final mashup video

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LESSIG MASHUP


This is the our mashup video on Lessig, and the part that we have taken from is book is about piracy. We are trying to argue that piracy is good for the creative side of the music industry. We are not the only people who think that piracy is good for the industry, there are many celebrities that think piracy is what is the best thing. Without the corporate greed, there would only be music, and with only music there is only creativity.


**I tried to embed the video, but it didn't work, so i posted a link as well... ENJOY!!**

mash up video

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this is an 80's mash up video that i attempted to embed....

final assignment

while i will share the specific passage that i would like to use to create a mashup, i will share with you the idea my group has come up with.  we are going to use chapters 4 and 5 to discuss piracy issues.  we have a creative idea to incorporate this idea, and we are excited to see how this video turns out!

revised myspace paper

Natalie Cates

October 11, 2010

IDS 2nd Web Writing Assignment

Convergence in the Media

Since the Internet was invented the uses have expanded immensely; people today use the Internet for educational, social, romantic, and entertaining purposes.  Throughout this class we have discussed the concept of the Internet and how it came about as well as the fact that people have not fully utilized all the possibilities of it. The purpose of this paper is to show the social aspect of the Internet and how people have used myspace as a tool of convergence and participatory culture, as well as define these two terms with examples from two different Internet authors, Zuckerman and Jenkins.

           Myspace was started in 2002, and in June 2006 it became the most popular social networking site in the United States (wikipedia.org).  The idea behind it was for people to have the opportunity to meet online and develop networking skills.  Quickly it became a website that people use to communicate with their friends, post pictures, share music, videos, customize their profiles, tell their moods, and so much more.  In April 2008 it was outdone by its competitor Facebook, which was at the time the "new" social networking site.

     Throughout his writings Henry Jenkins  states the definition of convergence to be “the flow of content across multiple media platforms, the cooperation between multiple media industries, and the migratory behavior of media audiences who will go almost anywhere in search of the kinds of entertainment experiences they want” (page2)  This describes Myspace perfectly, because as I have previously mentioned, any user of this website has the ability to post videos, music, pictures, chat with friends, use the messaging feature (which is similar to e-mail). The main attributes of Myspace fall into the category of convergence because the Internet is so vast and full of things to link one’s page to; and that is just the plain way to think of Myspace.   As far as participatory culture goes in the world of Myspace, it is described by Jenkins as, “contrasting with older notions of passive media spectatorship. Rather than talking about media producers and consumers as occupying separate roles, we might now see them as participants who interact with each other according to a new set of rules that none of us fully understands.”  As daily Internet users, I can agree with Jenkins when he refers to the Internet as a whole new ball game with a new set of rules that nobody truly comprehends.  That being said,it can be agreed upon that the purpose Myspace serves is characterized by the definition of participatory culture stated above.  With every click of a button or link or tab on not only Myspace, but other sites that are similar, we are interacting with one another; whether instantaneously or otherwise.

     

        “Our users rapidly told us that what the web was really about was publishing their own information… which left us with the difficult challenge of figuring out how to make money off of people’s collections of cat pictures.  User-generated content, on average, is a lot less interesting than professional content. But there are a lot more people creating their own content for fun than those doing so for a living, and in aggregate, that content is at least as interesting.”  Is quote from the interesting reading My Heart’s in Accra, by Zuckerman.  I think this is yet another thing that describes what Myspace is about.  It was one of the first sites that allowed for people to post their own information and talk about things that interested them. He makes a point about “people’s collections of cat pictures” not being easily profitable, but at the end of the day I don’t think everything should have a monetary value placed on it.   It is a challenge for people to overcome, and as Jenkins states in his writing the Internet is so vast people do not know the full use for this tool.  Another argument Zuckerman makes states, “If you’re not getting porn in your system, it doesn’t work. Activism is a stronger test – if activists are using your tools, it’s a pretty good indication that your tools are useful and usable.”  While Myspace doesn’t allow the use of porn (they have to actively prevent it), within the groups section many of the groups are devoted to specific causes and activists, as well as promotional events.  

