Go Backstage at the Oscars With a New App.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and ABC have designed a new application for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch that will offer users a preview of their favorite celebrities leading up to and during award time.

The "Oscar Backstage Pass" iTunes app will give viewers an opportunity to see their favorite celebrities at the 83rd Annual Academy Awards on February 27th for $0.99.

According to Mashable, the link will offer users access to pre-interviews, videos and live red carpet arrivals from different camera angles. It will also provide over 24 camera views from behind the scenes during the show.

The interactive app is designed to give users control over their viewing choices and offer them a more personal experience, reports AppScout.

Experienced Writers

I can't believe that my first grade is a blogger. The school's technology teacher has introduced blogging in their writing workshop series. For the sake of privacy I won't reveal his blog address, but it is amazing to me that children as young as seven are starting to navigate this arena already. What is even more remarkable is that the technical aspects of blogging such as logging in from different locations and uploading images are becoming second nature for kids. It makes me wonder if this generation will become better writers and communicators since they are exercising their skills more often with so many different forums.

In addition to blogging, children are sending emails, using instant messaging, and even corresponding through social media sites. Add that to all of the endless text messaging and kids are writing a lot!

Some English teachers may argue that the this type of writing is informal and may just be reinforcing bad habits but there are some studies that show otherwise. According to this article in the BBC News Children who use technology are 'better writers'. Children who blog, text or use social networking websites are more confident about their writing skills, according to the National Literacy Trust.

Another article reports that a study conducted by Coventry University in the United Kingdom, "found a connection between texting and superior literacy skills". This study identified that just the increased exposure to written language is a key factor to building better skills.

Perhaps all of these new technological opportunities will provide kids with advantages that my generation didn't have and in the long run they will be better writers. I know for sure that getting a generous head start will help their communication skills in some way and only time will tell exactly how.

Tips for Building a Better Vocabulary

Have you ever been at a loss for words? Not writer's block, but deciding on the best choice of a word. One of my biggest frustrations in the writing process is choosing better words. For me, the thesaurus in Microsoft Word is my best friend. However, there are various other ways to improve your vocabulary too.

Use the dictionary when your reading so you can look up new words you don't understand. Online dictionaries make this so much easier.

Commit to learning one new word a day You can sign up for a free subscription to learn a word of the day from Wordsmith.

Read, read, read. Read about different topics and then research words that you may not know. Variety is key here. Different material will expose you to different terminology.

Engage in word puzzles. Word puzzles, especially crossword puzzles, can help you build your vocabulary by deciphering different meanings and acquiring new terminology. There are many online word game websites that offer free word games. Shockwave and Terragame are two websites that offer free games that can help you build a larger vocabulary.

Use other internet resources. There is so much information available on the web. Vocabulary University is an online resource that offers additional tools and tips for improving your vocabulary. Word safari is another good site to help you expand your repertoire.

And yes, repertoire is a new word for me!

The use of "who" and "whom" made simple

The pronouns who and whom are frequently confused. Fortunately, there are easy ways to remember the appropriate uses of each. Who is the doer of the action or the subject of the sentence and whom is the receiver of the action or the object of the sentence.

Another way to check the correct use of whom is to substitute him or her in its place. If him or her makes sense then whom is the correct choice.

For example:

“John is the student whom I am working with.” I am working with him not I am working with he (he would not make sense) so whom is the correct choice.

To check the correct use of who in a sentence, try substituting he or she.

For example:

“Professor Elliot is the man who is teaching this class.” He is teaching this class not him is teaching this class (him would not make sense) so who is the correct choice in this sentence.

What is National Grammar Day?

It has come and gone this year but until now I had never heard of National Grammar Day. Apparently, March 4th has been designated by The Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar (SPOGG) as National Grammar Day. It is attracting a great deal of attention with bloggers and grammar-lovers everywhere. There are festive t-shirts, learning materials, and free e-cards to commemorate the the occasion. You can join the following on Twitter and even listen to a song honoring March 4th and cleverly entitled "March Forth". The video is a joint effort by Mignon Fogarty (Grammar Girl) and Erika Paul Carlson to promote the holiday and good grammar.




