I believe the idea of a "shttr" is ultimately what the creators of this video were approaching. Where does it stop; how far does it go? Will a form of this diode-to-brain communication appear somewhere in the future? It scares and excites me to think of the potential that technology can reach. This idea also reminds me of the movie "Surrogates" in which humans control robot-representations of themselves. And although we may find the concept of surrogates and "shttr" quite unrealistic, who knows what our great-great-grandchildren while think?
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Flapping Mad
The irony behind "Flutter" is immediately apparent even though one does not yet realize the site is fictitious. The very idea that, ". . . no one has enough time to tweet", is humorous and obviously not true: twitter was designed for fast paced users to quickly input a short status. Flutter was created by a group of people that found the very idea of twitter quite funny and decided to create their own, more exaggerated version. One lady even plans on starting another site called "shttr" that takes "micro-blogging" to the next level by allowing micro-diodes to send the status reports directly to the user's brain.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Flutter vs Twitter
As I first started watching the YouTube video "Flutter: The New Twitter," I was convinced that Flutter was a real website until they introduced the idea of an iPhone app that automatically updates posts regarding your location, such as "Kim get coffee." The layout of the video includes a presentation by the founders of this fake website, testimonies by "real users," and even a multitude of screen shots of the website--all of which give a feeling legitimacy. However, eventually the sarcasm and the introduction of ridiculously impractical concepts such as the iPhone app and the Flutter glasses inform the viewer that the video is just a parody.
The goal of the makers of this video is to criticize Twitter's tight constraints on post length; Flutter allows 26 characters maximum in "Flaps," and Twitter allows 140 characters maximum in "Tweets." This drastic contrast gets their point across--that Twitter's idea of shrinking post length to 140 characters is impractical in many situations-- and also adds to the comedic effect of the video. In addition, the video makes an attack on everybody in our digitally dependent society today, arguing that our need for instant access to information is spiraling out of control. This is presented in the video by means of the privacy-invading iPhone app as well as the eyeglasses that display "Flaps" right on the lens. If I could add one observation of Twitter to be mocked in the video, it would be my personal observation that the majority of Twitter users are companies that use the site to market their products/services. This greatly depersonalizes the website, setting it farther apart from other social networking sites such as Facebook. I completely agree with the arguments that were made about Twitter in this parody, yet I think it would be even more effective and comical if a few more points were included such as the marketing one just mentioned.
The goal of the makers of this video is to criticize Twitter's tight constraints on post length; Flutter allows 26 characters maximum in "Flaps," and Twitter allows 140 characters maximum in "Tweets." This drastic contrast gets their point across--that Twitter's idea of shrinking post length to 140 characters is impractical in many situations-- and also adds to the comedic effect of the video. In addition, the video makes an attack on everybody in our digitally dependent society today, arguing that our need for instant access to information is spiraling out of control. This is presented in the video by means of the privacy-invading iPhone app as well as the eyeglasses that display "Flaps" right on the lens. If I could add one observation of Twitter to be mocked in the video, it would be my personal observation that the majority of Twitter users are companies that use the site to market their products/services. This greatly depersonalizes the website, setting it farther apart from other social networking sites such as Facebook. I completely agree with the arguments that were made about Twitter in this parody, yet I think it would be even more effective and comical if a few more points were included such as the marketing one just mentioned.
Twitter, Flutter, and now Shudder - First in the World of Picoblogging (ER)
The video posted by Slate V mocks Twitter's attempt at reducing the size of online blogging to their acclaimed 'micro-blogging' status by mimicking this trend and creating 'Flutter,' a world where 26 characters represents the maximum post, or 'flap.' The video targets the commonly complained about features of Twitter by hyperbolizing them: the number of characters allowed, the privacy issues of location-based tweets, and the need to have Twitter available at all times.
The creator of this video does not have an airtight argument, however. Slate makes the assumption that viewers understand that the video is a mockumentary, as it is never explicitly stated that the video is not advertising a real 'nanoblogging' website. Unfortunately, this may not always be the case, and viewers could develop a strange opinion of Slate because of the video. Also, Slate makes the assumption that Twitter is a negative form of digital technology. Many people value Twitter for its availability of short, breaking news updates, its ability to develop fan-based connections with musicians, actors, and comedians, and its easily understood format. Finally, Slate assumes that there would be no interest in a site like Flutter. However, in the age of quickly developing technology, there could be a migration of users to a site that promoted shortened forms of tweets, leading the Internet into uncharted territory: picoblogging.
Flutter
While first watching the Flutter video I thought it was a legitimate site. I then googled it, found no site called 'Flutter,' and soon got to a point in the video where I realized it was a parody. While the video is funny it does argue a valid point. Today's up to the second information update is getting out of hand, and the Flutter video illustrates this. For instance, the iphone app that the creators of Flutter have in the works that updates your location and "Flaps" about it is already too much. If that wasn't enough it when you enter the bathroom it blogs that you are currently in the bathroom. And if the iphone app wasn't enough the glasses that display a streaming update of current blog posts surely over does it.
While I do believe the Flutter video does do a good job in criticizing the current micro/nano blogging that exists today there are ways they could have made their argument stronger. As they limit their 'flaps' to 26 characters, the 'flaps' still are coherent despite how few characters actually exist. I believe that to really get their point across, to really step beyond that line, would be to display certain 'flaps' that are completely incoherent. They could follow that by one of the spokespeople arguing 1) that the 'flap' makes sense and 2) that in today's busy society people just don't have the time to read full words. This would play even more on the basis that they already asserted, in that 140 characters is too overwhelming to the user, which is why they created a site that limits the user to 26 characters.
Is Twitter really pointless?
The Flutter video was certainly humorous in its critique of Twitter, however I find that the argument it made may not in fact be true. It was obvious that the video was just constantly poking fun at Twitter and its extreme characteristics, one in particular being the short length of its posts. However, Flutter posts were limited to 26 characters while Twitter is 140. Though I realize exaggeration was the goal, I feel that it went too far. Ultimately the argument of the video is that Twitter is a pointless use of technology, that it goes to far in limiting characters and giving unwanted information. And it assumes that the viewer will agree with this perspective in order to find humor in it.
In reality though, Twitter can be very useful. As it is discussed in another video we watched in class, "Twitter in Plain English," Twitter allows people to stay in touch with people by seeing what they're doing in their daily lives. I think people really do appreciate this. It allows us to close the gap between relatives and such. I'm sure, for example, that while I'm away at college, my mom would love to have something like that to stay in touch with me and know what I'm always doing. Fortunately for me, she's not very good with technology. Despite what the creators of this Flutter video may think, many people do value Twitter, and are capable of saying what needs to be said in these 140 characters.
Flutter
The YouTube video “Flutter: The New Twitter” mocks the well-known microblog Twitter. It sarcastically claims that Twitter is too time consuming for some people because it takes a lot of time to read posts that have up to 140 characters. In reality, reading a couple lines of text takes mere seconds. “Flutter” also argues that everyone wants to tweet about uneventful situations. In particular, the video described a future Flutter Application that tweets automatically when you doing something trivial like stepping inside a public bathroom. The application would tweet, for example, “Kim in bathroom”. Certainly people tweet about more interesting topics than this. Moreover, the video also argues that everyone is tweeting constantly or at least wish they could tweet continuously. “FlutterEyes” were described in the video as eye glasses that constantly run a scroll of tweets at the bottom of the lenses. This device was invented to meet people’s need to multitask.
The video’s audience is anyone who is somewhat familiar with Twitter; the video assumes this. Only those familiar with the gist of Twitter can understand the humor and mockery in the video. The purpose of this video is to mock Twitter, not to persuade Twitter users to stop using twitter. Thus, the audience is not solely limited to Twitter users. Obviously, since the video is in English, the intended audience is narrowed to English speaking people.
The video’s audience is anyone who is somewhat familiar with Twitter; the video assumes this. Only those familiar with the gist of Twitter can understand the humor and mockery in the video. The purpose of this video is to mock Twitter, not to persuade Twitter users to stop using twitter. Thus, the audience is not solely limited to Twitter users. Obviously, since the video is in English, the intended audience is narrowed to English speaking people.
Flutter
Twitter is an online status update website that has gained popularity over the recent years. However, with its rise in popularity has come an increase in criticism. Flutter, a similar website, responds to the argument that "tweets" are too long and that 140 characters is too many. In their youtube video the founders of Flutter argue that status posts should be limited to 26 characters. The limit of 26 characters will allow users to post more quickly. Furthermore, with the constant influx of posts, they argue that people simply don't have time to read the hundreds of characters. Flutter has even implemented a tool that will convert other peoples posts from Twitter or Facebook to a 26 character or less "flap". This function allows Flutter users to get the essential information from a long boring post that they simply don't have time to read. Flutter emphasizes the ability to access information rapidly in the digital world we live in.
As it turns out, Flutter is not a real website. The video was created as a comical mockery of Twitter. By taking what Twitter has essentially done to sites such as Facebook or even Blogger and stepping it up another level, Flutter has pointed out some reasons why Twitter may be flawed. For example, the tool used in the Flutter video converts long posts into shorter ones, but at what expense? The meaning of a post can be lost when the authors words are changed or required to be shortened by a strictly enforced character limit. Furthermore, the constantly changing short posts of Flutter and Twitter require constant updating and constant attention. This means valuable time from our daily lives is spent reading useless 140 character or less messages.
