Websites that Work

During the final few months of New Media, we were each asked to construct a blog post, to which each of our classmates would respond with their opinions. The topic I chose was websites, including the ways in which they work for us, and the criteria that must be met for them to be successful. This is the blog post I created:

Websites are an interesting and incredibly useful tool in the world of technology. They can be utilized for a large number of things, pertaining to almost any topic imaginable. They can be created to feature news about a local band, to teach people how to cook or repair their car, to follow the life and works of a celebrity, to keep people up to date with the world around them, or even to warn the world of the ever-so-dangerous dihydrogen monoxide. Websites use various types of media to express news, opinions, and facts in a creative and interesting way. Not only do websites present useful (or sometimes pointless) information to the people visiting them, but they often do this in a way that encourages audience interaction and participation. Many websites feature links which visitors can click to view more or different information, videos and images for visitors to view, a place for feedback and comments, and a place for visitors to submit their own content. Some websites even allow for users to edit the content and adjust the look of the website for their own viewing pleasure.

Websites have become increasingly easy to access, and even own, as technology races forward. It is safe to say, in today's world, that we all use and/or view websites on a daily basis. In fact, it is hard not to. From the Saint Rose website and Blackboard to online banking and shopping, much of our daily routine is ingrained into the world wide web, which results in a inevitable connection to the internet. A good portion of our leisure time is often spent on websites as well. Many people spend their free time reading the updates on news websites, listening to music on a band fan page, or checking the scores of the most recent game on the ESPN website. Because of this connection to websites and the internet, most of us probably have a favorite site that we visit on a fairly regular basis. No matter what the topic might be, our favorite websites all have one thing in common: something that keeps us coming back for more.

If possible, please come up with a specific example of a "website that works" and share the link below. What exactly is it about this website that holds your interest and keeps you coming back for more? Is it the content? Are their any key elements, such as pictures, music, links, etc., that make it interesting? Or does the overall success of a website depend on something else entirely? What do you feel are the essential elements that a successful website must have, if any?

Mad Girl's Love Song by Sylvia Plath

Another one of my favorite Plath poems.

I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead;
I lift my lids and all is born again.
(I think I made you up inside my head.)

The stars go waltzing out in blue and red,
And arbitrary blackness gallops in:
I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead.

I dreamed that you bewitched me into bed
And sung me moon-struck, kissed me quite insane.
(I think I made you up inside my head.)

God topples from the sky, hell’s fires fade:
Exit seraphim and Satan’s men:
I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead.

I fancied you’d return the way you said,
But I grow old and I forget your name.
(I think I made you up inside my head.)

I should have loved a thunderbird instead;
At least when spring comes they roar back again.
I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead.
(I think I made you up inside my head.)

Lady Lazarus by Sylvia Plath

My favorite Sylvia Plath poem would have to be Lady Lazarus. The following is a video of Sylvia Plath herself reading the poem. There is so much emotion behind her words, and the audio has such a haunting, ethereal quality to it. If you consider yourself a fan of Plath at all, I would suggest listening to this reading. You won't regret it.

Engaging Fan Pages

A few months ago in  New Media we were discussing fan pages and the effectiveness of Facebook in gaining a following for a certain band, celebrity, organization, etc,. Our assignment was to "Post an example here of an effective Facebook Fan page: it doesn't matter if it's for a business, televisions series, celebrity or whatever. Choose one that you think is effective and explain *why* it is? How do they engage with those who "like" their page? How do they try to win the good opinion of their community? Think of Jenkins' discussions of investment in a shared community: in what ways do these fan pages seek to develop the relationships?"

