Social Media Project

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kt/5692858415/

I must admit that I am not a fan of "group" projects, however, this group project went well as compared to ones I have been part of in the past.  I am not really sure how many of my fellow group members were familiar with designing and editing wikis, but I had never done either until this project.  Along with not having designed or edited a wiki, I do not really consider myself social media savvy, so this project looked as though it would be challenging (at least to me!).  Our group divvied up the workload by assigning a different outlet of the social media company report to each member.  That member was then responsible for researching that social medial outlet for Coca-Cola Company and citing their sources.  Some members then summarized the Coca-Cola's social media policy and made recommendations to help improve the social media policy.  In all the project went very smoothly and was done in a timely manner (before the due date :).

We found that the Coca-Cola Company utilizes a plethora of social media outlets.  The Coca-Cola Company uses Facebook, Twitter, Google, YouTube, Instagram, Linkedin and even has their own blog!  All of the social media outlets allow Coca-Cola to promote their many products from sodas to juice to water and even sports and energy drinks.  They are also able to sell new and vintage merchandise on many of the sites as well.  Social media also permits Coca-Cola to connect with their customers.  Customers of Coca-Cola can post messages and photos while enjoying Coke products on their Facebook fan page.  They can also tweet about Coke products on Twitter and with the Coca-Cola blog customers can interact with Coca-Cola team members!

I learned how companies, such as Coca-Cola use social media to promote products, advertise and connect with customers on a daily basis.  Coca-Cola's company webpage shows the companies history, policies, financials, products and what the company is doing to giveback to communities.  Coca-Cola also has a social media policy in place that embodies the companies core values of leadership, collaboration, integrity, accountability, passion, diversity and quality.  They also encourage good judgement and common sense while using social media.  In all, I would say that the project was a success!

Week 13 - Clear - Social Media

In this day and age if you are not somehow connected via social media you may feel lost!  But what exactly is social media?  How is social media used? What is the difference between types of social media?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/seanrnicholson/6448938355/

Social media can be defined as a group of Internet based applications that build on the ideological and technological foundations of Web 2.0, that allow creation and exchange of user generated content.

Social media can be used for individual purposes or business purposes.  When social media is used for individual purposes it is used as a tool to interact with friends and family, for gaming, to share photos, videos, etc., to share ideas and thoughts.  When social media is used for business purposes it used to advertise, promote a brand, customer relations and experience, a platform for exposure or a cause.

So what are the most popular types of social media and how are they different?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/smemon/5684115572/

facebook - Facebook is the most used social media site.  Facebook allows users to add friends, chat, "Like" pages, add photos and videos, network, receive news feeds, video call, add status updates, post on a friends wall and the list goes on!!!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/woofer_kyyiv/3581392721/

Twitter - On Twitter, users tweet.  Which means that users can update what they are doing, where they are and what they like with a few keystrokes and followers (whether they are registered with Twitter or not) can see what you are up too!   

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bizbuzzmedia/5261419117/

Linkedin - Linkedin is similar to Facebook, but geared more toward the professional user.  On Linkedin you have connections, contact networks, can post photos and resumes, allows employers to search for you, allows the user to search for jobs from specific companies and more!

Week 12 - Clear - Telecommunications and the Internet

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jean-marc_astesana/2640346196/

IPv4 vs. IPv6

Over 70% of Americans spend time online surfing the web! So it's not too hard to conceive the fact that IP addresses are running out.  This is largely due to the fact that more and more people are able to connect to the Internet everyday.  Even in small remote countries that many of us may not even know exist they are able to connect to the Internet thanks to satellites and advancements in remote location connections.  Another reason we are running out of IP addresses is due to the fact that no more than ever we are able to connect numerous devices and appliances to the Internet.  All of these devices and appliances, when connected need and IP address to connect to the Internet, just like your PC or laptop.  However, don't get worried that you won't be able to connect your latest device or appliance to the web.  IPv4 is being replaced by IPv6.  The IPv4 uses 32-bit addresses which means 4,294,967,296 addresses! If you think that's alot then check this out! The IPv6 uses 128-bit addresses which means 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000! So now that IPv4 officially exhausted on February 3, 2011, most things that we buy that are able to connect to the Internet support IPv6.  Many experts have said switching from the IPv4 to the IPv6 will be not only be costly, but will also be a slow process due to the fact that IPv6 isn't backward compatible with IPv4 :(  However, once the switch is made permanently from IPv4 to IPv6 you will see improved speed, reliability and security while you are surfing the world wide web!

