Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Instant Messaging
At first thought I associate Instant Messaging (IM) with today's text messaging; however, they are not the same. While both forms of communication provide the user with the ability to directly communicate with their contacts, they have significant differences.
Text messages are sent via mobile device although computers can also send text messages they are primarily designed for mobile phones. IMs are primarily sent via computers; however, with the quick development of apps, some IM services are also available on mobile device. One example of a recent IM service that has been the subject of some controversy in the news is Facebook's messenger mobile service.
That said, text messages can be sent to a user regardless of what platform they are using. For example my android phone can be used to send a message to other android users or apple users. Text messaging services will allow for a message to be sent to multiple users at one time similar to a conference call regardless of what platform they are utilizing. On the other hand IM service providers are limited to sending communication only to users that have the same platform. Facebook messenger does not send a message to AOL IM user.
With a security mindset however, IM in more secure since they require a login with a user name and password. On the other hand, text messaging with the phone is only as secure as the phone usage. Therefore, IMing is typically more secure.
I am more of a user of text messaging than I am on IMing. I do not have a favorite IM service since I do not use them. I tried FaceBooks messenger service for a week until I realized all of the PII issues.
Text messages are sent via mobile device although computers can also send text messages they are primarily designed for mobile phones. IMs are primarily sent via computers; however, with the quick development of apps, some IM services are also available on mobile device. One example of a recent IM service that has been the subject of some controversy in the news is Facebook's messenger mobile service.
That said, text messages can be sent to a user regardless of what platform they are using. For example my android phone can be used to send a message to other android users or apple users. Text messaging services will allow for a message to be sent to multiple users at one time similar to a conference call regardless of what platform they are utilizing. On the other hand IM service providers are limited to sending communication only to users that have the same platform. Facebook messenger does not send a message to AOL IM user.
With a security mindset however, IM in more secure since they require a login with a user name and password. On the other hand, text messaging with the phone is only as secure as the phone usage. Therefore, IMing is typically more secure.
I am more of a user of text messaging than I am on IMing. I do not have a favorite IM service since I do not use them. I tried FaceBooks messenger service for a week until I realized all of the PII issues.
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Skype Review
Skype is a VOIP that allows its users to utilize video and voice calls, instant message and share files with other Skype users for free. If a users pays for the service they can make calls to mobile and landline phones and send text messages. This method of communicating is a very low cost effective method of staying in touch.
While I was deployed to Iraq for all of 2009, I was able to utilize Skype to stay in touch with my wife and daughter. I was able to read stories to my daughter and although we were on different sides of the planet we could still stay connected. When most people are deployed they can only speak with their loved ones a few times if at all; I was able to speak with my family weekly thanks to Skype. All I needed to utilize the program was an internet connections and a computer with microphone and speakers.
For a few months I also used Skype to communicate with friends while playing an online game. Skype allowed for conference calling so that multiple people could be connected at one time.
Many VOIP programs can be costly, but Skype is very cost effective.
While I was deployed to Iraq for all of 2009, I was able to utilize Skype to stay in touch with my wife and daughter. I was able to read stories to my daughter and although we were on different sides of the planet we could still stay connected. When most people are deployed they can only speak with their loved ones a few times if at all; I was able to speak with my family weekly thanks to Skype. All I needed to utilize the program was an internet connections and a computer with microphone and speakers.
For a few months I also used Skype to communicate with friends while playing an online game. Skype allowed for conference calling so that multiple people could be connected at one time.
Many VOIP programs can be costly, but Skype is very cost effective.
LinkedIn Review
LinkedIn is a professional social networking site developed to assist professions find relevant connections. As I am nearing my transition from active duty, LinkedIn has proven to be a very effective networking tool for me. About a year ago I created an account and I have been learning about its usefulness ever since. First and foremost I created what is ultimately my resume. From there I began to connect to people I know and joining groups that I am interested in. I learn about topics I am interested in from others who post information on those subjects like Lean Six Sigma or the Delta Mu Delta Honor Society. Most importantly, last week I traveled to Huntsville, AL and met with members of the Semper Fi Community Task Force who were able to assist me with networking in the area. If it were not for this groups LinkedIn page, I would not have had the success that I did have.
