My Multimedia Learning Experience

I can't believe we're actually sliding into the last few days of this class.  It's been quite an experience!  I started the class with hundreds of pictures in my digital camera and no idea what to do with them.  And although I'd heard of blogs, wikis, and twitter, I'd never even heard of most of the other apps we used.  That means that most weeks were eye openers for me. 

Being totally immersed in technology for most of my free time since January has certainly removed my hesitancy in trying things.  My computer didn't blow up afterall!  Luckily, I tend to stick with something until I figure it out, and that was definitely needed for this class (especially with my slow internet!).

The next class I was thinking of taking is the one that teaches you how to upgrade an old computer.  I hate that they become obsolete so quickly, and that's another area that is intimidating to me.

Now that I know how, I know I'll be doing lots more with pictures, videos, and presentations (Jing too!).  And of course, I will do my best to keep up with the website.  I think the only thing I never want to do again is to spend this many hours a day behind a computer.  It's time to come up for air and dig in the dirt!

Many thanks to Lisa for exposing me to so many neat things, and thanks also to the classmates that shared their thoughts with the class.  Good luck to all.

Remix

In an article written by Jay Forder, he quotes an article written by Steward Alsop titled "Copyright Protection is for Dinosaurs" where it says that copyright protects a monopoly to exploit certain rights so that people will have to engage in creative effort.  So think about this.  Monopolies are being allowed by law to exploit people and the thinking behind it is that people will HAVE to get creative to get around the road block.  But what they found was the reverse.  In actuality, because the web has made it so easy to copy and "remix" things, even more creative benefits were realized.  He even goes on to say that companies that spent time protecting their rights were less successful all around.  The more successful companies were focusing on great customer service and updating their software to keep up.  Apparently, Alsop found that even without copyright laws, established companies have the edge over newcomers because of all the obstacles a new creator has to overcome, such as making sure new software is compatible with present systems, and gaining the trust of buyers. 

I thought these reflections were on point and provided good reason for companies to pay attention to the changes the web has brought to us and the need for copyright laws to keep up with these changes.

Here's a link to another article I found interesting (written by Steward Rutledge).  He quotes someone named Bodo Balasz wrote an article where he says that we have all been brainwashed into thinking everything is a copyright infringement.  He intimates that the line drawn between infringement and artistic freedom is drawn by legislators that are paid by the rich copyright owners.  I think that's real food for thought....

Generation F in Business

Gary Hamel very nicely put together the life expectations that will come with those that grew up online.  I really like his comment about all ideas having equal footing.  How many times have we experienced having someone come up with an idea that is not accepted because management is not ready to hear it - even if the idea is great and many are ready to embrace it?  As Gary said, in the online world, ideas are aggregated by the sheer force of public opinions that are all peer reviewed and grow on their own.  No one can stop it or slow it down.  A business would do well to pay attention to its potential customers if they want to survive in this virtual world, and those with forward-thinking mangement will pay attention.  But will I see this type of response where I work in a government office???  I don't see them recognizing this way of thinking in the near future.  It's too large so nothing changes quickly.

I liked the idea that people online are followed due to merit and not because they were appointed as a leader due to position, birth, or title.  In a way, this takes us back to a time when people climbed the corporate ladder because of merit, and not because they could list degrees on their resume.  Not to say that a degree doesn't increase skills and open minds - there's no doubt about that - but there's nothing like a person that just "gets it."  I have found that working in an office environment, certain people stand out and it's got nothing to do with their education, job title, or any other credentials.  These are the people that recognize that to be a successful leader, you really do have to serve, hear, and then give people what they need.  The internet is certainly a place that allows the cream to float to the top in any field whether they are well-known or not.  You can read articles written by people that have great ideas worth reading, and it's got nothing to do with anything else!  Generation F will definitly have a hard time following someone for no other reason than their title after being "moved" by natural-born inspiration builders they've been following online.

