Starting a blog was quite simple for me as I am a blogger, but not an active, everyday user, although I do post new article from time to time. Designing has been an easy one for me as this blog is created within a few minutes. A smooth sailing with an opportunity to express myself, that is an experience someone can have.
I am able to tell people of why is it blogs are controlled and cannot have the freedom of speech without limitation and I am glad to do my part for the country. A person who does not understand will have a stand off and it is my job to disseminate this information to everyone.
This blog aims to indulge readers on the current communication issues through the internet disseminated through a clear cut, simple and understandable, that is what blog is all about, blogs are not suppose to be sophisticated machines, it should be user friendly, easy, and straight forward. It is truly a wonderful channel for people to post whatever topic they want to post in which is a good channel to share the same interest in their own respective fields.
Bloggers on the other hand have to be responsible when blogging and disseminating their message because in blogs, people can just post anything at all and if one should blog, blog responsibly as some topic are sensitive and should not be discussed openly, hence, one should be responsible to the community around, think when you are about to say something.
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Watch what you say…or blog
The contents of a blog is controlled by 3 acts of laws, the Internal Security Act (ISA), Sedition Act 1948 and the Official Secrets Act (OSA) but it is also given the chance to shine in the protection of the Federal Constitution, Article 10, freedom of speech, association and gathering, but it is subjected to clause 2, 3 and 4 of the Federal Constitution Article 10 and this article is further reviewed by the Federal Constitution, Article 152 (National language), 153 (Malay Rights) and 181 (Saving for Rulers’ sovereignty). I know what I write sounds complicated, but if one would understand, they will ask this question, then why they have the Federal Constitution in the first place if there would not be total freedom of speech?
“We cannot allow such matters flow through uncontrolled,” said the Malaysian Prime Minister, Dato’ Seri Hj Abdullah Hj Ahmad Badawi. He is referring to mediums that are considered defamatory to the government as it could cause unnecessary uprising, riots, racial fighting, religion and a lot more reasons. Well in this case, blogging is being looked at as a serious matter lately as recently two bloggers were arrested and charged under a defamation suit.
The laws are made to protect the interest of the country and for security and for people to breach these laws and question is wrong because Malaysia is a country colored by cultures and traditions. Offenders are to pay a heavy penalty if these laws are breached because the government cannot bear the prospect of people questioning what is defamatory and seditious.
If one would breach the OSA law, the maximum jail term is life imprisonment and one would just have to be suspected to be detained for 60 days or more under the ISA law if one is accused or thought to be defamatory which can affect national security.
So bloggers, beware of what you post, some will say that this is an act of human right violation of Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 19, freedom of speech and expression, but I say it is a way of keeping the peace of a country intact.
Sedition Act 1948. Viewed on 7 June 2007 at http://statutes.agc.gov.sg/non_version/cgi-bin/cgi_retrieve.pl?actno=REVED-290&doctitle=SEDITION+ACT%0A&date=latest&method=part
Constitution of Malaysia. Viewed on 7 June 2007 at http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Constitution_of_Malaysia#Article_10
ISA and OSA information. Viewed on 7 June 2007 http://www.hrw.org/press98/bck-brif/my-osa.htm
Warning article from PM via The Star Newspaper, http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2006/8/2/nation/15022918&sec=nation&focus=1
“We cannot allow such matters flow through uncontrolled,” said the Malaysian Prime Minister, Dato’ Seri Hj Abdullah Hj Ahmad Badawi. He is referring to mediums that are considered defamatory to the government as it could cause unnecessary uprising, riots, racial fighting, religion and a lot more reasons. Well in this case, blogging is being looked at as a serious matter lately as recently two bloggers were arrested and charged under a defamation suit.
The laws are made to protect the interest of the country and for security and for people to breach these laws and question is wrong because Malaysia is a country colored by cultures and traditions. Offenders are to pay a heavy penalty if these laws are breached because the government cannot bear the prospect of people questioning what is defamatory and seditious.