So next year how will you mark the occasion? If you're not sure, here are a few celebratory ideas from SPOGG:


1. Speak well
2. Write well
3. Kindly correct "catastrophic apostrophes"
4. Send friendly e-mails to newscasters who use "Between you and I"
5. Wear a National Grammar Day T-shirt

Until then, join SPOGG and help promote good grammar!

Remember Saturday morning cartoons?

I am probably dating myself with this post, but when I was a kid I really loved Saturday morning cartoons. They were something I looked forward to after a long week of school. Before the cartoons, I also remember watching the Schoolhouse Rock videos. They were Emmy-Award winning short videos that featured basic concepts of grammar, science and even math. The music was so catchy that I can still remember the lyrics in "Conjunction Junction" and "Lolly, Lolly, Lolly, Get Your Adverbs Here". I even recall learning a thing or two about grammar and the different parts of speech.

My own children have no idea about the novelty of watching cartoons only one morning a week or that the commercial breaks were educational. I searched around to give them an idea of what they were missing. I found some of the music and videos on YouTube. Here is one that brings back fond memories:



Grammar rules set to music, what a concept. ABC should bring back Schoolhouse Rock. How about cartoons only on Saturday mornings too?

Apostrophes

I understand the plural and possessive rules for using an apostrophe. However, I find the rules for apostrophe use a bit confusing when a word is plural and possessive. Recently, I searched on Google (as I often do) for more explanations about apostrophes and their proper uses. I found some great information and even a flowchart that explains, with examples and illustrations, how to use an apostrophe correctly. It simplifies apostrophe use with plurals, possessives and contractions. As a visual learner, the chart was quite helpful to me.

Flickr uses photos to point out numerous incorrect uses of the apostrophe. The images are quite funny and made me realize I wasn't as confused as others!

Grammar rules do not apply

A whole new abbreviated language, one without grammar rules, has evolved for the convenience of communicating quick short messages. Instant messaging (IM) and text messaging has become a popular way to talk using uncommon abbreviations or SMS (short message service). Learning text lingo may be similar to learning a foreign language. At least it was for me. There are no rule books, dictionaries or style guides to consult, only websites devoted to text message shorthand. Here are a few examples from txtDrop.com



So what are the effects of all this texting? Is it creating poor spelling habits? It seems that there are different opinions on the subject. In his book Txtng: the Gr8 Db8 , linguistic expert David Crystal reveals the findings of his study on texting. The Times article describes his research in detail. He also shares reactions to his study on his blog.

You can read a different view on the effects of texting in an article written by an English teacher in American Teacher on BNET.

These are two examples that give contrasting views on a new communication phenomenon. Modern technology has indeed initiated a new debate. One that I'm sure will engage grammarians, teachers, and linguists universally.

The English language is always evolving. New words are regularly added to the dictionary that reflect changes in culture and innovation. Remember when your teacher told you that ain't wasn't even a word. Well now you can find it in the dictionary.

Lessons Learned

It seems that the school-age rule I learned about not ending a sentence with a preposition is incorrect. According to the Chicago Manual of Style, a sentence can end in a preposition. I just recently discovered this, but unfortunately, I had already passed on some misinformation to my son. He is in the seventh grade and wrote a report on Ancient West Africa for school. He received an A and brought it him to show me. I was happy about the good grade but was curious about his work and so I read through the report. It was well done but I pointed out a few punctuation mistakes that his teacher had missed. I also commented on the incorrect use of a preposition at the end of the sentence shown here.

After I learned this bit of information about prepositions, I had to eat my words. I went back to him and told him I had made a mistake and that, in fact, there are instances when it grammatically correct to end a sentence with a preposition.

So in the end it was a lesson for both of us. One he learned much earlier than I did.

Technical Editors - not just proofreaders

Not everyone is familiar with the field of technical editing. A technical editor revises documents in more specialized subject matters such as science, engineering, or medicine. But a technical editor is much more than a proofreader. Their roles are broader than you might expect and computer technology has expanded the job functions of editors to include editing online documentation as well as printed text.