So whether or not you connect via PC, laptop or mobile device, have no fear you will be able to connect in the future! 

*Permission granted for use by Standard YouTube license.

Microsoft Access Project

Well as I have mentioned in my previous Microsoft Access blog, I have never used Microsoft Access :( I had many questions with this project, but seemed to find my way through it to the end (finally!). While doing this project I was literally learning step by step.  This includes everything from how to create and import tables to how to label and save reports.  The most difficult section to me was how to generate the query I needed.  It was difficult in the fact that you had to know put fields ahead of other fields in order to sort correctly from left to right and oh ya..those fields couldn't show up in the report (AHH!). However, once I grasped this concept it was really interesting how easily I was able to manipulate the data to generate information that I needed. The easiest portion of the Microsoft Access project was (don't laugh).....setting up the printing! At least this feature was the same as all of the other Microsoft Office programs :)

How would I increase the functionality of Microsoft Access?  First, in creating a query I had problems when I would accidentally drag a wrong field to be sorted, I could not remove that field. Not sure if it was just my inexperience with the Microsoft Access or not, but I started this part of the project over a couple of times when trying to get the sorting aspect correct.  Another aspect I would like to see improved upon would be in creating a report.  I had trouble lining up and getting the fields to fit the length of the data in them.  It would be helpful if you were able to automatically straighten and fit data accordingly.

All in all though, this was a challenging project to me since I had not used Microsoft Access prior. However, I enjoyed learning how to use the Microsoft Access database program and am looking forward to using the features the program offers in the near future!

Week 11 - Clear - Data Asset

What is data? What is information?
 How do you turn data into information? 

Well below is an attempt to answer these very questions as well as, provide aide as to what types of software can help you turn data into information that is useful to you! Data is/are a set of values that are either quantitative or qualitative and are only raw figures and facts. Information is what data becomes when it is put into a form that can answer questions and aide in decision making. Data is stored in a database, which is simply put one or more lists of data.  

Now you may be asking yourself..."Where does all of this data come from?" Well when we as consumers make transactions, use credit cards, store loyalty cards, use search engines or even click on links, we are generating data. So how do businesses turn this data they have gathered into information that is useful?  Well reporting tools and queries allow businesses to select, sort, calculate, compare, etc., so that their data is turned into useful information for their business. Canned reports, ad hoc reporting tools, dashboards and online analytical processing (OLAP) are all ways in which businesses transform data into information. Canned reports provide summaries (i.e., monthly, annual) of information in a predetermined format.  Ad hoc reporting tools allow users to generate their own reports.  They are allowed to select their own criteria, fields, ranges and parameters to generate the specific information in which they are interested. Dashboards are more of an at a glance with graphs that display critical information. OLAP uses relational databases to calculate and summarize data and then stores this data in a data cube. 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nataliejohnson/237529176/

So now that we know the difference between data and information and we also know how data is turned into useful information as you need is the right team with the business intelligence and the proper reporting tools to help the business use this information to reach new goals!!!

Week 10 - Muddy - Microsoft Access

This week in ISM 3004 we are in the beginnings of our Microsoft Access project.  Unlike the other programs in the Microsoft Office Suite, I have never used the Access program, so this will be a little more difficult than the previous Excel project. For the Access project we are learning how to create tables, queries, forms and reports in Access.

Tables

http://www.flickr.com/photos/brenda-starr/4407416750/

While using Access we must create tables or import tables.  Included in the tables are fields which as Professor Olson says, "Must have a description to go along with them so that you know why you made that field."  Good advice! You must also assign a Primary Key.  I am still somewhat confused on how to decide which field should be the Primary Key?!. Thus the reason, I am stuck on step 1bii of the Microsoft Access project :) I will hopefully get some helpful advice so that I am able to move forward with the project fairly soon!

Queries
When learning how to create queries, I learned how to set results that I wanted the query to return.  Access is able to sort by single fields or multiple fields that you select.  In a query you can also tell Access to only return a specific value for a field.  This is helpful when you only want to obtain certain information and it allows you to view it already sorted, ordered and makes it very simple to read.

Forms
In the forms video portion of using Access, I learned the difference in Text Box and Text Label. In the form if you use a text box this means that you type something into the form that is going to be processed.  Whereas, a text label indicates what is going on within the form. Another useful feature I learned how to use was how to "lock" or make something "read only". This is a very easy feature to turn on and off via the Property Sheet.

