Online Semester 3 - Week 12

The entire lesson was spent finishing off all our work. This included doing the final bits of my critical evaluation and fine-tuning my individual project. In the week since I last went to lesson I had changed my website design as I wasn't particular happy with the way it was laid out.

Online Semester 3 - Week 11

In this lesson only me and Paul turned up. Mike was also in the university but was focusing on stuff for the university newspaper, which was understandable. I started to write some content for my individual site. Over the holidays I decided to do a website called Sinful Listening, a guilty pleasures type of website but with music. I had registered the Wordpress domain name and had sorted out some basic blog configurations including a template that I wanted to use.

I also carried on with my critical evaluation, which I started working on throughout the Easter holidays.

Online Semester 3 - Week 10

In the final lesson before Easter, me, Mike and Paul turned up to the lesson. We researched more ideas for Techmole and agreed to record another podcast tonight. After the failed attempt last time we decided to make the new attempt more concise and more planned. I also started thinking about my individual project and, whilst I know that I want to do a music based website, I'm still trying to pinpoint a specific subject.

Online Semester 3 - Week 9

Today, only me and Mike turned up to class in another low turnout. Since the last lesson me, Mike and Ken have added more posts to the Techmole site and we've started to receieve pingbacks (websites linking to us). My contribution to the website is now at two news posts and two features.

I would have prefered to have more people in as we could discuss how we could move the website forward and perhaps talk about podcasting but because of the low turnout that hasn't been an option. I'm hoping that in the final week before Easter everyone turns up so we can discuss how we can continue to maintain the website over Easter. 

Online Semester 3 - Week 8

All five of us turned up this week. Ken said to me that our pilot podcast (which me, him and Paul did last week through Skype and was deemed the 'molecast' by Paul) wasn't good enough to be used and said that we needed to do a better one with more structure to it, kind of like Giant Bomb's podcast.

The main issue was with Jack (again). He decided to sit away from the group and wanted to work on his video content. He had already given in a video review but it had a lot of swearing and was unsuitable. Me, Ken and Mike then had an argument with Jack - we were saying that he took criticism too seriously and that he should pull his weight, whilst Jack was suggesting that we did no work, even though he was wrong.

He then threw a dictionary at a Mac computer.

Online Semester 3 - Week 7

Today, only me, Jack and Paul showed up as Ken was at home tinkering with the design and Mike was in Berlin for an out-of-class project. Ken called us during the lesson to suggest that me, Paul and him should do a podcast later on in the evening to try and get something up on the site.

Meanwhile, Jack was getting angry at the fact that Ken had criticised his work. This led to a rise in anger before he exploded in my face. This was pretty uncalled for as his worries were actually non-existent. The website was going along at a steady pace and all he was annoyed about was that his work was being criticised. All we're doing is trying to help him and he responds with the maturity of a 13 year old.

Online Semester 3 - Week 6

This week, I was absent from the class due to illness. However, I managed to get an article submitted onto Techmole using the Wordpress dashboard from home. I was also kept up to date with any developments in the lesson.

Online Semester 3 - Week 5

In today's workshop session, we decided to do some more research on potential Techmole stories. I also started to loosen up a bit in terms of subject area. At the start I was wanting to do some music related stuff but I've started to move away from that and have begun to do other posts on subjects relating to gadgets like the iPod and internet software like internet broswers as well as gaming related news.

Online Semester 3 - Week 4

Today we looked at content management systems (CMS). We looked at systems like the Immediacy Editing Model that sets itself up as a database for users of the website to create posts for their website. This is something that can be used for large websites and can cost several thousands of pounds to create.

We also looked at the option of creating forums for users to interact with. Forums can be used as a way for users to discuss the website and content featured on the website. Some forum software is free and doesn't cost anything, though the higher quality forum software costs money to maintain and run.

Finally, we started to plan how we would manage our content on Techmole. Unfortunatly, only me and Mike were in class so we couldn't discuss any real progress on the development of Techmole, which was disappointing for both of us.

Online Semester 3 - Week 3

We discussed more plans for Techmole with the group, including Ken who joined the lesson from his own computer in Brighton. We confirmed what articles we would be writing for the site and we also started looking at designs, since we had now brought together the hosting servers with the newly-acquired domain name. A design was finally chosen on, which looks more like a magazine style site.

Online Semester 3 - Week 2

Week 2 was delayed by a week because of the snow chaos that hit Farnham. Today we talked about website statistics and how useful they are people to run them. One program in particular that we looked at was Google Analytics, which a lot of websites are increasingly using. Whilst it is a powerful tool, there are some aspects that are very user friendly. The final tool we looked at was the Google Keyword search tool, which tells you what search terms are popular and to assist writers in developing SEO (search engine optimisation).