It is imperative that editors have an understanding of correct grammar and mechanics and document style and design. They must be able to support their amendments with warranted evidence from relevant style manuals. Editors also must understand a documents purpose and the needs of its users. They should view documents through the eyes of their readers. Consideration should be given to their audience’s language and culture. In addition, they should understand the legal and ethical rules of editing and commit to learning applicable developments in computer technology. Editors should be efficient in communication and establish collaborative relationships with writers and subject matter experts. Their goal should not be to simply point out necessary corrections but to effectively work with a team to deliver a proficient product.




Elliot, Norbert. “PTC 624 Lecture-Professional and Technical Editing in the 21st Century .”Podcast. NJIT iTunesU. (accessed Jan 22, 2010). “PTC 624 Lecture-Warranting Evidence in the Editing Process.” Podcast. NJIT iTunesU. (accessed Jan 22, 2010).

Rude, Carolyn. Technical Editing. Fourth. Pearson Education, 2006. Print.

Finding My Way

Just a few short months ago, I jumped into the blogging arena somewhat reluctantly. I knew blogging was an increasingly popular way to information share, but I pondered exactly what I had, or even wanted to offer. There are thousands of blogs out there covering almost every topic. I had some ideas on the overall theme but I needed to be more specific. Finding a distinct direction was my initial goal. So I did some research and found some great articles on blogging. This one on "how to be interesting" really helped narrow my focus.

I decided that my interest and further exploration in technical communication would be a good start. The constant development of new technologies, combined with their sizeable challenges, would offer limitless topics for a theme. I hoped to offer readers awareness and clarification in the advances that are being made with Web 2.0 capabilities. The new developments in this field are affecting personal and professional communication in countless ways.

So once I decided the theme of my blog, I then had to navigate the technical aspects of setting it up. Blogger made this process pretty simple. Although, adding a banner and customization was more of a challenge (good material for another post).

Then came the actual writing part. This proved to be the most challenging (and still is). For me, providing useful information to readers and using a conversational tone to relate my message has been difficult. Most of my educational communication experience has been the opposite, professional and to the point. I have made some progress in this area but will continue to work on it.

In addition, formulating posts proved to be extremely time-consuming. Some of my first posts required at least six hours of writing and rewriting. I only wanted to publish my best efforts. I also started adding images and links to my make my posts more interesting. Technically, this took practice but I became much more competent at this over time.

My blog has evolved over these past few months but there is still work to be done. My writing has improved but there is always room for growth. I would also like to track readers and encourage followers. I just started using tag labels for my posts which should at least help with others finding my blog. It's a start. One thing I learned through blogging is that you have to start somewhere.

image from istock photo

While Visions of Twittering Danced in My Head...

..along with Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube images...but no sign of sugarplums just yet.

The past few weeks I have not been doing any holiday shopping. I have been rather busy preparing a social media proposal for a communications firm that would like to launch a campaign in the new year. This is a great opportunity for my company, Connected Media, and the first of its kind.

I learned a great deal preparing this proposal and exploring social media. Here are a few noteworthy points that are clarified in my plan.

Social Media is:

-what consumers are responding to
-a tremendous marketing opportunity for every company willing to commit
-a powerful way to engage consumers
-accessible and fairly simple to use
-a way to broaden and target a company's reach
-a transparent way to increase a company's brand awareness

Social Media is not:

-a forum for direct product or service advertising
-a quick way to boost sales
-an instant way to create or repair an image
-a platform for boasting

I presented my proposal in the form of a website instead of a traditional text based design. This was beneficial to my client in several ways; it provided the ability to view several Web 2.0 interactive capabilities and their use in social media, to see first hand the integration of new technology and the effects on marketing, to grasp the concept of its uniqueness, and to realize the numerous mediums available.

I used Google sites and created a detailed strategy for my client to implement social media in 2010. Google sites is a fairly easy and free way to develop a website. There are many templates to choose from and it does not require an HTML code writing ability. Although some knowledge of this is helpful. Especially if you want to change your design beyond the template.

My home page presents an introduction and the left sidebar contains the navigation links that also serve as an outline for the plan. Here is an image of the welcome page.
















