Kind of feels nice to know that we're done the last assignment for the year.
Thanks for reading and hope you guys all have an amazing winter break!
-Heather
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Tout fini
Alright...I think I'm pretty much done here!
Kind of feels nice to know that we're done the last assignment for the year.
Thanks for reading and hope you guys all have an amazing winter break!
-Heather
Kind of feels nice to know that we're done the last assignment for the year.
Thanks for reading and hope you guys all have an amazing winter break!
-Heather
Friday, November 28, 2008
Proper netiquette
According to Rutgers there are 15 rules to proper e-mail netiquette. http://mmlweb.rutgers.edu/music127/basic/email.htm
1. Beware what you write – remember that anything you say can be forwarded to anyone who has also has an e-mail
2. Think before you act – “The immediacy of online communication begs for irrationally instant outbursts. Written notes have greater permanence than intemperate utterances”
3. Be concise – keep your messages short, brief and to the point
4. Don’t send chain letters – unless you know the person will want it, most people really don’t like to get junk mail
5. Don’t Spam (mass dissemination of unsolicited messages) – it’s just annoying
6. Don’t spread hoaxes – check to make sure information you are sending is accurate before you send it
7. Do not type in all capital letters – IT’S HARD TO READ AND LOOKS LIKE YOU’RE SHOUTING ALL THE TIME.
8. Write and type well – As mentioned before, proper grammar and spelling does make a difference as to how you are perceived.
9. Be complete – remember that writing an e-mail is not the same as speaking. Some things may not seem obvious when written in text.
10. Do not overuse acronyms – this makes it very difficult to understand your message…and not all people understand every one.
11. Use line breaks between paragraphs – this simply makes messages easier to read, whether printed out or on the screen.
12. Fill in the subject line – especially for people who receive many e-mails in one day, it is easier for them to organize and prioritize the messages which come in. They are also easier to find again, once they have been filed.
13. Keep replies short – in terms of quoting past emails (i.e. an ongoing conversation), you should delete any part of previous emails that you do not refer to in your response. This keeps communication quick and easy for the other person to follow.
14. Send the entire URL – it is easier for the person to access the page if the hyperlink is already on the page. Otherwise they would have to copy and paste it or search for it on their own.
15. Sign your work. - People like to know who it is they are communicating with.
1. Beware what you write – remember that anything you say can be forwarded to anyone who has also has an e-mail
2. Think before you act – “The immediacy of online communication begs for irrationally instant outbursts. Written notes have greater permanence than intemperate utterances”
3. Be concise – keep your messages short, brief and to the point
4. Don’t send chain letters – unless you know the person will want it, most people really don’t like to get junk mail
5. Don’t Spam (mass dissemination of unsolicited messages) – it’s just annoying
6. Don’t spread hoaxes – check to make sure information you are sending is accurate before you send it
7. Do not type in all capital letters – IT’S HARD TO READ AND LOOKS LIKE YOU’RE SHOUTING ALL THE TIME.
8. Write and type well – As mentioned before, proper grammar and spelling does make a difference as to how you are perceived.
9. Be complete – remember that writing an e-mail is not the same as speaking. Some things may not seem obvious when written in text.
10. Do not overuse acronyms – this makes it very difficult to understand your message…and not all people understand every one.
11. Use line breaks between paragraphs – this simply makes messages easier to read, whether printed out or on the screen.
12. Fill in the subject line – especially for people who receive many e-mails in one day, it is easier for them to organize and prioritize the messages which come in. They are also easier to find again, once they have been filed.
13. Keep replies short – in terms of quoting past emails (i.e. an ongoing conversation), you should delete any part of previous emails that you do not refer to in your response. This keeps communication quick and easy for the other person to follow.
14. Send the entire URL – it is easier for the person to access the page if the hyperlink is already on the page. Otherwise they would have to copy and paste it or search for it on their own.
15. Sign your work. - People like to know who it is they are communicating with.
A Whole New World
So, in my Human Geography class, I learned about how languages were used to give people a shared sense of identity. Western Europe, for instance, is grouped as such because the dominant languages of those countries have a common ancestry – Latin. The same goes with the Middle East – Hebrew/Arabic….and the Orient (but I forget what their language was called).