Reports
In the last portion of the video lessons for Access, we learned how to create reports. In a report you are able to group data by fields, as well as, sort the data.  The report also contains Report Header/Footer and Page Header/Footer. The difference between them are that a report header/footer in found only on the first and last page of the report.  A page header/footer is found on the top and bottom of every page within the report.

Hopefully all of the video lessons will become more clear as I work further into my Microsoft Access project and Access will become less muddy!!!

Week 9 - Clear - Moore's Law

http://www.flickr.com/photos/oninnovation/4335512856/

What is Moore's Law?  Moore's law was term coined by Intel co-founder, Gordon Moore, that says the process of chip making enables more powerful chips to be made at cheaper costs.  The time frame used is roughly 18 months until faster, cheaper chips hit market.  Now as you have probably imagined this will eventually not be the case.  Chips can only get so small.  That is why Gordon Moore himself has claimed that Moore's law is dead.  To find more on Moore click here.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fenng/4095211300/

So if Moore's law is dead or dying how will we continue to achieve the idea of faster, cheaper chips and technology?  Well they are now looking a multi-core processors as well as building up, such as 3-D, that would require less power and yet run faster.  Also in the works are quantum computing, super computing and grid computing.  Another big factor associated with Moore's law, to be more exact, the death of Moore's law, is the large amount of e-waste.  With all of today's array of technological gadgets, e-waste has become not only a major concern of businesses worldwide, but a major concern of the technology consumers worldwide.  Many of our favorite gadgets, cell phones, tablets, laptops, etc., contain cadmium, mercury and other harmful and toxic materials.  Many of these devices end up in low end countries and are harming the water and health of the occupants.  BAN, Basel Action Network, and Greenpeace have stepped in to try to help companies and consumers dispose of their e-waste properly, but much more advancement in this area is needed to make sure that our left over e-waste is not harming the environment.

Excel Project

I am fairly experienced with Excel, so thus I was looking forward to having an Excel project in my ISM 3004 class.  There were many tasks that we needed to perform for the Excel project that I was very familiar with such as, functions and basics like centering, bolding, adjusting column widths.  However, there were a couple of tasks, freeze panes and pivot tables, that we covered that I had never heard of in Excel, so it was interesting to learn how to use those features.

First, learning how to freeze a pane will prove to be very useful.  I used to find myself scrolling up and down to see what the headings were for the columns.  That task is now a thing of the past (thank goodness!).  I now know how to freeze panes!  Freezing a pane allows the information in the rows or columns to appear as you scroll up and down pages, no matter the length of the spreadsheet.

Second, I learned how to use a pivot table.  Using a pivot table is a very useful way to classify and organize data.  It was a little challenging to use at first, but by the end of the project I thought I had a pretty good handle on pivot tables.  A pivot table allows you to quickly view data at once and sort it multiple ways. For example you can choose how you want your ages to appear by choosing decades like the example shown below.  A pivot table also allows you to choose the fields you want to report instead of having information that you may not use on a report.

AvgIncrease Screen Capture

In all, I found the Excel project very useful.  It was a great refresher on how to use the basics of Excel as well as how to use functions in Excel.  However, I found learning how to use the freeze panes and pivot tables the most useful during the Excel project.

Extra Credit - Live Meetings

For extra credit in ISM 3004 we were given the opportunity to participate in a pilot test for UF using synchronous learning tools.  There were going to be four (4) tools that we had a chance to use, however, Unity had some issues and we were not able to use that tool.  The three (3) remaining tools were: Adobe Connect, Cisco WebEx and Big Blue Button.

My favorite synchronous learning tool was Adobe Connect! I like Adobe Connect the most because we were able to share files and web pages instantaneously,as well as, have public or private chats.  Another feature that Adobe Connect offers is the feature to do breakout sessions.  This is great for classroom learning (i.e., project, etc.) as well as for business meetings or business projects. Adobe Connect allows for everyone to control or use whiteboards and the ability to be a presenter. Adobe Connect also offered the common functions of displaying who was entering the room, as well as the capability to see them if they had a webcam. You were also able to share desktops and chat with others.

My least favorite was Big Blue Button mostly because of the annoying beeping noise when people would enter or exit the room. Big Blue Button offered many of the same features as the other programs such as chat, sharing files and desktops, display of who would enter as well as webcam capabilities. I would probably say that the overall rating for (me at least) Big Blue Button would increase if the beeping was not attached to users entering and exiting the room.