As it turns out, Flutter is not a real website. The video was created as a comical mockery of Twitter. By taking what Twitter has essentially done to sites such as Facebook or even Blogger and stepping it up another level, Flutter has pointed out some reasons why Twitter may be flawed. For example, the tool used in the Flutter video converts long posts into shorter ones, but at what expense? The meaning of a post can be lost when the authors words are changed or required to be shortened by a strictly enforced character limit. Furthermore, the constantly changing short posts of Flutter and Twitter require constant updating and constant attention. This means valuable time from our daily lives is spent reading useless 140 character or less messages.
Flutter
The video “Flutter: The New Twitter” is essentially an attack on Twitter’s presence as a micro-blog in today’s society. The “creators” of Flutter mock the shortness of tweets by attempting to sell a site that limits users to merely 26 characters per post, the size of the English alphabet, rather than 140 characters as in Twitter. The exaggeration of post length is further demonstrated when users take out all the vowels from every tweet or convert Facebook and other sites’ updates to Flutter sized memos. Additionally, this video argues that Twitter is far overused. This is exemplified by the invention of a fake iPhone application that automatically updates your Flutter account when you change locations. Another example of this exaggeration occurs when users wear new glasses that discreetly display Flutter posts on a scrolling bar along the bottom of the lenses for users to read while they go about their lives. Overall, the invention of Flutter aims to show that people are far too obsessed with the short blog posts that formulate Twitter.
I believe that the video is far too extreme in its argument. Though sarcasm and exaggeration were their tactics for getting their point across, I think these methods conveyed the wrong message to viewers. The video assumes that its audience is aware of Twitter’s presence and is relatively informed as to how it functions. However, if someone who knew nothing about Twitter were to view it, they will likely be misled about how many users are frequently tweeting and the purpose behind the short posts. After reading the article “Inside Twitter: An In-Depth Look Inside the Twitter World”, we know that only a small percentage of Twitter users make up the majority of activity. The majority of people post less than one update per day, and some post none at all. With this knowledge in mind, I feel it is inaccurate to demonstrate people using Twitter in nearly every aspect of their life. Many people are constantly on the go, and these brief updates whenever one has time are the ideal way to get points across in today’s busy world.
I believe that the video is far too extreme in its argument. Though sarcasm and exaggeration were their tactics for getting their point across, I think these methods conveyed the wrong message to viewers. The video assumes that its audience is aware of Twitter’s presence and is relatively informed as to how it functions. However, if someone who knew nothing about Twitter were to view it, they will likely be misled about how many users are frequently tweeting and the purpose behind the short posts. After reading the article “Inside Twitter: An In-Depth Look Inside the Twitter World”, we know that only a small percentage of Twitter users make up the majority of activity. The majority of people post less than one update per day, and some post none at all. With this knowledge in mind, I feel it is inaccurate to demonstrate people using Twitter in nearly every aspect of their life. Many people are constantly on the go, and these brief updates whenever one has time are the ideal way to get points across in today’s busy world.
Flutter
Since the rise of Twitter, there have been many skeptics that have mocked the idea of posting ideas in 140 characters or less. Of these is the video regarding Flutter. The youtube video of flutter is one that describes a (imaginary) program that is like twitter, but limits its "flaps" to 26 characters or less. this can be seen as a direct attack on how many see that 140 characters on twitter is way to little to be able to express yourself. Despite the fact that i find that 140 characters per tweet is cutting it a bit short, i find the idea of twitter is one that does fit well in today's fast-pace society.
Nowadays, people have come to use technology more and more, and therefore have somewhat secluded themselves to their little devices and gadgets such as their laptops and cell phones. This has caused a small detachment or seclusion from the world and social activity. The reason for this can be that to succeed, some people find it necessary to be on task at all times. Therefore it is understandable that people do not find time for social activity in their busy lives. Thus the fact that twitter is a quick and concise method of communication is one that allows these busy people to stay in contact with others, or letting people know how they are. It limits the time of distraction, and allows people to keep some of those aspects that make them humans and not machines. In conclusion, although 140 characters is very small, it has allowed twitter to adapt social activity to a fast-paced society dependent on technology
Nowadays, people have come to use technology more and more, and therefore have somewhat secluded themselves to their little devices and gadgets such as their laptops and cell phones. This has caused a small detachment or seclusion from the world and social activity. The reason for this can be that to succeed, some people find it necessary to be on task at all times. Therefore it is understandable that people do not find time for social activity in their busy lives. Thus the fact that twitter is a quick and concise method of communication is one that allows these busy people to stay in contact with others, or letting people know how they are. It limits the time of distraction, and allows people to keep some of those aspects that make them humans and not machines. In conclusion, although 140 characters is very small, it has allowed twitter to adapt social activity to a fast-paced society dependent on technology
Flutter
With Twitter being an upcoming social network site on the social scene, this video brought about the concept of "Flutter" as a new Twitter innovation. This idea of flutter is a parody on Twitter in which the 140 character count is taken to an extreme. Since the Twitter updates of 140 character are taken to be so popular since it is a short and sweet message that does not take up a lot of time. Thus, Flutter takes this ideal to an extreme when it limits the updates to only 26 characters, the length of the alphabet. This parody of Twitter critiques hows the users on the internet always want information in more time efficient and easier ways, where as flutter becomes that by condensing a 140 character update to something such as "Wrking 4 project underwear." While comical, this is just a portray of how a message can be misconstrued when condensed to an unreasonable amount compared to the original message.
This brings the issue of how increasing technology in our lives is making us want things to be shorter and less time consuming. Twitter is just an example in this societal change because it is a modern movement to limit one's "status update" to only 140 characters. By criticizing society's integration with technology and the need for saving time, this video of flutter was brought out to mimic how people want to be a part of such innovative things to a ridiculous extent. Thus, by being a part of society that is becoming more and more fast-paced, Twitter seems to be a perfect fit for people who are always on the go, twittering by phone or by laptop.
This brings the issue of how increasing technology in our lives is making us want things to be shorter and less time consuming. Twitter is just an example in this societal change because it is a modern movement to limit one's "status update" to only 140 characters. By criticizing society's integration with technology and the need for saving time, this video of flutter was brought out to mimic how people want to be a part of such innovative things to a ridiculous extent. Thus, by being a part of society that is becoming more and more fast-paced, Twitter seems to be a perfect fit for people who are always on the go, twittering by phone or by laptop.
Flttr: Th Nw Wy t Blg
“Flutter”: The New Twitter” takes a satirical stab at the “micro blogging” site, Twitter. As I watched the video and giggled at the jokes, I couldn’t help but agree with its argument that Twitter is a silly way to communicate because of the limits it imposes. Twitter’s character maximum of 140 seems to be far too concise for some people to post their thoughts or activities, so Flutter pokes fun at this limit and reduces it to 26 characters. I found this to be the most humorous yet important aspect of the parody because it displayed how abbreviated and simplistic communication has become as a result of micro-blogging.
Flutter
The video "Flutter : the New Twitter" mainly attacks how Twitter, the first founded nano-blog, limits only 140 characters per blog. It introduces a new form of Twitter which is called the Flutter. Flutter limits the length of blog even further, allowing only 26 characters. This can be seen as a mockery on the concept of instant messages that Twitter is trying to spread. The video uses numerous examples to show how using Twitter is pointless, such as the multi-tasking glasses and messages like "Kim in Bathroom".
I found this video very funny and I get what they are trying to say, but I feel that they are over exaggerating it. Even though the 140-character limit may seem too short, it actually is long enough to post people's everyday messages to friends, some important news headlines, or advertisements. By expressing their thoughts into sentences that are short and precise, readers can learn about new things in the most efficient and quickest way possible. Also, people can stay in touch with their friends and families and learn about their everyday lives in a very simple way. In today's digital world, it's all about speed and accuracy. Twitter is a great example of a technology that puts both concepts together in one.
I found this video very funny and I get what they are trying to say, but I feel that they are over exaggerating it. Even though the 140-character limit may seem too short, it actually is long enough to post people's everyday messages to friends, some important news headlines, or advertisements. By expressing their thoughts into sentences that are short and precise, readers can learn about new things in the most efficient and quickest way possible. Also, people can stay in touch with their friends and families and learn about their everyday lives in a very simple way. In today's digital world, it's all about speed and accuracy. Twitter is a great example of a technology that puts both concepts together in one.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Flutter
Today, numerous people utilize “Flutter”, a website where you communicate with friends about everything that you do in your daily life. People read and share hundreds of stories, share their own story anonymously, get feedback and comments from those who are interested in the same topic, chat in the discussion forum, meet numerous friends, help out others with advice and so much more. In the video clip, they simply point out how messages are restricted within 140 characters, which may seem too short to tell a story. However, the restriction of 140 characters for a message is actually enough to pull out the main points of a story.
Although only 140 characters are allowed in a blog and very undersized, I think it is one of the techniques that twitter is bringing into play in order for people to express their thoughts very accurately and precise. In today’s society, so many explanations, descriptions and simple anecdotes are told with tremendous redundancy. Although people consider this website as just a social networking websites, Flutter may potentially play a crucial role in today’s society.
Although only 140 characters are allowed in a blog and very undersized, I think it is one of the techniques that twitter is bringing into play in order for people to express their thoughts very accurately and precise. In today’s society, so many explanations, descriptions and simple anecdotes are told with tremendous redundancy. Although people consider this website as just a social networking websites, Flutter may potentially play a crucial role in today’s society.
