Chapter One: “Journalism Next”
February 2, 2012
While the introduction reaffirmed the idea that journalism is changing at the same rate as technology, chapter one reaffirmed that I have absolutely no knowledge of HTML and the inside workings of the Internet.
The web programming language known as HTML is as foreign to me as Chinese. The tips Briggs has in his book are basic and introductory to those not familiar with writing HTML. I took an IT class and had to write the most basic of code for a project. The mere fact that it opened and worked was a miracle in and of its self. It wasn’t until this class that I realized how complicated it can be, one wrong move and everything, all the hard work, is completely thrown off.
But the complexity of writing code and understanding HTML is besides the point. The fact of the matter is that knowing and understanding HTML not only makes you a more advanced Internet user but a journalist as well. It will not only make your work more accessible because you’re making it easier for other but it will also help you keep up with the other changing technology.
But chapter one isn’t just about how to write code. The importance of an RSS feed is also emphasized. RSS stands for “really simple syndication.” It’s a great and simple tool to keep up with your favorite blogs in one place. I personally use Google Reader since I use a lot of Google applications and am already familiar with the platform. Here is a picture from my own personal feed:
As you can see, I haven’t gone through the most recent ones yet and there are some I skip all together but the beauty of an RSS feed as that you can customize it as you like and read whatever appeals to you the most.