LinkedIn allows me to connect to others that may be able to assist me with my upcoming job search, but it also allows me to assist others. With LinkedIn I have been able to link others together and impart information on topics of interests to me. One day, I hope to utilize LinkedIn to help others with their transition as LinkedIn has been helping me.
The most effective method that I have found in utilizing LinkedIn in my job search is to find a job with a company that I am interested in. Then look in LinkedIn at my connections searching for friends that work for that particular company. Once I find a connections, I can contact that individual to find out what they may know about the position and see if they may earn referral benefits if I use their name in my application. If they do received referral benefits then perhaps they will be more apt to recommend me to the hiring manager. Even if they do not receive referral benefits they may be willing to recommend me. In the end I have been told countless times that find a job is about 90% of who you know and 10% of what you know. LinkedIn helps you with that 90%.
LinkedIn allows me to connect to others that may be able to assist me with my upcoming job search, but it also allows me to assist others. With LinkedIn I have been able to link others together and impart information on topics of interests to me. One day, I hope to utilize LinkedIn to help others with their transition as LinkedIn has been helping me.
The most effective method that I have found in utilizing LinkedIn in my job search is to find a job with a company that I am interested in. Then look in LinkedIn at my connections searching for friends that work for that particular company. Once I find a connections, I can contact that individual to find out what they may know about the position and see if they may earn referral benefits if I use their name in my application. If they do received referral benefits then perhaps they will be more apt to recommend me to the hiring manager. Even if they do not receive referral benefits they may be willing to recommend me. In the end I have been told countless times that find a job is about 90% of who you know and 10% of what you know. LinkedIn helps you with that 90%.
Social Media Comparison
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| Launched | 2004 | 2006 | 2011 | |||
| Users1 | 900 million | 310 million | 120 million | |||
| Post Size Limit | 63k Characters | 140 Characters | 100k Characters | |||
| Storage Limit | Unlimited2 | 3MB daily3 | 15GB4 | |||
| SmartPhone Apps | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
| Apps | Yes | Yes with limits5 | No | |||
| Advertisment | lots | minimal | none | |||
| ease of use | 10/10 | 6/10 | 4/10 | |||
| Editability of post | Yes/Easy | No | Yes/Easy | |||
| Text, Photo, Video | yes | yes | yes | |||
| email, files, & IM | all-in-one | all-in-one | spread out | |||
| Recommends Connections | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
| 1. eBizMBA (2014). Top 15 Most Popular Social Networking Sites. Retrieved from http://www.ebizmba.com/articles/social-networking-websites | ||||||
| 2. Vajgel, P. (2009). Needle in a haystack: efficient storage of billions of photos. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=76191543919 | ||||||
| 3. Mohta, A. (2011). Twitter has Galleries but do you know your Photo upload Limits? Retrieved from http://www.technospot.net/blogs/twitter-galleries/ | ||||||
| 4. Google (2014). See your storage limit. Retrieved from https://support.google.com/mail/answer/6558?hl=en | ||||||
| 5. Fedewa, J. (2013). Rowi hits Twitter token limit, pulls app from Windows Phone Store. Retrieved from http://winsource.com/2013/08/28/rowi-hits-twitter-token-limit-pulls-app-from-windows-phone-store/ | ||||||
Monday, November 10, 2014
What is a podcast
I just made a new Voki. See it here:
A
podcast is a way to have media content sent to a portable listening device as
it is published. Podcasts are much like
subscribing to a blog with a RSS feed.
Think of having all of your favorite talk shows or songs piped directly
to you without you having to adjust the tuner on your radio. The podcasts can be developed by anyone not
necessarily a specialized DJ. The
podcast can be created on any subject that its developer can think of and then
be shared with the world. Because of
podcast’s ability to be created, accessed, and shared by anyone it is a great
example of the new aged ideology of web 2.0.
podcast is a way to have media content sent to a portable listening device as
it is published. Podcasts are much like
subscribing to a blog with a RSS feed.
Think of having all of your favorite talk shows or songs piped directly
to you without you having to adjust the tuner on your radio. The podcasts can be developed by anyone not
necessarily a specialized DJ. The
podcast can be created on any subject that its developer can think of and then
be shared with the world. Because of
podcast’s ability to be created, accessed, and shared by anyone it is a great
example of the new aged ideology of web 2.0.