If one would breach the OSA law, the maximum jail term is life imprisonment and one would just have to be suspected to be detained for 60 days or more under the ISA law if one is accused or thought to be defamatory which can affect national security.
So bloggers, beware of what you post, some will say that this is an act of human right violation of Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 19, freedom of speech and expression, but I say it is a way of keeping the peace of a country intact.
Sedition Act 1948. Viewed on 7 June 2007 at http://statutes.agc.gov.sg/non_version/cgi-bin/cgi_retrieve.pl?actno=REVED-290&doctitle=SEDITION+ACT%0A&date=latest&method=part
Constitution of Malaysia. Viewed on 7 June 2007 at http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Constitution_of_Malaysia#Article_10
ISA and OSA information. Viewed on 7 June 2007 http://www.hrw.org/press98/bck-brif/my-osa.htm
Warning article from PM via The Star Newspaper, http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2006/8/2/nation/15022918&sec=nation&focus=1
Hey blog, where is my money?
In the new trend of blogging, comes, friendster.com, myspace.com, blogspot.com and many other websites that offer similar services. Yesterday, I was talking to a friend about blogging and she said she just deleted the tagged.com account (it is a form of blog), and that was her third blog account.
As blogging is a new trend, I come to a conclusion, in my own experience, everyone below 30 and above 12 years old that I meet, blogs, even one of my lecturer blogs! That shows how universal blogs are, even someone elderly can blog.
Blogs are being targeted as a channel for advertisements. In Malaysia, 2 advertising agencies, Nuffnang and Advertlets just started a specialized blog to promote their advertisements, showing how strong a blog could disseminate a message. These blogs is a potential source of income to bloggers which has the potential to earn big bucks – by blogging ONLY. So, what are you waiting for? Quit your day job and start blogging!
But then again, it is not that simple, a blogger needs to generate high readership in order to get paid the big bucks from a blog-advertising company. The more visitors the blog has the more money the blogger gets paid, simple. There are full time bloggers who has five to six blogs of different topics and get paid RM30, 000 a month (Blogging and big bucks).
Well, one can make money for sure, but the question is until when? Once upon a time, pop up advertising was a popular form of advertising through the internet but faded away as blog-advertisements came in. because of this new discoveries and changing trends, one would not know until when this blogging phenomenon will last.
References
Lee, S.W, 2007, Blogging and Big Bucks. Viewed on 7 June 2007 http://star-techcentral.com/tech/story.asp?file=/2007/5/29/itfeature/17847964&sec=itfeature
Hudson, D., Do Pop-Up Ads Still Work. Viewed on 7 June 2007 at http://www.vla-geo.org/do-pop-up-ads-still-work.php
As blogging is a new trend, I come to a conclusion, in my own experience, everyone below 30 and above 12 years old that I meet, blogs, even one of my lecturer blogs! That shows how universal blogs are, even someone elderly can blog.
Blogs are being targeted as a channel for advertisements. In Malaysia, 2 advertising agencies, Nuffnang and Advertlets just started a specialized blog to promote their advertisements, showing how strong a blog could disseminate a message. These blogs is a potential source of income to bloggers which has the potential to earn big bucks – by blogging ONLY. So, what are you waiting for? Quit your day job and start blogging!
But then again, it is not that simple, a blogger needs to generate high readership in order to get paid the big bucks from a blog-advertising company. The more visitors the blog has the more money the blogger gets paid, simple. There are full time bloggers who has five to six blogs of different topics and get paid RM30, 000 a month (Blogging and big bucks).
Well, one can make money for sure, but the question is until when? Once upon a time, pop up advertising was a popular form of advertising through the internet but faded away as blog-advertisements came in. because of this new discoveries and changing trends, one would not know until when this blogging phenomenon will last.
