I am taking this course because back home in Ireland im undertaking a computer science major I think this will benefit me when I return home as I will be more experienced in producing pieces for the Internet.
I dont might writing, just as long as there is something interesting to write about. Because I major in computers back home I do not mind about this course.
I have never kept a weblog or journal so this is a complete new thing to me.
I am a keen soccer player and I am currently playing with the university soccer team.

Welcome to the course, Simon, and welcome to SHU. How much web authoring have you done? I wouldn't want to bore you too much with the basics... heck, you can even help me teach that part of the class, if you like.

First and foremost, I am taking this course because it’s a requirement for my major, which happens to be English Journalism. I haven’t had the chance to take many journalism classes and I am already a junior, so that worries me.

However, I think this class will help me learn more about internet writing and what the benefits are from it. I admit I am not a big fan of internet writing or blogging. But I think I need to give it an honest chance and at least have patience to do well in the class.

As far as writing goes, I like doing it. I’m not really sure what I like about it. I am a sports writer for the Setonian. I enjoy writing about sports because I am an athlete and I can relate to them very well.

I’ve always enjoyed getting my ideas and thoughts across, whether it was orally or through writing. I’m not going to say whether I think I’m good at it or not, because what I think is high-quality may not be to someone else. That’s the beauty of writing, there are so many ways to interpret what you are reading, depending on the perspective you are reading from.

Computers are not for me, I dislike almost everything about them. But of course its always easy to dislike that which you do not understand. So I guess that’s my problem. I can do the basics but I have a lot to learn. This is why I would like to be a traditional journalist. But with the way things are advancing it seems that I have to become best friends with the computer at this rate. And that terrifies me.

I had a web blog when I took Practice of Journalism last year for the class. Other than that, I have never had a web page, because I don’t know how to make one and nor would I devote the time to making a web page.

I think the only thing that I could tell you to help me learn is to be patient with me and try and show more than just tell. Don’t assume everyone knows how to do certain things. I mean I’m not a complete moron but if I haven’t learned things these or I forgot because it was so long ago, don’t be frustrated.

Thanks, Denishia. Being a journalist today does pretty much mean working with technology. There are, of course, traditional roles out there, but many newspapers who are hiring new employees are looking for the ones with the technical skills that terrify the traditional journalists who are already on staff.

I plan to teach you from the ground up how to make a web page, and you'll have plenty of chances to watch before you have to do it completely on your own.

I hope you'll let me know when a particular exercise or activity was particularly interesting or helpful to you, so that I'll know to do more things like it in the future.

1. I'm taking this for my major. I've been using the internet since 1997, and I have used computers before then (back when DOS was the only operating system), so I have the knowledge and know-how. I don't think I'll have much trouble in this class given my background.

2. I write often, although not as much when not in school, but heavily online. It's an easier medium and faster to work with overall. As stated above, I've been using computers for a long time, so I'm well comfortable behind one. I've spent most of 2003 posting on about 20 different forums, so debate and discussion over a monitor is nothing new

3. I already have a Livejournal, had it for about a year now. And I've linked the URL to my site, but I haven't updated my webcomic in over a year anyways, and due to some script-kiddy I had to cut the mainpage content to prevent IE users from getting a BloodHound virus.

Remember kids, www.mozilla.org. Firefox is your friend.

4. Well, I am a bit stubborn when it comes to the idea of this class, because I don't feel that weblogs are anything special or something grand. They get ignored as much as the rest of the internet.

But I look like an idiot when I say that, given that I spend more time checking my LJ friends page, and the fact that I met my girlfriend over LJ scores me a few hypocrite points when I badmouth blogs. I just don't view them as a great contribution to anything apart from a open diary/random BS, or in the case of Livejournal's more elite members, weeks worth of popcorn drama and friends-only posts.

I am taking this course because i think that the internet is an important medium for news and other information. I feel this class will show me how to utilize this medium. i feel that i am somewhat ready for this course because i have used the internet in this way before (using forums and such).

I enjoy writing and journalism is my minor so i have a large interest in this class.
Computers do not intimidate me in any way. My father is a computer analyst and i have been around computers my entire life.

i have never kept an online journal but i have participated in forums before. I once had a web page in high school but i never kept it up much.

i do not know where i can blog besides this site. i would like some resources on where i could go.

Thanks, Tim. Personal diaries are only one form of weblog. The course is designed to expose you to other kinds, as well.

You've clearly got something to contribute to the class; I hope you will enjoy it and learn something in the process.