Overall, I believe if UF (or any business) chooses Adobe Connect that the features will enhance the learning process.  Adobe Connect would be most beneficial because the breakout feature would allow for students and faculty to work in groups on projects and received feedback or have questions answered instantly!

Presentation Project: Share Your Soles

As I finished my project this week, I must say that it was fairly difficult.  Deciding what I wanted to do my project on took awhile.  However, I did find a great organization, Share Your Soles (SYS), that helps to supply shoes around the world to children and adults in impoverished countries.

What I wanted to address is the need for shoes, something that we all take for granted, in impoverished countries for both children and adults.  I think it would make the presentation hit home more if I would have included video that shows children speaking on how just a simple pair of shoes has changed their life. I do like that fact that (I hope) my presentation grabs the audiences' attention at the beginning by asking a question and drawing them into the presentation.  I showed what SYS is all about on most of the slides, providing shoes to those in need.  So most of my slides are just pictures that evoke emotion in the audience and will hopefully get then to donate or volunteer to the Share Your Soles cause.

I had the pleasure of evaluating Sabrina Mirtcheva's presentation.  Sabrina's presentation was on OLPC, One Laptop Per Child, and has a similar cause to my organization in my presentation.  She did a great job explaining the cause of the organization.  Her presentation flowed well from beginning to end, however, it did need more to grab your attention right at the beginning.  I learned from her presentation that for important causes when you are asking for donations, money and/or volunteers that it is important to grab your audiences attention and get them to emotionally connect with what you are presenting right away. The only other thing I believe that was missing was more on how to help or donate to the OLPC cause.  Other than that, Sabrina's presentation was well stated and clearly presented.


I hope that my presentation evoked the audiences emotion and clearly stated what Share Your Soles is all about and why their mission is important, as well as how you can help donate to their cause! Please click on the link below to view my Share Your Soles presentation. Thanks!


Share Your Soles Presentation

Week 7 - Clear - Cloud Computing

http://www.flickr.com/photos/analogica/4291451416/

What is cloud computing? Simply put cloud computing is anything that involves delivering hosted services over the Internet. There are three main categories of cloud computing services. They are as follows:  Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) and Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS). Many of the applications that you use everyday use cloud based computing.  Applications, such as Facebook, Twitter, Gmail and YouTube are all run from cloud based services.

So what does a cloud have to do with computing? How did the cloud name come about? Well, the term cloud computing simply comes from the cloud symbol that’s often used to represent the Internet in diagrams. For a more in-depth explaniation of cloud computing please watch the video below!

*Permission granted for use by Standard YouTube License

So you may be wondering what exactly is SaaS, PaaS and IaaS?!.  These are all cloud computing options.  SaaS or Software-as-a-Service can be accessed from anywhere as long as you have Internet connection. The great part about SaaS is that you don't need any hardware or software because the vendor supplies it all.  PaaS or Platform-as-a-Service allows developers to create applications on the vendors platform. Infrastructure-as-a-Service or IaaS allows businesses or individuals to rent server or storage space and only pay for what use, instead of wasting money, resources and real estate.  With the onset of cloud computing individuals and businesses can now become more efficient and more green!

Week 6 - Clear - Understanding Software

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When you think of layers the first thing that comes to mind is probably cake! However, when trying to understand how software functions...were're not talking in cake, but we will use the layered cake as a model. There are four main 'layers' of software.  The top layer is the user.  This would be you the operator. The second layer is the application.  This would be things like presentation products, spreadsheet products or word processor products, that are designed to help the user accomplish a specific task. The third layer is the operating system (OS for short).  The OS enables the user to use the software, it controls the hardware and other programs, as well as, allows users to interact with the hardware. The forth and bottom layer is the hardware.  This would be your PC, laptop, printer, etc.  Now you may be asking yourself, "How do these layers interact with each other?" Well we know that it's not icing that holds these layers together! The layers are independent of each other and interact through API's. What is an API? The API or application programmer interface is how the components communicate with each other.  Click here to find out more on API's.