Podcast.com vs Podcastalley.com
I just made a new Voki. See it here:
Podcast.com
and Podcastalley.com are two sites that boast being destinations for podcasts
from a variety of genres. For this week’s
assignment I found that Podcast.com was very difficult for me to navigate. Furthermore, Podcast.com was full of links to
advertisements as opposed to links to useful podcasts. There was nothing that I could find as an advantage
for podcast.com and of the two I would much prefer podcastalley.com. I found all three pod casts to review from
Podcastalley.com although it took some navigation learning before I finally
found them. Podcastalley.com was a
little bit easier to use than podcast.com; however, I still am not a fan of the
site. I felt that neither site was very
useful and had much better luck with podcastone.com.
and Podcastalley.com are two sites that boast being destinations for podcasts
from a variety of genres. For this week’s
assignment I found that Podcast.com was very difficult for me to navigate. Furthermore, Podcast.com was full of links to
advertisements as opposed to links to useful podcasts. There was nothing that I could find as an advantage
for podcast.com and of the two I would much prefer podcastalley.com. I found all three pod casts to review from
Podcastalley.com although it took some navigation learning before I finally
found them. Podcastalley.com was a
little bit easier to use than podcast.com; however, I still am not a fan of the
site. I felt that neither site was very
useful and had much better luck with podcastone.com.
Laughspin Podcast
The last podcast I reviewed for my assignment was also found utilizing podcastalley. Since I believe that we should all take some time to laugh I have subscribed to the Laughspin Podcast. Laughspin is a podcast in which interviews with and/or about comedians are broadcasted. Find out what is going on with Chris Rock, Artie Lange, and Lena Dunham in episode 101 by subscribing to Laughspin.
CBS Sports Podcast
The next podcast I have decided to view found on podcastalley is CBS Sports Podcast. This site offers news on the National Football League more commonly known as the NFL. The site provides the latest scores and news surrounding teams and players throughout the league. If you want to keep up with all the happenings of the NFL then subscribe to CBSsports.
GamePolitics Podcast
The first Podcast I chose to review for this week's assignment is GamePolitics' Super Podcast Action Committee. I found this podcast on Podcastally while searching for three podcasts to review. Game Politics is all about gaming and the news surrounding games. I was immediately drawn to the news concerning Blizzard as I have been an avid customer for Blizzard for over seven years. GamePolitics informed me that Blizzard is coming out with a whole new game. This announcement was made at Blizcon this past weekend. If you enjoy gaming and are interested in what's going on around your game, then subscribe to GamePolitics' Podcast.
Sunday, November 9, 2014
My Wiki
Check out my new wiki (What is a Wiki and how does it fit into Web 2.0) on What a wiki is and how it fits into Web 2.0 at: http://solomonwebd220.wikispaces.com/What+is+a+Wiki+and+how+does+it+fit+into+Web+2.0.
See how a wiki is like a Pearl.
See how a wiki is like a Pearl.
Review "The Essential Shift"
Ilanamusic posts on the topic of "Did You Know" on shifthappens in an enthusiastic optimistic epiphany. The post on the discussion board is short, but the last line is what really caught my eye. He/She stated, "To be static is to eventually wither away, uninspired and disinterested in more." What better way to describe the thesis of the video. We as a society must continue to consider the things not yet considered. For instance what is at the end of space? Perhaps, this is the underlining message when Albert Einstein said, "Imagination is more important than knowledge." For with imagination we can be inspired and interested to discover things we never thought of before.
Review "Preparation of students for the future?"
Jennifer Kolb, opens up a discussion on teaching her students in the technological age after having seen the "Did you know" video. Her post is a method of reaching out to others, but it is a reply to her post that really caught my attention and that I wish to address. Fraxinus notes that teachers are holding back their students from advancing by attempting to teach them. This idea echoes the same theory of thought discussed in "The Dumbness of Crowds" in that individualism is restrained.
I was not so enthusiastic about the video itself; however, its theme is important. As the old idiom goes, "Get on the bus or get ran over." It is imperative that we as a society continue to push the boundaries of what we think we know. To quote the movie Men In Black, "1500 years ago everybody knew the earth was the center of the universe, 500 years ago everybody knew the earth was flat, and 15 minutes ago you knew that people we alone on this planet. Imagine what you'll know, tomorrow." All of that said, we must teach our youth while insuring we do not hinder their growth.
