My Reflection

Name: Cheng Ming Wen
Student Number: 41436620

Introduction
Internet, as we know, it is an important and useful source in part of our life. The functional capability of internet started with sending and receiving emails, searching for desired information and downloading wanted files. With the great developments and improvement computer-wise these days, the internet becomes more than just surfing on internet but social interaction and applications.

The web 2.0 is an example of social computing interaction and computer supported cooperative work. Users are able to use the brand new type of internet services and enable themselves to have social interactions with other individuals. For example, “blog post” allows users to share and express their feelings and thoughts, whereas, users can make more friends globally in the “face book”. Consequently, as there is a noticeable increase in users of social interaction and application, the analysis of this phenomenon such as awareness, reflections, usability and user experiences are vital.


Background
After experiencing and testing of these social networking websites, discussion within this article will focus on the two social tools, blogger and facebook.

Blogger
Blogger allows users to express their comments, as well, provides reader to respond on internet stage. A unique and personal blogger can be easily created by users without professional knowledge and skills. Furthermore, users can post and quote articles, upload images or design the layout. Any subject and comments in the blogger can be immediately found by using search function. Blogger fascinates users not only by joyfulness when sharing own writings; the personal device function took the main role to attract the users.

Facebook
Facebook is a social networking website which allows users to communicate with their own friends and make new global wide. Users are able to know their friends better by communicating through comments and posts, uploading photos, sharing interesting links and videos.


Focus
The article focuses on several points. By using own experiences and internet research, the privacy issues of both web services, Facebook and Blogger, are analysed. Through personal experience, positive and negative outcomes are then explained.


Reflection

Blogger
Blogger is a web service that is trendy and regularly used by people in the community. It is a personal diary website that can be easily updated and written on day-by-day basis. Users are able to present and post articles and pictures. The contents do not certain limitations. It can be diary entries, comment on certain events or writings involving commercials. These articles are posted on the blogger and are open for the public to view. The viewers can also make comments about them after reading the articles.

In my own experience, the Blogger’s “post” tool can be very powerful force and positive outcome for social interactions on the internet. Take advertisement campaigns as an example, when a popular blogger post any commercial articles on certain product in the site, the information for the product can be seen through the internet globally. The efficiency of these kind advertising campaigns is more effective comparing with ordinary ads on Televisions or magazines. Creating a popular blogger involves a great amount of efforts being put in. Many facts have to consider and think about before constructing a well-structured and good communicating blogger. The contents of a “good” blogger have to be attractive. As well, responding comment made by people who read the article is also important. The responses also have to appealing and attractive to maintain the current viewers. After considering the facts suggested, without doubt, a successful and popular blogger can be formed. The negative outcome of “post” tool would be posts that have unreal and harmful content information. The naïve viewers cannot recognise the truth and would be influenced negatively.

Another positive experience is when using Blogger in this course. In comp3505, when posting comments and using “links” tool in blogger, a great amount of helpful information can be obtained. As well, any works can also be discussed with peer groups.

The last point would be privacy issues. When users post their personal information in the blogger and used “hide” tool, the information can be viewed by certain people. However, in my own experience, this tool cannot fully protect this “hided” information. Although the improvements by the web service provider on the protection of blogger can be seen day-by-day basis, the privacy issues is still a problem at the moment.

Facebook
In the Facebook, the users are able to post album, videos and any interesting links. These information and contents are then shared with friends. Original design of facebook was aimed at replacing contact list by using internet devices. As internet was being regularly used, facebook gained its reputation between every senior high school and universities. Initially, it was limited to schools and campus network to join. Every user’s email was restricted to send emails to outside group. However, after this social networking service became more popular in the public, it then removed the restrictions and allowed any groups to register. This change then made facebook to have this great result in the community.
In my own experience, I have not use Facebook before. However, after being part of it for two weeks, I am getting to use to go on the facebook and check for friend’s comments or upload files in my site. This kind of attraction may be the main reason why the Facebook can be popular and developed speedily in the community.
When using the facebook, I noticed that there are some functions that other networking services do not provide. In the facebook, the “Find Friends” tool can allow you to invite your friends. Facebook will ask you to enter your email and password such as Msn messenger. Facebook will then find out your contact list and send invitation emails to your friends. After your friends agreed the invitation, they are then able to communicate with you on your facebook site.

Another social interaction and application of facebook is that it is able to share the content of your site. After you login Facebook account, you are able to view your friend’s current status. You are then capable to go to your friend’s facebook and invite people in their facebook to yours. They are then become one of your friends. Through this kind of social interaction, there is a great increase in users of Facebook. However, users can still encounter the fore-mentioned problem, privacy issues. As you are able to view other people’s photos and personal profiles, your information is also uncovered in facebook.

Conclusion
Combing both of my experience in using both social interaction networking services, Facebook and Blogger, a conclusion is made. To construct a good social interaction network services, attractive and appealing tools have to be used to lure the viewers in the public. As fore-mentioned above, Facebook has a “Find Friends” tool which can invite more people to your facebook site. Thus, users, who are desired to share their thoughts and feelings, are attracted by this effective function. On the other hand, by posting interesting articles or videos, it also draws people’s attention on to your site. However, the privacy issue of both Facebook and Blogger is still a problem that users will encounter. The protection is not 100% safe. The service providers are trying their best to minimize the risk of giving out privacy and allowing users to use the services comfortably.



Reference
1. Charlie Bermant , “Facebook changes interaction between the public and its servants” 13 Mar 2009 http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/kitsap/poi/lifestyle/41120219.html?period=W&mpStartDate=03-19-2009
2. Linda Leseman, “a blogger gone pro at the LA Times” 16 Mar 2009
http://beatblogging.org/2009/03/16/tony-pierce-a-blogger-gone-pro-at-the-la-times-part-2/