Classify the blogs and One example of Flog with news of Computer Software and New Technology

Image: Slashdot

               Another famous blog, like “Slashdot”, is also similar with “Engadget” but also focus on computer’s software and new technology. However, the blog’s photos are smaller than that of “Engadget”. The blog is still a fake blog that is not personal blog but to promote some computer software and new technology. The blog lists the most updated or popular news in the first page with a short introduction in different classification. Like the famous blog “Global Grind”, there is a short introduction in each posting. When the reader clicks in the posting, the posting would show the news in details.



               Also, the blog allows the readers to register, login in as members and login to social networking website, Facebook and Twitter. Like “Engadget” and “Global Grind”, the readers can leave comment in the blog. However, at the bottom of the blog, the links of another website are less than that of “Engadget” and the blog classifies the news in a list of dates.

Reference:
Online Slashdot 15 August 2010 http://slashdot.org/  

Classify the blogs and One example of Flog with news of Music, Fashion and Entertainment

Image: Global Grind

               Blogs have many types. There is another example of top famous blog “Global Grind” which is mainly about music, fashion, entertainment and flog. Like another types of blog, “Global Grind” also allows netizen (reader) to register and login in this blog to give comment in different topics. At the bottom, this links different topics of another websites. Also, this blog is still a fake blog that is not real blog but promote the news of music, fashion and entertainment like an online magazine.

               However, this blog is relatively more interesting by more large photos, like six photos shown circulatively at the top, the most updated postings would be at the first page in short introduction with different classifications. All of that make the blog so relaxing and attractive. If the readers click in a posting, they can read the posting in details and be available to login in social networking website, like Facebook.

Reference:
Online Global Grind 15 August 2010 http://globalgrind.com/

Classify the Blogs and One example which combines Audioblog, Moblog and Flog

Image: Engadget

             Blogs are part of the social network in media and have many types. Most of the blogs are mainly in text; some blogs’ postings are mainly about audio (audioblog), mobile (moblog), photos (photoblog) as well as flog (fake blog which is not real blog but website for selling products or services).

             For example, the top famous blog “Engadget” is included about the news and comment of the bloggers about mobiles, another electronic and electrical appliance. In fact, this is also a flog (fake blog) that just to sell some brand’s products, like an online magazine. This blog combines as moblog, audioblog and flog. The netizen (reader who involve in online network) can register and login in as a member of the blog to share the comment about the products in a posting and increase the flow of information after reading. Furthermore, each posting can let netizen to share comment by linking to some social networking website, like Facebook, Twitter. Then the netizen can login in to share comment in this website. And at the bottom of the blog, this links different topics of another websites’ hyperlinks.

Reference:

Online Engadget 15 August 2010 http://www.engadget.com/

New forms of media publishing, e.g. newspapers, magazines are online as well as printed format—Newsweek

Image: Wikipedia --Cover of the first issue of Newsweek magazine

            In fact, in traditional mass media, even they have a long history and a lot of readers; they build up their own websites to increase influence. Another example is the second largest news weekly magazine in the USA, Newsweek, which was founded in 1933 and built up online website in 1990. Now Newsweek is published in four English language editions and 12 global editions written in the language of the circulation region (source from Wikipedia).



            Unlike Apply Daily, although Newsweek has magazines in printed format and buit up their website, they face the losses in sales in recent years (source from Bad Credit Loan Doctor). With the competition of another online websites’ updated news and bad economy, Newsweek’s details are less interesting than others even Newsweek has online website. For example, their website does not like Apple Daily to upload news report in cartoon videos. Less interesting website would get less revenue in advertising. Another famous magazine, like Time, also has similar problem. We hope they would improve their financial problem in the future.

References:
1. Online Newsweek http://www.newsweek.com/
2. Online Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_online_magazine_archives
3. Online Bad Credit Loan Doctor 15 August 2010 http://www.badcreditloandoctor.com/washington-post-selling-newsweek-to-staunch-its-losses-richard-adams/

New forms of media publishing, e.g. newspapers, magazines are online as well as printed format—Apply Daily

Image: Wikipedia

           In recent years, the traditional mass media, e.g. newspapers, magazines, want to expand their influence. They gradually build up their own websites, especially new forms of media publishing. For example, the second largest Chinese newspaper (in circulation) in Hong Kong, Apply Daily which was founded in 1995 and built up online website in 1998 (source from Wikipedia).

           Although Apply Daily publishes newspapers in printed format every day, the newspaper has so much updated news on their website. In their website, they keep record for the past several years’ news. Also, they make so many cartoon videos to enhance the news’ description. Many of the cartoon videos are uploaded in Youtube to increase the influence of news report. Furthermore, Apply Daily let readers give comment to their news report. So, Apple Daily may have more influence than other newspapers.


          Other newspapers are also similar with Apple Daily to upload past news report and let readers give comment.