References
Lee, S.W, 2007, Blogging and Big Bucks. Viewed on 7 June 2007 http://star-techcentral.com/tech/story.asp?file=/2007/5/29/itfeature/17847964&sec=itfeature
Hudson, D., Do Pop-Up Ads Still Work. Viewed on 7 June 2007 at http://www.vla-geo.org/do-pop-up-ads-still-work.php
E-newsletters vs prints
Newsletters are easy to disseminate and as a compact nature, it is sent to an area of a particular audience (Bear, 2007). E-newsletters are sent to random and to the intended emails, but not everyone will come online everyday and check their email and readers spends 51 per cent of their time reading newsletters (Nielsen, 2005).
Comparing to newsletters, e-newsletters are cost effective, we do not have to pay stamp or hire people to send these newsletters. The other reason of cost effective is that e-newsletters are not printed but are sent through the internet which is cheaper. E-newsletters do not pollute the earth in any way as the newsletter is sent via soft copy, we do not need to recycle, or throw away the e-newsletter.
E-newsletters are more interactive and moving graphics can be included and is more interesting compared to the printed newsletters which only produce still images.
The targeted audience wants information fast so, an alternative to send newsletters;
Sending e-newsletters saves time compared to the traditional newsletters as message sent via email is reached to the receiver faster than the normal snail mail. It allows the intended receiver to receive the newsletter almost instantly (Wilcox & Cameron, 2006).
Bear, JH 2007, ‘Magazines vs. Newsletters – What is the difference between magazines and newsletters’, viewed on 27 May 2007 at http://desktoppub.about.com/od/newsletters/f/magnews.htm
Nielsen J. Viewed on June4 2007 at http://www.nngroup.com/reports/newsletters
Wilcox, DL & Cameron, GT. 2006, ‘Public Relations: Strategies and tactics’, 8th edition, Pearson Education Inc, United States.
Comparing to newsletters, e-newsletters are cost effective, we do not have to pay stamp or hire people to send these newsletters. The other reason of cost effective is that e-newsletters are not printed but are sent through the internet which is cheaper. E-newsletters do not pollute the earth in any way as the newsletter is sent via soft copy, we do not need to recycle, or throw away the e-newsletter.
E-newsletters are more interactive and moving graphics can be included and is more interesting compared to the printed newsletters which only produce still images.
The targeted audience wants information fast so, an alternative to send newsletters;
Sending e-newsletters saves time compared to the traditional newsletters as message sent via email is reached to the receiver faster than the normal snail mail. It allows the intended receiver to receive the newsletter almost instantly (Wilcox & Cameron, 2006).
Bear, JH 2007, ‘Magazines vs. Newsletters – What is the difference between magazines and newsletters’, viewed on 27 May 2007 at http://desktoppub.about.com/od/newsletters/f/magnews.htm
Nielsen J. Viewed on June4 2007 at http://www.nngroup.com/reports/newsletters
Wilcox, DL & Cameron, GT. 2006, ‘Public Relations: Strategies and tactics’, 8th edition, Pearson Education Inc, United States.
The ‘Unlimited’ dictionary, Wikipedia
I believe that a lot of people out there who uses the internet know what wikipedia is and personally, this website has helped me in a LOT of things to tell the truth. And yes, some scholars or lecturers does not approve the sourcing to wikipedia and labeling it as an open discussion forum where everyone can alter and edit the information inside wikipedia which is not true because wikipedia has the ability to fact-check and correct all of the errors the study had found (Wittlin, 2006).
The biggest problem with wikipedia is the information flow of being constantly made and posted on the site. Because of this, the sources from wikipedia are underestimated and is discouraged or not allowed to use in college or university work.
Scholars nowadays are slowly accepting wikipedia as a reference as some lecturers in Harvard believed that their students are able to filter the information in wikipedia.
In my humble opinion, wikipedia is a good source of information. The database of information is very large I believe because never once in my experience of me going information hunting did not found the information I needed. As an example, the wikipedia has detailed information of the ‘Cosa Nostra’ or what many know as mafia. The information that wikipedia has is so detailed, it is unreal! They even know the name of former Cosa Nostra bosses, their ranks, place of birth and many more. It amused me so much because the ‘Cosa Nostra’ is a secret society that has never revealed itself but on the other hand, wikipedia has a background of them! Wow!