As a result, I realized that, in this sense, E-mail and internet users could also be identified as a community…if I’m correct, e-mail was the first mainstream, online networking and communications tool to be introduced to the world…as such, the use of a common e-language is what was able to bring people together and identify them as a particular community.
Lol. Wtf. Omg. Rotfl. Before these terms were appropriated by pop culture, for instance, and used in the spoken language (as they are today), they were only used online…and as a result, in order to know and understand what they meant, you had to be an active e-mail user. This created a language boundary between those who existed in the physical world and those who also existed in the virtual realm…which, in turn, further defined e-mail and internet users as a distinct and separate community. I remember when I was younger and had just got my first e-mail account, for instance, I didn’t know what half of these acronyms meant! (I thought lol meant “lots of love”…so I would use it every time to when I signed out at the bottom of the page). As a result, in order to communicate with others and become a part of this community myself, I had to learn the language.
Another thing which helps define e-mail and internet users as a separate community is the fact they also have a commonly understood code of behaviour; this is what is called netiquette (internet + etiquette). I actually found a list of 15 rules to proper netiquette which I will post on a separate blog.
As a result, it is clear we can see that e-mail was much more than just a tool for communications. Although it is slowly being replaced by other social networking sites as a method for online communications (Facebook comes to mind), it is evident that, without it, the world we have today would not be quite the same.
As a result, I realized that, in this sense, E-mail and internet users could also be identified as a community…if I’m correct, e-mail was the first mainstream, online networking and communications tool to be introduced to the world…as such, the use of a common e-language is what was able to bring people together and identify them as a particular community.
Lol. Wtf. Omg. Rotfl. Before these terms were appropriated by pop culture, for instance, and used in the spoken language (as they are today), they were only used online…and as a result, in order to know and understand what they meant, you had to be an active e-mail user. This created a language boundary between those who existed in the physical world and those who also existed in the virtual realm…which, in turn, further defined e-mail and internet users as a distinct and separate community. I remember when I was younger and had just got my first e-mail account, for instance, I didn’t know what half of these acronyms meant! (I thought lol meant “lots of love”…so I would use it every time to when I signed out at the bottom of the page). As a result, in order to communicate with others and become a part of this community myself, I had to learn the language.
Another thing which helps define e-mail and internet users as a separate community is the fact they also have a commonly understood code of behaviour; this is what is called netiquette (internet + etiquette). I actually found a list of 15 rules to proper netiquette which I will post on a separate blog.
As a result, it is clear we can see that e-mail was much more than just a tool for communications. Although it is slowly being replaced by other social networking sites as a method for online communications (Facebook comes to mind), it is evident that, without it, the world we have today would not be quite the same.
E-dentity
In its most general sense, the term “identity” is used to describe who a person is, and how they perceive themselves (Identity, 1988). As we all know, there are many different elements which contribute to the construction of a person’s identity; things such as the clothes one wears, for instance, the activities one takes part in, the language one uses, as well as one’s ethnicity, values and culture all have different meanings and are used as social tools to classify and identify people.
Online, however…it’s impossible to construct an identity the same way. This is simply because we don’t have access to all the information that we do when we meet someone in real life. As a result, instead of judging people by their accents, clothing or overall appearance, when dealing with email, words and language become a very important factor the identification process.
Not that i’m a fan of generalizations, but…for the purpose of this assignment…i thought i’d give it a go, anyway. In general, it was found that those who write their emails and instant messages kinda like this paragraph here….are perceived as “normal” (normal in the sense of being quite average). So…people who sometimes forget to use their punctutation….or dont always follow proper grammatical rules, fall under this catagory. Although they may have a couple speling mistakes here and there, the key is that the message is still legible and intelligible. Common short-hand acronyms, such as “lol” or “omg” are also used by these people.
