UNIT I - Critical Analysis on Mashable.com
In Unit I, we discussed and analyzed the impacts of technology and social developments that made up our "Modern Life"
"Modern Life" was the theme and for the paper we were considering specifically, the use of the Internet.
"Modern Life" was the theme and for the paper we were considering specifically, the use of the Internet.
We had to choose a website to thoroughly analyze, and I chose Mashable.com.
I chose Mashable.com because its sole purpose is to deliver news. Receiving news over the web is a significant part of our Modern Life.
My thesis was: "Mashable.com is only one of the many sites today thats primary goal is to trend news. The website places importance on what the Mashable.com team believes is seemingly relevant information and find gimmicks that make it easier for viewers to breakdown. From the beginning of Mashable.com webpage to the current, Mashable.com has developed its following through placing significance on social media. Through centering on social media, the site has developed ways to adjust to today’s modern culture in its convenience and design aspects."
I began by first taking note of the site's over all layout. From there I began to notice what the these details in the visual and text presentation conveyed about the site developers.
I chose Mashable.com because its sole purpose is to deliver news. Receiving news over the web is a significant part of our Modern Life.
My thesis was: "Mashable.com is only one of the many sites today thats primary goal is to trend news. The website places importance on what the Mashable.com team believes is seemingly relevant information and find gimmicks that make it easier for viewers to breakdown. From the beginning of Mashable.com webpage to the current, Mashable.com has developed its following through placing significance on social media. Through centering on social media, the site has developed ways to adjust to today’s modern culture in its convenience and design aspects."
I began by first taking note of the site's over all layout. From there I began to notice what the these details in the visual and text presentation conveyed about the site developers.
I noticed a lot of the features concerned itself with "sharing" and how trendy the articles were. The article writers made sure to hook the audience through their titles and images. The site also openly stated they were made for the "Connected Generation". This made me wonder how the site might have looked like when it first began, and perhaps whether they focused on all types of news as they do now.
The Wayback Machine
The Wayback Machine -- the internet archive, allowed me to view Mashable during its very first years.
Below is a sample of what Mashable.com once looked like, during its first year.
November 4th 2005 :
Below is a sample of what Mashable.com once looked like, during its first year.
November 4th 2005 :
The site began as a technology/internet type of blog by an entrepreneur named Pete Cashmore. The site has always been involved in what is popular in terms of social media innovation, but mainly focused on writing about upcoming websites. Throughout its time period, it has made an effort to report what new things the Internet has to offer. Today, they are not only talking about the innovation of technology, but they have also become part of the innovation of connectedness. My precise speculations helped me make some viable claims I included in my essay. Click the link below to read it!
The topic I chose later for my Unit III essay was not a directly related result of this website, but in my mind required a similar process investigating. In essence both topics, required me to look back at the history and foundation of what was being presented to the audience...