Reference
Wittlin, M.2006. Saatchi & Saatchi presents its Award for World Changing Ideas at posh event.
http://www.seedmagazine.com/news/2006/02/why_didnt_i_think_of_that.php?page=2
Child, M, 2007. Professors Split on Wiki Debate. Viewed on 6 June 2007 at http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=517305
The biggest problem with wikipedia is the information flow of being constantly made and posted on the site. Because of this, the sources from wikipedia are underestimated and is discouraged or not allowed to use in college or university work.
Scholars nowadays are slowly accepting wikipedia as a reference as some lecturers in Harvard believed that their students are able to filter the information in wikipedia.
In my humble opinion, wikipedia is a good source of information. The database of information is very large I believe because never once in my experience of me going information hunting did not found the information I needed. As an example, the wikipedia has detailed information of the ‘Cosa Nostra’ or what many know as mafia. The information that wikipedia has is so detailed, it is unreal! They even know the name of former Cosa Nostra bosses, their ranks, place of birth and many more. It amused me so much because the ‘Cosa Nostra’ is a secret society that has never revealed itself but on the other hand, wikipedia has a background of them! Wow!
Reference
Wittlin, M.2006. Saatchi & Saatchi presents its Award for World Changing Ideas at posh event.
http://www.seedmagazine.com/news/2006/02/why_didnt_i_think_of_that.php?page=2
Child, M, 2007. Professors Split on Wiki Debate. Viewed on 6 June 2007 at http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=517305
Purpose of blogging
Blogs are synonym for dissemination of information to a specific target audience which in this blog I will indulge bloggers on various topics which is in a way to socialize online. My main target audience will be bloggers who likes to check out and read blogs posted by any bloggers of any interest and people who have interest in this topic and according to Microsoft, nearly half of the people in Asia who goes online and blog which half of them regards blogs as a reliable source of news on an alarming account. My purpose of blogging is to communicate my message of the subject I have studied, document design and publishing which in relevance to the current issues that will be discussed.
Monday, June 4, 2007
Introduction
A big trend
In this information technology age, a development of various technologies has come into place and is still going on with one of these technologies providing connections into the internet world. Blogs have come into place with a lot of people getting involved to express their self which has become a social phenomenon and according to Microsoft, the number of those in Asia alone showing half of the people who go online, blogs. Blogs has grown and gained popularity around the year 2000 (Ng, 2007) which blogs are now used for a source of income, which blogs operators are making money out of advertisements.
The word ‘blog’…
Blog comes from the word web log which is an online journal that readers can give their feedbacks to. Feedbacks of comments and critiques to the article by the writer can be observed and read, which is more like a forum and discussion. Designers of blogs often decorate and post their own writing
Blog types
When the word blog is typed, we can come across different type of blogs which has its classification under few categories. With 70 million blogs out there as of April 2007, there is a lot of category for blogs which new technology are pushing new limits and discovery of human wants. Blogs with texts and images are ahead of the pact but there are more blogs appearing as technological advances holds no barrier to new frontier:
Blog types:
Personal blogs, Act as a journal, where one can put anything inside a blog.
Corporate blogs, Act as a communication between the company and customers, to get their feedbacks, disseminate product information.
Topical blog, (Special interest blogs) Talks about their interest
Blog Content
Media,
Vlog, Video blog
Linklog, Link to other sites
Sketchblog, Portfolio or sketches
Photoblog, A blog consists of photos
Tumblelogs, A mixture of media
Device
Moblogs, Blogs for mobilephones
Genre
Political blogs,
Travel blogs,
Fashion blogs,
Project blogs
Splog, (Spamfest)
Food Blogs.