         This paper’s purpose was to show the connection between Myspace and the digital terms convergence and participatory culture.  Myspace is a full website that allows its users to come together in a digital form.   Myspace has a specific use, and that is to connect people all over the world using different medias to share common interests; including music movies digital art/ graphics.  It is a perfect example of convergence and participatory culture that Zuckerman and Jenkins depict in their writings.

myspace screen cast

myspace video

myspace screen cast

convergence in the media

Natalie Cates

October 11, 2010

IDS 2^nd Web Writing Assignment

Convergence in the Media

Since the Internet was invented the uses have expanded immensely, people today use the Internet for educational, social, romantic, and entertaining purposes.  Throughout this class we have discussed the concept of the Internet and how it came about as well as the fact that people have not fully utilized all the possibilities of it.  For this paper I intend to write about the social aspect of the Internet and how people have used myspace as a tool of convergence and participatory culture, as well as define these two terms with examples from two different Internet authors.

            Myspace was started in 2002, and in June 2006 it became the most popular social networking site in the United States.  The idea behind it was for people to have the opportunity to meet online and develop networking skills.  Quickly it became a website that people use to communicate with their friends, post pictures, share music, videos, customize their profiles, tell their moods, and so much more.  In April 2008 it was outdone by its competitor Facebook, which was at the time the "new" social networking site. 

            In the assigned reading by Henry Jenkins he states the definition of convergence to be “the flow of content across multiple media platforms, the cooperation between multiple media industries, and the migratory behavior of media audiences who will go almost anywhere in search of the kinds of entertainment experiences they want.” (page2)  This describes Myspace perfectly, because aforementioned, any user of this website has the ability to post videos, music, pictures, chat with friends, use the messaging feature (which is similar to e-mail).  The main attributes of Myspace fall into the category of convergence because the Internet is so vast and full of things to link one’s page to; and that is just the plain way to think of Myspace.   As far as participatory culture goes in the world of Myspace, it is described by Jenkins as, “contrasting with older notions of passive media spectatorship. Rather than talking about media producers and consumers as occupying separate roles, we might now see them as participants who interact with each other according to a new set of rules that none of us fully understands.”  I think that as daily Internet users I can agree with Jenkins when he basically refers to the Internet as a whole new ball game with a new set of rules that nobody truly comprehends.  That being said, I think the purpose that Myspace serves is characterized by the definition of participatory culture stated above.  With every click of a button or link or tab on not only Myspace, but other sites that are similar, we are interacting with one another; whether instantaneously or otherwise. 

           

            “Our users rapidly told us that what the web was really about was publishing their own information… which left us with the difficult challenge of figuring out how to make money off of people’s collections of cat pictures.  User-generated content, on average, is a lot less interesting than professional content. But there are a lot more people creating their own content for fun than those doing so for a living, and in aggregate, that content is at least as interesting.”  Is quote from the assigned reading My Heart’s in Accra, by Zuckerman.  I think this is yet another thing that describes what Myspace is about.  It was one of the first sites that allowed for people to post their own information and talk about things that interested them. He makes a point about “people’s collections of cat pictures” not being easily profitable, but at the end of the day I don’t think everything should have a monetary value placed on it.   It is a challenge for people to overcome and as Jenkins states in his writing the Internet is so vast people do not know the full use for this tool.  Another argument Zuckerman makes states, “If you’re not getting porn in your system, it doesn’t work. Activism is a stronger test – if activists are using your tools, it’s a pretty good indication that your tools are useful and usable.”  While Myspace doesn’t allow the use of porn, within the groups section many of the groups are devoted to specific causes and activists, as well as promotional events. 
            This paper has been an informative representation of Myspace and the connection between that website and the terms convergence and participatory culture.  I feel that there is a lot of knowledge we have yet to uncover as Internet users, but I am not the only one who feels that way.  I hope that we keep searching for more uses and encompass all that we have discovered thus far, but also completely new applications for the Internet.
           

revised paper

my first time

this is my revised paper!! the website is plain but it gets the point across.  i have 5 links to other websites in my paper not including this blog and the class syllabus!

