Wandering Muse tag:blogs.setonhill.edu,2007-09-08:/MadelynGillespie//416 2008-11-17T17:23:51Z A simple wayward soul looking for answers...at least those that are there to be found. Movable Type 4.13 If at first you don't succeed... tag:blogs.setonhill.edu,2008:/MadelynGillespie//416.28839 2008-11-17T17:10:44Z 2008-11-17T17:23:51Z Well, I can safely say that I learned something new in my class today when we performed Alpha tests on each other's Term Projects. I was really impressed with Chelsea Oliver's website that's all about her summer camp/job. Despite the... MadelynGillespie Chelsea Oliver's website that's all about her summer camp/job. Despite the fact that I don't mind coding websites, I think I'd pull my hair out for the deadline of this semester's Term Project, if only because of everything else I have going on. So to that effect, I chose to create an Interacitve Fiction game (IF game). I have to say that I received some great input from Dave Wilbanks. He's also coding an IF game for his project, but he's coming into it with previous outside experience. And boy has it helped me! Dave helped point out a spelling mistake (that I chalk up to coding at 1:30 am. after telling myself "Just one more line of code!"), managed to get a statue appear as if from thin air, coded a door for an additional puzzle, as well as give me inspiration for more descriptional fodder. I'd be in pretty deep if it were'nt for his help today. I guess I just need to keep on coding!]]> Progress Makes Perfect tag:blogs.setonhill.edu,2008:/MadelynGillespie//416.28782 2008-11-13T05:18:20Z 2008-11-13T05:44:02Z Term Progress Report: Influences: I decided to create an interactive fiction game (IF games) for my class term project this semester. I'll whole-heartedly admit that I've been able to play only a few IF games as of late due to... MadelynGillespie Term Progress Report: Influences: I decided to create an interactive fiction game (IF games) for my class term project this semester. I'll whole-heartedly admit that I've been able to play only a few IF games as of late due to a rather hectic schedule and whatnot. To that end, I plan to do the best that I'm able to in order to fashion a likable (playable) game. I plan to model my game after the exploration portion of the game Worlds Apart. This game absolutely fascinated me when I was traveling through the various landscapes! One of the opening lines in the game that captivated my imagination was, "As you look out to sea, the cold glitter of the stars seems to turn the water to quicksilver, and indeed, the sand where you lie is dry as dust, and the waves crash over you without leaving a drop of moisture on your body. All else around you is shrouded in mist--your eyes cannot penetrate it to see if there is even solid ground beyond this patch of land." Another game that has inspired me to create my own IF game is Firebird. I have to write that I really liked the whole fairy tale atmosphere (I'm into that). The puzzles were also interesting because I didn't think that they were too hard and kinda neat to solve once I managed to put the clues together. This was one of the simpler puzzles that I'd like to somehow model in my own game. "'Master, as you remember, your father's instructions were not to serve you dinner until you brought back your kill.' You silently recall the circumstances under which these instructions were given. Your father has found you insufficiently motivated to improve your hunting skills and would prefer your starvation if you do not start landing some game." You really just need to go chase down some bird in the forest and kill it; bring it back to camp; and hand it over to the cook. An awful lotta trouble for something you'd think a Prince could just order for. Then again, let's wait till you're king! Story line: I've only got a rough plot sketched out at the moment, but that's soon to be improved, no worries! It all starts out in a dream-like manner (or surreal if you prefer) in a courtyard. There's only a single path to follow that inevitably leads you to a circular room connected to three or four other rooms. Three or two rooms will hold items that you need to obtain in order to open the last door. Once you have all of the items and open the last door, there will a table or something supporting three drinks. After choosing one of these drinks you will experience one of the multiple endings. I know it's ambitious, but I'm probably making it sound better than it's going to be. Anyhoo, keep me in mind for puzzle ideas/how to code puzzles and whatnot and be sure to check out my classmates projects as well!]]