On da other hand…ppl who use lots of short cutz =) or have lotz and lotz of spelling mistkes…or grammer mistakes…or over use da emoticons =p r often seen as younger in age=D…but are also taken less seriosly as others =(. This is understandable…bcz good writing skillz reminds people of skool…skool reminds ppl of education…and education remids ppl of smart ppl….as a result, even if I wuz explaining quantum physics (or sumthing rally smart like that)…if i wrote it like dis….u would probably question my credibility as a smart person…u would wonder, for instance, if I actually no wat i’m talkinga bout?
As a result, one can assume that individuals who write with proper grammar and spelling techniques, as well as those who utilize an extensive and complicated vocabulary are often seen as more intelligent, professional and mature than the average person. Contrary to the quantum physics example, even if I wrote about the repulsive odour expelled from feces, it can be argued that I would still be perceived as sophisticated and intelligent, if I wrote like this.
Truly, the way one is portrayed and perceived online all depends on the words one chooses and the way in which one presents themselves.
According to a study done by Heisler and Crabill (2006), a person’s email address also has an influence on the way people are perceived online. For instance, in terms of gender and ethnicity, it was found that those with creative usernames, such as stinkybug04 and OCaptainMyCaptain002, were perceived to be white males. In terms of personality, these people are also seen as more fun, extroverted and exciting than others. People with plainer user names, on the other hand, such as SarahBaker86 and J_Johnson, were seen as more serious and productive. According to Heisler and Crabill, “these results suggest that email usernames may shape perceptions when other, nonverbal cues are absent.”
Heisler, J. M. & Crabill, S. L. (2006, November). Who are “stinkybug” and “Packerfan4”?: Email pseudonyms and participants’ perceptions of demography, productivity and personality. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communications 12(1). Retrieved October 27, 2008 from Communication & Mass Media Complete Database.
Identity. (1988). In D.O. Bolander et al. (Eds), The new lexicon Webster’s encyclopaedic dictionary of the English language (p. 481). United States: Lexicon Publications.
Not that i’m a fan of generalizations, but…for the purpose of this assignment…i thought i’d give it a go, anyway. In general, it was found that those who write their emails and instant messages kinda like this paragraph here….are perceived as “normal” (normal in the sense of being quite average). So…people who sometimes forget to use their punctutation….or dont always follow proper grammatical rules, fall under this catagory. Although they may have a couple speling mistakes here and there, the key is that the message is still legible and intelligible. Common short-hand acronyms, such as “lol” or “omg” are also used by these people.
On da other hand…ppl who use lots of short cutz =) or have lotz and lotz of spelling mistkes…or grammer mistakes…or over use da emoticons =p r often seen as younger in age=D…but are also taken less seriosly as others =(. This is understandable…bcz good writing skillz reminds people of skool…skool reminds ppl of education…and education remids ppl of smart ppl….as a result, even if I wuz explaining quantum physics (or sumthing rally smart like that)…if i wrote it like dis….u would probably question my credibility as a smart person…u would wonder, for instance, if I actually no wat i’m talkinga bout?
As a result, one can assume that individuals who write with proper grammar and spelling techniques, as well as those who utilize an extensive and complicated vocabulary are often seen as more intelligent, professional and mature than the average person. Contrary to the quantum physics example, even if I wrote about the repulsive odour expelled from feces, it can be argued that I would still be perceived as sophisticated and intelligent, if I wrote like this.
Truly, the way one is portrayed and perceived online all depends on the words one chooses and the way in which one presents themselves.
According to a study done by Heisler and Crabill (2006), a person’s email address also has an influence on the way people are perceived online. For instance, in terms of gender and ethnicity, it was found that those with creative usernames, such as stinkybug04 and OCaptainMyCaptain002, were perceived to be white males. In terms of personality, these people are also seen as more fun, extroverted and exciting than others. People with plainer user names, on the other hand, such as SarahBaker86 and J_Johnson, were seen as more serious and productive. According to Heisler and Crabill, “these results suggest that email usernames may shape perceptions when other, nonverbal cues are absent.”
Heisler, J. M. & Crabill, S. L. (2006, November). Who are “stinkybug” and “Packerfan4”?: Email pseudonyms and participants’ perceptions of demography, productivity and personality. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communications 12(1). Retrieved October 27, 2008 from Communication & Mass Media Complete Database.