I was not so enthusiastic about the video itself; however, its theme is important. As the old idiom goes, "Get on the bus or get ran over." It is imperative that we as a society continue to push the boundaries of what we think we know. To quote the movie Men In Black, "1500 years ago everybody knew the earth was the center of the universe, 500 years ago everybody knew the earth was flat, and 15 minutes ago you knew that people we alone on this planet. Imagine what you'll know, tomorrow." All of that said, we must teach our youth while insuring we do not hinder their growth.
Review Profoundly upset by this video
MeinGottInHimmel created a post on the discussion boards of Shifthappens in response to the "Did you know 2.0" video in retaliation to the propaganda of the video. MeinGottInHimmel noted that the video is a scare tactic to entice people to focus on IT education while comparing the United States to China and India.
I completely agree with the discussions assessment of the video and noted that statistics can be adjusted to provide the desired results. On the other hand, the video illustrates a need for awareness to continuously advance and adapt to growing technological world. Personally, I could care less what other nations are doing or how we compare to them. It is my opinion that we as a nation should insure that we are continuously growing, utilizing critical thinking skills, and daring to advance into the blue ocean.
I completely agree with the discussions assessment of the video and noted that statistics can be adjusted to provide the desired results. On the other hand, the video illustrates a need for awareness to continuously advance and adapt to growing technological world. Personally, I could care less what other nations are doing or how we compare to them. It is my opinion that we as a nation should insure that we are continuously growing, utilizing critical thinking skills, and daring to advance into the blue ocean.
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
del.icio.us Review
For this part of our assignment we were tasked with creating an account at del.icio.us and add our favorite sites/bookmarks for web 2.0 info.
Honestly, it took me a while to get started on this. When I first put the word del.icio.us in the web browser I was taken to www.delicious.com. huh? that is not the web address I keyed into the browser. So, I tried again only to be taken to the same link. To further complicate things, in the center of the page so as to draw the attention of the user are the words "Never lose a link again." My immediate thought was that del.icio.us was a broken link and I was being taken to some page saying the page I was looking for was lost or unavailable. Really, I was quite confused. The link for the video in my class assignment explaining what del.icio.us was, was broken and so initially I was very lost.
So I opened up my trusty friend bling to search for the video titled Social Bookmarking with Del.ico.us. Suddenly my eyes were opened and I began to understand; delicious.com is del.icio.us. Why the deception, I have no idea, but none the less I was finally able to move forward to creating an account. The account creation process began quickly to put me into defensive mode. I do not like creating accounts by linking them to my facebook or Google accounts, yet here they make that option prominent. Luckily, in a bit smaller font they allow the option to create an account with your email address. Again, they want more personal information. Once the account is created the user can download the necessary software. At this point I think I am done with this assignment. I do not like to download all of this new software and I certainly do not like to clutter up my tool bar.
From what I gathered in watching the video, del.icio.us is a way to manage website that the user enjoys and using a tagging search engine method find other similar website to review. This may be useful and further down the road if I feel as though my favorite website management system is no longer working for me and Bing/Google search engines just do not see to be getting me where I want to be, then maybe I'll look to del.icio.us.
Some advantage of this site may be quicker access to similar information making research faster. Another advantage is the ability to manage/sort favorite websites. On the other hand I can already do that to a smaller degree with the favorites management folders with internet explorer. A disadvantage is that some tagged sites may take the user down a rabbit hole that they are not intending to follow. Furthermore, the management system for all of those favorite sites can quickly become cumbersome and overbearing.
Honestly, it took me a while to get started on this. When I first put the word del.icio.us in the web browser I was taken to www.delicious.com. huh? that is not the web address I keyed into the browser. So, I tried again only to be taken to the same link. To further complicate things, in the center of the page so as to draw the attention of the user are the words "Never lose a link again." My immediate thought was that del.icio.us was a broken link and I was being taken to some page saying the page I was looking for was lost or unavailable. Really, I was quite confused. The link for the video in my class assignment explaining what del.icio.us was, was broken and so initially I was very lost.
