Exegesis

This Exegesis will critically contextualize the choices made in creating this Web Presence markssoundlab. This will outline the choice for the selection of Blogger as my central node outlining its user-friendly function. The overall look of the Web presence utilizes a constant colour theme throughout markssoundlab. The contributing nodes selected support the intention of this Web Presence to create a space for sharing and collecting music.

O’Reilly (2005) writes that the blogosphere as a collective utilizes the Web 2.0 tools to employee a ‘we the media’ approach employing a universal intelligence. The motivation to create markssoundlab expresses a ‘we the media’ approach to collecting music. A large amount of commercialized music is available through social network sites. There is an extensive network of user-generated music unpopular with the mainstream media; the intention of markssoundlab is to connect to this type of music.

The central node selected for markssoundlab is a Blogger page the rationale for the selection of this platform is largely usability. From the research undertaken exploring other platform layouts Blogger presented to be the most user friendly to navigate. Blogger allows to easily add widgets and badges compared to wordpress for example which presented obstacles. Interconnectivity to other platforms through Blogger far of weighted the choice of using another platform. Using a blog as a central node provides the option to present detailed reviews and the exploration of ideas without the limitations of space. 

Markssoundlab Blogger layout is modeled on the single column theme seen on the Google | official blog page. This combined with a white back ground has the heading and the image at the top of the page (http://googleblog.blogspot. com.au/). Included on the right side bar are additional nodes with a clean background providing an easy to follow layout. This layout allows for straightforward user experience with most of the information available from the opening page without the user having to scroll to find badges.

Within Blogger the template selected is from the simple section named Live on Blogger. Selecting a single column template allow for additional node badges to be added to the right side bar. From the advanced settings the selection for text the use of classic Arial black with size nine font. The heading font is Courier with electric blue colouring. The backgrounds of the nodes have a base of white supported by a based blue colour theme. The over look and feel attempted to be created within this Web Presence is smart and simple. 

The profile picture selected is a digital image of sound waves using bright electric blues Grassby, J The photo “Nirvana – Lithium” (2006). The overall colour plate is consistent to the theme extending across the Web Presence. The concept behind the colour plate is to match the profile image. Combined with the use of badges, which are also themed to digital blue colours. Kennedy et al. (2007) suggest that public photo sharing on The Flickr website provides an archive for viewing, interacting and searching billions of images. Utilizing this network the selection of a profile photo comes from Flickr.  This employed with the exercise introduced in Content Sharing searching through the advanced setting of Flickr searching for images with a creative commons licensing agreement.

The centralized component of the Web Presence process began by creating a Google account. The assignments central and additional nodes Blogger, YouTube and Goggle Plus are all platforms owned by Goggle. Originally creating a Blogger page where the about page was linking back to my personal goggle plus account. This need to be addressed as the requirements of the assignment would not be meet under this structure. The realization was established to restart the process and create a Google profile and start building. The creation of a new Goggle account was possible using the assigned Curtin email address.

The profile name markssoundlab was checked using the name check platform introduced in week ones topic what’s in a name. This proved an effective time saving tool allowing confirmation in one space that username was available over various popular Social networking sites (http://namechk.com).

The selection of the additional node Soundcloud provides connectivity to musicians and also allows for additional nodes to be added within the profile. Soundcloud is a progressive and user-friendly Web 2.0 music platform.  It allows for connection to new music and listening to new tunes with a few simple actions. The search engine is easy to use has great flow where your able to search and then click thought to listen without the complexities that are associated with Myspace.

There is lots of great music that is easily accessed without the dominant of advertisements. Blood (2000) explores that filtering packaged mass information for consumption can identifies unique, overlooked, interesting and surprising content. Soundcloud is an example where the user has the ability to connect with content without the hype from the mainstream media. It is important to note the choice elected to not use Myspace as a music platform because it is heavily dominated by advertising.

Twitter selected as a contributing node supports the connectivity to fast moving conversations. The option of observing what is trending and following people of interest is an important element for selecting this node supporting the concept of connecting to new music. The structure of social networking sites places the individual at the centre of their own community within a composition of networks (Boyd & Ellison, 2007). Twitter is an extension of the individual being at the centre of the social networking community.

YouTube account created easily from my Google profile, this node provides viewing music videos as a feature. YouTube provides many of the social networking sites elements that assist with forming a community. Within YouTube selection of a blogger template, which feature a single line page, set up. This is in keeping with the other themes chosen which also uses a single column format. A feature of the blogger template within YouTube is that is displays reverse chronological listing of most recent posts (http://www.youtube.com).

In the exegesis I have contextualized the choices I have made in markssoundlab Web Presence assignment. This outlined my choice of blogger as a central node while also identifying design choices such as template and colour plate selection.

Reference List

Blood, R (2000). Weblogs: a history and perspective Retrieved from https:// lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_group=courses&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Fcontent%2Ffile%3Fcmd%3Dview%26content_id%3D_2100499_1%26course_id%3D_35129_1%26framesetWrapped%3Dtrue

Boyd, D & Ellison, N (2007). Social network sites: Definition, history, and scholarship. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 13(1). Retrieved from: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1083-6101.2007.00393.x/ full

Grassby, J The photo “Nirvana – Lithium” (2006). Retrieved from http://www. flickr.com/photos/sloejoe/290847992/ 

Jeffries R, (2009) The photo ‘Ishot-4.jpeg Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com /photos/11212719@N07/3885566912/in/photostream/

Kennedy, L., Naaman, M., Ahern, S., Nair, R., & Rattenbury, T. (2007). How Flickr helps us make sense of the world: context and content in community-contributed media collections. Proceedings of the 15th international conference on Multimedia. Augsburg, Retrieved from http:// infolab.stanford .edu /%7Emor/research/kennedyMM07.pdf

O’Reilly, T. (2007) What is Web 2.0 Design patterns and business models for the next generation of Software. Retrieved from http://oreilly.com/web2/archive/ what-is-web-20.html