The first thing I designed was a logo for my client. It was important to establish a branding element to incorporate into several of the example media outlets I needed to create for the proposal. Both a website and a blog are important aspects of social media, as they are foundations for other channels to funnel through. In addition, an associate used the logo to develop several marketing materials - collaboration at its best. Here is an image of the logo and the business card designed by my associate:





I also provided mock ups of a website and a blog. This was time-consuming but I wanted to offer my client an image, using the logo, as a visual starting point. I used Blogger and Googles sites to produce the mock ups and then took screenshots using Snagit software. Here are the results:






The crux of the proposal explained the strategies and methods of implementing several other social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. I found some interesting videos that described the uses of Facebook that I included in my proposal. Although they were designed by Cyber Homes, the messages are the same for any company using Facebook.



The biggest challenges for this proposal were deciding which information to include and the best way to present it via a website. Social media has numerous platforms but jumping into all of them at once is not a good idea. Therefore, I offered foundational tactics that would enable my client to get started. At their request, I conveyed the proposal through a website which offers its own set of technical intricacies. There were many other issues to consider such as usability, navigation, and interactivity that are not necessary for a text based plan. The final result offers my client a plan in a clear, professional, interactive and user-friendly website.

My conclusions provided ways to leverage social media and measurement tools that can help monitor their efforts along the way. I pointed out that launching a social media campaign is a big commitment. It can also be a beneficial one if it is managed appropriately.

I am somewhat of a newcomer to social media but I am sure my client will not be disappointed with my approach. Although preparing this proposal was an arduous task, I am grateful to have had the opportunity. It was very enlightening. I often see the scope of technological change and progression in every day life. Until now, I did not really examine the role and the impact of social media on businesses. The changing landscape of how businesses can relate to their customers is creating new markets and steadily redefining traditional corporate marketing campaigns.

And that is just a bit more technical food for thought.


View the full proposal and offer your comments.

Collaboration

Do we ever have to leave the home? For me, it doesn't seem like it. I can grocery shop, pay bills, meet with my children's teachers, attend classes, and collaborate on new projects at work, all from my computer. I can even attend business meetings or participate in group ventures online. With the development of various collaborative tools, teamwork has never been more convenient.

I am currently working on an interesting project, a social media proposal. A few of my associates and I have used chat forums, emails, and bookmarking sites to exchange ideas for the drafting of our independent proposals. We all work from our own home base and have never met in person but are working on the same task.

Our first attempts to meet online and share ideas were via a chat room. A few participants, from different regions of the state, logged on to the chat but we had some technical complications. Our input was not transmitted immediately so it was a lengthy process to exchange information. We were still able to discuss initial design ideas of the project and how to package them.

Our second attempts via chat room worked much better and it proved to be more productive. Again, there were only a few participants, but we discussed strategies, missions, and tools that would help us design our proposals.

After our chat sessions, one of my colleagues and I discussed the collaborative process a bit further via email. We decided that we might be able to share pertinent information, expertise and research more effectively through email and/or telephone. We decided that there was an enormous amount of research that needed to be done for this project and that we could allocate the tasks. We divided up the topics and initially sent one another the links that were applicable. We then decided that using a bookmarking site (delicious) was a better option.

We eventually added the convenience of an "old" communication method, the telephone, to brainstorm about possibilities and strategies. We were looking for a way to be more efficient with our limited time and so it made sense to discuss them in a more conventional way. We both contributed a great deal to the idea sessions and it helped me formulate my outline.

We also shared our design skills for the proposal. I created a new corporate logo and my associate designed the marketing materials. Together, we created the branding elements to use within our own projects.

Although I can't speak for my colleague, the collaborative experience was beneficial for me and my efforts. There may have even been more information and skills to exchange had we not had strict time constraints.

In the future, writeboard and co-ment could be new Web 2.0 tools for collaboration purposes on this type of project. I had the chance to explore these just a few days ago for a different assignment. I was easily able to update and modify existing information. Collectively, a new document was designed for communication purposes.

Overall, I firmly believe that a team effort produces better content than that of a single person. Many new Web 2.0 capabilities have been created with this in mind, so that many individuals can work together for a joint purpose.

collaboration image from istock photo

Eye Tracking for Design

I recently read an article on eye tracking and how it relates to usability in technical communication. Prior to reading this article, my only knowledge of eye-tracking was the issue it presented for some children that struggle with reading. Sometimes children with eye-tracking issues tend to read at a slower pace. Research has led to exercises and techniques to help resolve eye-tracking issues in children.