So I opened up my trusty friend bling to search for the video titled Social Bookmarking with Del.ico.us. Suddenly my eyes were opened and I began to understand; delicious.com is del.icio.us. Why the deception, I have no idea, but none the less I was finally able to move forward to creating an account. The account creation process began quickly to put me into defensive mode. I do not like creating accounts by linking them to my facebook or Google accounts, yet here they make that option prominent. Luckily, in a bit smaller font they allow the option to create an account with your email address. Again, they want more personal information. Once the account is created the user can download the necessary software. At this point I think I am done with this assignment. I do not like to download all of this new software and I certainly do not like to clutter up my tool bar.
From what I gathered in watching the video, del.icio.us is a way to manage website that the user enjoys and using a tagging search engine method find other similar website to review. This may be useful and further down the road if I feel as though my favorite website management system is no longer working for me and Bing/Google search engines just do not see to be getting me where I want to be, then maybe I'll look to del.icio.us.
Some advantage of this site may be quicker access to similar information making research faster. Another advantage is the ability to manage/sort favorite websites. On the other hand I can already do that to a smaller degree with the favorites management folders with internet explorer. A disadvantage is that some tagged sites may take the user down a rabbit hole that they are not intending to follow. Furthermore, the management system for all of those favorite sites can quickly become cumbersome and overbearing.
Flickr Review
For this week's assignment the class was instructed to create a Flickr account, upload 3 photos (referencing Web 2.0 concepts), tag them, and then write a blog about the experience.
The easiest part of this assignment was finding three photos on the internet that captured the Web 2.0 concept. Although I created a Yahoo account many moons ago I very rarely use it. I do use my Facebook quite frequently; however, I do not like to log into other applications with my Facebook account information. It would appear as luck would have it that these are the two methods of creating a Flickr account. Already, I was put into a defensive mode with this application since I was forced into selecting one of those methods to create an account.
Once I created my account I received helpful screen to guide me in getting started; however, I had to put the assignment aside to deal with my crazy family. When I logged back into Flickr to get back to the assignment those helpful screens were no longer there and I was met with a very busy environment. The website requires a bit of acclimation prior to understanding how it works. There is a lot going on and the users attention is not easily drawn to where to add their own photos. It did not take me long to find the Upload link and realize this would be the first step towards my contribution to the Flickr universe of photos. I was able to add all 3 photos at the same time and tag them while on the upload screen. When I added my tag I saw where others had also used those same tag lines for some while other pictures appeared unique in their tag name.
I do enjoy art and I like to look at pictures on the internet from time to time so I can see the value that Flickr brings. However, with my time being consumed as it is and with the defensive position Flickr put me in at the start I do not think I would have created an account with this site had it not been for my WebD220 course.
By the way here is a link to my Photostream: https://www.flickr.com/photos/128252907@N04/
The easiest part of this assignment was finding three photos on the internet that captured the Web 2.0 concept. Although I created a Yahoo account many moons ago I very rarely use it. I do use my Facebook quite frequently; however, I do not like to log into other applications with my Facebook account information. It would appear as luck would have it that these are the two methods of creating a Flickr account. Already, I was put into a defensive mode with this application since I was forced into selecting one of those methods to create an account.
Once I created my account I received helpful screen to guide me in getting started; however, I had to put the assignment aside to deal with my crazy family. When I logged back into Flickr to get back to the assignment those helpful screens were no longer there and I was met with a very busy environment. The website requires a bit of acclimation prior to understanding how it works. There is a lot going on and the users attention is not easily drawn to where to add their own photos. It did not take me long to find the Upload link and realize this would be the first step towards my contribution to the Flickr universe of photos. I was able to add all 3 photos at the same time and tag them while on the upload screen. When I added my tag I saw where others had also used those same tag lines for some while other pictures appeared unique in their tag name.
I do enjoy art and I like to look at pictures on the internet from time to time so I can see the value that Flickr brings. However, with my time being consumed as it is and with the defensive position Flickr put me in at the start I do not think I would have created an account with this site had it not been for my WebD220 course.
By the way here is a link to my Photostream: https://www.flickr.com/photos/128252907@N04/
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
FireFox Review
This review of FireFox is being written after only having utilized the software for a few hours. That said, there may be features that I am not seeing.