Online Semester 3 - Week 1

Yesterday we started planning our group website. Me, Mike, Paul, Ken and Jack will be starting a new site called Tech Moles - a website with key focus on how technology has affected and is affecting traditional media outlets, such as music, film and video games. We wrote the brief for the website yesterday and established what we'll be posting and when we'll be posting. I will be taking on articles for the music parts of the site.

I also bought a domain for the site yesterday for £6.85 (which will last two years) - £1.37 each. Bargain.

Website Construction: Week 5 (10th December 2008)

Apart from uploading my CV (I forgot to bring it into uni today), my website is done. There are still some padding issues but other than I am happy with the results. The main tasks today was to upload my feature (already written the night before) onto it as a PDF and then convert all the other document files (in Past Work) into PDF. The one thing that made it take it longer than I would have liked was linking things. I didn't realise that to link something from the PDF file to another that you had to do it in Acrobat, as opposed to doing it in Word and hoping for the best.

Other than that, the links are tested and if you click here, you will find The Website Of Max Raymond!

Website Construction: Week 4 (3rd December 2008)

This week I am experiencing major headaches with this website. The padding problem is still an issue and I have tried everything I can to make it better. Nothing is working and even now I'm still confused as to why it looks in Design mode but when opened in a browser it looks like a mess.

I have an idea for my feature. I am planning a write up of the year I've had in terms of reporting gigs for The Musical Chairs and discussing what mediums I've used to tell my review with (like Flickr, a photo sharing website, and YouTube). It's also a good oppurtunity to embed photos and video on the site and seeing how well it works.

Website Construction: Week 3 (26th November 2008)

Lots done today. All the pages are now designed and linked. My biography page has a picture that is optimised. The biography itself isn't long but it tells the reader what they need to know. The current work page has been set up and once my features for my print assignment and online assignment are done they will be linked to. All my past work has been linked to. The only page that might need some more tweaking is the links page.

A couple of problems though:

1. Colour scheme - looks a bit too retro possibly. Might experiment next week with different variations of the scheme.
2. Padding - in Design mode in Dreamweaver, the padding is fine but when you preview it in a browser there appears to be a fair bit of white space. Need to investigate that further.
   

Website Construction: Week 2 (19th November 2008)

This lesson has been pretty much spent one one thing - getting all the pages sorted out. I now have my five basic pages and my sidebar has been created. The colour scheme I have looks a bit retro but for the moment it will do. The only page that is at the moment fully complete is the home page. I've put in a brief introduction and the hyperlinks are all set up.

I also went on Fireworks and designed my banner for the site. It fits in the header pretty nicely and doesn't look out of place.

Website Construction: Week 1 (12th November 2008)

Today I planned how I wanted my website to work. I didn't want to make work too difficult for myself but I also wanted something that was functional and simple. In the end it came down to deciding on five main pages:

Homepage - With an intro to the website.
About - Biography page with a small picture in there too.
Current Work - Links to work that has been fairly recent.
Past Work - Links to all work that is more than a couple of months old.
Links - Links to websites I write for and my own favourite links.

I had also decided on the 'header and footer' design option with a sidebar on the left. The header would have a banner with the title of the website (The Website Of Max Raymond), and the footer would have my e-mail address if any visitor would wish to contact me.

Keeping a blog at university

In regards to the debate over students being encouraged to keep a blog whilst at university course studies and after they have graduated, I tend to agree with what Paul Bradshaw said and what Neil McIntosh said last month in their own respective blogs. I think it is more than obvious that whilst you are studying online journalism that you have to keep a blog of some sort. Otherwise, you're sort of defeating the objective of the course itself.

There's also other reasons to keeping a blog during the course. If you maintain a blog well over the typical three years at uni then you will:

1. Get regular feedback and suggestions to improve it.
2. The writing quality will get better and better.
3. As you find a placement, you will have a portfolio blog with lots of entries that show off your skills as an online journalist.

That's what I would like to get out of the course I am doing anyway - the oppurtunity to improve my skills and to be in a position a couple of years down the line where I am in an employable position. People like Dave Lee have put hard work into their blogs and have found ultimately found a new career, whilst studying at university. That is because they used their time at university effectively, and have thus built quite an extensive portfolio, which would easily impress any potential employer.

As for what employers look for, I still think that the actual writing side is the most important aspect. At least, that's what I'd like to think anyway. But other skills that they look for is:

1. Use of the media that is available to them (video, podcasts etc)
   
2. How aesthetically pleasing their blogs look
3. Blog maintenance skills (and by that I mean updating regularly, making sure everything on the blog works and isn't broken).