Blog #15

In the “Copy, Paste, Remix” article, the author describes the growing trend of Myspace profiles and the users’ incorporation of various codes and modes of media to portray a sense of individuality or expression. The profiles include images, photographs, music, games, and text and achieve the portrayal of these through the utilization of copy and paste formatting codes. It is thought to be a “collective, social process” even though the individual is essentially in control only in tension with the efforts of others. Therefore, the entire Myspace phenomenon is perpetuated by a web of intermingling users who are generally inexperienced with the entire process. The article also references bandwidth stealing - the using of different media without permission that in turn costs the provider. Through the use of a few images, the article demonstrates a before and after of this example (however the picture of the “cat poop” was a little unnecessary...). Remix culture and appropriation are also noted within the article. I thought this article was pretty informative, though I’m not sure it really drove the point home...the conclusion was a bit fuzzy. However, as a short lived Myspace user in the past, it is funny to note the evidence of this misuse and confusion of codes, etc. within the community. The Basic Design Principles article and the Bad Design article both provide basic techniques and ideas with regard to creating a website - tips towards a professional looking website. Alignment, proximity, repetition and contrast are all considerations necessary to be taken when creating a website. Additionally, elements of bad design include all caps text, break lines, faulty links, etc. I do not feel too strongly about either one of these articles because they read like manuals or how-to books. Overall, both articles are applicable to the EWM major and post-graduate because of the advancements in technology within the publishing and editing industry.