Response to "Flutter: The New Twitter"
The video “Flutter: The New Twitter” is a satire that disapproves of the popular “microblog”, Twitter. The target audience of this video is the internet users, specifically those who are skeptical about Twitter. In particular, the video focuses on the 140 word limit of the posts of the Twitter, or the “tweets”. By presenting Flutter, the mockery version of Twitter, which allows the users to “flap” in 26 characters maximum, the video criticizes how internet users tend to shorten messages to impractical extent in the hope of transferring messages more rapidly. By applying very sarcastic tone throughout, for example, by saying “… people don’t have time to twitter… bombarded by… like hundreds of characters that you have to read,” as well as showing silly actors that seem to appraise Flutter, video makes its argument: Twitter is ridiculous and unnecessary.
However, if you watch the video more carefully and critically, you may question the legitimacy of the argument made and discover that it is highly one-sided. The video assumes that the Twitter users tweet for no practical reasons other than such to tell “watching project runway in my underwear.” Nevertheless, Twitter is undoubtedly accepted and used widely, thus there should be sound reasons for the popularity. Twitter definitely helps people around the world connect to each other and stay up-to-date on any current issues. By providing this network, the users are given chances to bond with people that share common interests and may find further learning opportunities. Despite these evident advantageous aspects of Twitter, the video presents limited and biased views, and is preoccupied with being humorous. Moreover, the video gets too extreme towards the end by introducing “Shutter,” a more condensed version of Flutter.
“Flutter: The New Twitter” is intended to criticize Twitter, but its preoccupation to be humorous and presentation of neither critical nor objective, but rather blatantly biased views can lead the audience to simply laugh off and not to reflect on Twitter. Twitter is not aimed at seriously educating people or fostering formal writing. There is no need to be so cynical about the social networking website that has no seemingly imperative harm.
However, if you watch the video more carefully and critically, you may question the legitimacy of the argument made and discover that it is highly one-sided. The video assumes that the Twitter users tweet for no practical reasons other than such to tell “watching project runway in my underwear.” Nevertheless, Twitter is undoubtedly accepted and used widely, thus there should be sound reasons for the popularity. Twitter definitely helps people around the world connect to each other and stay up-to-date on any current issues. By providing this network, the users are given chances to bond with people that share common interests and may find further learning opportunities. Despite these evident advantageous aspects of Twitter, the video presents limited and biased views, and is preoccupied with being humorous. Moreover, the video gets too extreme towards the end by introducing “Shutter,” a more condensed version of Flutter.
“Flutter: The New Twitter” is intended to criticize Twitter, but its preoccupation to be humorous and presentation of neither critical nor objective, but rather blatantly biased views can lead the audience to simply laugh off and not to reflect on Twitter. Twitter is not aimed at seriously educating people or fostering formal writing. There is no need to be so cynical about the social networking website that has no seemingly imperative harm.
Flutter vs. Twitter
As culture strives to remain connected to others, the blog Twitter has gained immense popularity. From mundane updates to news breaking headlines, Twitter has evolved into a blog that attracts any Internet user. As a result of its sudden fame, Twitter has also become the target of many parodies including the video entitled “Flutter.” As the first founded “nano-blog,” Flutter satirizes the concept of Twitter’s instant blog updates. And by hyperbolizing Twitter’s features, Flutter argues against the purpose and importance of Twitter. I however oppose Flutter’s mocking argument, and believe that Twitter deserves credibility.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Flutter, the simpler Twitter
Flutter is the newest craze in Twitter-like social interaction online. Out is the ridiculously large 140 character limit on Twitter and in is the perfect 26 limit Flutter offers users. It's perfect for reciting the abc's or chopping vowels out of words to make your thought fit. If Flutter was real it would be hilarious, but sadly it is just a simple mockumentary on the Twitter craze by Slate V. The Flutter video calls out the main idea behind Twitter, quick messages that are limited to 140 characters. This makes people keep thoughts short and to the point. It raises the question that has our society changed so much that messages need to be that short?
Flutter answers that question with a big yes and 26 characters, but the video gives a different view. It calls out the ADDness of our society that lives off these quick messages. Is it really necessary to keep the limit so short? One hundred and forty characters is not a lot, yet our society has fully accepted this limit as normal. The video does a great job at showing how ridiculous by making sarcastic comments about how 140 is way too many characters to get out a quick message. Overall Slate V is a wonderful mockumentary making fun of the Twitter craze with Flutter.
Flttr
Currently, many twitter users and social networking users see "Flutter" as a joke since it condenses updates into 26 character bites of information. In an efficiency driven world, humans tend toward the speed an quickness of activities in their life. Is there a boundary that separates what is efficient and what is quick but lacks the necessary tools/information? The present generation sees "Flutter" as a mockery and unnecessary but what will the next generation be like?
Twitter is not used for just personal updates but utilized for advertisements and news media. When using twitter, one must condense his or her thought, information, or Ad into 140 characters. While this seems short, I foresee that the next generation will find an even shorter method to condense thoughts, info, and Ads. Even now, many users of social networking skip Ads because they are annoying and take two seconds too long to read. Maybe "Flutter" is the answer. For businesses, "Flutter could revolutionize the advertisement industry by actually making Ads that are readable in just a glance. While "Flutter" remains a fable in the internet/social media world, someday we may see a similar social network and Flutter-the fast pace media network- may become a reality.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Flutter:
This video, titled "Flutter: The New Twitter", is a well made mockumentary of the popular internet "microblog", Twitter. The video appeals in particular to an audience that consists of internet users that look down upon Twitter and see it as pointless. Most of the arguments and points made in the video are attacking how brief Twitter posts are and how often people "tweet." This article assumes that everyone uses Twitter to just update what they are doing at the moment, seeing as their tweet examples are all of the user saying things like "Kim in bathroom", and "working on some new designs....and watching project runway in my underwear, lol!". Truth is that the applications of Twitter stretch way further than just daily updates, as they can also cover sorts of news and advertising as well.
Although this video is very humorous and entertaining, the points it makes and examples it uses really only apply to a certain area of Twitter, not the entire website as a whole. The concept of Flutter will obviously not surface, but even if it did, it wouldn't have the same practical applications that Twitter does regarding media and information coming from companies, rather than just individuals. Announcing releases of various things or trying to summarize an important news story in 26 characters is just not realistic. The Flutter video is very funny, but can only be looked upon as humor, as the satire has too large of a hole in it for its underlying purpose to be taken seriously.
Although this video is very humorous and entertaining, the points it makes and examples it uses really only apply to a certain area of Twitter, not the entire website as a whole. The concept of Flutter will obviously not surface, but even if it did, it wouldn't have the same practical applications that Twitter does regarding media and information coming from companies, rather than just individuals. Announcing releases of various things or trying to summarize an important news story in 26 characters is just not realistic. The Flutter video is very funny, but can only be looked upon as humor, as the satire has too large of a hole in it for its underlying purpose to be taken seriously.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Email Efficiency
Email plays an important role in today’s society, especially in the lives of students. School officials, Professors, GSIs, and students all rely heavily on the use of email. The members of this society are constantly communicating and transferring information to and from one another. Email is beneficial because it is highly efficient. To contact a large number of people, it is much more logical and more efficient to send a single document to many others in a click of one button rather than contacting each individual separately.
In a situation where a high official of any organization may need to contact all of the members with important information, the quickest way possible would be through the email. For example, I am currently a freshman representative in the KSA (Korean Student Association) club. When board-members have meetings, schedules often change and new events always come up all of sudden. When that happens, my job is to update every freshman with the adjustments made to the old schedule. Because of email, I can send out the information at once whereas if I didn’t have any access through email, I would have to call multiple times to each individual, which would be very time consuming. Overall, email is a very essential form of communication.
In a situation where a high official of any organization may need to contact all of the members with important information, the quickest way possible would be through the email. For example, I am currently a freshman representative in the KSA (Korean Student Association) club. When board-members have meetings, schedules often change and new events always come up all of sudden. When that happens, my job is to update every freshman with the adjustments made to the old schedule. Because of email, I can send out the information at once whereas if I didn’t have any access through email, I would have to call multiple times to each individual, which would be very time consuming. Overall, email is a very essential form of communication.
E-mail: An Essential Tool
E-mail is an essential form of communication in today’s society; thus, we must spend part of each day either viewing or sending email. As a student at the University of Michigan, everyday I receive emails from the university. This is because a lot of the university emails contain vital information that needs to reach every student, such as information regarding the housing sign-up for next year. I need to read this email so that I do not miss any of the important dates for housing sign-up. Consequentially, reading this email takes up time from my day. In addition, in the business world, email is absolutely essential. There are countless tasks that each business has to accomplish and this requires communication amongst people. E-mail is one of the most efficient ways to communicate ideas when speaking face to face is not an option.
My life would be less affected than other people’s lives if e-mail could not be accessed. I receive a relatively small amount of email. I’m not a top executive of a large corporation that has to communicate with other people constantly. I could still keep in touch with my friends via Facebook. I could use c-tools to access most of my homework, lectures notes, and other pertinent information. However, contacting my professors, G.S.I.s, and counselors would be more difficult. I would receive an abundance of regular mail. Any important school information would have to be sent to every student by paper handouts. I do not think I would save much time if e-mail vanished because I would have to send and read information via a different medium, which still requires time.
