Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Information & Networks

Recently, we heard a lecture about information and networks. We learned about three different network laws known as Sarnoff's Law, Metcalfe's Law, and Reed's Law. I agree most with Reed's Law. This law explains the power of social media and the various groups that form because of network affiliations. Reed's network law is all about social networks and relates to the Web 2.0. Social networks are ingrained in every part of our lives. We are constantly connected with everyone and everything. The more people that use the Internet and social media the more important the network is. I agree with this law because it is so relevant in my life. I use social media daily and believe that the more people that use it, the more important it becomes. No one wants to miss out on anything, so people rely heavily on social media. 

In five years, our society will be much more advanced than it is today. Everyday new technologies are being created. I think that we will be able to receive information even faster than we do today. We will have more technology that will make life easier. I think social media usage will continue to increase especially with products and businesses. Whenever you have a question about a business or product you can look on Facebook to find out more about the product and see reviews that others have posted. This is a great way to receive new information and it can only continue to grow. It will be exciting to see how technology continues to improve in the upcoming years.  

Thursday, February 5, 2015

Why We Blog

In today's society, blogs are very popular. They allow people to express their thoughts and feelings to the world through the Internet. In the article Why We Blog it states, "Bloggers are driven to document their lives, provide commentary and opinions, express deeply felt emotions, articulate ideas through writing, and form and maintain community forums." This article explains that after a research study on bloggers, they believe these are the main reasons that bloggers blog. Two of the motivations on why people blog stuck out to me: documentation and commentary.
The first motivation to blog mentioned in the article was to document your life. I think this is a great way for people to keep in touch with one another. Blogging about your life will allow friends and family who live far away to stay updated on your life without directly talking to them. People get busy and do not have time for hour-long phone calls, so instead they can go online and read blogs to get updated.
The second reason people enjoy blogging is because they want to provide commentary about a subject. People are passionate about different subjects. Everyone has a different passion and that is what makes blogs so great. If you just saw a movie and wanted to describe it to someone you could make a movie blog. People who were about to go see a movie could go on your blog and see what is the best one to go see in your opinion. There are many other types of blogs that provide commentary this is just an example.
            Blogs are an ideal way to express yourself. I like how the article states, “Part of the allure of blogs is the easy way they move between the personal and the profound.” You get to know others by reading their blog and listening to their opinions. I enjoy reading blogs and finding new ideas.