Post 7

Themes: Category, location, time, alphabetic, and continuum. There is also card sorting and chunking. Those are pretty basic and are mostly just a method of simple divisions. The heirarchies included are hub and spoke and the more complex. Hub and spoke is mostly defined by the middle going out method. The more complex are used sub divisions of a key idea. This is how most webs form. As the idea develops from a linear motion it develops into a web that is more complex. Wireframes really define the start of this organization and development. They are the main precursor to web development and information architecture.

We then move into some of the layout formations like eye tracking. Eye tracking simply defines the way the eye moves across the page. There are a couple methods of eye tracking that explain the different ways the eye scans from left to right or up and down. This relates to the way information architecture is set up. The information architecture is difficult to lay out due to many different reasons. Whether it is perspective, politics, or ambiguity there are many areas that cause info architecture to present problems for site developers. This is why hierarchy is important. The top down method of hierarchy is important because it is allows the readers eye movement to fit in with the architecture. It can be broad or shallow but it is important to specify one style or another.

Connecting Weinberger, Jenkins, and Lessig

We started our discussion with Weinberger's Everything Is Miscellaneous. Weinberger mainly talked about the transition from print to digitally based content and how the transition was effecting our perception of text. He argued that the information age was changing with the invention of such technologies as web 2.0, stating that they were altering the organization of content in a completely new way, which ultimately is effecting the way information is being found and interpreted.

After we learned about information organization from Weinberger we then applied it to Jenkin's Convergence Culture. Jenkins talked about the way our culture is adapting to the technologies that Weinberger mentioned and the way they are forcing us to develop a new way of communicating. The adaptation of technology in a ubiquitous culture forces us to focus on convergence in a completely new way.

Finally, we moved on to Lessig's Remix. Combining some of the notions from the previous books Lessig teaches us about copyright and creative commons culture. He talks about the fact that in such a culture where technology is forcing these new levels of interaction and learning techniques, that existing copyright laws are irrelevant and outdated.

After reading all of these books we finally get a chance to see the entire picture. All of these combine to form the complete technological revolution that is currently taking place and is laying ground for future use of technology. When Weinberger points out the organization of information and how we are rewriting the way in which information is shared, it really strikes a strong cord with the me. He seems to nail it right on the head that this is one of the pivotal points in the revolution. What was once considered a norm is now a completely outdated thing. Once we can accept this we can than realize that Jenkins and Lessigs points are really helping create a new culture. They are fighting for the technological revolution that is smart, well thought out, and relevant to our growing technologies. If Jenkins ideas on convergence can be applied to weinbergers organization and then applied to the laws that restrict the sharing community, we may be able to find a common ground for future copyright laws. This is not to say that the main point is copyright laws or even creative commons. These are just points that are important. What is most important here is learning to adapt to technology in a way that is fast paced, relevant, and understanding of the changes that are taking place. It seems that all of these authors are arguing along the same premise and are therefore on the right side of the revolution. The question is, what are we doing to aid this revolution?