Eye-tracking technology

Eye-tracking technology uses two different systems to collect eye movement data. The information collected from eye tracking technology can unveil habits of the human eye that otherwise may not be detected in other data collection tools. Two different types of hardware, head-mounted and remote systems, are used to record eye movement at any given moment and for how long the eye spends looking in any one place. Head mounted systems measure pupil glint to distinguish eye movement from head movement. Remote systems measure the position of the eye compared to a fixed point of reference. Because of this, remote systems, require the person's head to remain motionless. Recent innovations in remote systems are allowing for more head movement.

After data has been collected it is run through eye tracking software. There is a range in the eye tracking software, but most have some common features. Data can be compared in a video format like ERICA's Eye Gaze (TM), where eye movements and fixations are measured with a moving, small read x. In another format, data is tracked on x/y coordinates on a computer screen.

Information acquired through this technology

Data retrieved from this technology can be organized in different ways, but focus on fixations and saccades, which in turn give us the path that the eye follows - scanpaths. Eye fixations are points where the eye is focused on a specific point on a screen for a period of time (250 to 500 milliseconds). Fixations are examined for duration and frequency. Saccades are the movement of the eye between fixed points, which can last between 25 and 100 milliseconds). Together in sequential order, fixations and saccades are organized into scanpaths that allow for the tracking of eye movement that may not be otherwise attainable. Scanpath analysis can then be used to interpret how people visually proceed through a document.

How eye tracking is used for web and user interface design

As designers seek to increase usability in their websites, eye tracking could be that missing element that they need to consider. Web designers should utilize eye-tracking studies that examine web page screens and layouts and their effects on usability in order to create more efficient sites.

A study conducted by the Poynter Institute in conjunction with Stanford University tested 66 online newspaper readers' eyes and the conclusion was that readers "prefer text over graphics as entry points into Web sites. The research team concluded "... it appears a (news)paper provider's first and best chance to engage the reader is through text," this kind of eye-tracking information can be invaluable to an online newspaper looking to increase its viewership.

There are several examples and conclusions that further illustrate the importance of eye-tracking for website design as outlined in later collaborative study by the Poynter Institute:

• another major conclusion of eye-tracking studies show that people's first scan of a website is performed in "z" pattern in order to view all of the content before they continue on in a website.
  

• smaller text resulted in attentive reading, while larger text encouraged browsing
  

• Underlined information created distraction, bolder text for headings is more effective
  

• users preferred shorter blocks of text
  

• links should offers descriptions

• larger images (210 x 230 pixels) were preferred over smaller ones, when images and text are paired together they should link to the same location

In commonly used drop-down menus, eye-tracking research has shown that people read in a common scan pattern. Users largely tended to read the first couple of choices, then skip to the bottom and then conclude by reading the middle. In application for designers, they would want to put their most commonly used options at the top or the bottom of a drop-down menu in order to increase their ability to be located.

Unlike in drop-down menus, people's scanpaths do not always follow a similar pattern. User' s scanpaths differ based on the type of the website. Different websites cause readers to view and scan in different patterns. The orientation and purpose of the website changes eye-tracking in the user. Current eye-tracking studies seem to suggest that form may need to follow function for web sites to increase usability. In other words, the nature of the site needs to be in harmony with the viewer's scanpath for optimal usability.

Now that eye-tracking research is documented to support usability, there are many emerging companies that are offering eye-tracking methods to evaluate websites. Etre Limited measures users' eye movement in real time and converts the visual activity into heat maps. Heat maps use a color scheme to show what users are paying attention to and what they miss. In this two minute video, Etre demonstrates an eye-tracking session and its effect on usability.



Designers have always linked form and function but until recently, habits of the eye had not been fully considered for usability purposes. As designers continue to seek greater usability for their sites and solve usability issues, eye-tracking adds another facet to create the most effective websites. Eye-tracking research has a firm place in usability design.