My life would be less affected than other people’s lives if e-mail could not be accessed. I receive a relatively small amount of email. I’m not a top executive of a large corporation that has to communicate with other people constantly. I could still keep in touch with my friends via Facebook. I could use c-tools to access most of my homework, lectures notes, and other pertinent information. However, contacting my professors, G.S.I.s, and counselors would be more difficult. I would receive an abundance of regular mail. Any important school information would have to be sent to every student by paper handouts. I do not think I would save much time if e-mail vanished because I would have to send and read information via a different medium, which still requires time.
E-Mail, what it do!
E-mail is most definitely an essential form of communication. While it does command a large amount of our time, every moment spent using e-mail is time spent efficiently. If one would disagree with this statement I would ask them what the alternative would be? One response would be sending letters through the mail. Not only is this time consuming, mail can take days to deliver, but it also costs money. Postage is currently up to 44 cents a stamp while e-mail is free. Another alternative to e-mail is text messaging. Text messaging is generally limited to 160 characters per text and it takes a while to type on one's phone. With e-mail, one can write to their heart's content and using a keyboard is easy. E-mail is just superior to how simple it is to use, it's convenience, and the fact that it is free.
If I didn't have e-mail for an extended period of time I believe my life would be comparable to that of the apocalypse. There would just be so many things that I would completely oblivious to. Most of my communication with my parents and what is going on at home is via e-mail now. Without e-mail I would be know nothing of the crazy things occurring in Bethesda, MD. Additionally, plenty of school information is transmitted through e-mail. I wouldn't be able to get in touch with GSIs if I had a problem, I wouldn't know what my homework is, in conclusion I would probably fail out of school. Lastly, a lot of Fraternity events, issues, etc. are discussed through e-mail and I would be completely left out of that. I hope I never go without e-mail for an extended period of time because it seems that I would not only fail out of school but I would also be a loser and miss out on a bunch of social events.
The POP Bubble
I believe that even Tony Schwartz would be surprised to see how wide the net-bubble has expanded since "Going Postal" was published in 1999. Although e-mail is definitely near the top of time-hogging internet activity, social networking sites, such as twitter, facebook, youtube, and blogger are just, if not more, addictive. The combination of all these sites have led people to sprout virtual lives in which they can chose to be whoever they please.
Having accounts for all four of the above-mentioned sites, in addition to countless others, has plopped me right into this very bubble that Schwartz alludes to. But while Schwartz and Tony Igor have adapted to email at its introduction, our generation was nearly born into it. While they reminisce about their pre-email days, we have a hard time remembering let alone imagining, what life would be like without this now vital tool. Unfortunately, I foresee that, following the exponential upward curve of technological advances, this net-bubble will continue to grow and expand. But however unlikely it may seem, is POP (Post Office Protocol) ultimately doomed to pop?
E-mail: A Necessary Burden
E-mail is an essential form of communication in today’s technologically-based society. Although rather impersonal, electronic messages are both efficient and convenient for portraying information. Inquiries about course material, mass messages, and even simple lunch date invitations can all be communicated via e-mail in a quick and concise manner. No one wants to put in the time and effort to personally contact each individual by phone when the option to send one generic message is available. Without e-mail, the rate of information sharing would be drastically lower and insufficient for the twenty-first century.
If I had no access to e-mail for an extended period of time, I would feel both relieved and isolated. I cannot remember the last time I went more than 24 hours without checking my e-mail (even while on break…). It would be a burden off my shoulders if I felt no obligation to stay connected for a while. However, a consequence of being cut-off for days at a time would be a bombardment of messages when I finally chose to check my inbox. I recently started using a Blackberry device, and can no longer escape my e-mail. Each time I receive a message, it sends directly to my phone. This can be both a blessing and a curse. I am constantly flooded with messages throughout the day, but I can view and eliminate them one at a time instead of having to spend a solid hour sifting through my inbox on a computer.
Email--Essential but Overused
Given today’s fast paced world, I would say that email is an essential form of communication. It enables messages to be sent in a matter of seconds, while throughout history, sending letters and other items through the mail could take days, even weeks at times. With the role communication plays in the economy, education, and socialization presently, those lengths of time are clearly impractical. Thus, email is crucial in order to keep customers, employees, students, and friends all up to date on current events and happenings. However, I would argue that email is far overused. Since it is so simple to sit down and send a quick memo, many people send unnecessary messages that only manage to overflow inboxes. Being able to contact someone nearly instantly is such a privilege but is one we need only take advantage of in situations that call for fast notice.
Living without email would be somewhat of an adjustment for me, though it wouldn’t be as large of an adjustment as living without my cell phone, for example. As a student, email is important for receiving notifications from teachers and other groups around campus. My professors often send out valuable information about lecture, assignments, or other various opportunities. Additionally, having an email address is necessary to register for many websites and online tools. I use the address as a login ID or for when I forget my passwords. Occasionally, I receive emails from friends and family, but most times the messages are things they could tell me at another time. Also, I receive junk emails about offers and products I do not care to know about. If I went without email, I would not waste my time deleting and sorting through messages. Overall, without email access, I would be a rather uninformed individual, though I think I could still lead a functional life.
Living without email would be somewhat of an adjustment for me, though it wouldn’t be as large of an adjustment as living without my cell phone, for example. As a student, email is important for receiving notifications from teachers and other groups around campus. My professors often send out valuable information about lecture, assignments, or other various opportunities. Additionally, having an email address is necessary to register for many websites and online tools. I use the address as a login ID or for when I forget my passwords. Occasionally, I receive emails from friends and family, but most times the messages are things they could tell me at another time. Also, I receive junk emails about offers and products I do not care to know about. If I went without email, I would not waste my time deleting and sorting through messages. Overall, without email access, I would be a rather uninformed individual, though I think I could still lead a functional life.
Email: A Socially Acceptable Distraction
Email is one of the most essential tools to being proficient in today's digitally demanding world; it increases the amount of people we can be in contact with, and the speed with which we can communicate information. However convenient this may be, as the number of people we are in contact with increases, the convenience starts to turn into inconvenience. Personally, as a college student I get at least 20 emails a day from teachers, clubs, friends, etc. There is no doubt that it is a convenient way to stay posted about homework that is due for my classes and requirements for clubs, but when the emails all just pile on top of each other it becomes a hassle.
In his article "Going Postal," Tony Schwartz describes email as catering to "our desire to be productive (or at least to feel productive) and to the utterly human inclination to avoid challenging work" (394). I couldn't agree more. I will confess that when I get on my laptop when it's time to do homework, the first thing I do is check my email, because it is a way of transitioning me into doing my homework. Email isn't fun, but it does make me feel somewhat productive and gets me ready for the far less exciting task of doing homework and studying. If I had no access to email for an extended period of time, well, I would be clueless about what is going on in the clubs I am involved in, but I suppose I could get a lot more homework done without email as a distraction.
In his article "Going Postal," Tony Schwartz describes email as catering to "our desire to be productive (or at least to feel productive) and to the utterly human inclination to avoid challenging work" (394). I couldn't agree more. I will confess that when I get on my laptop when it's time to do homework, the first thing I do is check my email, because it is a way of transitioning me into doing my homework. Email isn't fun, but it does make me feel somewhat productive and gets me ready for the far less exciting task of doing homework and studying. If I had no access to email for an extended period of time, well, I would be clueless about what is going on in the clubs I am involved in, but I suppose I could get a lot more homework done without email as a distraction.
Email: Essential Form of Communication
For most of the Internet users living in current digital age, email has become one of the most popular and necessary forms of communication. Even though some people would argue that using emails takes up too much of their time and also that it renders people in physical isolation, I feel that email has a lot more advantages than disadvantages. By using emails, people can send their messages in mere seconds and communicate with those anywhere in the world with the Internet access. Email also has some unique features that other types of communication (telephones, etc) do not possess, such as attaching files or seding the same message to many people at once. Nowadays, it is hard to find someone at work or school who does not have an email account. Whether it is used for the purpose of saying hello to a remote friend or making contract between two companies, email has certainly become a necessity in people's lives.
I believe that email is one of the fastest and easiest ways of communication, and I use it everyday, mostly for sending out emails to the professors, GSIs, or my friends in Korea. If I were in a situation in which I am unable to access to my email for an extended period of time, I would definitely feel very anxious, constantly thinking about important messages that I might have missed, if there were any. It's not like I would be in a big trouble because there are other types of communicating methods that I use frequently, but since email has become an essential part of my life, I would feel very uneasy if I could not use it. My life would be much more challenging without emails.
I believe that email is one of the fastest and easiest ways of communication, and I use it everyday, mostly for sending out emails to the professors, GSIs, or my friends in Korea. If I were in a situation in which I am unable to access to my email for an extended period of time, I would definitely feel very anxious, constantly thinking about important messages that I might have missed, if there were any. It's not like I would be in a big trouble because there are other types of communicating methods that I use frequently, but since email has become an essential part of my life, I would feel very uneasy if I could not use it. My life would be much more challenging without emails.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
E-mail in the modern society
E-mail has become today’s one of the most prominent forms of communication. Whether with an old friend, or a business partner, we often exchange e-mails to communicate. It is possible to argue that the modern people spend too much time on e-mails. However, in my opinion, even though enormous number of modern population have more than one e-mail address and spend fair amount of time checking and writing e-mails, e-mail does not command too much of our time. Oftentimes, junk mails annoy many of the users, but e-mails are now essential tool to deliver necessary messages and information instantaneously to people anywhere around the globe. In this regards, e-mail has in fact saved a great deal of time. It is undeniably true that even though a person in U.S. can spend an hour writing a lengthy e-mail to another person in Japan, it takes much more time to send a hand-written letter from U.S. to Japan.
