Blog post of Lecture 2!

Lecture 2

Today the focus was on web iteration and the different levels of media around us. I didn’t know how to refer to the different versions of the web but once explained I can definitely recognise them. Web 3.0 or the semantic web is just in its beginnings and to me it seems a bit creepy that computers will be tailored to the individual. I mean, I think it’s great in a way but to think a machine will know enough about me to plan an outing is weird! I would want to continue reading about general news content too and not just a complete focus on my interests which the semantic web provides through a concept called hyperlocalisation.

The jellybean entitlement activity that Dr Redman created was so clever! As well as great incentive to get everybody’s attention J. It’s funny how I do feel a sense of entitlement to online news. People are getting paid to put all these news stories together and I hop on and take it all in for free. It’s going to be interesting to see how the online newspapers will go once they go behind the “PAYWALL”. The ramifications of not paying for journalism may outweigh the benefits of getting it for free though. When it was brought up in the lecture that investigative journalism is dying because it’s too expensive, I instantly thought about all the stories or leads that might never be uncovered because of moolah! If a story needs to be told, there should always be funds available to back it up.


Also, it is quite interesting to me to see how organisations will create new business models to ensure the Australian media landscape doesn't go completely under. I'll be ensuring I keep up to date with that topic. 


BUT just a quick overview of the other points in the lecture: 

• Web 1.0 is the information web and the focus is on the companies. So pretty much just websites that show ads or perhaps contact details for a company. 
• Web 2.0 is the Social Web! This is the one I am most familiar with :) Pretty much just being a fan of facebook and using it regularly. The focus here is on social groups.
• The term prod-user was discussed and just defined as something where the mode of production is led by users or at leaser they are crucially involved as producers. 
• Web 3.0 Meta-tagging is really the cornerstone of the semantic web and it is just a special HTML tag that gives some details or main points about the web page. The focus of this type of web is definitely the individual.

I went to Tripod’s show at the Brisbane Comedy Festival (if you haven't heard of them check out their videos -Tripod's Youtube Channel) the other night and so much of the content and humour was sourced from media and more specifically new media platforms like the iPhone. I’ve become more sensitive to chatter around me about all this media stuff! I think my prediction about the course making me more critically minded is true. I’m looking forward to next week!