My Blog's Revision

When I started blogging a few months ago, I entered a new medium in which I knew little about. At that time, I had only read a handful of blogs, none of which made a lasting impression. I began this blog for several reasons but specifically to explore the technical aspects of blogging. Simply put, how better to learn about blogging than to become an actual blogger.

I also started this blog to share information that I encounter as I continue my education in the field of technical communication. My intent "to explore and simplify the new innovations of technical communications in order to provide a valuable resource for others" has remained the same. However, while my intent has not changed, my blog's design and layout has evolved. As I learn new elements in relation to design, typography, color and css (cascading style sheets) I have incorporated these fundamentals in my blog.

For those of you that are following my blog, you may remember my initial design.

My first template was dark blue with a contrasting lighter text. I added "about me", "followers", and "blogroll" widgets to my sidebar. Initially, I added an image to further explain the title of my blog. I did not want it to be mistaken for a blog about food. I expanded the width of the blog by changing the outer wrapper 's html code to 792 pixels to move it away from the standard template. I created a personalized banner but adding it to the header was challenging. It would not fit correctly and was visually unappealing with this template. So in order to add the banner, I changed the template. This was my first revision.

Here is the basic new template without the banner.














Here is the revision with a banner. I used this design for several weeks. As I read more blogs and learned more about design, I simplified the header and removed the image as it did not add anything to the overall appearance.


















Once again I had to expand the width of the blog by changing the outer wrapper 's html code to move it away from the standard template and also to fit the width of the banner. I changed the banner to black and the font text to Gil Sans to make it easier to read. I moved the blog archive widget up to the sidebar for easier accessibility. I also changed the main background color to white to provide a better contrast.





















I also added a delicious tag so that my readers could access more information on the technical elements and topics that I blog about.



Here is an image of the next revision. I changed the titles and link text colors to blue to offer more distinction.

















As I continued my blog entries I included more links to outside resources and learned how to incorporate images from my computer and other websites. I used Snagit software to capture images that would enhance my posts and then uploaded them to blogger. I chose the size and layout of each image from this editing window.














My first screenshots were smaller and some of the details were not visible.






I started using the zoom button on my toolbar and creating larger screenshots for better images. I also added a border to frame some of the images for a more finished look.
In my final revision, I enlarged the text to a larger point size, increased the weight and changed the typeface to Times Roman to make it easier to read. I also changed my posts to archive daily so only one will be visible at a time. I also, started using meta tags to make it easier to find my blog. All of these modifications are apparent in this post.

My blog will continue to change as I discover new design techniques and other important aspects of technical communication. I hope it will provide a unique perspective on new information and provoke more food for thought.

Do You Know Your Learning Style?

Do you know your own learning style? Do you prefer text or pictures? Do you learn better by doing? If you're curious, you can find more about learning styles and complete a questionnaire to determine how you learn here. I completed the assessment and now have a better understanding of the learning methods that work best for my style.

I have developed a training website on the interview process that includes the methods that best reflect my style of learning. Based on my results, I am an active learner and learn best by doing. I have included a quiz on my site to engage active learners.

I am a sensing learner and prefer learning facts and connecting information to the real world. I have included facts on how to research prospective employers and provided a graph that makes a connection to the real world using current statistical information.

As a visual learner, I absorb more through images, charts and graphs. I have incorporated several visual examples. The graph above will help learners remember that researching a prospective employer is an important step of the interview process. On my home page, I included icons to to aid in navigation.

There is also a video that presents a visual representation of how to dress for an interview.



Throughout the site, I have used images of professionally dressed individuals to emphasize the importance of attire for the interview process.
























I included a color coded graph for important questions to ask on an interview. These questions can be role played with a partner for better retention and will further benefit active learners.







I am also a sequential learner and learn better when information is presented in linear steps. I added numbers to the various steps to help users when preparing for an interview.





Understanding and addressing different learning styles can determine the success of a website. With modern technology and software, websites can offer much more than text and can appeal to larger audiences by doing so. I have tried to accomplish this with my training website on The Basics of Interviewing.

What is a Picture Worth to You?