> My how time flies... tag:blogs.setonhill.edu,2008:/MadelynGillespie//416.28774 2008-11-12T05:43:20Z 2008-11-12T06:15:31Z Well, time just seems to fly by here in La La land (whether you're sick or not)! All of the subsequent blogs below were written for my class: Writing for the Internet. (Just so's ya know.) I've learned quite a... MadelynGillespie Coverage: And no, I don't mean like those skimpy bathing suits you may see (or want to see) when you go to the beach. This is full length, itchy wool sweater coverage. Find ______, then prove it. Insistence and Intentions: flip sides of a coin Timeliness: I can completely understand it if your watch is a little slow or a little bit fast, but check out Verizon. I hear their's is the most accurate around! History's Flows of Buzzling Puzzling Mythical Universal Idiosyncrasies Interaction: Hey, at least we keep it G rated here. I don't even wanna think about what goes on elsewhere. They might even type Shut UP! in their comments! *gasp* We don't mess with the Space/Time Continuum for a reason! What's good is bad and what's bad is good by Jacquelyn Johns Depth: It's not the depth of a cement pond either. Billboard Drive-bys Users, Freakers, Losers, Drivers... Discussion: Yes, you can go and talk to your dog, Buddy. Content without solidified mandates Code is the basis of all things! Now then, go check out what my classmates had to say...]]> Change is the only constant tag:blogs.setonhill.edu,2008:/MadelynGillespie//416.28720 2008-11-09T17:48:55Z 2008-11-09T17:57:03Z I added additional information to the Wikipedia entry Noir, the anime or cartoon show from Japan. So far, my content still stands in the plot section of the page. I'll admit that it's been awhile since I'd watched some of... MadelynGillespie Wikipedia entry Noir, the anime or cartoon show from Japan. So far, my content still stands in the plot section of the page. I'll admit that it's been awhile since I'd watched some of the episodes, but I think my general knowledge served to enhance the entry. I do wish that could have added more information, but my head's way too full with other facts and focused on roughly three research papers, so it's not hard to believe that the information that I used to have on Noir was deleted in order to make room for some more important things! ]]> Code is the basis of all things! tag:blogs.setonhill.edu,2008:/MadelynGillespie//416.28672 2008-11-07T18:06:50Z 2008-11-07T20:42:37Z Really, it is. When I was looking at the Wikipdedia entry of the PlayStation 2 game Final Fantasy X, I found exactly what I would: a whole bunch of information on the game. However, when I clicked on the link... MadelynGillespie Final Fantasy X, I found exactly what I would: a whole bunch of information on the game. However, when I clicked on the link available to edit the page, I was surprised by the amount of code used behind the scenes. It actually seems pretty complicated to me in some places. Whoa! So many parentheses and brackets! I guess this really just goes to show that no matter where you go or what you do, everything on the internet is based on the same code. I did find it surprising that the editing window provided editors-to-be with several different help buttons at the top of the editing area. This is a wonderful idea! It's just like a word processor nowadays with the many helpful toolbars at the top of the page (or wherever you want to put them). Next, I took a gander at Wikipedia's entries concerning Seton Hill University (SHU) and St. Vincent College (SVC). They both have a few strengths in my mind:
  • the pages are relatively short = less scrolling for users
  • and both entries offer users numerous links from which to better connect them with more specialized or specific information
However, both entries do have a few downfalls:
  • SHU: The Contents box that offers links to information later on in the entry is located in the middle of the entry, not the top where it might be more useful.
  • SHU: There are links that could be added to further direct readers looking for more information concerning SHU's National Catholic Center for Holocaust Education, which has its own website.
  • SVC: The entry is actually quite short. It may offer information, but it could feasibly possess more to better inform readers.
After looking at the history pages of each of the articles, I do have to commend editors for updating the entries at least once a month. Not all of the edits may have been shout worthy, but if it contributes well to the over-all entry, then I think they did well. Then again, if you look up the discussion pages for SHU and SVC, they are radically different. SVC's o considerably longer than SHU's because of the various Wiki-projects that pertain to SVC's article. SHU's discussion page is only under three or so WIki-projects.]]> Content without solidified mandates tag:blogs.setonhill.edu,2008:/MadelynGillespie//416.28655 2008-11-06T22:30:41Z 2008-11-07T00:11:57Z "Wikipedia has a code of conduct....Wikipedia does not have firm rules" - Wikipedia: Five Pillars Anyone else find this funny? How is it possible to have a firm code of conduct without firm rules? And they wonder why trolls find... MadelynGillespie "Wikipedia has a code of conduct....Wikipedia does not have firm rules" - Wikipedia: Five Pillars Anyone else find this funny? How is it possible to have a firm code of conduct without firm rules? And they wonder why trolls find it so enjoyable to mess with their articles and create general havoc. You don't even have to be a regular troll to do it either! The code of conduct basically wants everyone to play nice (which is really just a way of saying "fight nice" to me) and get along, even when you don't agree. Okay, that's the public veneer of politics. But Wikipedia doesn't have steadfast rules for its "editors" to follow. People are flying by the seat of their pants on the rules issue. Maybe this incongruity is simply to draw in the average Jo and make him feel as if he's contributing?