Online vs. Print
Design for both differs due to limitations, especially for print, the layout and the content is more limited compared to online designs because online is not as limited as print. But then again, print is more tangible - to compare which is better. People tend to read 25 per cent slower online; hence a website cannot be as long as the print design (Nielsen, 2007). But on the other hand, taking a flyer for an example, it is cheaper to publish online then to print as it is cheaper and one can put more information. Writing in the web should be concise, objective and scannable (Nielsen, 1997).
References
Nielsen, J, 1997. How Users Read on the Web. Viewed on 4 June 2007 at http://www.useit.com/alertbox/9710a.html
Nielsen, J 2007, ‘Writing for web’, viewed 4 June 2007 at http://www.sun.com/980713/webwriting/
Microsoft, 2006. Blogging Phenomenon Sweeps Asia. Viewed on 4 June 2007 at http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/11-28-2006/0004480819&EDATE=
Ng, D 2007, What are blogs?, viewed on 4 June 2007 at http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-blogs.htm
What is blog?, viewed 4 June 2007 at http://www.blogscanada.ca/BlogDefinition.html
The Guardian, 2007, ‘Blogs mark the first 10 years’, viewed on 4 June 2007 at http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,2051882,00.html
In this information technology age, a development of various technologies has come into place and is still going on with one of these technologies providing connections into the internet world. Blogs have come into place with a lot of people getting involved to express their self which has become a social phenomenon and according to Microsoft, the number of those in Asia alone showing half of the people who go online, blogs. Blogs has grown and gained popularity around the year 2000 (Ng, 2007) which blogs are now used for a source of income, which blogs operators are making money out of advertisements.
The word ‘blog’…
Blog comes from the word web log which is an online journal that readers can give their feedbacks to. Feedbacks of comments and critiques to the article by the writer can be observed and read, which is more like a forum and discussion. Designers of blogs often decorate and post their own writing
Blog types
When the word blog is typed, we can come across different type of blogs which has its classification under few categories. With 70 million blogs out there as of April 2007, there is a lot of category for blogs which new technology are pushing new limits and discovery of human wants. Blogs with texts and images are ahead of the pact but there are more blogs appearing as technological advances holds no barrier to new frontier:
Blog types:
Personal blogs, Act as a journal, where one can put anything inside a blog.
Corporate blogs, Act as a communication between the company and customers, to get their feedbacks, disseminate product information.
Topical blog, (Special interest blogs) Talks about their interest
Blog Content
Media,
Vlog, Video blog
Linklog, Link to other sites
Sketchblog, Portfolio or sketches
Photoblog, A blog consists of photos
Tumblelogs, A mixture of media
Device
Moblogs, Blogs for mobilephones
Genre
Political blogs,
Travel blogs,
Fashion blogs,
Project blogs
Splog, (Spamfest)
Food Blogs.
Online vs. Print
Design for both differs due to limitations, especially for print, the layout and the content is more limited compared to online designs because online is not as limited as print. But then again, print is more tangible - to compare which is better. People tend to read 25 per cent slower online; hence a website cannot be as long as the print design (Nielsen, 2007). But on the other hand, taking a flyer for an example, it is cheaper to publish online then to print as it is cheaper and one can put more information. Writing in the web should be concise, objective and scannable (Nielsen, 1997).
References
Nielsen, J, 1997. How Users Read on the Web. Viewed on 4 June 2007 at http://www.useit.com/alertbox/9710a.html
Nielsen, J 2007, ‘Writing for web’, viewed 4 June 2007 at http://www.sun.com/980713/webwriting/
Microsoft, 2006. Blogging Phenomenon Sweeps Asia. Viewed on 4 June 2007 at http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/11-28-2006/0004480819&EDATE=
Ng, D 2007, What are blogs?, viewed on 4 June 2007 at http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-blogs.htm
What is blog?, viewed 4 June 2007 at http://www.blogscanada.ca/BlogDefinition.html
The Guardian, 2007, ‘Blogs mark the first 10 years’, viewed on 4 June 2007 at http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,2051882,00.html
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