Following on from the previous workshop we continued to learn more about DreamWeaver and focused on div tags, which I found quite difficult to grasp. We were informed that proffessional webiste contain headers which contains the name of the webiste and a menu bar. We were to try and understand how to follow this through and as Mez was expaling and showing us I found the idea quite complex. As I was following each step I required some assitance and Nick helped me and at the end of the workshop I could see tha difference the div tags made, my pages looked more proffessional now. I knew that in order for me to become confident in inserting div tags I would have to practice a lot more!
Creating our own webiste!
Our second artefact required us to use our knowldege of Dreamweaver, we were informed that we would have to produce a webiste, which allows us to demonstrate our knowledge of creating links with both texts and images as well as using CSS. As advised by Mez I created my route directory ensuring I created a new folder for my site and then I started to structure my pages, starting with my index page-my homepage, which featured links to all of my pages and as I was creating each page I named each individual page with a different name. In order to ensure that I fully engage with the task itself, to create links I decided to use my images from my previous artefact as this would save time and allow me to focus on creating the links and to experiment with the software, with the use of CSS I created a background colour and editied my font. To my surprise I found that I enjoyed creating my artefact, although I have made a webiste within college with Dreamweaver I enjoyed having more time to experiment with the software and was pleased that I was able to create my webiste quite easily with little assistance!
DreamWeaver
The next software which we were introduced to was DreamWeaver, which was another programme I had previously used in college, however I wasn’t as confident using this particular software as I was with PhotoShop as we only briefly covered it within college. The first factor which Mez stressed upon and showed us how to follow through before going onto creating your website was to set up a route directory for your site. It was crucial to ensure that we keep our folders well organised as any folders or any factors within the folder that have been moved will cause problems. Mez showed us the structure of HTML and showed us CSS, which is a new factor to me.
Data Visualisation
The first artefact which we had to produce, which was the flickr slideshow was based on the lecture of Data Visualisation. In the lecture we were shown several different types of ways in which professionals had used to represent data. The one, which stood out to me, the most was the method used to represent population in different countries, by laying out mats, which represented a particular country, different portions of rice were laid out on each mat with one grain of rice represented one person. This was very visually interesting and mind blowing to see.
We were informed that we are able to use digital camera or our mobile phones to take photographs of the data, which we wish to represent. I chose to take photographs using my digital camera and took photos around my house of the products, which I frequently use such as my computer, mobile phone, ipod, TV, wii, toaster, playing on the wii and can make you hungry! I also chose to photograph the washing machine, as it is my job to put the washing on! And finally the cooker lights as this would represent electricity which is what all of my products use. I collected my statistics and with the use of Photoshop I was able to place my data on my images and finally upload them onto my photostream.
Workshop2- Adobe Photoshop continued
Continuing from the workshop last week, Mez went through some more basic functions of Adobe Photoshop, which again I found quite easy to follow through as I have previously used some of the tools such as the lasso tool. Which specifically allows you to select and smoothly cut around a feature within an image, which I have used many times before. Mez advised to us rename each layer as we go through as this will benefit us as it will help us to easily pin point which layer we want to select. Furthermore the final aspect of the workshop was creating shapes and duplicating them, which again was a factor of which I was already familiar with nevertheless it helped to refresh my knowledge and I found it very useful.
Workshop1- Adobe PhotoShop
I have reflected upon each of the lectures and will know focus on the workshops I attended and will comment on what new skills I have gained from them. The very first workshop introduced us to Adobe PhotoShop and went through the basic tools. I picked up on the factors, which Mez was going through as I have used the software before and have a good understanding of the way in which the programme works. Regardless of this I still experimented with the programme as you can always learn new factors and it also helped to refresh my knowledge on the programme. We were informed that we would have to open a wordpress account, which would allow us to produce entries each week in order to enable us to keep record of the activities that we have carried out. Furthermore we were informed to personalise our blog headers and I found that I had problems with mine; although I saved the new changes I had made, when looking at my blog it still had the same appearance.
The Rise of Ubiquitous Computing
“Ubiquitous computing is a post-desktop model of human-computer interaction in which information processing has been thoroughly integrated into everyday objects and activities.” As the lectures went on each week I have felt that I learnt a lot and have expanded my knowledge on technology and convergent media; each week I have highlighted within each of my entries, the aspects on which I have had an understanding towards.
“Mark Weiser considered to be the father of ubiquitous computing, as he coined the phrase in 1988 – believed that technology should have a calming influence if it was to be of merit. It should basically make our lives easier, less stressful.” Reading Weiser’s quote made me think that what he is saying has truth within it as he is stating that technology should make our life easier and less stressful. I know that for me this is true as I am able to check train times, purchase items from my favourite shops and book tickets for gigs. However technology is only acceptable when understood and when it goes right. The lecture highlighted The Semantic Web, which I found particulalry interesting as I had never thought about it and when thinking about it, it made so much sense and relates to the activities in which I carry out. “Humans use the Internet to carry out basic tasks – book tickets, check the time of a gig etc. A computer can’t perform the same tasks without human direction because web pages are designed to be read by people, not machines.”
What’s The Big Deal?- Web 1.0 and Web 2.0
Today’s lecture was based on web 1.0 and web 2.0 which are terms, which I weren’t familiar with however once Mez had explained each of the two, I gained a better understanding and also learnt the key differences between the two. In the lecture we were shown a website, which followed similar characteristics to the type of the type of document which we have to produce for our second artefact. I learnt that without web 2.0 everyday factors such as computers, mobile phones, which are in some way linked to the Internet wouldn’t function. Grasping the idea of using HTML appeared complex and thinking on how it must have been for those. Ostensibly Web 1.0 is a set of Internet applications that rely on the ‘Client Server Principle.’ So in more simple terms Web 1 was applied when the Internet first began whereas Web 2 is a complex method of creating websites.
Surveillance- Tom Friedman
As suggested I read the article on sousveillance from Wikipedia and at first it was difficult to understand the different concepts of the different types of surveillance, however it was interesting to learn about the way in which sousveillance and surveillance are very similar yet different at the same time! As “Sousveillance typically involves community-based recording from first person perspectives, without necessarily involving any specific political agenda, whereas inverse-surveillance is a form of sousveillance that is typically directed at, or used to collect data to analyze or study, surveillance or its proponents “ as stated by wikipedia. When reading the article it made me think about the different places where we are being watched, where signs such as “smile your on “CCTV” are situated, which is a strong form of reminding us that we are being watched and to be careful of what we do! Signs such as the one on the left hand side can be seen in places such as car parks, corner shops and even supermarkets. An example of sousveillanve can be seen through the use of web cam which can be used through programmes such as SKYPE, which is a software me and my family are familiar with. I have relatives in New Zealand where my aunty and uncle are based and we have a new addition to the family and through the use of web cam we are able to keep in touch and being able to actually see them adds an extra special touch. Furthermore social networking sites such as Facebook allows us to keep in touch with one another whether its with friends or family and is a factor which can be regarded as something majority has because everyone has it!
112MC Convergent Media 