"The five pillars of Wikipedia: a quick rundown of the 5 key rules you should read to start editing. Don't worry, it's easy."
So easy see? Now, run along kiddies and spawn Wikipedia editors!]]> Exclamating Disclaimers (with own definitions of course) tag:blogs.setonhill.edu,2008:/MadelynGillespie//416.28653 2008-11-06T22:27:00Z 2008-11-06T22:48:26Z "Category:Wikipedia official policy: policies that are widely accepted and that everyone is expected to follow. Category:Wikipedia guidelines: less rigid rules of thumb that are generally accepted by consensus to apply in many cases." - Wikipedia: Key policies and guidelines Here... MadelynGillespie "Category:Wikipedia official policy: policies that are widely accepted and that everyone is expected to follow. Category:Wikipedia guidelines: less rigid rules of thumb that are generally accepted by consensus to apply in many cases." - Wikipedia: Key policies and guidelines Here we go again. When I read the above quote, I couldn't help but think, "Soooo, society's general acceptances rule Wikpedia...but we really can do anything we want. Oh look! Here come all the trolls like terrible two year-olds running for a candy shop!" One may take the first rule as a general covering of everything beneath the Wikipedia name while the second focuses on only in a large amount of cases. What I'm wondering is this: Does the official policy actually differ in any way from the guidelines? Is Wikipedia trying to present itself in a better light than it is actually capable of achieving at this very moment? I think yes on both counts, at least for now. Talk about trying to confuse the random person who doesn't use Wikipedia that often. (Sorry, I'm way too busy these days.) It would probably just be simpler if Wikipedia made one policy and did their darned best to have people conform to it. Allowing for numerous variations, no matter how small, eventually lead to reader frustration and a lowered readability and usability. As a little side note though, that I really think that you should check out, is the fact that for each of Wikipedia's Key Policies it gives a definition created by Wikipedia. Wow. Talk about making sure that there's no difference between what you want your readers to believe is true and what you think is true (if only by your own definition). Everyone's got a different interpretation on something, no matter where they are in the world.]]> Fluctuating know-how yet publicly moored tag:blogs.setonhill.edu,2008:/MadelynGillespie//416.28650 2008-11-06T18:28:53Z 2008-11-06T22:26:06Z "Since Wikipedia is constantly undergoing revisions, it is too unstable to cite; what you read and verified today might be gone tomorrow-or even in an hour." - Is Wikipedia Becoming a Respectable Academic Source? by Lisa Spiro The only constant... MadelynGillespie "Since Wikipedia is constantly undergoing revisions, it is too unstable to cite; what you read and verified today might be gone tomorrow-or even in an hour." - Is Wikipedia Becoming a Respectable Academic Source? by Lisa Spiro The only constant is change it seems. What society accepts as true today may be false tomorrow and what is good tomorrow may be bad today. Spiro makes the point that Wikipedia is unstable because of its ever changing wealth of information, and the fact that this information isn't always the most accurate. Kinda makes the site sound like a volcano that's just waitin' to blow. However, the shakiness is there all the same. Personally, I prefer to use Wikipedia to search out other academic sources that might be more reliable, such as published books and articles. That being written, I have no problem using Wikipedia to define terms or events that I'm simply curious about or including it in blogs to help my readers understand a concept a bit more. Wikipedia has a lot of potential to become a great online academic resource, but until the day when only "experts" can edit pages or provide content for it, I very much doubt that it'll be 100% believable. Who knows? Times are a' changin' and no one can say for sure what'll happen. ]]> Convictions, expectations, perfections, and verisimilitudes tag:blogs.setonhill.edu,2008:/MadelynGillespie//416.28649 2008-11-06T17:57:23Z 2008-11-06T18:28:36Z "One is that Seigenthaler should have corrected the entry himself, and the other is that no source of authority can be trusted 'definitively.'" - There's no Wikipedia entry for 'moral responsibility' by Andrew Orlowski So, basically what we've got is... MadelynGillespie "One is that Seigenthaler should have corrected the entry himself, and the other is that no source of authority can be trusted 'definitively.'" - There's no Wikipedia entry for 'moral responsibility' by Andrew Orlowski So, basically what we've got is an issue of responsibilty. (At least it seems to me.) Instead of creating an uproar, Sheigenthaler could have attempted to change the false information himself. Yes, in a way it wasn't his responsibilty to change the wrong information, but did he really have the expectation that a major web site like Wikipedia to simply change info because it was wrong or he told it to? In today's world it almost seems to me that you need to try and protect your name as best as you're able. You can't always count on someone else to fix a problem or incorrect information. And that leads me to the second quote of this bolg: "The first, and the most immediately absurd of these two defenses, is that since nothing at all can be trusted, er, "definitively", then Wikipedia can't be trusted either. This is curious, to say the least, as it points everyone's expectations firmly downwards." Now, I fully realize that you probably think me to an incourageable downer and pessimist after using this last quote. Well, not