Technically Speaking 02/24/2005

As I write this editions installment, the suicide of journalist Hunter S. Thompson is all over the news, he was 67. The author of “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” and writer for many mainstream magazines, Thompson was at the forefront of a new kind of personal journalism revolution that went against the stiff established style. His style of writing coined “Gonzo” Journalism, changed the face of journalism.

Another revolution in “journalism” is well underway and it had its’ birth in the late 90’s it is the BLOG, a shortened way of saying “weB LOG.” I call it a revolution in journalism because most of the large news gathering organizations now have teams that monitor BLOGS for breaking news and to get an idea of public opinion. They are also a way for regular people to air their views instantly for the world to see. I am sure that many of my readers have read a BLOG or even have one of their own.

While there are many ways to start your own BLOG, by far the easiest is by using Blogger, http://www.blogger.com . It is a free service that hosts your BLOG and has an easy to use interface that will help you make your first BLOG. Blogger does not require any software to be on your computer, the posting interface is accessed through your web browser, much like web mail, so you can access it anywhere you have internet access.

Your BLOG does not have to have any real focus; it can be your daily musings, commentary on the days’ news, snippets of poetry, or whatever you want to tell the world. Budding artists or photographers can upload pictures to include in their posts. Many people use BLOGs to express strong political or social opinions, others categories include music, life, technology, humor and more. You can even upload pictures to include in your posts.

You only need two things to start BLOGGING, internet access and something to say. Join the revolution today.

If you are looking for some interesting BLOGS to read to get an idea of what you can do with a BLOG then Blog Wise http://www.blogwise.com/ is a great source. The site is an index of thousands of BLOGS on all subject matters. If you start a BLOG you can also register it with Blog Wise and have it listed there. Warning: some of the BLOGS listed on Blog Wise may contain adult language or images, view at your own peril.

Illegal cell phone jammers are popping up for sale on websites; the jammers have a limited range and also block emergency calls and the public airwaves. Some of the jammers are small and portable and can be carried and used while walking down the street. What do you think of this? If you could jam cell phones in a specific area where would that area be? Why? Send your comments to mat@muw.edu

Something a bit different this edition; my game picks and each gets five words:
Mercenaries (Xbox, Ps2) Exciting, immersive, visceral, explosive, and addictive.
Resident Evil 4 (GC) Chilling, beautiful, intense, inspired, and exciting.
Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls (GBA) Classic, engaging, timeless, long, and memorable.
Pirates (Windows PC) Engrossing, intuitive, entertaining, humorous, and fun.

This editions’ cool link: AllMusic http://www.allmusic.com is a great site if you want to know the story behind your favorite musical artists. They have biographies, full listings of albums and singles, and even samples of the songs. The interface is great with many search categories (even search by instrument) and each band has a listing of similar artists. AllMusic has two companion sites AllMovie and AllGame that offer similar content.

As always you can send your tech-related questions to me at mat@muw.edu, and I will post an answer in a future edition.

Mark Taylor, a senior in communication, was previously an information systems trainer for the US Air Force and a technical support technician for an internet service provider. A game and consumer electronics reporter during the Dot Com boom, he now owns Fanfare Media Services in Columbus.