So, now that we know a little about how software works, lets talk about the different types of software: Desktop software and Enterprise software. Desktop software is usually installed on a single computer and is used to meet the needs of a single user.  Enterprise software is designed to address the needs of multiple users simultaneously and had different types of software within the structure.  Theses include SCM, supply chain management, CRM, customer relationship management and ERP, enterprise resource planning. Examples of each type of software are found below:

Desktop Software

http://www.flickr.com/photos/microsoftsweden/587640

Enterprise Software
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Now to go along with the software there is a license.  What type of software you choose to buy will depend on what type of license you will need. Here are a brief overview of types of licenses and how they are used. Shrink wrap licensing is when you implicitly agree to the terms within the packaging once you have broken the shrink wrap. EULA, or end user license agreement, means that you are the final client to use the software and, therefore, agree to the terms. Perpetual license is for single user applications that allow you to use the product as long as you want once you buy it. Full retail license allows you to use the product anywhere. OEM allows you to use on specific device(s). Volume licensing allows you to either license per number of users, license per seat or license per server. Term license is a license that is renewed on an annual basis. Trial license is for a limited time and can be set to a limited or full feature setting during trial use. Freeware or shareware license allows the user to use the product for a trial period and then buy the product. So just a brief overview of what software is, how it works, and the licenses that accompany software that you buy!

Week 5 - Clear - Presentations

Have you ever had to give a PowerPoint presentation at work? Did you spend countless hours designing and re-designing slide after slide not knowing what to use or (more importantly) not to use on each and every slide?  Well....look no further.  Here are a few handy tips to keep in mind the next time you have to  prepare a PowerPoint presentation for work or any other activity!

TEXT ON SLIDES AND BULLETS

• Try not to overload your slides with too much text.  
• The audience will not hear your important points if they are reading slides full of text. 
•  Also, do not read word for word from the slides. 
• Only put important points on the slides and allow those points to aide you during your presentation to the audience. 
• As for the bullets do not use too many or your audience will lose focus!!!

FONTS AND COLORS AND STYLE

When using fonts and colors make sure that you use a font that is easy to read. Don't use colors that are hard to read or distract from your presentation and your point! Too many changes in fonts or colors may look cool, but can be very distracting to the audience. Make sure that your text is not too small or the audience will not be able to read the slides with your important points. 

Remember BIGGER is better!

GRAPHS AND OTHER NO-NO's

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Make sure that your graphs are accurate and that they are not overwhelming.  Graphs can be confusing to an audience if they contain too much information and have lines or graphics going every which way! In this case simple is better like the graph to the right.  Also, try to stay away from transition slides unless you are going from section of your presentation to another.  Transitions can be a major distraction and leave the audience thinking about the transition slide and how cool it was, rather than the information you are presenting. Last, animations and clip art are not considered to be professional.  Try to use meaningful images in your presentation so that the audience will connect with your point on a more emotional level. To see these examples and more PowerPoint don'ts in more depth, please watch the video below.

*Permission granted for use by Standard YouTube License.

Week 4 - Clear - Technology in the business environment

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Whether it is in your day to day lives or in your work environment, technology almost definitely plays a role in how  you live and work on a daily basis. The fact is that in today's business environment if you don't know how to use the most up to date technology, you may feel like you have been left in the dark ages! The fact of the matter is that most every business uses a computer or smart device in some form or fashion to keep track of invoices, job/employee times, contact information, etc.  Many business and individuals who work from home or on the road use "smart phones" to conduct business while on the go.  These types of mobile devices allow business to get a higher level of productivity that only a few years ago was not available.  The smart phone allows you to have an office in the palm of your hand.  You can download and view files, email, etc., while on the go.  This ensures that your employees minimize the wasted "drive time" to and from clients, meetings, appointment, etc.

So what if you don't know how to use the latest technology (even though your 5 year old may breeze through using some of the smart devices!) or have been out of the work environment for a while and are just trying to rejoin the rankings?  Don't feel too overwhelmed! Although it may seem like a daunting task ahead there are many outlets available to help guide and teach you how to use a mass array of these technologies.  With the use of the Internet, you can now download and view not only the (boring) pages and pages of How To Guides, but you can also view videos that not only explain to you how to use these technologies, but show you as well! There are videos on how to use almost any technological devices, such as the smart phones, tablets, net-books, etc.

*Permission granted for use by Standard YouTube License.

Not Internet savvy and don't know where to start looking for how to help via download manuals and videos or just need to see and learn in person.  Don't worry, there are many classes and tutorial sessions that are offered that you can attend in person. Places such as tutoring hubs or colleges offer sessions that you can take to enhance you technology knowledge! So the bottom line is don't let the fear of the unknown hold you back...embrace technology because it will only keep changing and advancing for many, many years to come.