really. Everyone has a pessimist inside of them, but this blog really points out my own individual paranoia and insecurities than actual pessimism. I always try to look on the brightside things, I just attempt to plan for most everything that can go wrong. (And that's a major chore in and of itself sometimes!) But I degress. Everything that you hear, read, write, watch, etc. has an angle attached to it. It may be as small as possible, but it was produced by someone and everyone has biases. Just mull over that for a bit and you might find a couple of your own. No one is infallible by any measure. Thus, nothing can be completely right or, perhaps, completely wrong. So, it's pretty easy to say that nothing can be definitively trusted. After all, as my professor, Dr. Jerz, likes to tell his newswriting classes, "If your mother says she loves you, verify it." ]]> Insistence and Intentions: flip sides of a coin tag:blogs.setonhill.edu,2008:/MadelynGillespie//416.28637 2008-11-05T02:15:06Z 2008-11-05T02:34:23Z "There is almost always a good idea (or at least not-so-awful) intention lurking behind insistence on a bad design idea. Trying to understand that good intention is often the best way to figure out how to make your case for... MadelynGillespie "There is almost always a good idea (or at least not-so-awful) intention lurking behind insistence on a bad design idea. Trying to understand that good intention is often the best way to figure out how to make your case for a different approach." pg. 185 - Krug, Don't Make Me Think Everywhere you look, there's some form of politics. (This seems to be the best example with it being on the eve of a historical presidential election!) Everyone has differing opinions on different topics. Sometimes we have to concede our points to others, and sometimes others concede their points to ours. Its a give and take relationship. However, you should always wish to understand the other side's proposed actions. Simply shooting down an idea because its not your own will only garner enemies and increasing resentment. If you seek to explain yourself coherently and as politely as possible, then perhaps both ideas could be meshed to come together. I realize that this is by no means an easy task. (Just take a look at this election and some of the opposing ideas!) Anyways, politics exists in almost every aspect of life, whether fortunately or unfortunately. Just try to keep Krug's advice in mind when listening to other's website design ideas. You can think, Are you serious?! That idea'll run us into the ground! But you'll actually say, "Well, this, this, and this, look to be really good, but could we maybe take this aspect out and incorporate this other idea?" Fight nice kiddies!]]> Find _________ , then prove it. tag:blogs.setonhill.edu,2008:/MadelynGillespie//416.28604 2008-10-30T21:16:45Z 2008-10-30T21:47:03Z "The point of testing is not to prove or disprove something. It's to inform your judgement." Steve Krug - Don't Make Me Think! pg. 135 As soon as I read this quote I heard a litany consisting of my various... MadelynGillespie
"The point of testing is not to prove or disprove something. It's to inform your judgement." Steve Krug - Don't Make Me Think! pg. 135
As soon as I read this quote I heard a litany consisting of my various english professors telling me that I needed to find ______ first, and then search for ways to prove it. Not the other way around. I remember in my newswriting class when my professor told us to search put the quotes from individuals. These quotes will most likely contain the angle on which you want to focus your news story. It doesn't help anyone if reporters only focus on what they perceive to be important versus what may actually be important. And this idea isn't just local to journalism. In one of my current classes, we're writing longer research papers. My professor has told my class before that we need to discover/come up with a topic of our own for our paper, and then find sources that either prove/disprove this theory. There is very little use in writing something that has been written several times with few difference from time to time. When it comes to trying to prove something, make sure you have that something in mind before you run off in search of facts that will only prove/disprove said something. You have to present both sides in an effort to be fair as well. just because you may not like that usability tests show that you've done really well on 7 out of 10 things doesn't mean that you can ignore the other 3 or only focus on those 3. Just don't go through these in a backwards fashion and you'll be alright.]]> We don't mess with the Space/Time Continuum for a reason! tag:blogs.setonhill.edu,2008:/MadelynGillespie//416.28567 2008-10-28T04:53:58Z 2008-10-28T05:20:18Z It may have taken me a bit, but I was really interested when I got to the part concerning time and its subsequent distortion in the interactive fiction game Slouching Towards Bedlam, by Star Foster and Daniel Ravipinto. I must... MadelynGillespie interactive fiction game Slouching Towards Bedlam, by Star Foster and Daniel Ravipinto. I must admit that I am a Start-Trek fan through and through, so I was helplessly fascinated by the thought that the main problem in this game was to try and fix the space/time continuum. I'll also write that this concept will plain make your head hurt if not outright spin 360 degrees! We perceive events in time in a linear fashion (probably because we couldn't keep everything straight if it was happening without any semblance of order). Distinguishing time in this simple way is also one of the reasons we are so quick to peg a person as crazy when they think things out of order (or outside the generally accepted order).
