Content Management Systems

CMSs or content management systems have completely changed how users access and create content on the web. Without content management systems, we wouldn't have blogs or the intuitive user interfaces that we have now, you can even build websites using CMSs which eliminates the tedious amounts of code that web designers and builders have had to use in the past. Many content management systems such as the ever popular www.wordpress.com, allow you to upload and enter all of your data and content for what ever purpose your need, website, blog, any other kind of correspondence and then allows you to organize in a way that meets your needs and needs of the people that access your information.

CMS has streamlined the way that we present information and allows those of us who have never known about web design and construction to start building without much previous hardware knowledge. Design is the key instinct in CMS, and will store your data no matter what kind of design that you use with your blog, website, etc. And all of the information that you put into a CMS is there, and ready for a designer to organize it. This is called indexing, Techtarget, a online tutorial site based off of a CMS says, "An additional feature is indexing, search, and retrieval. A CMS system indexes all data within an organization. Individuals can then search for data using keywords, which the CMS system retrieves." Which in turn provides a quick and easy directory for site or blog visitors to have access to all of your site's information, seamlessly and intuitively. 

Wordpress, one of the top CMSs out there, is something that I am actually using for my own Capstone project and something that I am going to be working rather closely with for the whole semester.

 One online tutorial site says that "The backend layout is streamlined and intuitive, and a new user should be able to easily find their way around the administration section. Wordpress also comes with built-in image and multimedia uploading support."  

Meaning not only do content management systems store and display data in a user friendly and readable manner, but they also offer support and user information so that you always know if you are using your CMS to its potential, or if you need help in learning how to use a CMS.

Shepherd Career Services and The Importance of Design

So I finally decided that to choose the Shepherd University Career Services website as my Capstone project. I think my decision stemmed from the prospect of a very professional outcome and a nice addition to my repertoire. I admit, that I am a been overwhelmed and anxious to begin, I love web design, but I am not very experienced in it. So I already feel that I am starting at a disadvantage, but I also think that this challenge is going to spark some personal growth. This is my shot to prove what I can do and I want to blow it out of the water. I can feel the pressure growing, I mean it's only the culmination of my academic experience.

As I start my research into my Capstone, I realize that this was going to be a much bigger project than I anticipated. One of the first things I learned was to keep my cool, it's difficult when I'm working with a third party, and sometimes it gets a bit frustrating trying to coordinate schedules. However, things eventually worked out and I'm hoping that every thing will sail smoothly from now on. I think it's just the nerves beginning to set in, but I am excited to finally and officially sign on to this project. I have as of right now found a sample client inquiry that I plan on taking to my meeting on Thursday, to go ahead and get some feedback and ideas for the website, directly from the source! 

This week, it already seems that I'm taking a crash course in web design theory. I'm not familiar with all of the aspects and elements of web design, so I definitely needed to learn as much as possible, as professionally as possible in a short period of time. I did not realize how essential the theory of web design is to its overall functionality and effectiveness. One source that I have found particularly helpful and informative is Graphic Design Solutions by by Robert Landa that laid out a specific plan of action for web site development.

The top three things that I noticed that were important in a functional website:

1) Usability

2) Visual interest

3) Information Distribution

Using these three things along with some of the other design principles, I hope to start gaining some credibility and be able to present some designs on my meeting. 

Though I also know that designing is only 50% of my journey and that my next step is learning how to successfully execute my design. 

Dreamweaver Review

In my Advanced Internet Production class, we are back to working with Adobe Dreamweaver, which is an web page creation program.  Back in the day, I remember when I used to dabble a bit in HTML coding myself, just for fun of course and not very much, but I do remember what a pain it was to try and sort through layers and rows of monotonous code, and then lest you make a typo error, you hope that everything doesn’t get corrupted or misinterpreted along the code reading.

Adobe's Dreamweaver icon

Therefore, when I was introduced to Dreamweaver last year, I was completely dumbfounded. It really makes website creation and editing a breeze!

However, Dreamweaver, though a great tool, has to be learned. One of the hardest things about learning Dreamweaver is learning how to edit using the program, rather than knowing what you want to edit. I find that I do better if I use split screen mode so I can see both the viewer and the code. And I still don't understand many of the upper level capabilities that Dreamweaver is able to do. 

One of the best things about Dreamweaver though is that once you understand how to use and how to use for what ever you need it for, it makes web editing go by quickly without having to type in the code. You can make a very basic website in less then 10 minutes if you know what you are doing.

What works well for me with Dreamweaver, is that is allows me to get in my zone and once I know what I am doing, it just works. However, what I think is difficult is that every time that you want to make a change to your website, you've got to take it down and edit it and then re-upload to the server. Many times what the biggest problem is, is that though Dreamweaver is an improvement to straight coding, there are already web-based web editors that allow even easier functions such as drag and drop and change features with a mouse click. The sad part about Dreamweaver for me is that it's slowly headed out of style instead of headed toward more dramatic and interactive web sites.

Senior Capstone, the beginning

The time has now come, as it does for all Communications students at Shepherd University for my senior capstone. I must admit that throughout my student career here at Shepherd, the idea of capstone has seemed very daunting, but also very far away.

However, now capstone is upon me and though I know it will be challenging, I look forward to it being excellence self-reflective learning experience.  In capstone, I hope to accomplish a professional grade project that can leave a lasting impression to an audience. Capstone is our moment to show and use everything we have learned from our major, and I think it should have significance and an effect that is not easily forgotten. I hope to show my audience that I am an employable subject and but also that I am still malleable enough to change and grow and meet the needs of what employment awaits me after graduation. I think that it is important to “pull out all the big guns” and really create something spectacular. For me, I want my Capstone to be something that is an esteemed representation of the Communications department, and to show that we do awesome things!