Identity. (1988). In D.O. Bolander et al. (Eds), The new lexicon Webster’s encyclopaedic dictionary of the English language (p. 481). United States: Lexicon Publications.
Loss of context in your typical e-mail conversation
(This blog refers to one of my last blogs “Your typical e-mail conversation”…so it would probably make more sense to read that one first)
When using e-mail, another common problem (which also results in the misinterpretation of online conversations) is the lack of understanding for the context in which the message is written. Unless you literally explain the factors that are affecting the construction of your message (i.e. you are in a rush, stressed out, in a good mood or working in a noisy or uncomfortable environment, etc), the other person is forced to justify your words for themselves. The problem here occurs when this justification is inaccurate.
Throughout the week that Dan and Sarah had been e-mailing each other, for instance, Sarah had other things on her mind. On November 13th, Sarah’s sister, Kylie, was involved in a car crash, and has been in critical condition at the hospital ever since. Dan did not know this, however, and as a result, instead of seeing Sarah’s unenthusiastic responses as a result of stress and sorrow, he understood them as rejection. In his eyes, the fact that she had “stuff to do” and the fact she had “something come up” at the last minute were just excuses not to see him.
When an email is written, the message is twice removed from the subject by whom it is written. Firstly, your thoughts and feelings are transcribed into a literary form, thus removing it from its association with the physical and human body…and secondly, that message is then decoded by someone else at the receiving end, who is interpreting it in a completely different space. Abstracted from the conditions under which it was written, an e-mail message (or any other literary message, for that matter), is more subject to the interpretation of the receiver, than anything else.
This reminds me of what Sturken and Cartright (2001) talk about in Practices of Looking; the meaning of an image is influenced by 1) how viewers interpret it, and 2) the context in which it is seen. In terms of its meaning, although a text-based message is usually more direct and easier to understand than an image, in my opinion, the same idea can be applied. As a result, in a way, I find that in order for e-mail communication to be very effective, you must construct the messages kind of as if you are dealing with international correspondents (something I learned in Organizational Behaviours). That is…if you want your message to be understood clearly, you must 1) use common/easily understood language, 2) be direct, and 3) keep it simple).
Sturken M. & Cartwright L. (2001). Viewers make meaning In Practices of looking: An
introduction to visual culture. Great Britain: Oxford University Press.
When using e-mail, another common problem (which also results in the misinterpretation of online conversations) is the lack of understanding for the context in which the message is written. Unless you literally explain the factors that are affecting the construction of your message (i.e. you are in a rush, stressed out, in a good mood or working in a noisy or uncomfortable environment, etc), the other person is forced to justify your words for themselves. The problem here occurs when this justification is inaccurate.
Throughout the week that Dan and Sarah had been e-mailing each other, for instance, Sarah had other things on her mind. On November 13th, Sarah’s sister, Kylie, was involved in a car crash, and has been in critical condition at the hospital ever since. Dan did not know this, however, and as a result, instead of seeing Sarah’s unenthusiastic responses as a result of stress and sorrow, he understood them as rejection. In his eyes, the fact that she had “stuff to do” and the fact she had “something come up” at the last minute were just excuses not to see him.
When an email is written, the message is twice removed from the subject by whom it is written. Firstly, your thoughts and feelings are transcribed into a literary form, thus removing it from its association with the physical and human body…and secondly, that message is then decoded by someone else at the receiving end, who is interpreting it in a completely different space. Abstracted from the conditions under which it was written, an e-mail message (or any other literary message, for that matter), is more subject to the interpretation of the receiver, than anything else.
This reminds me of what Sturken and Cartright (2001) talk about in Practices of Looking; the meaning of an image is influenced by 1) how viewers interpret it, and 2) the context in which it is seen. In terms of its meaning, although a text-based message is usually more direct and easier to understand than an image, in my opinion, the same idea can be applied. As a result, in a way, I find that in order for e-mail communication to be very effective, you must construct the messages kind of as if you are dealing with international correspondents (something I learned in Organizational Behaviours). That is…if you want your message to be understood clearly, you must 1) use common/easily understood language, 2) be direct, and 3) keep it simple).