Upon initial view, the download is relatively quick as is the setup. The first time the user accesses FireFox a guide is offered to walk to user through some of the software's options. FireFox also has a synchronization feature allowing the user to synchronize browser history, bookmarks, passwords, etc. The features of FireFox are much like any other web browser: Tabs, Favorites, Tool Bar, etc. It may be a matter of perception, but FireFox appears faster and cleaner than Internet Explorer. I did not play around with the add-on feature, but I do like the idea of it. I utilize a lot of add-ons in some video games I use and I can see their effectiveness.
I opened up my WebD220 class in both FireFox and Internet Explorer at the same time and viewed them on two separate monitors at the same time. As previously mentioned the overall look on FireFox appeared cleaner. I could see more shadowing and details of the webpage; however, the avatar/video did not show up on FireFox at all while it did on Internet Explorer. This unveiled a larger issue with utilizing FireFox. Many other supplemental software is developed with Microsoft products in mind. That said, by using FireFox the user may be missing out on other details such as the avatar/video in my class.
All in all, in my limited usage of the product, I liked FireFox. If you would like to try out the web browser you can download it at: https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/
Upon initial view, the download is relatively quick as is the setup. The first time the user accesses FireFox a guide is offered to walk to user through some of the software's options. FireFox also has a synchronization feature allowing the user to synchronize browser history, bookmarks, passwords, etc. The features of FireFox are much like any other web browser: Tabs, Favorites, Tool Bar, etc. It may be a matter of perception, but FireFox appears faster and cleaner than Internet Explorer. I did not play around with the add-on feature, but I do like the idea of it. I utilize a lot of add-ons in some video games I use and I can see their effectiveness.
I opened up my WebD220 class in both FireFox and Internet Explorer at the same time and viewed them on two separate monitors at the same time. As previously mentioned the overall look on FireFox appeared cleaner. I could see more shadowing and details of the webpage; however, the avatar/video did not show up on FireFox at all while it did on Internet Explorer. This unveiled a larger issue with utilizing FireFox. Many other supplemental software is developed with Microsoft products in mind. That said, by using FireFox the user may be missing out on other details such as the avatar/video in my class.
All in all, in my limited usage of the product, I liked FireFox. If you would like to try out the web browser you can download it at: https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/
VLC Review
I was first introduced to VLC media player in 2009 while serving in Iraq. While I would not go so far as to say this program saved my life, it did help to make my life much more enjoyable while forward deployed.
VLC is a simple, easy to use player with control buttons easily recognizable at the bottom of the player. The program can play most all file types. I hesitate to say it plays all files types due to my lack of knowledge on all the different types there may actually be. The VLC website boasts that the program "Plays everything: Files, Discs, Webcams, Devices and Streams" (Videolan.org). The player has a toolbar that is customizable so that the user can decide what tools need to be displayed. One example is the equalizer for the video's audio.
VLC can be used to make some editing to video and audio as well. To add just a little more pizazz to the program, VLC can be dressed up with additional skin downloads.
I paid quiet a bit of money for PowerDVD last year because I thought it would be more of what I needed at that time. Plus I had a little extra cash to throw away :). I like PowerDVD and it does a lot of stuff. PowerDVD is well worth the money I spent for it, but really VLC does everything I need and it is free.
Compared to costly programs like PowerDVD, VLC is a great program and I would give it two thumbs up. You can check out VLC by downloading the software from their website: http://www.videolan.org/vlc/
Reference:
Videolan.org. (2014). VideoLAN features. Retrived from http://www.videolan.org/vlc/
VLC is a simple, easy to use player with control buttons easily recognizable at the bottom of the player. The program can play most all file types. I hesitate to say it plays all files types due to my lack of knowledge on all the different types there may actually be. The VLC website boasts that the program "Plays everything: Files, Discs, Webcams, Devices and Streams" (Videolan.org). The player has a toolbar that is customizable so that the user can decide what tools need to be displayed. One example is the equalizer for the video's audio.
VLC can be used to make some editing to video and audio as well. To add just a little more pizazz to the program, VLC can be dressed up with additional skin downloads.
I paid quiet a bit of money for PowerDVD last year because I thought it would be more of what I needed at that time. Plus I had a little extra cash to throw away :). I like PowerDVD and it does a lot of stuff. PowerDVD is well worth the money I spent for it, but really VLC does everything I need and it is free.