For this reason, many people are increasingly becoming dependent on e-mail. Not having access to e-mail could cause problems such as companies having difficulties contacting their clients and business partners. My own life will definitely be affected as well if I were not to be able to use e-mail for a prolonged period of time. I would be worried that I am not informed of any important messages from professors, or of newest fashion styles from several brands, or do not hear from a friend in Korea. However, even without e-mail, I will of course be able to carry on with normal life. E-mail has embedded deeply in our lives, but it has only been a couple decades that e-mail came into our lives; generations well before e-mail has emerged in our society led perfectly happy lives. In fact, I could be spending time that otherwise would have spent writing e-mails on making face-to-face conversation and building more intimate relationships instead of isolating myself in a room in front of my laptop. Therefore, not having access to e-mail can definitely be less convenient, but it can also be opportunistic.
For this reason, many people are increasingly becoming dependent on e-mail. Not having access to e-mail could cause problems such as companies having difficulties contacting their clients and business partners. My own life will definitely be affected as well if I were not to be able to use e-mail for a prolonged period of time. I would be worried that I am not informed of any important messages from professors, or of newest fashion styles from several brands, or do not hear from a friend in Korea. However, even without e-mail, I will of course be able to carry on with normal life. E-mail has embedded deeply in our lives, but it has only been a couple decades that e-mail came into our lives; generations well before e-mail has emerged in our society led perfectly happy lives. In fact, I could be spending time that otherwise would have spent writing e-mails on making face-to-face conversation and building more intimate relationships instead of isolating myself in a room in front of my laptop. Therefore, not having access to e-mail can definitely be less convenient, but it can also be opportunistic.
Time to E-mail
E-mail commands too much of our time, however, it is an essential form of communication. The digital society we live in demands that we live at an incredibly fast pace. There is no longer two days available to wait for a letter to reach its destination. The immediacy offered by the internet and the ability for e-mails to reach their destination within seconds instead of days has changed the way the world functions. Some may say it has only caused more stress in our lives. When you receive an e-mail, the person who sent it knows that you received it and they often expect an immediate response. This puts an incredible amount of pressure on people to be constantly checking their e-mails and to be constantly responding to them. The constant inflow of messages can be incredibly distracting as well as time consuming.
Without the ability to access e-mail my life would be a little less stressful in one respect. I would not feel the constant urge to check my inbox every few minutes on the whim that something terribly important might have happened since the last time I checked it. However, in another respect I would feel more alone and less connected to the people I know but do not get to see in person. E-mail allows me to stay in touch with my family and friends back at home, and I am grateful for the speed at which I can communicate using e-mail.
Without the ability to access e-mail my life would be a little less stressful in one respect. I would not feel the constant urge to check my inbox every few minutes on the whim that something terribly important might have happened since the last time I checked it. However, in another respect I would feel more alone and less connected to the people I know but do not get to see in person. E-mail allows me to stay in touch with my family and friends back at home, and I am grateful for the speed at which I can communicate using e-mail.
Dependence on E- mail
There a few aspects of the internet that still exist from the time of its creation. Of these few, the most important is e-mail. E-mail, short for electronic mail, has allowed communication between parties to be facilitated and sped up. Over the years, the world has become more and more dependent on email, and it safe to say that email has all but replaced normal mail. To the question of whether email commands too much of our time, I would agree. On average, I spend at least 20 minutes a day reading and answering e-mails, and I am not a person who’s attention is always such as CEO’s, presidents, people of high authority etc.. I can only imagine how many emails they receive daily, if not hourly. As referred to in the article Going Postal, these people of high importance check the emails that pertain to their business even during personal time, and I believe that there must be a clear distinction between these two times, business and personal.
Although email has become increasingly intrusive into our lives, due to this current world wide dependence on email, I believe that it has become an essential part of both the business and social fabric. If I did not have access to email for more than a week, technically I would be fine; however I would probably be behind on many of the assignments/activities I would have to do. This is because most information is relayed to me via email, on both a personal and academic level. If I were held back by lack of email, it goes without saying that it would affect the lives of decision makers in a much greater fashion; and this would indirectly affect me as I depend on the decisions they make. Therefore I believe that email does command too much of our time, however it has become too closely tied with human activity to be ignored.
Although email has become increasingly intrusive into our lives, due to this current world wide dependence on email, I believe that it has become an essential part of both the business and social fabric. If I did not have access to email for more than a week, technically I would be fine; however I would probably be behind on many of the assignments/activities I would have to do. This is because most information is relayed to me via email, on both a personal and academic level. If I were held back by lack of email, it goes without saying that it would affect the lives of decision makers in a much greater fashion; and this would indirectly affect me as I depend on the decisions they make. Therefore I believe that email does command too much of our time, however it has become too closely tied with human activity to be ignored.
E-mail: A Double Edged Sword
With the increasing sophistication of technology in society, email is becoming an integral part of our society. I believe that for the most part, the use of e-mail is a necessary mode of communication that is needed today's modern world. This is seen especially in the workplace or even education. These days, information is always being passed around via e-mail, be it an office memo or a CTools notification for an English class. When used correctly, e-mail is a very efficient communication method, yet when used to procrastinate, to waste time, or to overindulge, one can be consumed by the vicious cycle of returning emails and becoming inefficient. This parallels the concept of a double edged sword, where it's initially use is quite helpful, but there are drawbacks to extended use, harming the user.
For myself, being unattached to e-mail has no grave consequences, since I do not use it very much to begin with. Mostly, the mail of importance that I receive is related to class and homework. Yet even without email, I have other means to communicate with others that allows me to remain connected to society. If I am unreachable via e-mail, texting and phone calls are still available, but I believe that even these methods have their short comings. If my phone was to run out of battery, I would have no way to communicate other than word of mouth. Thus, I would be almost completely out of touch with everyone unless I meet them face to face. Ultimately,by having an e-mail, it remains as a additional form of communication that connects me to society, should others fail.
For myself, being unattached to e-mail has no grave consequences, since I do not use it very much to begin with. Mostly, the mail of importance that I receive is related to class and homework. Yet even without email, I have other means to communicate with others that allows me to remain connected to society. If I am unreachable via e-mail, texting and phone calls are still available, but I believe that even these methods have their short comings. If my phone was to run out of battery, I would have no way to communicate other than word of mouth. Thus, I would be almost completely out of touch with everyone unless I meet them face to face. Ultimately,by having an e-mail, it remains as a additional form of communication that connects me to society, should others fail.
The Necessity of Email
Society has become digitally dependent and as a result email has become an essential form of communication. Yes, it can be labeled terse, blunt, rude, and a peripheral form of communication, but it is also efficient, practical, reliable, and immediate. Society’s pace has quickened and communication merely followed. It can be noted that the majority of employed men and women spend a large sum of time perusing and responding to email daily, but this has become necessary. Emails have become such a crucial form of communication that important meetings, side notes, and entire conversations have been conducted strictly through email. In order to remain employed and update in the business world, email is essential.
If I had no access to e-mail for an extended period of time my life would be only slightly perturbed. I would communicate less often with my mother, and would miss out on important academic emails containing homework, lecture notes, study group meetings, and various club-meeting dates. It would most certainly be a hassle, but would be endurable. However, if for example my father were unable to access his e-mail for an extended period of time things would be quite different. His inbox would reach five hundred by the first three days and important meetings and contacts would be lost. For me, e-mail is definitely a different form of communication than my father and other businessmen and women; it is convenient and accessible however has yet to become a vital necessity.
Is the technology the problem, or is it the user?
Are e-mails taking up to much of our time? Well, this is a very general question that cannot be quite so generally applied. If you're a business executive, a professor, or a politician, then they probably are, but if you're a college student like me, you might be getting along about the same as you were before the e-mail craze began. I can understand the points made in Schwartz's article: because e-mail is more efficient we, generally, communicate more frequently. More efficiency means more work. It makes perfect sense. For the people who are receiving hundreds of e-mails a day, I empathize. But at the same time, I don't think everything is completely out of their control.
Schwartz interviewed in his article some people who checked their e-mail constantly even once they got home from work, people who checked their e-mail while making phone calls, and people who just had to take their laptops with them on vacation. E-mail is certainly taking up too much of their time. But should we blame the technology? Maybe these people should just leave their laptops off and spend some time with their families. Maybe they just need to learn how to relax. I don't think e-mail is their problem, I think work in general is. Personally, I probably get about 15 e-mails a day, tops. And this takes a total of maybe an hour to get through, probably less. If I didn't have access to e-mail I would definitely survive. I delete most of it anyways. I may struggle if I needed to get in contact with a professor, but that would be about the only problem that may arise for me. Technology has given us so many other means of contact, no one should have to rely so much on e-mail.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
E-mail: dangerously useful
I think most people would agree that e-mail was more popular towards the beginning of the century than it is now, but that doesn't mean people don't use it anymore. I personally use the internet for not too many purposes other than as an educational resource for the University, or to confirm shopping orders of account creations. I'm sure the case is different for individuals with a broader scale of responsibilities, such as small business owners or corporate workers who need e-mail for their job. I do believe that in these circumstances, e-mail does eat up a significant amount of time, but the efficiency of it is nothing to sneeze it. It can help accomplish tasks simultaneously in short amounts of time that would otherwise be a hassle to do either in person or formal lettering. As far as e-mailing goes in terms of a social activity, I believe that this is a fading form of communication. In today's society, more relevant forms of networking tend to be used outside of the workplace, such as Facebook and text messaging. This eliminates part of the "time-wasting" aspect of email that was brought up in Schwartz's article.
