Digital Cultures

http://www.wordle.net/gallery/wrdl/497187/Reader-Response_Theory_IOCT

Before reading Pierre Menard, Author of the Quixote, the first thing that struck me about Borges penchant for fabricating literary reviews , is that it would not be possible in a digital culture to deceive people into believing his writings. This is due to the ability of using the web to search for the so called book and his fraudulent writings would be discovered, and therefore possibly harm his reputation as a writer. In the era that he published this work, it was not possible to check the authenticity easily or quickly, therefore rendering it more easily believable by his readers.
Borges appears to aim this writing towards a well read / educated audience and this is evident in his frequent literary references to the likes of Shakespeare and Poe. He also seems to elevate his academic status by stating his accomplishments of reading Quixote at a young age. This gives the reader the impression that he himself must be an academic and therefore should be believed. This also comes to the fore with the repeated mentions of his relations with the gentry such as Baroness de Bacourt.
He tries to convince the reader of his own knowledge of the book by referring to objects and situations he has been in with Menard in order to enhance self credulity. Quite confusingly he mentions two exact lines from each book and refers to Menards’ version as richer. How can the exact text appear richer and have a contrast in style? I felt that this story or writing was extremely confusing and lacked structure – was this Borges strategy. By creating such confusion in his readers, it eliminates their desire to appear unintelligent and thus stops them questioning.

Blogging for a novice Blogger

The concept of blogging is one that I am not familiar with. Having never had a blog and only joining the likes of Facebook when "poked" by friends, it is something I am finding difficult to grasp.
Its seems to me like having a diary that everyone reads! This is alien for me, as a child I had a diary briefly, for the two weeks after receiving it as a present and would hide it.
The fact that it came with a lock and key indicated that these thoughts should be kept secret and I feel this is one of the reasons I am having difficulty posting.
So please forgive the random posts and thoughts and I can only hope that by the end of the year my mindset will be more open.
Here's hoping !!!

MacBook Pro vs Windows based Computers

Having never used a Mac , the IOCT allow students to borrow a Mac and I decided to give the Mac a try.
I have had the laptop for nearly a week and after a call to my ISP regarding setting up the wireless access, it’s been an experience.
In my opinion the Mac is very good for surfing the web as its very quick but have not found the "magical Mac" feeling.
Its navigation is laborious - you have to navigate the mouse from the right bottom corner - if using scroll bar - clear across the screen to the top left.
I am used to windows and feel that I will stick with them as I know all the shortcut keys etc and feel that the Mac would constitute too much unlearning to relearn !!
Thanks IOCT for the trial though !!

Although I have always supported any conflict that has happened in my lifetime, I feel it is poignant to remember those that have felt the same but have had the courage to undertake the atrocities of any war that has occurred.

“I am making this statement as an act of willful defiance of military authority because I believe that the war is being deliberately prolonged by those who have the power to end it. I am a soldier, convinced that I am acting on behalf of soldiers. I believe that the war upon which I entered as a war of defense and liberation has now become a war of aggression and conquest. I believe that the purposes for which I and my fellow soldiers entered upon this war should have been so clearly stated as to have made it impossible to change them and that had this been done the objects which actuated us would now be attainable by negotiation.

I have seen and endured the sufferings of the troops and I can no longer be a party to prolonging these sufferings for ends which I believe to be evil and unjust. I am not protesting against the conduct of the war, but against the political errors and insincerities for which the fighting men are being sacrificed.

On behalf of those who are suffering now, I make this protest against the deception which is being practised upon them; also I believe it may help to destroy the callous complacency with which the majority of those at home regard the continuance of agonies which they do not share and which they have not enough imagination to realise.”


Lt. Siegfried Sassoon.
3rd Batt: Royal Welsh Fusiliers.
July, 1917.

I will today, and every day salute those who have the courage to put their life on the line for my liberty and rebel against those who believe that not every man, woman , child or animal is equal.

Wordle

Just had a play with wordle and posted this blog in to create a text cloud - pretty ingenious !!

http://www.wordle.net

Profile

Rachael Folds, a 35yr old former stone mason .Working as a stonemason one of my tasks involved programming machinery using CAD/CAM technologies. This collaboration with technology heightened my interest in computing and related issues.
As a consequence, I attended DMU in 2001 and studied for the Women’s Access to Information Technology Certificate (WAIT).

I thoroughly enjoyed the course and had the urge to study further. To date I have obtained a HNC Business Information Technology, HNC+HND Computing and a BSc (Hons) Computer Systems Engineering. All of these qualifications were achieved by working and studying full-time.
The opportunity to study fulltime and not have to commit myself to work simultaneously was a great driver for me to join the course as well as the diversity the course promotes. Obtaining the bursary has enabled my focus to be concerned wholly with learning new things and obtaining new skills.

I have particularly enjoyed spending time with other group members with a very diverse background, and feel this has enabled me to get in touch with my creative side which in previous programs has been restricted.
I am currently involved with a project for a local bespoke furniture manufacturer which will enable him to create customer layout plans simply and quickly for the design of commissioned home installations.

After completing the Creative Technologies course, I would very much like to continue my studies by undertaking a PhD.
Topics that interest me greatly are:

• Human Computer Interaction
• Artificial Intelligence
• History
• 3D modelling / Concepts

It would be my ultimate goal to be fortunate to study within a multidisciplinary project that involved my passion for architecture, history and 3D modelling.