The future of newspapers is a hot topic right now, but my personal opinion is that they will be around a lot longer than people might think.

There are a lot of people in the world who have learned to appreciate the freshly printed pages of a newspaper. I don’t that print will ever completely die out. At least not in my lifetime.

While the Web is a great place to go for news and there is an endless amount of it, I find that newspapers are more appealing when I am on the prowl for local news.

Plus, after reading them my eyes don’t hurt. It doesn’t matter how gentle the color combonations on a Web page are on my eyes, I always feel a headache coming on after I’ve surfed the Web for too long.

And while most newspapers have their own Website now, sometimes the pages have too much stuff going on. Even the newspaper from my small hometown has it’s own Website now. And there’s a lot going on, just on the first page.

Newspapers have an appeal that news on the Web does not. They are not overwhelming, and they can give you what you’re looking for.

One problem could be that the multimedia included on your Website is the focus of the page, and its not working. Multimedia should add to information already on the page, that way if it is not working properly,  peope are still getting the information they need.

It is also important to maintain your Website for these reasons. If you have a page up on the Web, you should check it periodically to make sure all of your links and multimedia extras work.

Another problem with multimedia is that there could be too much. It is one thing to add a short video or audio clip to add to a section of your page, but if there are colors flashing everywhere and sounds blaring that you don’t know how to stop.

Plus, having an extreme amount of multimedia on your page takes up a lot of space on  the Web and may cause the page to load slower. And no one likes to wait for their page to load.

Because it is so easily to copy and paste, and even mimic entire Website layouts, almost anyone can post information that appears to be credible and valid.

For example, these two Websites for the New York Times seem very similar. However, the first one is the actual site, while the second one is at imitation of the real page.

Though the two seem to be true New York Times pages at first, but if you look closely you can see that many of the links are wrong and some small formatting errors are wrong.

Also, the mock-site is dated for July 4, 2009, which leads me to believe that someone put this site together in hopes that these issues will be on the front page come July 4.

While the sites are similar and both look credible, it is important to make sure that the sites you are looking really do contain true information.

Also, when you look at the URL, is it correct or is it a little off?

For example, if you type in a URL very quickly but misspell something, the site you are taken to could be something similar, but not exactly what you were looking for.

Or, you could be directed to something completely different. For instance, youtube.com and utube.com are two completely different sites.

This statement by Tim Berner’s-Lee is pretty close to being a fact. I think it applies to many people in many different ways.
For example, this statement appliest to me in many different ways: If a teacher doesn’t have a Web site for a class, or doesn’t even answer email, it might as well not even exist.

Also, the pictures that I take and want to show my mom or friends might as well not exist unless I can send them, or post them for them to see.

Web sites like Flikr allow people to post their pictures for their friends, family and others to see.

For other people, especially those who are involved in online communities, their hobbies and some friends could not exist without the Web.

Musicians trying to put themselves out there would have a tough time if they couldn’t create their own sites to promote themselves, like my friend Andrew Heringer, or at least use Myspace or Facebook to put themselves out there.

The Web is a place for people to exist. By putting pieces of their lives on the Web, they are showing what makes them who they are and are solidifying their existence in the world.

Codes and brackets and embedding… These words sound like gibberish to me. Hopefully some of these things become easier for me to grasp within the next several weeks.

I really think that knowing the basics of the Web is something that can really optimize my potential as someone who will be graduating soon and heading out into the job market.

The amount of news and other information that is available on the Web is growing everyday. This helps companies reach broaden their audiences and makes information more accessible to more people.

Therefore, I think being able to successfully build and operate a basic Web page is a great skill to have. I am hoping that I can turn my fear of codes and brackets into a an expert skill that I can put on a bullet on my Web resume.

While this stuff means nothing to me right now, I plan on using patience and trial and error to educate myself and create something I can be proud of.

I think that the things we are most intimidated by can often turn into things that we can use to our advantage. Hopefully conquering my iweberacy will be one of those things.

Not only do people read less on line, they write less as well. I even notice that I do it, but it’s hard to keep up with!

When my homepage comes up, I’ll usually scan the headlines quickly before moving right along to checking my email. If there’s something that interests me, I’ll click on it. But if I get lost or there aren’t any interesting photos, I almost immediately click the back button.

For me to actually read a story through and scroll all the way to the bottom, it takes something really interesting.

I have also found that it’s hard to keep up with the language that has come with the fast paced on line world. These little acronyms are constantly popping up in email, text messages and even in everyday conversations.

Knowing the basics, such as BTW= by the way and LOL= laugh out loud, is almost essential when it comes to on line communities and public forums. These also appear in text messages and I have even heard my best friend say “OMG” recently.

The Web is changing language all together. At some point we may be conversing with acronym after acronym instead of actual sentences.

Though television is still the go to media for most people, the gap has definitely already been formed between new and traditional media, and there are definitely people who stand firmly on one side or the other, many members of both sides are beginning to realize that they have much to learn from each other.

For example, many journalists standing on the side of traditional media are learning from the techniques used by bloggers of the new media. While journalists usually interview the experts and head honchos for their stories, the bloggers go for everyday people to back their main points.

Bloggers are also teaching journalists to make their writing more conversational, instead of just throwing a bunch of information in the reader’s face, even if that information is accurate and newsworthy. Journalists are learning to use the Web to their advantage.