It is often said that a picture is worth a thousand words. According to Lynell Burmark, a researcher in visual literacy, a picture is worth more than 1000 words. Burmark believes it is worth 66,000 words since that is how much faster an image is processed by the brain than text. Web designers recognize this and are using it to their advantage. Illustrations, icons, and symbols are enabling web designers to forgo words and use images to grab the attention of users instead. The possibilities for creativity, in the form of imagery, are endless.

Icons
One example of this is the use of icons. Apple recently launched a new operating system, Snow Leopard. Their use of creative icons portray many new features that are offered with this system.






This icon represents Apple's move to a 64 bit capability, replacing the former 32 bit technology. In non-technical terms, this means that the Mac is faster, can hold more memory, and is more secure than ever before.

This icon stands for Grand Central Dispatch (GCD). In short, GCD helps developers make applications more receptive to user input and it demands less code, CPU time, and memory than previous systems, thus enabling the system to run more effectively (Think of it as a hub, as in Grand Central Station).

Open CL stands for Open Computing Language. Open Computing Language improves the speed and responsiveness of many of applications in different categories such as gaming, entertainment, and scientific and medical software.

Quick time X is the next generation media player. This new media player (complete with a new interface) launches faster and provides a higher quality video playback system.

The new technological advances in Snow Leopard are accurately depicted with a few icons. These icons enhance Apple's message, offer users another way to remember their latest additions, and exhibit their contemporary creative talents.


Illustrations
Sometimes, innovative illustrations can portray ideas uniquely. This diagram for a Dow article, from the website Makezine.com, presents a clever design that provides key information in the form of an image.

In this illustration, Dow Chemical, their scientists, and their scientific contributions are all pictured on the periodic table. The periodic table has been manipulated digitally to include photos of scientists.

To find out more information about a scientist and their role, you can click on a photo in the table and a short video will explain further their "fascination" in science and their work in the field.

The table is interactive and users can change the information according to an experts' name, a topic (as seen below), or the results of a poll on what fascinates others.


























And finally, to get back to the home page, this creative navigation icon is displayed.









These are just two examples of the effective use of imagery in Web Design. Creating memorable messages with illustrations, icons, symbols, charts and graphs can be a valuable way to communicate and leave a longer lasting impression. Images can support a topic, be used in place of text, or express a particular mood. If used correctly in regards to positioning, size, and connection, an image may well serve several communicative purposes.

Are you a Social Bookmarker?

There is so much information out there on the web. Finding information, saving it according to tags, and sharing it with others, is an easier task thanks to social bookmarking sites. Social bookmarking sites have grown in popularity. Delicious may be the one that is the most familiar but there are many more social bookmarking sites now on the web. Here is a list of the top 10 according to eBizMBA.



































When you register with a social bookmarking site, you can collect your favorite bookmarks, store, and organize them according to tags. Unlike traditional bookmarking that required you to use your own browser and save your favorites to only one computer, social bookmarking makes it easy for you to save your favorites to a website that you can access from anywhere.

Tagging your bookmarks categorizes them with short key words that describe your site and sorts them accordingly. Your bookmarks are usually public (unless you state otherwise) and you can share your bookmarks with users who are interested in the same information. You can build your own community with your family, friends, or coworkers. Bookmarking sites enable you to access the links that other users have tagged as their favorites to find information that also interests you.

I have recently created an account in Delicious to tag sites that are relevant to my coursework in Technical Communication. The sites that are the most useful to me contain pertinent information on blogging, web design, and writing in general. I often bookmark articles or sites that I will need to refer back to when I am writing on my blog or working on other assignments.


Some social bookmarking sites create a tag cloud that becomes larger as more people use the same tag. This is referred to as a folksonomy which is a ground up (created by users) way of cataloguing information. In a folksonomy, there are unlimited ways to tag the same information. Which is different from a hierarchy, that is top down, with only one way to classify material.

In Delicious, blue tags are tags you have in common with everyone else.

This new way of sharing information raises an interesting question from my current Professor, Mr. Ken Ronkowitz " Is social bookmarking a democratic taxonomy that allows the community to peer review the content of the Web or is it a disorganized collection of personal preferences?" In many ways it is both. There is a democratic theme that everyones' ideas count and they are free to tag any information they choose. However, it is not a error-proof system. Information that is not tagged according to the masses or misspelled will be lost.