"A second, an hour, a year, an eternity. I cannot say how long it took, for the past and present and future were as one within it. The Logos had always been and would always be and my reaching out to it in this one moment was as a grain of sand on an infinite beach." ~ Slouching Towards Bedlam - Cleve's Diary
Even though the concept of Time absolutely makes my mind boggle, I love theorizing over its numerous aspects (no matter that I'm surely wrong - that's half the fun!). Can you simply imagine all the possibilities that would lie at your fingertips if you could travel, let alone control time? Endless! People often say that they wish that they might go back in time and rewrite a certain event, but then comes the Butterfly Effect. One little thing can end up garnering massive revisions that you may have never thought of. Indeed, I think it's impossible for us to compile a list of things that might change from tweaking one small event. The world runs on a bunch of small events that inevitably snowball into something large. Everything builds up in some way, even if it seems as if a big event's just come out of left field. In the game, the character Cleve supposedly unraveled his own part in the grand scheme of Time though words. (Yet another poetic showing that words are more powerful than weapons in some cases, so be careful what you say/write.) So maybe we should just be happy with what we've got and just try our best to figure out the future instead of looking for a shortcut. There are somethings that Man was simply not meant to know, whether it's now or in the future. Just look at the ancient Greek myths, human's hubris was a hero's downfall, just as Cleve announced for his reason for no longer talking. Guess we've all gotta try and keep a weather eye out for the future!]]> Mythical Universal Idiosyncrasies tag:blogs.setonhill.edu,2008:/MadelynGillespie//416.28513 2008-10-23T02:59:54Z 2008-10-23T03:26:28Z "You can't trust your own judgement about this. You need to show the Home page to people from outside your organization to tell you whether the design is getting this job done because the "main point" is the one thing... MadelynGillespie "You can't trust your own judgement about this. You need to show the Home page to people from outside your organization to tell you whether the design is getting this job done because the "main point" is the one thing nobody inside the organization will notice is missing." ~ pg. 103: Don't Make Me Think by Steve Krug What is it? It's a bird. It's a plane. No, it's...(I know you were expecting Superman!, but please.) This quote really focuses the entire bit about handing your pet project over to someone else to try out. You can pour your heart and soul into something and never want anyone to find fault with it. Unfortunately, Life's not that simple by any means. It's more than likely that there will be something amiss with our first, second, possibly even third drafts, we just won't see it until another points it out to us. Common sense seems to work along these lines too, sometimes. So even though it may feel like you're only opening yourself up for ridicule and have called the emotional paramedics because you're sure that you're going to be shot in the foot (which is always a possibility), you really need to do it.
"In fact, all of the time I've spent watching people use the Web has led me to the opposite conclusion: all Web users are unique, and all Web use is basically idiosyncratic." ~ pg. 128
I loved reading this. You always here how every individual is unique, but we're all the same some how too? It's just a little confusing. It's true that everyone has qualities possessed by only them. It's also true that groups of us can be grouped together by loose, general standards. That being written, everyone has their little oddities that they use to traverse the Web. Some search all over, some browse, and some just travel along on the Winds of Fate (divine substances assist them). All in all, we're just as much the same as we are different.]]> Users, Freakers, Losers, Drivers... tag:blogs.setonhill.edu,2008:/MadelynGillespie//416.28512 2008-10-23T00:51:46Z 2008-10-23T01:39:54Z All of the quotes used in this entry are from Don't Make Me Think by Steve Krug. "When I look at most Web pages, I'm struck by the fact that most of the words I see are just taking up... MadelynGillespie Don't Make Me Think by Steve Krug.