I think the biggest changes that will come from online living will be the speed at which changes and developments will happen.  Now that no one is able to control or limit ideas, and since there is so much free sharing online, technology and many other things will explode!  This is why I believe the copyright laws need to be reconsidered.  Holding out on society strictly for money is not only the wrong thing to do, it's becoming outdated  and uncontrollable just by the creation of the web.  I think many are recognizing this and hopefully a solution that works for everyone will come soon.

Finally, I do believe that Gary's points are right on with how we've all been affected by the web.  Recognizing how it has and will continue to impact our lives has certainly got me thinking about what class I should take next so that I won't be oblivious in our changing world!

Comments on The Long Tail

It is really interesting to see just how much the online world has changed everything.  The story of Touching the Void's rise out of obscurity to popularity really shows the power of each individual person's ability to make things happen just by giving an opinion.  Before online comment sections on items up for sale, there really was no way to know the satisfaction level of the general public unless you happened to know someone that had experience with a particular item.  Since our own circle of family and friends can be limited, there was not always a way to get this information.  So we were much more influenced by commercials and whatever the media had to tell us.  Later, we did have access to Consumer Reports, but that requires a subscription (even though the online subscription is not expensive) and many didn't subscribe unless they were avid consumers.  And there's always Oprah for book reviews!  But the comments section provides us with immediate access to the opinions of people who don't stand to gain from what they have to say.  It's again merely a sharing of knowledge so our fellow-man doesn't make the same mistake we did, or gets to enjoy the benefits of something that actually turned out great.  Reading the comments certainly has affected my decisions to purchase, and I've even made purchases based on "readers who bought your item also loved...this!" 

Because this type of advertising is not paid for by the manufacturers or companies that stand to gain from the sale, I have much more confidence in what is said.  I think this method of getting the word out will force companies to ensure that their products are actually as good as they say they are, or they better be ready to deal with the negative comments that most surely will come. 

Conversely, those who are small-time creators will have the opportunity to be recognized based on merit, and not on the size of their marketing budget.  That's a change for the better for everyone all around in my opinion.

Podcasting!

Well I have to say that with the struggles with Itunes and downloads to try to get what I need to create a podcast, my initial thoughts were that this was no fun.  But putting all of that aside, I do like the general idea of podcasts.  I think that once I get my new ipod charged and running, I will find some podcasts to subscribe to and load them on the ipod.  It'll be handy to listen to them doing....whatever I want!.  It's great to be able to select just those items that you find interesting and listen when you are ready.  Plus you don't have to deal with a radio station that won't come in well.  However, I don't see myself becoming a podcast creator any time soon (except for this class!).  There's just no time for it in my life right now. But who knows about the future?  It's great to know that I will know how...that is, if I can figure it out over the week-end!  And since I tend to be a person that says "ummm" a lot, it's nice to know there's a way to get rid of that part in a recording!

I found a how-to for podcasting that helped make the process clearer for me.  Its called How to Podcast, and I found it easy to understand.  Check it out:  How to Podcast.

Day in the Life Vlog

I don't have time for much other than work and homework these days, but in between I always squeeze in some exercise after sitting all day, so my vlog this week is a snowshoe around the backyard.  Since my camera's mic just doesn't pick up voice well enough to be worth the effort, I had to go with captions.  Doing this was fun, although I realize it's not the most exciting thing to watch (just not that action-packed!), but it's given me lots of ideas of what I should do with video snippets I've got from different events over the last year.  This particular "movie" took almost 4 hours to load to YouTube!!!  I guess it's rather long, either that or I didn't select the right size for loading.  Both times I've loaded to YouTube, I used the size recommended by the editor I was using, which was Windows Live Movie Maker.  What are the repercussions of not going with the recommendation I wonder?  I imagine going smaller would be a quicker load.  When you have to wait so long for the upload though, you hate to experiment too much.

My First Vlog!

Finally!  My vlog for your viewing pleasure (with all its imperfections).  What a hoot to publish on YouTube.  :->