Week 2 - Clear - Ergonomics

What is ergonomics? Ergonomics, in brief, is the study of efficiency in the work environment. A more complete definition can be found by clicking on the ergonomics link, ergonomics. Have you ever had wrist, back or neck pain after slaving away your computer terminal at the office day in and day out? These types of pain could be due to the inefficiencies in your work area. For example, if you find yourself having wrist pain, ask yourself this, "What type of keyboard do I currently use:  Keyboard A or Keyboard B?"

http://www.flickr.com/photos/krypto/48297478/

Keyboard B

http://www.flickr.com/photos/yvettemn/139890573/

Keyboard A

Keyboard A is flat and not ergonomically friendly, while Keyboard B is more ergonomically friendly due to a slight curve design.  You may ask yourself, "Why does the curve in Keyboard B make it more ergonomical?" Well when typing day in and day out, Keyboard A does not allow your wrists to form at their natural position.  Keyboard B allows for the wrist to form at their natural position, more at a slanted angle instead of straight forward as in Keyboard A.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kaeru/1599676842/ 

Now what workplace inefficiencies contribute to that nagging back and neck pain? And what can you do to become more ergonomically friendly to help decrease these types of pain. Back and neck pain in the workplace can be caused by many things such as, lack of lumbar support, height of chair, posture, how your feet rest and prolonged sitting. So, how do you correct these? Well, while the photo to the left shows us an example of inappropriate and non-ergonomical workplace habits. The photo to the right shows us proper workplace and ergonomically friendly habits. Notice the proper posture and how the legs and feet(balanced on the floor) are positioned at an approximately 90 degree angle. Many office chairs have height and positioning adjustments  on them that allow the user to adjust the chair to their comfort level, which allows for a good ergonomic body position.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/onekell/2570138754/

There are also lumbar supports available for all types of office chairs and lumbar support levels, with maximum support or light to moderate lumbar support.  Also, remembering to take breaks throughout the day and walk to allow your spine to elongate will help to alleviate back and neck pain. So, these have just been a few examples of what causes some of the aches and pains we suffer from as result of our day to day work environment and how to help ergonomically correct your current workplace.  The following link with provides explanation of what causes workplace aches and pain, as well as more ways to correct workplace functionality...Ergonomic help!  Below is also a fun and enteraining video to show you how you can make your current workplace more ergonomic for your bodies ease and comfort, enjoy!

*Permission granted for reuse by Standard YouTube License.

Week 1 - Muddy - Blogging

I consider myself very capable of getting around on computers and the world wide web. I even find myself pretty savvy when it comes to using electronics, technology and certain computer programs. However, when it comes to blogging...it seems that I have ALOT to learn! 

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When I first read that we would have to post a blog weekly I must say that I dreaded the thought of blogging. Why you may ask? Mainly because it was the fear of the unknown to me, as well as the fact that I am one of those people that consider blogging nerdy and a seemingly useless waste of time. I asked myself, "Why would anyone want to read about what I have to say or blog?"

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Well, I began to proceed with the Getting Started worksheet that was provided and as I was beginning to journey on this new path of creating a blog I found myself doing research on blogging since I had never blogged before this class. There was so much to learn (at least it seemed that way to me!). And as I began to develop my blog, I found myself to be mostly concerned with the design, layout and the attraction level of the visual aspect of my blog.  I wanted it to be visually appealing to viewers, like the blogs that I had seen when researching how to blog, what to blog about and why people blog.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/secubie/2565327187/

During my research on blogging I found that the old saying, "Time is money", was true when it came to blogging.  The question that I had always asked myself, "Why do people blog?", had now been answered! Blogging is a BIG business.  With dedicated websites, as well as books and DVDs on how to blog and what to blog about for beginners all the way up to advanced and even the business professionals, it's now clear to me why people blog.  I also guess, depending on what people blog about there is the added value of blogs that are informative and helpful that can be easily accessed when needed via the world wide web!

After my research on blogging I now understand more about the world of blogging, from creation to actually writing and posting a blog. Please note everyone in cyberspace that this will be my first official blog so keep your fingers crossed and hope that it goes somewhat in the right direction!  However, with that said, as I mentioned a couple of paragraphs ago in the above portion of this blog...I found myself more focused and centered on the visual aspect of my blog. I now realize that yes, a blog needs to be visually appealing to viewers, but the most important aspect of a blog is actually the information contained in the blog. Imaging that! So to those of you out there who have never blogged before and find the blogging topic muddy...I present to you these few words of advice (or should I say experience now!). A blog should be not only visually appealing, but should be just as appealing intellectually in order to attract viewers.