Comments for writing machines

Comment on Final Project by Tim Biden

Tim Biden — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 15:55:52 +0000

I just want to let you know that the link to your paper is invalid. It is currently “http://http//staffwww.fullcoll.edu/mmonreal/Cyberspace. final paper.pdf” but it should be “http://staffwww.fullcoll.edu/mmonreal/Cyberspace. final paper.pdf”.

I hope this helps.

Comment on Techno-reflections, closing thoughts by Tlali

Tlali — Tue, 11 May 2010 04:22:24 +0000

Great comments Rachel. I agree with many of the points you made. The blog would probably have been more engaging if we all spent more time poking around and not so much trying to keep up with the readings.
I appreciate all your work taking detailed notes. I can tell you that they really helped when I was writing my paper and compiled all the material together so it would make sense and IT DID!
Wish all the best, I’m sad I won’t be back at Pomona but I wish you all the best!

Comment on Final project by Tlali

Tlali — Fri, 07 May 2010 22:44:09 +0000

I found your project to be very creative and innovative. I can’t wait to check out the stories of each of the children. How did you come up with this idea? Did you interview or talk to children that age to get their insights?
I thought the game aspect was very cool too. I think one of the best aspects of your project is that it attracts the child within. Can’t wait to spend time checking it out.

Comment on The Death of the Novel by tigistk

tigistk — Thu, 06 May 2010 23:24:07 +0000

Its interesting though because I’ve always felt that magazines were the news media’s outlet for up to date and interesting content. With the internet though EVERYTHING is a platform for an aesthetically pleasing, culturally relevant and more fun, news oriented content – plus its so much faster than a magazine.
Especially in times of economic difficulty and increasing concern for the environment, it seems like magazines would be the easiest target for discontinuation.

Comment on The Death of the Novel by jori

jori — Tue, 04 May 2010 17:21:16 +0000

This is a recent ad appearing in a lot of popular magazines. This text was on the right and a picture or Michael Phelps swimming was on the Left.

“We Surf The Internet. We Swim in Magazines.

The Internet is exhilarating. Magazines are enveloping. The Internet grabs you. Magazines embrace you. The Internet is impulsive. Magazines are immersive. And both media are growing.

Barely noticed amidst the thunderous Internet clamor is the simple fact that magazine readership has risen over the past five years. Even in the age of the Internet, even among the groups one would assume are most singularly hooked on digital media, the appeal of magazines is growing.

Think of it this way: during the 12-year life of Google, magazine readership actually increased 11 percent.

What it proves, once again, is that a new medium doesn’t necessarily displace an existing one. Just as movies didn’t kill radio. Just as TV didn’t kill movies. An established medium can continue to flourish so long as it continues to offer a unique experience. And, as reader loyalty and growth demonstrate, magazines do.

Which is why people aren’t giving up swimming, just because they also enjoy surfing.”

It’s interesting how magazines are trying to hold on. Why does the Internet have to take over magazines? Can’t both exist, and inform each other? Or can the Internet make magazines better, more up-to-date? Maybe they can both learn from each other – The Internet can clean up layouts with tips from Magazines, and Magazines can improve and build on their content with a website. As well as engage with their readers.

Comment on Women and Social Networking by tigistk

tigistk — Mon, 03 May 2010 06:49:02 +0000

This is a really interesting point you bring up and I think it connects quite nicely to this stereotype that we often hear of women as being expressive and men as not communicative. In addition to the other axes of identity you bring up it would also be important to see how sexual orientation could also be something to factor into the varying uses of social networking tools.
Additionally, perhaps we should look at the structures and marketing of these tools in the first place. There may be a conscious decision on the part of Digg or Facebook or Twitter to advertise their tools as being something that women might not have been offered through the internet. If this is the case then these trends say nothing about the behavior of men and women on these sites, but rather it is about the gendered production of these tools.

Comment on Rough draft: The Sprawl by clio

clio — Sun, 02 May 2010 01:33:48 +0000

Hey Rachel,

I really like the concept of your report, and here are my comments based on what you’ve put up so far.

1. Ok, so I like the whole aesthetic feel of your blog, but initially I was a little confused about where your actual essay was (at the bottom of the page). Have you thought about swapping the location of your blog posts with this. Or maybe making it a little more noticeable. Not a huge deal, but just a suggestion for user-friendliness.

2. I really like how your introduction works to position your project. It’s really interesting, but towards the end I felt like it sort of leaves you hanging. You get into this discussion of “here” and “networks,” and I think it’d be really interesting if you got deeper into this. I like your definition of Cyberspace as “Cyberspace” is out there, described by billions of points in space that, connected, form the physical home of the great “cloud” of information that is the Internet. In cyberspace, “out there” is also “in here,” digitally inscribed in the tiny miracle of engineering that is the modern computer hard drive,” but again I think a more detailed definition might provide your reader with a more stable foundation for your discussion.

I guess my main comment is, don’t assume your reader knows everything. You’ve put out a lot of interesting ideas and concepts, but it might be hard for people to break into them if they don’t have the context that we’ve created in class. So explain, explain, explain. For example, your second post – the one that references the Velvet Underground Song, is really interesting, but your reader may need more background.

My last overall comment is – you’re trying to tackle A LOT in this project. Make sure you stay focused, otherwise it will overwhelm you. Try and be as concise as possible, and really think – is this relevant to my project?

Good luck, it’s looking really great. Let me know if you need me to clarify anything

Comment on The Era of Privacy is Over by Tlali

Tlali — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 04:41:05 +0000

I agree with you Jori. I think it comes from the ways we socialize now versus before. Many people spend more time socializing behind a computer than with other people. With the popularity of online classes, even the learning experience is being transformed. I think people get a feeling of protection or anonymity behind the screen and fail to conceptualize where the information goes and all its complexity.

Comment on Women and Social Networking by Tlali

Tlali — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 04:37:27 +0000

Very interesting post Jori, thanks. I think that there are gender difference in the way we communicate (particularly as analyzed by Deborah Tannen). Yet we must recognize that most of these differences are the result of socialization and therefore not innate, as many sociobiologists claim. This means that there is more flexibility and dynamic aspects to these differences. I think that this can lead to power differences based on gender in a capitalist society that rewards assertiveness and power.

Comment on The Era of Privacy is Over by jori

jori — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 17:32:15 +0000

I think it’s interesting that we tolerate advertisements everywhere – online, billboards, television, magazines. However, when gmail or facebook uses our information to personalize advertisements, we freak out. Older forms of advertising used personal information as well, conducting surveys, monitoring consumer spending habits. So, now that this age old habit is more blatant and obvious, we freak out. This isn’t the first time our personal information has been available and used by corporations. So, why now? Why do people easily post personal information publicly all the Internet and then get angry when they see that information used in other places? Instead of stopping the spread of this information, maybe we should start thinking about what we post on the Internet in the first place.