If I were suddenly not able to access my email for an extended period of time, the main aspect of my life that would be affected would be my schoolwork and studies. My University of Michigan webmail is one of my more important tools regarding my academics, and not being able to check it would surely result in a hindered capacity to do well in school. Occasionally I will recieve an email from either my mother or father, just checking in on how we are doing or, even more rarely, suggesting dinner plans or something along those lines. Those would go unanswered so I'm sure my parents would just wind up calling me instead. I also suppose that I wouldn't be updated on a bunch of deals from the MGoBlue shop for women's hoodies being up to 70% off, and also I will never know that people in my hall should stop leaving the doors to my bathroom cracked open. In summary, I really only use email for schoolwork, but if something important does pop up, I won't want to miss it.
If I were suddenly not able to access my email for an extended period of time, the main aspect of my life that would be affected would be my schoolwork and studies. My University of Michigan webmail is one of my more important tools regarding my academics, and not being able to check it would surely result in a hindered capacity to do well in school. Occasionally I will recieve an email from either my mother or father, just checking in on how we are doing or, even more rarely, suggesting dinner plans or something along those lines. Those would go unanswered so I'm sure my parents would just wind up calling me instead. I also suppose that I wouldn't be updated on a bunch of deals from the MGoBlue shop for women's hoodies being up to 70% off, and also I will never know that people in my hall should stop leaving the doors to my bathroom cracked open. In summary, I really only use email for schoolwork, but if something important does pop up, I won't want to miss it.
e-Mail: Time Commitment, or Time Saver? -ER
With the ever-increasing digital literacy of our culture, are we losing social literacy? Each day, upon logging into my email interface of choice, GMail, I am bombarded by the plethora of new emails. They come from academic advisors, family, friends, Facebook notifications, and the all-time most hated, colloquially named, 'spam.' Going through these emails often takes upwards of an entire hour. This hour could much better be spent on homework, studying, reviewing the day's lectures, or having live interactions with the people sending the emails. Out of the estimated 50 emails I receive each day, 5 require responses, 10 are left unopened, and 35 are deleted immediately. The 10 emails I leave sitting there, like scraps of paper on a desk, accumulate until suddenly, there are 200 'important' emails sitting on my virtual desk to be sifted through. Despite the hassle of this form of virtual communication, it is essential to stay linked in with the ever accelerating world around us.
If I had no access to e-mail for an extended period of time, there would be grievous repercussions for myself, for the senders, and for people I am responsible for. Emails from my boss asking about my last shift would go unopened, leading to an employment review session. Corrections on my homework assignments would be left uncorrected, leading to countless hours of wasted effort spent determining where a nonexistent arithmetic error was made. My committee members would not show up to meetings, because I am unable to get in touch with all of them easily individually. Coming from this approach, email is an essential form of communication, but can easily spiral out of control. "Everything in moderation," my mother always says. By balancing the use of email with personal interactions, we can be sure that our future is not destined to be spent in cubicles, sending emails back and forth between coworkers, friends, and family, and ensure that our ever decreasing social skills remain as rust-free and polished as ever.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
My Life and E-Mail
Let's face it, e-mail not only asks, but demands a ton of our time. It is a constant race to stay up to date with the countless e-mails that flood our inbox's hourly. Many have just accepted this fact and shrug off the dozens of e-mails a day like it's nothing. Others, like myself, get very frustrated with the time I have to spend reading e-mails. It seems everything is sent through an e-mail at U of M, so therefore reading them is critical. One missed e-mail could mean missing out on something very important so I find myself reading them all for "that just in case" voice in the back of my head.
I do think we spend too much time on e-mail, though I do realize the importance of it. Without e-mail, we'd be way out of the loop here at U of M. That's why if I lost it for one day I think I'd be lost as well. Sure it's annoying to have my phone going off every five seconds with a new message, but without it I wouldn't know when a paper is due or when a class got cancelled or when the next blood battle is taking place. For all the pain it brings me it also brings too much good to give up. E-mail is a way of life now. We just have to accept the downfalls of it too.
E-mail:communication of choice
How much time do I spend each day using my e-mail? Well, it depends on how much e-mail is sent to me and how many of the e-mails require a response. This can vary from fifteen minutes to a few hours depending on how often i check my e-mail. But, does e-mail demand or command too much of my time? I think not. It is my own personal choice to use e-mail. I chose to set up an account and i choose to use it daily. If I felt that e-mail hindered my life, I would delete it.
E-mail has become an essential form of communication for me as a student. Without e-mail, I could not as effectively communicate with professors, graduate student instructors, or other students. I could choose to give away my phone number and text or call my fellow teachers and students but usually the messages i send do not require immediate attention and do not require a personal response. While the informality is seen as a "negative" side in destroying relationships with people, I see it as a positive. Giving my phone number to another student says "call me" ( sometimes I would rather not have a personal relationship or imply the invitation for one) but, giving an e-mail says "message me".
Friday, January 15, 2010
Digital Literacy
As our world continues to industrialize, it has become essential that humans adapt to new technology for use in their everyday lives. Collectively, the ability to acquire and implement these skills can be referred to as digital literacy. According to the University of Illinois Library, this capability is summarized by “the ability to use digital technology, communication tools or networks to locate, evaluate, use and create information” (Hjeltness). Being digitally literate involves being proficient in using modern technology as well as staying up to date with the latest inventions. It is now crucial that all people be digitally literate in order to function well in today’s business and even social realms. As stated in “What is Digital Literacy?” the lack of digital literacy can even become “a barrier to social integration and personal development” (Hilding-Hamann). This is clear when considering that contacting friends has evolved from writing letters to sending text messages. The prevalence of the internet and other networks for communication are also examples of this adaptation.
Additionally, many companies and services have minimized their use of paper in recent years, so being unable to operate a computer properly could be detrimental when seeking employment. Employers will not want to waste their time and money training someone the vital skills needed to communicate with customers, record data, format images, etc. Being able to sift through information is also a key part of digital literacy. One can access unlimited amounts of information through the internet and computers, but he or she must realize which ideas are of value and which are unimportant. Using modern resources is impractical if one cannot take the information gained, and apply it to the non-digital world. Also, one should be able to use their knowledge of one piece of technology, such as a cell phone, to attempt to figure out how to operate another, such as a digital camera. It is likely that some people will take longer to become digitally literate since people all learn at different paces. However, as children begin to grow up with the newest technology, it will be easier and more comfortable for them to figure out the technology of the future. Overall, digital literacy has become a key aspect in the modern world.
Works Cited
Additionally, many companies and services have minimized their use of paper in recent years, so being unable to operate a computer properly could be detrimental when seeking employment. Employers will not want to waste their time and money training someone the vital skills needed to communicate with customers, record data, format images, etc. Being able to sift through information is also a key part of digital literacy. One can access unlimited amounts of information through the internet and computers, but he or she must realize which ideas are of value and which are unimportant. Using modern resources is impractical if one cannot take the information gained, and apply it to the non-digital world. Also, one should be able to use their knowledge of one piece of technology, such as a cell phone, to attempt to figure out how to operate another, such as a digital camera. It is likely that some people will take longer to become digitally literate since people all learn at different paces. However, as children begin to grow up with the newest technology, it will be easier and more comfortable for them to figure out the technology of the future. Overall, digital literacy has become a key aspect in the modern world.
Works Cited
Hilding-Hamann, Knud. "What is Digital Literacy?" Digital Literacy. 17 Sept 2009. Danish Technological Institute. 11 Jan 2010
Hjeltness, Sarah. “Digital Literacy Definition and Resources.” University Library. 15 Oct 2008. University of Illinois. 11 Jan 2010
Stipulative Definition of Digital Literacy - ER
The United States is in a global race to remain technologically competitive in order to keep the wellbeing and future secure for future generations. One crucial method of fulfilling this goal is achieving digital literacy among the citizens, especially in the education sector. To have the youth of the nation raised with the ability to communicate across cultures electronically is to secure the future in international trade of material and digital goods and define a flexible, verified definition of digital literacy.
Digial literacy, according to C. Finn of the Tech & Learning online magazine, is a “means for ascertaining the computer skills competency of an individual to function in the workplace.” His definition is focused and suggests that digital literacy only applies to a specific audience. However, B. Jones-Kavalier of the Educause Quarterly expands upon this limited definition to include “digital competencies to effectively navigate the multidimensional and fast-paced digital environment.” This is a much broader definition that broadens the scope of digital literacy, but at the same time this definition becomes more ambiguous and less useful. Despite the many definitions of digital literacy, a common thread runs through all: technology and understanding. These two concepts will continue to play a larger role not only in the business world, but also in the future of educational curricula.
Works Cited
Finn, Charles W. P. "The Mandate of Digital Literacy." Tech & Learning. Tech & Learning, 22 Aug. 2008. Web. 13 Jan. 2010.
Jones-Kavalier, Barbara R., and Suzanne L. Flannigan. "Connecting the Digital Dots: Literacy of the 21st Century." Educause Quarterly. Educause, 2006. Web. 13 Jan. 2010.