Sturken M. & Cartwright L. (2001). Viewers make meaning In Practices of looking: An
introduction to visual culture. Great Britain: Oxford University Press.
Misinterpretation of your typical e-mail conversation
(This blog refers to my last blog “Your typical e-mail conversation”…so it would probably make more sense to read that one first)
So, in my last blog, I left you with an email conversation between Sarah and Dan. As it goes, it might have appeared that Dan likes Sarah (offering to help her with her homework…and asking her out to dinner)…but that Sarah doesn’t really like Dan (rejecting his offer and not encouraging conversation).
What Dan does not realize, however, is that Sarah actually does like him….and that it was the loss of context and physical communication cues (such as tone and body language) through using email, that caused him to misinterpret her messages.
One of the biggest problems with text-based communication, is that it is more difficult to physically express oneself than it is with face to face communication; although people may feel more confident communicating online (because they are not speaking directly to the person), when you are unable to use body language or other physical cues, it is difficult to encode exactly what it is that you mean or why you’re saying it.
When Sarah turned down Dan’s first offer to go out for tacos, for instance, it may have seemed like she was uninterested in going out with him in general. Had Dan spoken with her face to face, however, judging from her facial expressions and tone, he would have been able to tell that she really just didn’t want to go for tacos (she had a bad experience with Taco Bell when she was 8).
I realize this is something we must recognize when we write our own emails and communicate with people online. Because the receiver can’t hear what we’re saying, or see our reactions, we have to be careful and particular about what we write, and how we write it.
If I said, for instance:
“Hey, did you see that silver shirt on that mannequin yesterday? Hahaha! It was AMAZING! Think I should get it?”
Probably sounds like I really liked that shirt, right? But I was actually being sarcastic, and what I really meant was, “Did you see that weird poncho-looking thing in the window?…was that supposed to be a shirt? It’s the most hideous thing I think I’ve ever seen!”
We often forget that people may not understand our messages the way we want them to...and just because something seems obvious and common sense to us, this does not mean that it does for others. Each person has a different thought process and as such, we must learn to view online communications from a slightly different perspective. In this case, I think we kind of have to look at our messages for what they really are…just a screen full of words.
So, in my last blog, I left you with an email conversation between Sarah and Dan. As it goes, it might have appeared that Dan likes Sarah (offering to help her with her homework…and asking her out to dinner)…but that Sarah doesn’t really like Dan (rejecting his offer and not encouraging conversation).
What Dan does not realize, however, is that Sarah actually does like him….and that it was the loss of context and physical communication cues (such as tone and body language) through using email, that caused him to misinterpret her messages.
One of the biggest problems with text-based communication, is that it is more difficult to physically express oneself than it is with face to face communication; although people may feel more confident communicating online (because they are not speaking directly to the person), when you are unable to use body language or other physical cues, it is difficult to encode exactly what it is that you mean or why you’re saying it.
When Sarah turned down Dan’s first offer to go out for tacos, for instance, it may have seemed like she was uninterested in going out with him in general. Had Dan spoken with her face to face, however, judging from her facial expressions and tone, he would have been able to tell that she really just didn’t want to go for tacos (she had a bad experience with Taco Bell when she was 8).
I realize this is something we must recognize when we write our own emails and communicate with people online. Because the receiver can’t hear what we’re saying, or see our reactions, we have to be careful and particular about what we write, and how we write it.
If I said, for instance:
“Hey, did you see that silver shirt on that mannequin yesterday? Hahaha! It was AMAZING! Think I should get it?”
Probably sounds like I really liked that shirt, right? But I was actually being sarcastic, and what I really meant was, “Did you see that weird poncho-looking thing in the window?…was that supposed to be a shirt? It’s the most hideous thing I think I’ve ever seen!”
We often forget that people may not understand our messages the way we want them to...and just because something seems obvious and common sense to us, this does not mean that it does for others. Each person has a different thought process and as such, we must learn to view online communications from a slightly different perspective. In this case, I think we kind of have to look at our messages for what they really are…just a screen full of words.
Your typical e-mail conversation
The Premise:
For my next few blogs, I thought I’d analyze an excerpt from an E-mail conversation between two people: Dan (OCaptainMyCaptain002) and Sarah (SarahBaker86).