My novel,
A Veil of Shattered Dreams

I have been playing around with a few ideas for my own capstone, even though I found the task almost impossible because it was so difficult to choose my area of specialization in the Communications field. I really love all aspects of the major and wish I could be proficient in all areas, but time and real constraints make it rather impossible.  Though my love of web design and the possibilities and the future of the web have always interested me.  This made me want to choose a web project for my Capstone. It just so happened that my capstone director had an opportunity to work with the Career Services at Shepherd, to help them re-work and redo their web content and management. This was an idea that appealed very greatly to me because there would be a certain prestige and professionalism that would come with working with the Shepherd community and would have a lasting effect and result. 

My second idea, if the first should cease to work, would be the idea to do a public relations campaign for my new novel, A Veil of Shattered Dreams. As this is something that I have to do any ways for my own purposes, I thought that it would be very relevant and effective to use it as my capstone. Therefore, the plan that I would make PR wise/ and capstone I could then actually use to further my novel’s endeavors. I am a huge fan of public relations and have often hoped to find a career niche that marries both public relations and web design. Whatever these projects that I choose, I am excited for the work and the outcome.

Internship Blog #8 At the End

This is my last blog for this internship, as now the semester is coming to a close. I cannot believe that so much has happened in the last semester, it has truly been an incredible experience. Working with Cressen Books LLC has been the internship of a lifetime!

The marketing and growing of a small business, manuscript editing, (especially those editing tricks in Microsoft Word), and the understanding of the importance of good constructive criticism have become such essential assets to my skill set.  Every meeting that I met with my supervisors had allowed me to experience much personal growth. I can honestly say that I am not the same person I was eight months ago.  It has been a most challenging semester for me and there have been many personal obstacles that I have had to confront. I really have had to take a look at my past work experiences and examine what kind of person I am going to be in the workforce. I have had to reevaluate my worth, and what I can bring to an employer, which has proven to be difficult, but also something very important. I thank you both for the encouragement that helped me overcome many of the challenges I faced.

I know that as this internship ends, it is only the beginning of my new author relationship with Cressen Books LLC. I can now say after this semester that I am a published author, which means more to me than I ever knew. Working on this novel has really given me a better appreciation of what authors go through when writing and trying to get a novel published. I look forward to many more times of working with them and watching their  business reach its potential.

 Not many people can say that their internship was life changing, but I certainly can. I cannot truly express the immense gratitude that I have toward them and to the internship program at Shepherd.

Internship Blog # 7 The Penultimate Post

As most of you all know, for the past semester and weeks before that even, I started working a intern with a publishing company, Cressen Books LLC. As a senior at Shepherd University, an internship is such an important part of higher education at Shepherd, and for me it was like a certain coming of age, and a signifier for the beginning of the close on my time here at Shepherd. I cannot express fully, just how amazing this experience has been. I know that when most student go for internship, it is not nearly as wonderful or helpful as my experience has been for me.

At first I was a bit unsure as to what to expect, since I had never had arranged an internship like this before. So by scouring the newspapers and the internet for editing and publishing near this area. And all I can say is that I never expected the outcome that unfolded. I cannot thank Cressen Books LLC enough for taking me under their wing for a one of a kind experience that goes way beyond a typical internship and I can say that I have learned so much and gained experience and opportunities that have seriously changed my life.

If someone would have told me six month ago that I would be publishing a book by January, I would never have believed it, and as an individual, it is the most challenging and rewarding journey I have ever taken. As a young writer, I had always suffer with a block that would prevent me from finishing long works when I started them, but now I can say that I have pushed past that block and have really grown. I think that this is so important in an actual business setting. I think that as an employer, you need to be willing to nurture and encourage your employees. When someone is responsible for helping another's potential, there is a great care and vigilance that needs to be applied. How can you expect the employees to bring out the best in your company if you do not try to bring out the best in them? I really have had to take a look at my past work experiences and examine what kind of person I am going to be in the workforce.

I have had to reevaluate my worth, and what I can bring to an employer, which has proven to be difficult, but also something very important.

Online Comics, the next new thing in comics?

Online comics, like the ones depicted in Scott McCloud's The Right Number One and Two and The Superfogeys by Heasely and Lapierre do fall into the genre of comics. I think that as the progression of other media such as newspaper and books have started to integrate into the internet, I think that is a natural progression comics to do the same.

The Superfogeys 

Most online comics such as The Superfogeys are just publications of comics only online. I think just because it is up a digital screen doesn't make it not a comic. In the Superfogeys, we read the online comic just as we would any other comic in any other format. Our conceptualization of the idea comic does not change, just as our digital graphic novels are read any differently than a printed version.

from The Right Number

However, Scott McCloud's The Right Number One and Two are different from the Superfogeys in the fact that it is not a static webpage upon which a comic is presented. These comics are interactive and engage the reader physically in the presentation of the comic. We get to choose when and how the story is displayed to us. The juxtaposition and movement of the frames is very active in the comic, and though I thought that it was very distracting at first, as I continued to read there was a flow that formed and became very natural. And the presentation include frames of its own, like style frames within frames. The idea of frames was not lost, only presented differently. If anything, it allows the viewer more artistic freedom in how they want to interpret the work and maybe they will get a whole new meaning from the work. I think it is important for comics, just like any other form of media, to remain intriguing and exciting has to take chances. The Right Number doesn't lose it's comic integrity, rather it doesn't limit to what comics can be, rather what they can't be.
I think like everything else, there is room for experimentation in every genre and media whether it be comics or television or video.