UGLY

This is not the ugliest web page, but there are some ugly things on it in my opinion.  I think the last image in particularly gruesome.  This is the first web page i have made, so i didn't know how to do all the technical things like make it bring and sing obnoxious songs.  I still accomplished the task, a short, simple, UGLY web page awaits those who dare to look!

http://www.appstate.edu/~catesnr/UGLY.htm

my first time

Natalie Cates

September 12, 2010

Internet Studies

First Web Writing Assignment

My First Time

            It was the late 90’s when I encountered this strange new contraption called the Internet.  I had seen and used computers before, but they had always been “expensive equipment, not children’s toys.”  I can remember the days of using the art program and playing solitaire, but when I came home from school and my dad showed me the new use for the computer called AOL, I was mesmerized. 

            The first thing my dad did for me was set up m very own e-mail account; I was so excited to have three e-mail buddies, they were all my family members.  I had my very “Kidz only” setting with my account that was specifically designed to have games to play and homework help.  I could go to different websites and some of my more frequent ones included Barbie.com and the beanie baby website.  My favorite part was designing my very own Barbie doll that I could put in a fashion show and pick the outfits she could wear.   Also in my early Internet days I was a fan AIM (AOL instant messenger).  It was all the rage in my 5^th grade class.  I remember being at my friend Morgan’s house and we stayed up all night talking to boys online, it was so cool.  Don’t get me wrong; I had some educational experience with the Internet too.   When I was in elementary school we had computer class.  I don’t remember much about it, I do know we used Mac computers at my school, but they were not sleek like they are now.  When I was first experiencing computers, they were bigger and boxier, while I am aware in the 90’s computers had become a lot smaller, they were still large to me.  My science teacher was also my computer teacher, and she taught how to open the browser, Navigator, and then showed us different scientific websites, and other educational tools for kids. 

            By the time 8^th grade came around I thought I was a pro! I had my very own computer that my grandpa gave me.  I was able to use the Internet to look up information, download music, chat with friends, send e-mails to my family; but I was nowhere near any real level of accomplishment.  It was when I was in high school that my research skills were really becoming fine-tuned.  It was in high school that I had to learn to write a paper with proper online sources that were credible.  I had to learn to site a website correctly, and learn to dig past what Google or another search engine came up with.  Google was another invention that was in my lifetime and has now become a part of my everyday life.  Also when I was in high school I discovered Facebook, another tool that I use in my everyday life.  I found it to be a way to stay in touch with people and communicate.  Now that I am in college I still use all of these features of the Internet, but I know utilize a few more on a daily basis; for example I use my e-mail, Ning (academic social network), Blogging, and that is just a few. 

            I think that after remembering about all the uses I have gotten out of the Internet, I would have to agree with Bush.  When I first encountered the Internet it seemed so big so vast, I wondered what all I could do with it.  To admit I thought the uses didn’t go much past e-mail and Barbie.com, but in my defense I was a 9 or 10 year old girl.  Now that I know at least some of what the Internet has to offer, and I have a better understanding of how to use it, I think it is a wonderful tool.  The Internet, as we know it today, is a gadget that people 25 years ago never would have imagined.  I think that there are many undiscovered uses for the Internet, but we have “enormously extended the record; yet even at its present bulk we can hardly consult it.”  The Internet is not perfect and computers themselves can be headache, but even though it is not perfect yet I can’t think about what my life would be like without the Internet. 

            Hawthorne was not happy about the loss a certain communication that the fireplace brought to the household. His opinion of the wood-burning stove was a negative one partially because it was ugly and foreign, and because it was a new technology that allowed for a more separated life style.  Even though I understand where he is coming from thinking about the lost art of conversation, I would take a more efficient method of doing something, weather it is keeping warm or writing a paper, over a less efficient method anytime of the day, any day of the week, any week of the year.

blog homework!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WCTn4FljUQ


This video is relevant to this class because so far we have discussed the history of the Internet.  This is a vital part of the history because it was the beginning of newspapers online.  Back then in the early 80's people didn't know all the capabilites of the Internet and this was just one more new thing that tis strange comtraption has enabled us to do. When this new use was first discovered, people didn't think it would take off because it was only text, but we know that all major newspapers and smaller ones as well have an online source and archive for thier articles, as well as up to date information!

push up bra tracy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtkU2ch0sRI

This is one of the funnies things that I have sen on the internet.  My cousin showed this to me one night, and since then I have shared this with other friends and family members.