Web Studies Part III

Spring 2002

Narcissus Effect

Numbness

Media extend our human capacities

“Inextricably linked to images of ourselves in material other than ourselves”

What Is Bad

Under Construction

Blinking Text

Counters

Pop-Up Windows

Useful Websites

http://www.useit.com

http://www.worstoftheweb.com

http://webpagesthatsuck.com

Internet’s Public Character

Decentralized structure

Valorization of public ends over private means

Dissenting temper

Free and frank speech

Friendly, participatory ethos

Web as “Killer Application”

Web got businesses interested in being wiredWeb gave businesses a “store front” onlineMuch web activity is modeled on direct marketingPush Technology not as popular as it once was

Web Advertising at the Intersection of Traditional

Adversiting and Direct Marketing

Targetability

Tracking

Deliverability

Flexibility

Open Source Movement

http://www.opensource.org

Benefits for hackers

Benefits for businesses

Benefits for customers

Internet as a Public Space

Ownership of the NetFrom public to private

What is good about commercialization?

What is bad about commercialization?

Is it possible for a group to carve out some “space” on the net?

Useful Sites

Commerce vs. Public Interest?http://eef.orghttp://www.benton.orghttp://www.cptch.org

Portal Defined

1. A doorway, entrance, or gate, especially one that is large and imposing.

2. An entrance or a means of entrance: the local library, a portal of knowledge.

3. The portal vein.

4. A website considered as an entry point to other websites, often by being or providing access to a search engine.

Portal Defined

A web site that aims to be a "doorway" to the World-Wide Web, typically offering a search engine and/or links to useful pages, and possibly news or other services. These services are usually provided for free in the hope that users will make the site their default home page or at least visit it often. Most portals on the Internet exist to generate advertising income for their owners, others may be focused on a specific group of users and may be part of an intranet or extranet.

Portals and Branding

Free EmailChatWeb SitesFinancial Information

Search Engines as Portals

Two Main FunctionsDirect Internet TrafficGather Data for Customer Profiling

Fundamental Change in Perspective “Surfing” gives way to “Hub-and-Spoke”

Portals and Production

Portals produce very little

Portals deliver a lot

Portals enhance interactivity

Portals exploit and empower simultaneously

The value of Portals

“Faith” Internet is the “future” and these are the

hubs of that future

Price of portals will go up Stock Market a key place people make

money with the Net

Usage Note

The transition from World Wide Web site to Web site to website has progressed as rapidly as the technology itself. The development of website as a single uncapitalized word mirrors the development of other technological expressions that, as they become more familiar, have evolved into unhyphenated forms. Email is quickly replacing E-mail and e-mail. Similarly, there has been an increasing preference for closed forms like homepage, online, and printout.

Children Online