Hypertext is "any program that allows readers to navigate nonlinearly through a body of text, sometimes a single text, but frequently a database of related materials with hundreds of nodes of text linked together forming a network of relevant material, it may be considered a hypertext. Hypertext is text that exists only in cyberspace. It is impossible to put hypertext into traditional page-bound print; doing so would so radically alter its nature that it would simply no longer be hypertext (Gibson)."In many ways, linking Hypertext is a creative process. For example, while reading an educational passage about the history of the printing press, one might see that the words "...first printed book..." are a link, and when clicked, bring the reader to an image of the book. This type of interactive reading does not just happen by coincidence, rather it is thoughtfully created by the author to enhance what would be just a typical sequence of text. It is interesting to examine how facebook and twitter utilize hypertext. To me, the stand out usage would be the ability to click on specific interests, music, books and movies that your friends list out in their "Info" section. If you see someone likes the movie Atonement, you can click the word and then be directed to everyone else on facebook who lists Atonement as one of their favorite movies. This is really the operating principle of social networking; linking people together by common interests.
Twitter is really just a collaborative network of hypertext. Those who claim that Twitter is "just status updates" really have no idea what it is all about. People who take full advantage of Twitter are those who post viral video and real-time photos, links to websites, maps of their current location and use hash tags to start trending topics. It has gotten to the point where I personally don't tweet anything without some form of the aforementioned links in my update. And how cool is that? If someone walks by a major event in New York City and takes a picture of that and instantly tweets about it, it could possibly be re-tweeted over and over again to a point where thousands or even millions of people have now seen this image...perhaps an hour before it hits the 5 o'clock news or online news site.
I got a twitter account pretty much to just "get a twitter account" not realizing the reasons why people have them. I have just recently realized how interesting it can in fact be. People use their twitter accounts for all different reasons and it is really a great communication device and also a great social networking idea. It allows other people's ideas and events to be spread throughout the system and "re-tweeted" multiple times in emphasis.
ReplyDeleteIf anything Twitter takes word of mouth to a global level. Personally I'm not the biggest fan of twitter, likening it to the equivalent of instant blogging. But that's also me missing the days of xanga where people took their time to articulate their thoughts and post long blogs about it. But that's the thing with the present state of communication. Everything is wanted immediately. Whether or not all the information is there, networks like twitter contribute to the bigger story.
ReplyDeleteFor me, Twitter is about being connected to people all the time, but I really like your statement: "Twitter is really just a collaborative network of hypertext." Outstanding insight!
ReplyDeleteI am a big "gossip" follower as one might say, and I thought it was hilarious about the uproar that followed Miley Cyrus deleting her twitter account. It's an online account, a "ollaboratie netowrk of hypertext". Her deletion has been discussed on TV, online, magazines, on the news, even in some of my classes! I think that it's absolutely ridiculous the amount of attention twitter has on it right now. If it is meant to keep you connected with friends, why do people feel the need to constantly update the WORLD as to what they're doing?
ReplyDeleteI can understand the feeling that the above commenter feels about the attention twitter gets, however I don't agree with it. Twitter is an amazing technology and can be used in so many different ways that no wonder it gets attention. A lot of people say they don't understand twitter or that they are just status updates. I think these people are missing the point. I started out using my Twitter to stay in touch with my friends and , of course, update what I was doing. I like to think that I've advanced to become a better Twitter user. I tweet with using hashtags, pictures, locations, and tinyurls.
ReplyDeleteThe best thing about Twitter is being able to use it as a personalized newsfeed. Not only can I be updated on what my freinds are doing, but I can follow celebrities, news sources, and blogs. I often find new music by following the Brooklyn Vegan, Pitchfork, and Gorilla vs. Bear. Also, the trending topics instantly tell me issues that are important to others in the world. Sometimes they are superficial and sometimes they are important. There was much buzz about how Twitter was used to report news of the crisis in Iran. I think we are only just beginning to learn the usefulness of this technology.