Digital Literacy
What exactly is Digital Literacy? According to Sarah Hjeltness, digital literacy is defined as a person's ability to perform tasks effectively in a digital environment... Literacy includes the ability to read and interpret media, to reproduce data and images through digital manipulation, and to evaluate and apply new knowledge gained from digital environments. Basically Digital Literacy represents the creation of a newly developed language for Technology. Technology has advanced to such a level that a coding language system is needed to operate and understand it. Digital Literacy simply defines age. Technology has advanced so much in recent decades that it’s hard for older generations to keep up. The technology is so young therefore those who are digitally literate are in majority of younger generations.
Digital Literacy also sets a scale of greater knowledge. The coding system isn't as simple as many might think. From html codes to java codes, there is a higher systematic level of understanding that is required. Because of this requirement the majority of those who are digitally literate tend to be much smarter than the average person. It is not to say that if you're not as intelligent it isn't possible to be digitally literate, but it is true that the conceptual coding is much more difficult than just simply learning a language.
Website:
http://www.library.illinois.edu/diglit/definition.html
Digital Literacy also sets a scale of greater knowledge. The coding system isn't as simple as many might think. From html codes to java codes, there is a higher systematic level of understanding that is required. Because of this requirement the majority of those who are digitally literate tend to be much smarter than the average person. It is not to say that if you're not as intelligent it isn't possible to be digitally literate, but it is true that the conceptual coding is much more difficult than just simply learning a language.
Website:
http://www.library.illinois.edu/diglit/definition.html
Digital Literacy
What is Digital Literacy?
Before the twenty-first century, "literacy" was often portrayed as one's ability to read and write. Yet as advances in technology have been integrated into society, being only able to read and write is not enough to be a fully informed individual in the community. Being digitally literal implies that one is competent in their use of technology in order to obtain the information one seeks in a digital environment. As this onset of technology is a recent development in society, being digitally savvy is common to see among the youth, who are sometimes referred as the "E-Generation". As opposed to the older generations who grew up in an era of literacy that relied solely on books and documents, digital literacy in this modern age is bringing up teenagers using technology for education, leisure, and communication.
Especially in education, technology is being implemented even more so in the classroom. As teenagers are becoming more adapt at being digitally literal, it pushes the professors and teachers to work harder and accommodate the need of technology to facilitate the flow of information. In classrooms, teachers can now stream videos and have real time internet access in the classroom, and it is a common expectation that the students are able to comprehend new technology and be able to navigate themselves through cyberspace to research information or supplement their educational efforts. Even with the need of digital literacy in the classroom or workplace, there are still the essential basics of literacy are still required. As Jones-Kavalier and Flannigan emphasize, there is still a need for "analysis, synthesis, and evaluation—we must look at digital literacy as another realm within which to apply elements of critical thinking."
Works Cited
Hilding-Hamann, Knud. "What is Digital Literacy?." Danish Technological Institute (2009): n. pag. Web. 15 Jan 2010..
Jones-Kavalier, Barbara , and Flannigan, Suzanne. "Connecting the Digital Dots: Literacy of the 21st Century." Edacause Quarterly 29.2 (2006): n. pag. Web. 15 Jan 2010..
Before the twenty-first century, "literacy" was often portrayed as one's ability to read and write. Yet as advances in technology have been integrated into society, being only able to read and write is not enough to be a fully informed individual in the community. Being digitally literal implies that one is competent in their use of technology in order to obtain the information one seeks in a digital environment. As this onset of technology is a recent development in society, being digitally savvy is common to see among the youth, who are sometimes referred as the "E-Generation". As opposed to the older generations who grew up in an era of literacy that relied solely on books and documents, digital literacy in this modern age is bringing up teenagers using technology for education, leisure, and communication.
Especially in education, technology is being implemented even more so in the classroom. As teenagers are becoming more adapt at being digitally literal, it pushes the professors and teachers to work harder and accommodate the need of technology to facilitate the flow of information. In classrooms, teachers can now stream videos and have real time internet access in the classroom, and it is a common expectation that the students are able to comprehend new technology and be able to navigate themselves through cyberspace to research information or supplement their educational efforts. Even with the need of digital literacy in the classroom or workplace, there are still the essential basics of literacy are still required. As Jones-Kavalier and Flannigan emphasize, there is still a need for "analysis, synthesis, and evaluation—we must look at digital literacy as another realm within which to apply elements of critical thinking."
Works Cited
Hilding-Hamann, Knud. "What is Digital Literacy?." Danish Technological Institute (2009): n. pag. Web. 15 Jan 2010.
Jones-Kavalier, Barbara , and Flannigan, Suzanne. "Connecting the Digital Dots: Literacy of the 21st Century." Edacause Quarterly 29.2 (2006): n. pag. Web. 15 Jan 2010.
Digital Literacy: Smart and Safe
It is clear that digital literacy is becoming one of the most common "languages" in the world. Everywhere you look around, you are surrounded by it and its implications. In order to successfully write this entry, I needed to understand how to find an article on the internet using a search engine, cite my websites using other online tools, write these paragraphs in Microsoft word, and then post it all on blogger.com. All of these individual tasks require a certain degree of digital literacy. This chain of events comes easily to someone like me, who has grown up in the "information age", but for others with less exposure to technology it may seem challenging. It is necessary now and will be even more necessary in the future for individuals that struggle with technology to get a firmer grasp on digital literacy.
Digital literacy does not only encompass how to use the internet effectively and use computer programs, but also how to use technology safely. One of my articles brought up the interesting point that digital literacy can also pertain to things such as leaving laptops in the back of cars and selling hard drives with data still on them. This information could be put to bad use in the hands of the right, or wrong, person. Another overlooked skill is avoiding predators on the internet. Not only sexual predators put one at risk, put many users on the internet may be financial or racial predators. Being able to use the internet smartly and safely is just as important as being able to use it at all. One should not go posting things on the internet that could out them at risk, especially on pages easily viewable such as Facebook. The internet is full of positive things, but there are also many dangers that lurk in cyberspace.
Websites:
www.educause.edu/EDUCAUSE+Quarterly/EDUCAUSEQuarterlyMagazineVolum/ConnectingtheDigitalDotsLitera/157395
http://digiteen.ning.com/forum/topics/what-is-digital-literacy
Digital literacy does not only encompass how to use the internet effectively and use computer programs, but also how to use technology safely. One of my articles brought up the interesting point that digital literacy can also pertain to things such as leaving laptops in the back of cars and selling hard drives with data still on them. This information could be put to bad use in the hands of the right, or wrong, person. Another overlooked skill is avoiding predators on the internet. Not only sexual predators put one at risk, put many users on the internet may be financial or racial predators. Being able to use the internet smartly and safely is just as important as being able to use it at all. One should not go posting things on the internet that could out them at risk, especially on pages easily viewable such as Facebook. The internet is full of positive things, but there are also many dangers that lurk in cyberspace.
Websites:
www.educause.edu/EDUCAUSE+Quarterly/EDUCAUSEQuarterlyMagazineVolum/ConnectingtheDigitalDotsLitera/157395
http://digiteen.ning.com/forum/topics/what-is-digital-literacy
Digital Literacy
The use of computers and related technology has become a prevalent aspect of our society. The ability to utilize the available digital tools is thus incredibly important. To use the technology at your disposal a certain level of digital literacy is crucial. A main focus of the digital world is to communicate information quickly. E-mails are sent and arrive at the destination within seconds. A question typed into a search engine is answered within seconds. Words are shortened to the point of exclusion of all that is unnecessary. To understand the fast paced shorthand of the digital world digital literacy is essential.
With the advancement of society, the use of technology will only increase. The nature of modern society necessitates digital literacy at all ages. Those who fail to learn the “language” of the digital world will be left behind. Many adults already find it difficult to send text messages or navigate through a web page. There are even classes offered in order to teach the use of technologies such as Twitter, Facebook, and even search engines like Google. The digital “language” is constantly changing as new technologies are developed; to maintain fluency adaptation is required.
Digital Literacies: Today's Key to Success
When thinking about digital literacy, it is easy to make the assumption that it only involves the younger generations ability to use their fancy cell phones and mp3 players, when in fact, it is something that affects the whole world, in more areas than just entertainment and communication. Digital literacy is the key to succeeding in today's technologically demanding world. To be digitally illiterate in education and the workforce is nowadays just as incapacitating as being illiterate. The style of learning in most modern schools revolves around computers. Computers and software are being used in many classrooms to teach, course materials are posted online, library databases are online, and a plethora of online classes and degrees are made available as well. One must be familiar with this wide range of technology in order to succeed in school and prepare for the 21st century job market that demands digital literacy.
The need to be familiar with technology does not stop once education is completed. In fact, this demand is amplified in a majority of current jobs. As the Workforce Commission’s National Alliance of Business reports, “The current and future health of America’s 21st century economy depends directly on how broadly and deeply Americans reach a new level of literacy—21st Century Literacy" (Jones-Kavalier). Many jobs now have their employment application entirely online, making familiarity with computers necessary in order to even apply for a job, let alone succeed at one. With the current economy, companies cannot afford to pay workers who are slow and incompetent due to being digitally illiterate. Many jobs today even require digital literacy certification. This just goes to show how imperative digital literacy is to success and economic security. It is no longer sufficient just being able to read and write; we must be able to proficiently use technology in order to be successful in this modern era.