As I read their conversation, I thought about a couple things:
1. What is happening on the surface of their conversation? (what is literally being said?
2. What is happening below the surface? (are there any underlying messages being sent?
3. What do you think about each character – how would you describe each person and how are they perceived online?
Background Info:
Sarah and Dan are two students who are in the same math class. Earlier in the semester, they had been randomly paired to work on a project together; although they had a good time doing it, since they did not know each other very well, after the project was completed, they continued going their separate ways. Near the end of the semester, however, Dan and Sarah start to communicate with each other again. This is how their conversation goes:
16 November, 2008 – 4:02pm
OCaptainMyCaptain002
>Hey Sarah! How’s it going? Noticed you weren’t in class on Friday, so I grabbed some extra worksheets for you…we’re starting Chapter 10…trig identities…and it’s due next week. I can drop them off at your house later tonight, if you like?
16 November, 2008 – 5:47pm
SarahBaker86
>Thanks Dan, you’re awesome. How’s it going by the way? I’m probably not going to be home tonight …have some stuff to do. But if you’re in the neighbourhood, you can slip it in my mailbox. If not, though, don’t worry about it…I can just get them the next time I see you in class. See you next week.
17 November, 2008 – 3:14pm
OCaptainMyCaptain002
>Hey Sarah! Just making sure you got the worksheets I left at your house. Did you get them? Also, if you need any help with them, let me know.
18 November, 2008 – 1:08am
SarahBaker86
>Yeah, I got them. Sorry, I forgot to thank you earlier. And actually…if you don’t mind…I would like some help. I took a look at the sheets yesterday and none of it makes any sense to me. What time do you finish school on Thursday? I’m done at 2:20.
18 November, 2008 – 8:15 am
OCaptainMyCaptain002
>How about I meet you in the library at 2:40? My last class is all the way on the other side of campus. By the way…when we’re done, do you want to go for tacos or something?
18 November, 2008 – 5:43pm
SarahBaker86
>Hahah. 2:40 sounds great. But I think I’m going to have to pass on the tacos…I’m really not a big fan of Mexican food. Haha. Plus, I have some place to go afterwards. See you Thursday.
18 November, 2008 – 9:34pm
OCaptainMyCaptain002
>Hahah, ok, no Mexican food. But maybe we can get together some other time? What do you like…Japanese? Chinese? Greek? McDonalds? Haha.
19 November, 2008 – 5:24pm
SarahBaker84
>Hey, Dan. I’m really sorry but I don’t think I’ll be able to meet with you anymore, tomorrow afternoon. Something just came up. Have a good weekend.
What do you think is going on here? Drop a comment or answer the questions up top, if you like. If not…read my other blogs…and I’ll try to explain what’s happening.
For my next few blogs, I thought I’d analyze an excerpt from an E-mail conversation between two people: Dan (OCaptainMyCaptain002) and Sarah (SarahBaker86).
As I read their conversation, I thought about a couple things:
1. What is happening on the surface of their conversation? (what is literally being said?
2. What is happening below the surface? (are there any underlying messages being sent?
3. What do you think about each character – how would you describe each person and how are they perceived online?
Background Info:
Sarah and Dan are two students who are in the same math class. Earlier in the semester, they had been randomly paired to work on a project together; although they had a good time doing it, since they did not know each other very well, after the project was completed, they continued going their separate ways. Near the end of the semester, however, Dan and Sarah start to communicate with each other again. This is how their conversation goes:
16 November, 2008 – 4:02pm
OCaptainMyCaptain002
>Hey Sarah! How’s it going? Noticed you weren’t in class on Friday, so I grabbed some extra worksheets for you…we’re starting Chapter 10…trig identities…and it’s due next week. I can drop them off at your house later tonight, if you like?
16 November, 2008 – 5:47pm
SarahBaker86
>Thanks Dan, you’re awesome. How’s it going by the way? I’m probably not going to be home tonight …have some stuff to do. But if you’re in the neighbourhood, you can slip it in my mailbox. If not, though, don’t worry about it…I can just get them the next time I see you in class. See you next week.