References:

1. Online Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Daily

2. Online Apple Daily 15 August 2010 http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/template/apple/sec_main.php

Designing for print versus Designing for online—the role of writers and readers

Image: Tree Hugger

            Traditional mass media like newspaper and magazine, as “designing for print” let the role of writers and readers very clear. The writers make articles in the publications. And then the readers buy the publications to receive the information



            However, online websites, as “designing for online” make reading like an interaction of readers and writers. Online websites make people publicize their knowledge more easy. The role between readers and writers become more and more unclear. Many online websites let readers to give comment, especially in blogs. Once a website is built up, the readers can easily to give comment immediately after reading. Also, readers receive information and knowledge from another websites. At the same time, the websites’ writers are the role to build up their own website. The writers’ purpose of building up websites is usually to conclude and share their knowledge from reading another websites.


           Although newspaper and magazine also have interaction between writers and reader (like the readers give comment in some articles on the publications), they need to wait for next issue to publish the readers’ comment. So, the speed is slower than that of online websites.

Designing for print versus Designing for online—the most important part

Front Cover of  a famous magazine "Newsweek" in USA.

Image: Wikipedia

    “Designing for print” means how to design in traditional mass media, like newspapers, magazines, etc. which are printed out to sell to readers. And “designing for online” means how to design in online website.

As traditional mass media, the most important part of newspapers and magazines are the headline (the first page of newspaper) and front cover (magazine). This part is usually a decisive part for the sales of these mass media. So, these mass media usually show the hot topics in this part.

Both of newspapers, magazines and online website need sharp colours and photos to highlight important points to keep readers interesting. However, unlike newspaper and magazine, website is shown details on the screen of computer. And the screen is to show the left hand corner first. So, this is a F-shaped pattern which is a pattern for people reading in browsing websites. The most important things on website should put into the left hand corner, especially the first page.

Image: Online News

How blogs affect our community --Demonstration of protecting Cantonese in Guangzhou

Image: Wikipedia. The poster: Cantonese speak Cantonese

            
                  Blogs as a media to link the people with each other, especially mainland China, where do not have press freedom. So, blogs as a role break through the limitation of the Chinese Government to link up people’s comment in network (unlike other mass media, e.g. newspaper, magazine, which are controlled by the Government).

             For example, in July, 2010, there is a demonstration of protecting Cantonese (a dialect in China, mainly speaking in Guangzhou, Hong Kong) to controvert the adoption of Putonghua (Chinese national language) in Guangzhou TV Station. Blogs are the main media to organize this demonstration. From the Wikipedia, the signal is that in July 2010, the CPPCC Guangzhou Committee officially submitted a proposal to Guangzhou mayor Wan Qingliang, which suggestd that GZTV, a Guangzhou TV station should increase Putonghua programming by either adopting Putonghua as its primary programming language or converting all prime-time programs into using Putonghua and serving reruns in Cantonese. The purpose of the proposal is to enhance construction of soft environment before Guangzhou Asia Games 2010.

Image: Mak Blog. The Demonstration of
Protecting Cantonese in Guangzhou

             However, to the Cantonese, there is a suggestion to abandon speaking Cantonese and force to adopt Putonghua in TV program. So, blogs as a role organize people to hold demonstration of protecting Cantonese in Guangzhou. Hong Kong also has a similar demonstration of protecting Cantonese. From Wikipedia, general opinion in Guangzhou supports the demonstration. But the Chinese Government said the demonstration was illegal. At last, the Government ignores the proposal of using Putonghua as primary programming language in Guangzhou’s TV program. Everything remains unchanged on the language policy in Guangzhou. However, in mainland China, after the demonstration, the Government forbade searching any comment about protecting Cantonese. Most of the mass media in China do not report the demonstration. However, this raises a social movement of protecting Cantonese (and other Chinese dialects) in Guangzhou, Hong Kong and other Chinese cities as well as all around the world.

Reference:

Online Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_controversy_over_proposed_increase_of_adoption_of_Standard_Mandarin_by_Guangzhou_Television

Analyze how blogs affect our community

Image: Wikipedia

          
          A blog (or "web log") is a type of website or part of a website. A person usually maintains blogs to input commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video regularly. However, the postings are normally displayed in reverse-chronological order. (source from Wikipedia)

           Most blogs are interactive to let readers give comments. So many blogs are personal online diaries and some blogs are commentary or news on a particular subject which combines text, images, and links to other blogs, web pages, and other media related to its topic. (source from Wikipedia)


          
          Blogs are a sign of the rise of network culture which break through the limitation of other media. As the appearance of blogs, this would be a media to communicate the information with anther people, like hobbies, personal living, social movements, etc.. From the statistics of Wikipedia, as of December 2007, blog search engine Technorati was tracking more than 112,000,000 blogs.

Reference:
Online Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog