Marcella's Blog

After searching the internet for a few minutes on the new search engines we received in class, I found a well written web site that discusses how to verify information on a specific web page. The web site I would recommend is “Can you trust what you find on the WWW?” www.d239.org/vja/staff/www/verify.org . I would recommend this site because it gives a vivid description of the different questions that need to be asked when verifying a web site. The specific components which make a web site trustworthy are listed and then fully explained on subsequent pages of the web site. The site took me through each of the components in a question format and answered them by looking at a specific web page. They also had exercises to try and a summary printout.

The article titled “Database Fights Diploma Mills,” www.wired.com/news/culture/0/html discusses the idea of a searchable online database that includes all the schools recognized by the federal government. This was the first time I have read or heard about anything relating to false diplomas. The internet seems like a good place for this type of industry to grow because a lot of people trust websites that look nice and put together, however in reality they are used to scam people. I would hope that the general public would not chose to entertain the idea of a false diploma because in the long run I think one would get caught and end up in jail.

After reading the article titled “Adults better Web surfers than teens, study shows,” www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/10787236.htm , I think that the article shows that adults are better surfers when wanting a specific topic. I think that teens use the internet for a more entertainment and personal purposes and could probably find sports stats, or fashion trends more quickly than adults. Also, I agree with the article in that teens prefer illustrations and pictures to small text. I prefer to see a neat website with only the necessary text and lots of graphics and pictures, but then again I am usually searching for personal purposes.

After reading the report titled "Pew Internet & American Life Project: Search Engine Users," www.pewinternet.org/PFF/r/146/report_display.asp , I agree with the claim that most people are positive with the experiences they have had with search engines. For the most part, when talking with people about finding stuff on the web it takes them less than a few minutes to find exactly what they are searching for. I know that for me if at first I don not receive what I am looking for it is usually because I have typed something in without the correct Boolean form or I have incorrectly phrased something.

After reading several articles about censorship and free speech on the internet and the several laws that have been created to help with theses issues, I still feel as though the internet is a grounds of free speech that should not have to contain limits to what people think. The internet is like a huge diary and yes if it gets into the wrong hands then it can be hurtful, but if people know that there is all kinds of information out there, then they should be aware of how they are surfing the net. I also think that even though the internet websites should not be monitored, I feel as though pop-ups should be limited, because from personal experience when looking at an educational site pop-ups will appear without warning about items for sale and pornography.

I have searched for myself and others when I have been bored or had a few minute of downtime just for fun. Even though I knew that to expect I searched again just to see if things had changed. The only thing that was different was that my blog posts have come up early in the search list. When I searched my name most of the results were the times from my cross country races as well as academic achievements in high school. I found it interesting that my times for races were both from highs cool and college in no particular order. I thought I would find things that came up with my same name but not really me, but that was not the case.