17 November, 2008 – 3:14pm
OCaptainMyCaptain002
>Hey Sarah! Just making sure you got the worksheets I left at your house. Did you get them? Also, if you need any help with them, let me know.
18 November, 2008 – 1:08am
SarahBaker86
>Yeah, I got them. Sorry, I forgot to thank you earlier. And actually…if you don’t mind…I would like some help. I took a look at the sheets yesterday and none of it makes any sense to me. What time do you finish school on Thursday? I’m done at 2:20.
18 November, 2008 – 8:15 am
OCaptainMyCaptain002
>How about I meet you in the library at 2:40? My last class is all the way on the other side of campus. By the way…when we’re done, do you want to go for tacos or something?
18 November, 2008 – 5:43pm
SarahBaker86
>Hahah. 2:40 sounds great. But I think I’m going to have to pass on the tacos…I’m really not a big fan of Mexican food. Haha. Plus, I have some place to go afterwards. See you Thursday.
18 November, 2008 – 9:34pm
OCaptainMyCaptain002
>Hahah, ok, no Mexican food. But maybe we can get together some other time? What do you like…Japanese? Chinese? Greek? McDonalds? Haha.
19 November, 2008 – 5:24pm
SarahBaker84
>Hey, Dan. I’m really sorry but I don’t think I’ll be able to meet with you anymore, tomorrow afternoon. Something just came up. Have a good weekend.
What do you think is going on here? Drop a comment or answer the questions up top, if you like. If not…read my other blogs…and I’ll try to explain what’s happening.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
The not so instant medium?
http://tell.fll.purdue.edu/JapanProj/FLClipart/Adjectives.html
However, in terms of the actual conversations that take place and of the information sharing that occurs, I can't help but think how the responses we send via e-mail are not actually instant. Let's think about his. In order to reply to an e-mail, you must first read the message that was sent to you. Then you must interpret it, craft a response to it, and send it back. The thing is, there is absolutely nothing that is forcing you to respond instantly and, as a result, the messages we get back from people are not always their immediate responses.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tonigirl/2391732708/
Face to face conversations...now those are instant. The responses you get from talking to someone face to face are a lot more telling (and sometimes more honest) than what you get in an e-mail. First off, you can get a person's immediate reaction (whether they want you to or not), without having them say a word; you can read their facial expressions, body language and other physical cues. Secondly, if you ask someone a question face to face, they are expected to give you some sort of immediate response...and since not giving a verbal response is even a response, you can tell right away how they feel and what they think. You can't get much more instant than that!
http://www.leap2.org/Images/EmailIcon.jpg
Of course, I'm not saying that conversing through e-mail is a bad thing, and I'm certainly not implying everyone is out to manipulate what they say (because for the most people, this is not the case at all!). E-mail is still an extremely efficient medium of communication and if you are not particularly adept at public speaking or giving spontaneous responses, it is wonderful. What I'm simply doing here is trying to grasp and re-evaluate this idea of instantaneity. In my opinion, there is more to instantaneity than being able to send information really quickly, and by realizing this, I think we can broaden our understanding of the benefits, limitations and consequences (both positive and negative) of using this technology. Everywhere you go, e-mail is at work - at school, at work, in our communities, in our homes - but in order to fully understand its potentials and restrictions, I believe it is necessary to look at its different components, like this, and under many different lights.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
E-mail: The basics
To get started, I thought I'd first start with a basic list of pros and cons for e-mail use.
PROS
Convenience - Especially in the business world, you are not usually in the same place as the person with whom you wish to communicate. E-mail is a time-saving and generally less expensive way for people to exchange information.
Allows Asynchrony - Unlike attending board meetings and conventions, each person can decide when, where and how much time they will spend dealing with the information they receive.
CONS
Overload of Information - Because it is the sender who controls who are the recipients of the information, receivers are subject to an inbox full of junk mail and irrelevant information (i.e. "Fwd to all" function).
Loss of Social Skills - Relying on e-mail as a primary form of communication decreases one's ability and number of opportunities to converse face to face with others. As a result, they are not given the chance to develop social skill or become comfortable in social situations.
