Journal Entry No. 1

Chapter 1

Question No. 8: List some changes you have seen in the past few years on the internet in terms of your own use of digital media, and explain why you think these changes came about and whether you feel they are for better or worse.

I have noticed quite a few different changes in my digital media use over the past few years.  I remember when Myspace was popular and I did not really know what to make of it. It seemed to me that it was a fad that would eventually die down. I guess I was right as far as Myspace but Facebook and other social media have definitely taken off. Since opening a Facebook account a few years ago, I could see why these social networking are so popular. I have been able to keep in touch with friends and relatives across the country and I have also made connections with people that I believe could be helpful to me when I am beginning my career. Since I arrived at ONU I have made a few other adjustments. When I was growing up, my dad would buy the newspaper every day. I would always read the paper when he got home. When I moved out, I started to buy the paper myself. But now if I want to read about the news, I get onto the internet. There are sites like Yahoo Genio that bring you the most current events that you are interested in all on one page. If you see something interesting, you click on it. If you want to see all the news you can  go to many different sites and see what is trending. I do like that you can get up to the minute news. I feel that the changes are for the better because they help people to be more efficient. It does seem that the things like the print newspaper will eventually "bite the dust" and I will be sad to seem it go. But people are becoming less patient, they do not want to buy yesterday's news. They want up-to-the-minute updates. Another positive is that people can communicate with people on side of the country or the world. People can communicate with celebrities through things like Facebook and Twitter and it brings them a lot closer than they ever became in the past. One negative to me is that people can always be reached. For example, if someone goes on vacation there is always a way to reach them through email, social networking sites, or cell phones. People can not just away and relax the way they used to. Even though there are negatives like the inevitable end to print newspaper and the fact that people never seem to have complete privacy, all the technology is for the better and it the use of digital media will continue to evolve in the future.