Many writers are finding that by adding a video clip online to go with their print story, it makes their story more reader friendly and humanistic. Through bloggers, journalists are learning that they can use the new media to their advantage, and not just be afraid of it.

While some traditional journalists are making an effort to join the new media and agree with David Weinberger that the Web is a place to play well with others and news is more like a conversation, there are still those on the other end of the spectrum.

These people take the side of Andrew Keen, and agree that the Web is more of a place for narcissistic people to spout corruptive nonsense; a complete mockery of the traditional media. These people, often referred to as neo-Luddites, would much rather stick to their sticks-and-bricks communities instead of the millions created online.

These people are part of those who are not a part of the online world because they choose not to be. There is a whole other sector regarding this new technology that doesn’t participate because they can’t. These “have nots” are 53% of people on the other side of this digital divide.

Though the Internet seems essential to the “haves” who have access to the online world, it is not to the people who aren’t able to connect to the internet, or even own a computer. Just because these people aren’t able to access information on the Web doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t try and keep it available to them.

Sometimes these “haves” view themselves as superior simply because they have the ability to use and play with a tool such as the Internet. 

While some are on the bandwagon, some are barely holding on to the side and some refuse to even watch is pass by, I think that the most important thing traditional media should do to retain existing audiences and gain new ones is EVERYONE deserves to get the news. EVERYONE deserves to know what is going on in the world around them.

If the traditional media remembers this and strives to keep everyone in the loop, then they will converge with new media when need be while also catering to those who still need and appreciate traditional means of getting news.

Traditional media should keep up with the rapid growth in technology but should also stay in touch with their roots. There are plenty of people out there who rely on traditional media, whether it is because they have to or they prefer to.

The digital divide has proven to be unavoidable, which is a huge reason why I believe that traditional media shouldn’t be left behind. New and old media should work together to develop ways to bridge this gap and stay connected. Because whether its new media or old, that is the main point anyway: to stay connected.

My mom has always told me, “If it’s something you wouldn’t do or say in front of me, then you probably shouldn’t do or say it at all.” And of course I shrugged it off but every so often my mom’s voice pops into my head.

Sometimes I wonder if any of my friends’ parents have ever told them that. Or maybe they’ve heard it and just don’t really care.

All I know is that if I’m ever unsure about something in life, whether it’s contemplating skipping class or deciding what information to include on my facebook page, I can hear my mom’s words.

Personally, I’ve found that less is more when it comes to public forums on the Web. I mean, it’s a great place to network with friends and even to meet new people, but some things should be shared with real friends that you actually see, not everyone who can click on your name.

Chances are, if my mother wouldn’t approve, neither would a future employer. And thanks to the fact that the Web is literally a time machine, it’s not hard for them to find the dirt on you.

This article on JobMob points out the top 8 things that employers find when they google potential employees. Not only can they pick up on your drinking habits, they also become aware of your poor communication skills and see the smack you’ve been talking about past employers, friends, professors, etc.

This stuff never disappears. Using the Wayback Machine, you can even see the front page of the Sac Bee from 1996.

No matter how many times you delete it and try to make it go away, it’s always going to be there for someone to find if they’re willing to look hard enough.

So please, listen to my mother.

This is almost true. I feel like I don’t have much time for friends, especially when I have to work Saturdays. Maybe this is why I’m constantly texting them or talking to them on line, trying to keep up with their lives. Or maybe that’s just an excuse…

When I get to work everyday, I’ll check the company email and log in to the programs I need to be in to get things done today. But I also check my Facebook to see if anyone is on Facebook Chat and sometimes even sign into AOL Intstant Messanger so I have a friend or two to chat with while I work.

I always make sure to get tasks done at work, but maybe I could be getting more done if I wasn’t making an effort to keep in touch with friends while I was there. Of course, on busy days, I’ll skip it all together.

On the other hand, I don’t feel guilty about it at all. I think keeping in contact with my friends throughout my busy days really keeps me sane and on my toes. Sometimes I feel like if I wasn’t keeping in contact with them through texting and instant messaging I would barely ever talk to them.

While I hope I can get used to balancing work and play, I should also get used to living in this fast paced world.

In this physical community, people are supposed t support each other and preserve the health and quality of the piece of land that their town occupies on earth. That way everyone could get along and have something in common to care about and be proud of. To create a sense of comfort and security, perhaps.

For example, The Chico Chamber of Commerce‘s Web site states that one of their goals is to promote the community of Chico in a positive light. They are doing this by creating events for the people of the community to get together and spend time together. By doing things like this, they hope to create a sense of closeness between the citizens of Chico while also creating a welcoming environment for people not from Chico.

But recently I have discovered that community is not so much of a physical thing anymore. How can people be out promoting the community they physically live in if they are busy sitting at home on their computers, engaged in their online communities?

Instead of being involved in the events put on by their towns and cities, people are busy chatting online with people they have maybe never even met, but trust and perhaps genuinely care about.

For example, Slim Fast’s Web site has a link for people who are looking for support with their weight loss goals. This section of the site is labeled “My Community.” Like a physical community, the point of these groups are to create a sense of a common goal and positivity. Instead of getting out and going to the gym and maybe joining a weight loss class their, people can be in the privacy of their own home and discuss their issues on a message board.

I have come to realize that communities are not just physical anymore. They can be found in every town and city, but also on many sites on the Web. There are more community options for people who aren’t exactly the go-out-and-get-’em kind of people. But should it really be this easy? What about the physical communites in each town? Are they being overlooked?