Compared to costly programs like PowerDVD, VLC is a great program and I would give it two thumbs up. You can check out VLC by downloading the software from their website: http://www.videolan.org/vlc/
Reference:
Videolan.org. (2014). VideoLAN features. Retrived from http://www.videolan.org/vlc/
GIMP Review
Much like Photoshop, GIMP is an image editor allowing the user to manipulate images to their desires. While they are similar in function they differ in ease of use. GIMP was easy to download and get started on. The best part is that it is free.
GIMP will take a bit of time to figure out just like any other new software; however, when compared to Photoshop, GIMP may require a bit more time. GIMP is a bit complicated and does not have all the advanced features that a user would find in Photoshop. File management is also more difficult in GIMP, especially if the user is attempting to manipulate more that one file at a time. You get what you pay for. As previously mentioned GIMP is free and therefore lacks supportability.
GIMP is lightweight not requiring a lot of data space to utilize. Although GIMP does not offer all the features that Photoshop has, it does offer a lot and can be very useful for an amateur who is willing to take the time to learn the software.
To try GIMP out for yourself, download the free software from their website: http://www.gimp.org/.
GIMP will take a bit of time to figure out just like any other new software; however, when compared to Photoshop, GIMP may require a bit more time. GIMP is a bit complicated and does not have all the advanced features that a user would find in Photoshop. File management is also more difficult in GIMP, especially if the user is attempting to manipulate more that one file at a time. You get what you pay for. As previously mentioned GIMP is free and therefore lacks supportability.
GIMP is lightweight not requiring a lot of data space to utilize. Although GIMP does not offer all the features that Photoshop has, it does offer a lot and can be very useful for an amateur who is willing to take the time to learn the software.
To try GIMP out for yourself, download the free software from their website: http://www.gimp.org/.
Week 3 assignment
Week 3 Assignment
DUE: Oct 26, 2014 11:55 PM
Grade Details
| Grade | N/A |
|---|---|
| Gradebook Comments | None |
Assignment Details
| Open Date | Oct 20, 2014 12:05 AM |
|---|---|
| Graded? | Yes |
| Points Possible | 100.0 |
| Resubmissions Allowed? | No |
Monday, October 13, 2014
GigaOM Review
Brian W. Williams blogged on his Top 10 Blogs Following Web 2.0 listing number 2 as GigaOM as a site that he follows. A quick search reveals that GigaOM's main purpose is to "humanize the impact of technology and provide deep insight on disruptive companies, people, and trends". According to GigaOM's page more than 6.5 million people access GigaOM monthly. As I look over the article titles I can quickly assess why so many people come to see what GigaOM has to say. All of the articles strike at emotional topics and puts out some of the dirty laundry.
TechCrunch Review
Brian W. Williams blogged on his Top 10 Blogs Following Web 2.0 listing number 1 as TechCrunch. Williams summarized TechCrunch as a sight that reviews new companies; however, as I reviewed the blog site, I noted that not all of the reviews were for new companies. The site also blogs on older companies giving updates on new things they are doing such as Flickr who "Now lets you turn your photos into wall art", Facebook with their new Stickers, or an integration with Office and OneDrive. The site also blogs on news referencing technology like the blog regarding the flight attendants union that sued the FAA. This blog site has some good information, but I would not necessarily look to it specifically for information on new companies.
Assignment Details
Assignment Instructions
Instructions:
· Read the article by
Marshall Brain, called How Blogs
Work
· Watch the video called:
Blogger: How to Start a Blog http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bU4gXHkejMo&feature=related
· Go to blogger.com
and create a basic blog.
· Read at least two blogs
listed on the review called The Top Ten Blogs Following Web 2.0, by Brian
Wynne Williams.
· On your blog, write a
brief summary of each blog you read (at least two) and post these summaries as
separate blog entries.
· Find an image and YouTube
video, which you find interesting and relates to Web 2.0, and insert it into
your blog.
· Post the URL for your blog
into the Forum for week 2.
· Read over the blog of at
least one peer and provide a substantive comment on each summary written there.
· Set up an RSS feed in
your blog for at least one peer blog, as well as for one Web 2.0 blog summarized
above.
Submission Instructions:
Submit a substantive comment on each summary written.
Your blog address link.
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