Loss of Context - Through reading and literary communication, important elements of oral communication (such as tone and body language) are lost. By its very nature, written information becomes fragmented and detached from its original context.
What now?
Once the basic pros and cons are identified, the questions begin to roll:
- To what extent to the pros weigh out the cons (or vice versa)?
- Overall, is e-mail beneficial to society? Or does it simply act to distance us from each other?
- Why, in a world with the capacity for instant video and satellite conferencing, do we still rely on/choose to communicate via e-mail and text-messaging?
- To what extent should human relations be compromised for efficiency and convenience of communication?
PROSConvenience - Especially in the business world, you are not usually in the same place as the person with whom you wish to communicate. E-mail is a time-saving and generally less expensive way for people to exchange information.
Allows Asynchrony - Unlike attending board meetings and conventions, each person can decide when, where and how much time they will spend dealing with the information they receive.
CONSOverload of Information - Because it is the sender who controls who are the recipients of the information, receivers are subject to an inbox full of junk mail and irrelevant information (i.e. "Fwd to all" function).
Loss of Social Skills - Relying on e-mail as a primary form of communication decreases one's ability and number of opportunities to converse face to face with others. As a result, they are not given the chance to develop social skill or become comfortable in social situations.
Loss of Context - Through reading and literary communication, important elements of oral communication (such as tone and body language) are lost. By its very nature, written information becomes fragmented and detached from its original context.
What now?
Once the basic pros and cons are identified, the questions begin to roll:
- To what extent to the pros weigh out the cons (or vice versa)?
- Overall, is e-mail beneficial to society? Or does it simply act to distance us from each other?
- Why, in a world with the capacity for instant video and satellite conferencing, do we still rely on/choose to communicate via e-mail and text-messaging?
- To what extent should human relations be compromised for efficiency and convenience of communication?
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
The Lost World
Change of plans. Even though it's no longer the latest or coolest form of communications technology, for the rest of the semester, I'm going to dredge up the lost world of e-mail. With cell phones and text-messaging and Facebook and Blackberries, no one really talks about e-mail anymore. We still use it, obviously, but it's old news. This is probably why I'm inclined to bring it up again; call me crazy, but I still think e-mail is one of the most essential and useful forms of electronic communication in contemporary society!
Let's face it; the developed world is running on constant overdrive. The way I see it, people are always competing to sell more mattresses, or produce longer lasting gum, or drive a better car than everyone else. We compete for scholarships, jobs, recognition, grades...you name it, people are fighting for it. As such, it is no wonder e-mail has become a huge part of our lives. We have this insatiable need for fast...rapid...instant communication so that we can keep up with everyone and everything that is going on around us.
It makes sense. Business people...professors...and even my friends...can no longer afford to wait for messages and documents to be sent through the old fashioned post; if they did, they would lose out because everyone around them would have already gotten the message 3 days earlier. Problem nowadays is that having instant access to knowledge is no longer an advantage, but a necessity.
Unless you sit to think about it, however, you don't realize how essential this seemingly simple technology is (and has been) to creating a successful and functional society. For the next three months, I'm going to look at the benefits, challenges, weaknesses, opinions...and whatever else I can find about the not-so-dead world of e-mail.
Let's face it; the developed world is running on constant overdrive. The way I see it, people are always competing to sell more mattresses, or produce longer lasting gum, or drive a better car than everyone else. We compete for scholarships, jobs, recognition, grades...you name it, people are fighting for it. As such, it is no wonder e-mail has become a huge part of our lives. We have this insatiable need for fast...rapid...instant communication so that we can keep up with everyone and everything that is going on around us.
It makes sense. Business people...professors...and even my friends...can no longer afford to wait for messages and documents to be sent through the old fashioned post; if they did, they would lose out because everyone around them would have already gotten the message 3 days earlier. Problem nowadays is that having instant access to knowledge is no longer an advantage, but a necessity.
Unless you sit to think about it, however, you don't realize how essential this seemingly simple technology is (and has been) to creating a successful and functional society. For the next three months, I'm going to look at the benefits, challenges, weaknesses, opinions...and whatever else I can find about the not-so-dead world of e-mail.
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