Week 10 #23

I really enjoyed using ihcpl. I loved learning about tags, rss feeds, and podcasts. There was a lot I didn't know! I think doing these exercises has helped me to become more knowledgeable about computers and what the Internet has to offer. I didn't realise all the things that were out there. I'm really glad that I did this!

Week 9 #22

I liked the Wowio site the most. Of all the sites I believe they had the most selection. I will most likely make an account with them later from home. It will take a while to explore all the differences. I didn't know that you could download movies for free. Of course they aren't the blockbuster hit movies, but I'm sure if you look around enough you could find some good stuff to watch.

Week 9 #21 Podcasts

Podcasts are a wonderful way to get all kinds of information. If you're an auditory learner like me its really nice to hear a voice rather than read about something online. Plus with Podcasts you can listen to the news or commentary and do other things at the same time. I subscribed to the Harey Potter podcast called Mugglecast.

week 9 #20

I've been using Youtube for a long time now and I just plain love it. It has music videos, comedy, TV show clips! It is one of the best things that has come out of the Internet in my opinion. This is one of my favorite clips:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFFTwnYXI20

Jim Gaffigan stand up comedy about Hot Pockets!!

Week 8 #19

Zoho writer is an extremely useful web-based application. It universalizes word, powerpoint, and all the programs that students and many people use all the time. It was really neat and interesting because I really didn't know things like this existed.

Week 8 #18 Social Networking

Social networking has simply exploded in the past few years. I remember when I begun high school in 2002, the huge social networking sites pretty much didn't exist yet. By the time I graduated, practically everyone in my class had Myspace, Facebook, and Livejournal accounts. I have accounts with all three sites as well, and I like them for different reasons.

Myspace is great for finding people because it is the most popular. You can pretty much find anyone you are looking for if they are into current technology. You can decorate and personalize your own page, add videos and music, and the possibilities are almost limitless. Almost any design or theme will work on myspace. If you really like to decorate your profile page then Myspace is great! It was the first social networking site that allowed you to add pictures, have a blog, send email messages, and instant messages. It was a HUGE collaboration of what everyone wanted out of internet socializing, the ability to personalize, have pictures, and use an email system. With the emergence of myspace, separate email accounts, AIM (instant messaging) accounts, and blog accounts became somewhat obsolete.

Facebook is another wonderful social networking site. It is a little more confusing to use at first, but once you get the hang of it, you realize it is much more organized than Myspace. Facebook is updated more frequently, is more secure, and has better privacy options.

One thing that has made Facebook a lot better recently are the Facebook Applications. These little gadgets allow you to have an interactive aquarium on your profile, send virtual flowers, poke, post pictures, videos, cartoons, etc... there are so many applications it would be impossible to describe them all. My personal favorite is the Sorting Hat application, which allows you to take a personality test which places you in a Hogwarts house and you can cast spells on your friends to raise points for your house. It is really hilarious.

There are also Facebook groups which have become really popular lately.

All in all, social networking ROCKS!

Week 7 #17

Technology... it surrounds us all.

It's inescapable. It's flawed and perfect, dangerous and safe, fundamental and innovative all at the same time. It will never stop changing. Technology is the wheel, the pencil, the boat, the machine, the factory, the computer, the spaceship, it is what always has, and always will push us forward, it is what separates us from all other species.

Technology is the product and physical manifestation of mankind's most prized possessions,

human consciousness, human thought and the human brain.