One of the fan pages I believe is very effective is the page for the band Evanescence. The page is organized and breaks things down easily, rather than having a confusing layout. One of my favorite parts about this page is that it features a discussion board section, similar to this one. This allows for fans to talk about their favorite songs, vote on certain questions, and get to know other fans of the band. Fans can also start their own thread of the discussion boards, where they can ask what people think about a certain song or just share their love of the band with other people. There is a place on the page for news regarding upcoming music and touring information, although the band is not currently on tour. The main information page features links to the Evanescence website, their Twitter and Myspace, the artist page, and a merchandise website. Another one of the aspects of this fan page that I find effective is the fact that it allows you to listen to band's music right through the Facebook page. It also includes a page for photos and videos as well. This page definitely seeks to develop a relationship with those who like it. By providing a place where Evanescence fans can go to talk about the music or the band members, they are allowing for those involved to feel a stronger sense of contribution and to feel as though they have a say in something involving the band. The Evanescence fan page is definitely successful in being engaging and holding the attention of its fans.

Podcast

About a month ago in New Media, we were asked to make a podcast about something we are interested in or have opinions about. Due to our group not being able to think of something we all wanted to talk about, we decided to make an informative podcast about squirrels.



Squirrels by ENG 252 New Media

Twitter

 This week in New Media, we have been discussing Twitter and its role in social media. I am extremely new to Twitter, so this week's blog post was interesting for me. It reads 'Mashable.com offers a shocking statistic. Only 7% of Americans are on twitter; while half of Americans are on Facebook. With the recent protests in Egypt and the unrest in Libya, social media sites including Twitter have gained a lot of global attention. How are the numbers for the up and coming social media site Twitter so low? I found this to be shocking. Why do you think Facebook is a lot more successful than Twitter? Are you on Twitter? If you are, how would you describe Twitter to someone who doesn't use it? What is your purpose on Twitter? Who do you follow? and How often do you tweet? If you are not on Twitter, what has kept you from joining? Has the recent media attention made you consider joining Twitter? What do you think the purpose of Twitter is? Or are you confused about the purpose behind it?'

I feel that Facebook is more effective and popular as a form of social media because it gives users more options. On Twitter, you have the option to follow people, create a tweet with less than 160 characters, and re-tweet something that another person posted. On Facebook, you have the option to upload photos and videos and store them in an album, talk to your friends directly instead of through tagged posts, create notes if you have something to say that is more than 160 characters, display more personal information, and 'like' certain movies, people, groups, books, and music. From what I have experienced, this makes Facebook much more user friendly, and it appeals to a variety of people. Rather than appealing to only the people who wish to communicate in a limited number of characters, Facebook gives its users access to new media in a multitude of different ways.

I actually just started a Twitter account last week, and so far I am indifferent about the whole thing. I do like being able to see what my favorite celebrities and public figures have to say, and being updated on the news is a nice bonus. But at the same time, I find myself having a hard time keeping up with it. Most of the time I feel like I have nothing noteworthy, or even remotely important, to say. So far I have not tweeted more than five or six times, and I only follow about five people. I would say that the purpose of Twitter is to briefly interact with people who share your interests, as well as to keep updated with what's going on in the world. And to be honest, I would probably have a hard time explaining Twitter to someone who is unfamiliar with it, as I am still relatively unfamiliar with it myself.

The Other by Sylvia Plath

This is the first of what I’m sure will be many many Plath poems on my blog. I honestly cannot even begin to explain my love for this woman, her writing, her mind, and her brilliance. Her poetry speaks to me in a way nothing else ever has. And this is one of my favorites.

You come in late, wiping your lips.
What did I leave untouched on the doorstep—-

White Nike,
Streaming between my walls?

Smilingly, blue lightning
Assumes, like a meathook, the burden of his parts.

The police love you, you confess everything.
Bright hair, shoe-black, old plastic,

Is my life so intriguing?
Is it for this you widen your eye-rings?

Is it for this the air motes depart?
They are not air motes, they are corpuscles.

Open your handbag. What is that bad smell?
It is your knitting, busily

Hooking itself to itself,
It is your sticky candies.

I have your head on my wall.
Navel cords, blue-red and lucent,

Shriek from my belly like arrows, and these I ride.
O moon-glow, o sick one,

The stolen horses, the fornications
Circle a womb of marble.

Where are you going
That you suck breath like mileage?

Sulfurous adulteries grieve in a dream.
Cold glass, how you insert yourself

Between myself and myself.
I scratch like a cat.

The blood that runs is dark fruit—-
An effect, a cosmetic.

You smile.
No, it is not fatal.