Does popularity of the content necessarily make it the best or the most useful? The top box office movies are not always the best movies. So in some respects, social bookmarking is a collection of personal preferences or tastes that you consider to be significant. However, finding material can be much easier if you look for it through the tagging system. It can also be beneficial if you establish or join a network of your peers and gather websites and articles collectively on the same topic. Then the preferences are the same and tagging may be consistent.

New Web 2.0 features have provided us numerous ways to organize information. So where will all of this interactive sharing and gathering take us in the future? Will Web 3.0 offer new ways to use it? I guess we will have to just wait and see.

What is Web 2.0?

" I think it's fair to say that personal computers have become the most empowering tool we've ever created. They're tools of communication, they're tools of creativity, and they can be shaped by their user." Bill Gates.

This quote by Bill Gates could not be more true as collective changes are taking place in World Wide Web. Some refer to this change as the new web or Web 2.0. My definition of Web 2.0 relates specifically to the new applications that can be "shaped" by me. The applications are more useful, can be adapted to fit my needs, can provide information sharing with others, and can assist in every day tasks. Not to mention, many of them are free.

New applications are almost "made to order". There are different tools that appeal to different audiences. If you need something done, as the Apple commercial states, "there's an app. for that ."

Some new Web 2.0 tools such as blogs and wikis are helping companies improve collaboration with their consumers. In much the same way, individuals are using social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook for communication purposes. All of these tools are providing a connection and a way to share information. Whether companies are connecting to their customers or individuals are connecting to their friends, the tools themselves may be different, but the purpose is often the same.

An aspect of Web 2.0 that interests me is the ability for one site to accomplish several things at once, almost effortlessly. A site that I recently discovered and use every day is Dropbox. Dropbox can save my information, share it, and store it. Most importantly, it allows me to retrieve information from any computer with internet access. Dropbox can do all of this and the storage of the first 2 gigabytes are free. I am a slave to my computer and I never realized the impact of my dependence on a machine until it malfunctioned. I had not backed up my work and was I trying to meet a deadline when my hard drive went bad. I was in a real bind. In order to avoid this situation again, I installed Dropbox. It is easy to use and now backs up my files automatically. I only use it to back up my text files but you can also backup photos, emails, videos and and more.

One of the best features of Dropbox is that it syncs my files online automatically and across computers (that have an internet connection.) So now I can work from my laptop and my desktop. I can retrieve files from anywhere that has an internet connection, even with a Blackberry or an Apple iphone.

The feature that exemplifies the term Web 2.0 is the collaboration element. All of this information can be shared with others and can offer a collaborative workspace if necessary. Organizations, companies, and students can share material and work together on team projects.


Where will the next changes be for the World Wide Web? What will Web 3.0 look like? Some experts have labeled Web 3.0 as the Semantic Web. This change would improve search engines abilities to search for information based on context and your own interests and preferences. Tagging will also provide new resources to develop data-related based applications. In the future, widgets could possibly be combined to create personalized, functional web pages.

As for the future of computer and technology, Tim O'Reilly (recognized as creating the term Web 2.0) has commented that building systems that combine human and machine intelligence is a huge part of the oncoming future. My biggest question is will they finally be able to do the dishes?

Blogging on Bookman

Typefaces can help or hinder the communication process. There are many typefaces to choose from but they should match a documents purpose and function. In Avoiding Typeface Terrors, an article written by Kathleen Burke Yoshida, she identifies three important factors that help determine the appropriate typefaces for effective documentation in technical communication. The legibility, readability, and personality qualities of typefaces can enhance a documents message.

One of my personal favorite typefaces,


was designed by Alexander Phemister. Does it have the qualities that the article describes? It has an old style antique design with lighter stroke weight which gives it a more traditional personality.



You can determine if a typeface is legible if you can read a sentence by just seeing half of the letters.



In this example, Bookman is legible.




Bookman Old Style is a serif font. Serif fonts are better for longer lines since readers use the baseline to follow the text. The x-height, which is the body of the lowercase letters, is large so this also makes it simple to read. If you add to this, ample white space and a point size of 11 or 12 (for body text), then Bookman Old Style can be a good choice.