Works Cited:
Jones-Kavalier, Barbara R., and Suzanne L. Flannigan. "Connecting the Digital Dots: Literacy of the 21st Century." EDUCAUSE Quarterly 29.2 (2006). Http://www.educause.edu. 2006. Web. 15 Jan. 2010..
Ferguson, Dave. "Digital Literacies: Reading Signs Along The Way." Web log post. Portablelearner. Shanta Rohse, 16 Mar. 2009. Web. 15 Jan. 2010.
The need to be familiar with technology does not stop once education is completed. In fact, this demand is amplified in a majority of current jobs. As the Workforce Commission’s National Alliance of Business reports, “The current and future health of America’s 21st century economy depends directly on how broadly and deeply Americans reach a new level of literacy—21st Century Literacy" (Jones-Kavalier). Many jobs now have their employment application entirely online, making familiarity with computers necessary in order to even apply for a job, let alone succeed at one. With the current economy, companies cannot afford to pay workers who are slow and incompetent due to being digitally illiterate. Many jobs today even require digital literacy certification. This just goes to show how imperative digital literacy is to success and economic security. It is no longer sufficient just being able to read and write; we must be able to proficiently use technology in order to be successful in this modern era.
Works Cited:
Jones-Kavalier, Barbara R., and Suzanne L. Flannigan. "Connecting the Digital Dots: Literacy of the 21st Century." EDUCAUSE Quarterly 29.2 (2006). Http://www.educause.edu. 2006. Web. 15 Jan. 2010.
Ferguson, Dave. "Digital Literacies: Reading Signs Along The Way." Web log post. Portablelearner. Shanta Rohse, 16 Mar. 2009. Web. 15 Jan. 2010.
Digital Literacy (definition)
Technology can be incredibly advantageous; however, only those people who are capable of working with technology can reap its benefits. These peple can be considered digitally literate. Digital literacy in one of its more fundamental definitions is "the ability to perform tasks effectively in a digital environment" ("Benefits: Digitial Literacy"). It also includes "the ability to use digital technology, communication tools or networks to locate, evaluate, use and create information" (Benefits: Digital Literacy). Being able to access, utilize, and send information is essential to living with other people. If one cannot do this in a digital environment, then communication amongst others can be impeded or halted completely.
Digital literacy can be also defined by its myriad benefits. To start, increasingly more jobs are demanding digital literacy; thus, digital literacy can be thought of as a means to more desirable professions, which can actually improve one's quality of life. Additionally, digital literacy can also be considered a time and money saver when utilized for certain activities, such as "paying bills, applying for jobs, doing ... taxes, and banking" (Digital Literacy Definition and Resources). To illustrate, making a financial transaction online is faster than doing the same thing by driving to a local bank and waiting in line for a teller. Also, one wastes money on the gas that he or she burns driving to the bank and back. Moreover, digital literacy is the opportunity to "stregthen family ties across vast geographic distances" if members of a family are all digitally literate (Digital Literacy Definition and Resources). The plethora of communication venues such as e-mail, AIM, and Skype are excellent means of keeping in contact with others given a group of people know how to exploit these tools.
Works Cited
"Benfits: Digital Literacy". Communications Workers of America. 14 Jan 2010.
"Digital Literacy Definition and Resources". University Library: University of
Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. 14 Jan 2010.
.
Digital literacy can be also defined by its myriad benefits. To start, increasingly more jobs are demanding digital literacy; thus, digital literacy can be thought of as a means to more desirable professions, which can actually improve one's quality of life. Additionally, digital literacy can also be considered a time and money saver when utilized for certain activities, such as "paying bills, applying for jobs, doing ... taxes, and banking" (Digital Literacy Definition and Resources). To illustrate, making a financial transaction online is faster than doing the same thing by driving to a local bank and waiting in line for a teller. Also, one wastes money on the gas that he or she burns driving to the bank and back. Moreover, digital literacy is the opportunity to "stregthen family ties across vast geographic distances" if members of a family are all digitally literate (Digital Literacy Definition and Resources). The plethora of communication venues such as e-mail, AIM, and Skype are excellent means of keeping in contact with others given a group of people know how to exploit these tools.
Works Cited
"Benfits: Digital Literacy". Communications Workers of America. 14 Jan 2010.
"Digital Literacy Definition and Resources". University Library: University of
Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. 14 Jan 2010.
Digital Literacy
The ways in which people read and write, share and understand knowledge are constantly changing as the means of communication are changing. Compared to the past, people currently living in the Digital Age are faced with a large variety of communication methods to choose from. Among them, the use of the Internet-based communicating systems, such as e-mails, web blogs, and web messengers take a great part of people’s lives. As these web-based social networks are being used more often than ever, digital literacy has become an essential skill for everyday life.
So what is digital literacy? According to Knud Erik Hilding-Hamann, digital literacy is defined as the confident and critical use of Information Society Technology (IST) for work, leisure and communication, which is underpinned by basic skills in ICT: the use of computers to retrieve, assess, store, produce, present and exchange information, and to communicate and participate in collaborative networks via the Internet. Digital literacy can be divided into two dimensions – conceptual and skill-based. Conceptual digital literacy emphasizes the ability to judge about the quality, relevance, usefulness, or efficiency of information, whereas skill-based digital literacy underlines fluent usage of digital technology. Knowledge and skills based solely on textbooks may not be sufficient enough to face the challenging world of 21st century. In order to be successful at work and obtain personal development, people need to continually work to improve their digital literacy skills.
Works cited
Buck, Amber. "Rethinking Digital Literacies." Humanities, Arts, Science, and Technology Advanced Collaboratory. 24 Nov 2009. HASTAC, Web. 15 Jan 2010..
Hilding-Hamann, Knud. "What is Digital Literacy?." Digital Literacy. 17 Sep 2009. Danish Technological Institute, Web. 15 Jan 2010..
So what is digital literacy? According to Knud Erik Hilding-Hamann, digital literacy is defined as the confident and critical use of Information Society Technology (IST) for work, leisure and communication, which is underpinned by basic skills in ICT: the use of computers to retrieve, assess, store, produce, present and exchange information, and to communicate and participate in collaborative networks via the Internet. Digital literacy can be divided into two dimensions – conceptual and skill-based. Conceptual digital literacy emphasizes the ability to judge about the quality, relevance, usefulness, or efficiency of information, whereas skill-based digital literacy underlines fluent usage of digital technology. Knowledge and skills based solely on textbooks may not be sufficient enough to face the challenging world of 21st century. In order to be successful at work and obtain personal development, people need to continually work to improve their digital literacy skills.
Works cited
Buck, Amber. "Rethinking Digital Literacies." Humanities, Arts, Science, and Technology Advanced Collaboratory. 24 Nov 2009. HASTAC, Web. 15 Jan 2010.
Hilding-Hamann, Knud. "What is Digital Literacy?." Digital Literacy. 17 Sep 2009. Danish Technological Institute, Web. 15 Jan 2010.
Digital Literacy
Literacy can be defined as an ability to read and write; however, this definition would have seemed plausible only until a couple of decades ago. Over the last few decades, the modes of communications for human beings have changed drastically, mainly from print and face-to-face verbal conversation to digital technologies. Most of the modern people with some knowledge about and access to computers would turn to the Internet search engines instead of traditional -printed- encyclopedia; e-mails instead of hand-written letters; and weblogs instead of paper-based journals or diaries. Such digitally presented information is extremely influential because they can not only be reproduced but also be modified at a rapid rate and reach out enormous number of audience. Therefore, to be able to appropriately use the technologies as well as digital information, one needs to be digitally literate – has the knowledge and skills to intelligently use and apply the digital technology in useful and efficient ways in daily life, and more importantly, critically evaluate the information, its source and its validity.
As deeply as the digital technology is embedded in the modern life, one could put him or herself at a high risk if digitally illiterate. Such person is likely to unknowingly pass on personal information to complete strangers, or blindly trust any information offered online. Moreover, not knowing how to cleverly utilize the digital technology and information can hinder one’s learning and limit his or her opportunities to broaden the knowledge and perspectives. On the other hand, a digitally literate person would be capable of filtering out legitimate information from the Internet, communicate efficiently with others and even use the technology in novel and multiple ways to enhance the learning experience. Therefore, it is vital in this era of information technology to possess digital literacy, especially when digital technology will only grow in the future.
As deeply as the digital technology is embedded in the modern life, one could put him or herself at a high risk if digitally illiterate. Such person is likely to unknowingly pass on personal information to complete strangers, or blindly trust any information offered online. Moreover, not knowing how to cleverly utilize the digital technology and information can hinder one’s learning and limit his or her opportunities to broaden the knowledge and perspectives. On the other hand, a digitally literate person would be capable of filtering out legitimate information from the Internet, communicate efficiently with others and even use the technology in novel and multiple ways to enhance the learning experience. Therefore, it is vital in this era of information technology to possess digital literacy, especially when digital technology will only grow in the future.
Works Cited
Freedman, Terry. "What is digital literacy?" Web log post. Digi Teen. Vicki Davis, 6 Apr. 2009. Web. 11 Jan. 2010..
"What is Digital Literacy?" Computer Education Group Australian Capital Territory, 2008. Web. 11 Jan. 2010..
Freedman, Terry. "What is digital literacy?" Web log post. Digi Teen. Vicki Davis, 6 Apr. 2009. Web. 11 Jan. 2010.
"What is Digital Literacy?" Computer Education Group Australian Capital Territory, 2008. Web. 11 Jan. 2010.
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