many categories are sports, technology, and humor. 

Pinterest can almost be considered a simulation.  Users choose if they would like to show their “true” identity by linking through Facebook or if they would like to log in through an email.  The site allows for the false feeling of creativity which has a part in a user’s identity on the site.  It can almost be compared to Jean Baudrillard’s simulation example of Disneyland and how Disneyland creates a simulation of happiness while the truth is that visitors are in the middle of Anaheim surrounded by dirt.  Pinterest simulates the feelings of creativity, health, or knowledge by giving users the freedom to create boards of pins that they might accomplish, have accomplished, or will accomplish.  Their organization is created by themselves.

Pins play a huge role in a user’s identity on the site.  If a fellow user clicks on another user’s name and sees that they have many boards about crafting as well as health that person may believe that the creator of the boards enjoys crafting and is relatively interested in health. 

The environments that people create become their way for determining how they will identify with the rest of the population (McLuhan and Fiore 167).  Pinterest affects user identity in a different way than true social media sites do; however it can be argued that the site does affect identity.  First impressions from other users are made by judging boards and pins.  Users begin to identify with their pins, especially if they discovered something unique.  An example is the recent fad of the sock bun. After a woman explains how she gets her bun so perfect, she may exclaim that she did not think of the idea herself, but rather she saw it on Pinterest while simultaneously showing gratitude on the uniqueness of her hair piece.  Users adopt ideas, thoughts, and inspirations from Pinterest, which become a new part of their character and identity.  There is a constant change in identity every time a user posts a new pin. 

Pinterest may not be a true social media site.  It can be used for networking, but it is unlike Facebook or other sites in the way that the mission of Pinterest is to spread inspiration and creativity.  Users may not be logging in to Pinterest to update statuses or read wall posts from friends, but they are logging in to look for new inspiration whether it is a quote, picture, or recipe.  The pins and boards become a part of user identity.  Great ideas are not always thought up, but rather copied.  Pinterest exists to assist with this.

 

Pinterest: A Digital Scrapbook or Indentity Creator?

Pinterest: Digital Scrapbook or Identity Creator?

Pinterest.  The name combines the word “pin” with “interest”.  Its name describes the site perfectly.  Users pin pictures onto boards which they categorize by their interests.  The concept sounds simple, but there is still plenty of interest and unknown knowledge about what the site Pinterest really is.

Pinterest first became a concept in 2009 by Ben Silbermann (DesMoinesRegister.com).  In a year he managed to get the site up and running with the help of Cold Brew Labs Inc. which still manages the site and is located in Palo Alto, California (Domain Tools).  The creators of Pinterest included a mission statement which says:

“Our goal is to connect everyone in the world through “things” they find interesting.  We think that a favorite book, toy, or recipe can reveal a common link between two people.  With millions of new pins added every week, Pinterest is connecting people all over the world based on shared tastes and interests.”(Pinterest)

The concept of Pinterest is unique in that potential new members must first request an invitation to join.  Waiting to receive an invite takes about two weeks.  After new members have been sent an invitation they have the option to sign in through their Facebook account or an email account.  Logging in through Facebook allows for members to post their pins onto their wall.  

The layout of the site consists of the Pinterest logo, which is retro style block letters with the “P” looking like a push pin.  Square pictures reside below the logo. The layout of Pinterest is similar to sites like CraftGawker and Stumble Upon. These are the pins that are pinned from other users.  Members create boards based on their personal interests.  The boards can be titled by the owner of the account and the pins are pinned onto the boards.  Users can like other users pins, follow other users or just certain boards.  They can also re-pin other pins of the site.

On the Press section of Pinterest they include quotes from media sources.  A quote from Time magazine stated:

“Perusing other folk’s boards, featuring everything from picturesque travel scenes to oddly beautiful bacteria, is as enjoyable as building your own.”(McCracken)

The mass appeal of a site like Pinterest is the inspiration that can be found as well as the ability for the site to use up spare time.  There are many different categories available to browse through as well as videos.

Pinterest relies heavily on user interaction and other websites.  The pins are links to other sites where the information is originally from.  Pinterest is a form of digital media called hypermedia (Manovich 39).  It is many links that are independent of each other, but they connect users to other websites.  Hypermedia is the digital concept of Pinterest, while inspiration and networking are its goals.

Any individual with online access can use Pinterest.  The creators also made an app for smartphones and other digital devices.  The site gains new content (pins) by outside web sites that have the “Pin It” button on their page.  Outside sites must agree to Pinterest’s terms of use, Acceptable Usage Policy, and Copyright Policy before they can include the “Pin It” button or the “Follow Me on Pinterest” button (Pinterest).  The “Follow Me on Pinterest” button allows Pinterest users to easily follow the outside site’s Pinterest account.

The content that is available on the site is appropriate in scale.  The Pin Etiquette page states rules for what is appropriate as well as information on how to flag inappropriate content which includes user comments.  A link is available for users to send comments on ways they believe that Pinterest could be improved. 

Pinterest is not a digital photo journal, nor is it a website that produces its own material.  Instead it is a form of digital media that allows users to link and archive other digital artifacts.  Pinterest allows users to interact with other users as well as sites.  While it does not allow users to change the content of the links, it allows them to change the comments and what board they want to post on.  This is another reason why Pinterest is a true digital media source (Manovich 37). 

It is almost certain that Pinterest was targeted to both sexes; however the majority of users appear to be female.  The age range caries from young teens to moms to older middle age women.  The characteristics of these particular demographics are generally creative, have an interest in health and beauty and are interested in cooking.  While Pinterest has a strong female following, the creators also try to appeal to male users.  Among many categories are sports, technology, and humor. 

Pinterest can almost be considered a simulation.  Users choose if they would like to show their “true” identity by linking through Facebook or if they would like to log in through an email.  They can create an identity whether it is that they are a history fanatic, health nut, or architect.  The site allows for the false feeling of creativity which has a part in a user’s identity on the site.  It can almost be compared to Jean Baudrillard’s simulation example of Disneyland and how Disneyland creates a simulation of happiness while the truth is that visitors are in the middle of Anaheim surrounded by dirt and not magical fairies (Baudrillard 166).  Pinterest simulates the feelings of creativity, health, or knowledge by giving users the freedom to create boards of pins that they might accomplish, have accomplished, or will accomplish.  Their organization is created by themselves.

Pins play a huge role in a user’s identity on the site.  If a fellow user clicks on another user’s name and sees that they have many boards about crafting as well as health that person may believe that the creator of the boards enjoys crafting and is relatively interested in health. 

The environments that people create become their way for determining how they will identify with the rest of the population (McLuhan and Fiore 167).  Pinterest affects user identity in a different way than true social media sites do; however it can be argued that the site does affect identity.  First impressions from other users are made by judging boards and pins.  Users begin to identify with their pins, especially if they discovered something unique.  An example is the recent fad of the sock bun.  After a woman explains how she gets her bun so perfect, she may exclaim that she did not think of the idea herself, but rather she saw it on Pinterest while simultaneously showing gratitude on the uniqueness of her hair piece.  Users adopt ideas, thoughts, and inspirations from Pinterest, which become a new part of their character and identity.  There is a constant change in identity every time a user posts a new pin. 

Pinterest may not be a true social media site.  It can be used for networking, but it is unlike Facebook or other sites in the way that the mission of Pinterest is to spread inspiration and creativity.  Users may not be logging in to Pinterest to update statuses or read wall posts from friends, but they are logging in to look for new inspiration whether it is a quote, picture, or recipe.  The pins and boards become a part of user identity.  Great ideas are not always thought up, but rather copied.  Pinterest exists to assist with this.