"When I look at most Web pages, I'm struck by the fact that most of the words I see are just taking up space, because no one is ever going to read them." pg. 45
When I first read this line and its fellows, I thought, "Finally! Here's something I can use in my argument about differing writing styles and how it's hard to switch back and forth between them!" It's kind of sad how happy I was. Cutting down on your verbosity is an awesome talent when writing for the Web, news writing, and for directions on websites, but it becomes difficult to step out of this way of thinking and writing when you have to write an eight page research paper in one night (oh yeah, you didn't start until 11:00pm the night before. Have fun!). But even when you manage to find sufficient time for longer papers, you need to realize that styles are truly different. I almost feel as if I can't sum everything up in a few sentences, make my point clearly and succinctly because I need more than two pages (maybe three if I have a big topic). There's actual pressure to have a lot of words = more pages = hopefully better grade! Put on your racing gloves, folks. This one's gonna be a hairpin!
"Some people (Jakob Nielson calls them "search-dominant" users) will almost always look for a search box as soon as they enter a site. (These may be the same people who look for the nearest clerk as soon as they enter a store.)" pg. 54
I completely realize that this is my own personal issue, but quite frankly, I'd rather look stupid standing stock still, staring at a store's aisle signs or wandering in and out of said aisles to find a product than to ask someone for help. I think that the search is half the adventure (barring my being in an extreme hurry and ready to snap at the first innocent bystander). So naturally, when I read this passage I thought, "I pray that I'm never in a situation where a person (possessing all of their faculties) continuously comes up to me visit after visit and wants to know where the same item is!" Here's a hint: It'll be bad. Persistent Navigation = Good. Everyone likes to know where they are. And if you don't, then all the more power to ya. So, it's not hard to figure out that complete and user-friendly navigation bars will bring in more bees than that other guy's site that goes every which way. With great (clear) navigation, I think the user should want to say "Mommy, I'm home!" whenever they come back from another part of the site.
"Street signs are big. When you're stopped at an intersection, you can read the sign for the next cross street. They're in the right place--hanging over the street you're driving on, so all you have to do is look up." pg. 71
Now, it should be known that I love to drive. There's simply one problem: I hate city driving! I always feel as if I don't know where I'm going because the signs are small enough to be nonexistent; there never seems to be enough time before exits to move over to the correct lane; and don't even get me started on the buses/trollies ONLY streets! (Bad experience if ya catch my drift.) So what's all this blathering mean? Simply put, make your web site's signs big, easy to see, and high speed driver friendly! ZOOM, ZOOM! car.jpg]]> Billboard Drive-bys tag:blogs.setonhill.edu,2008:/MadelynGillespie//416.28436 2008-10-17T20:16:36Z 2008-10-17T20:38:56Z "Three things sell this newspaper: Tragedy, sex, and Superman. These people have had enough tragedy, and we all know you can't write worth a damn about sex." ~ Perry White in Superman Returns "And of course, (c) the trigger words... MadelynGillespie "Three things sell this newspaper: Tragedy, sex, and Superman. These people have had enough tragedy, and we all know you can't write worth a damn about sex." ~ Perry White in Superman Returns
"And of course, (c) the trigger words that are hardwired into our nervous systems, like "Free," "Sale," and "Sex," and our own name." ~ Krug 23, Don't Make Me Think
As soon as I read the Krug quote above, I immediately remembered the line from the movie Superman Returns. It's said when Perry White, the Editor in Chief of the Daily Planet, is explaining to Lois Lane why she must write an article about Superman being back on Earth. When we initiate our scanning mode in order to learn new information, we only search for the important stuff, like those mentioned above. Krug relates this method to people driving past billboards, because unless you're sitting at a standstill in traffic, you're not going to dissect a billboard's information. So, the easiest way to get people their needed information is to write/design your website for drive-by users! This is one of those times when you've got to go with the ultimate flow.
"At some point in our youth, without ever being taught, we all learned to read a newspaper. Not the words, but the conventions." ~ Krug 34, Don't Make Me Think
I have to write though, that I rarely read newspapers when I was younger. I'd occasionally look over my dad's shoulder when he was reading the paper after getting home from work, but I mostly just sought out the comics. However, I quickly found a few magazines that held secrets within their pages and sat down to unconsciously learn the conventions of newsprint. One was actually foreign based and so I had to teach myself to read "backwards" from typical english conventions! All in all though, Krug's right about people learning how to process print and online news without them even knowing it. Readers now look for differentiating headlines and such now without realizing it. Funny how the world works sometimes.]]>