by Sharon

Of all the interesting examples, historical data, and intellectual discourse regarding “digital history” and ”the future of preserving the past” in this week’s readings, to me the most significant point is that with new media people have to “tell the story together.” To connect with one another from around the world by sharing emotions, thoughts, ideas, and even political views over the Internet via IM, SMS, and/or our own personal blogs, we not only confirm our important linkage to various forms of digital technologies, but reveal our own need to share our what we are thinking with one another.

Even though I have not personally shared “my experience” of 9/11 on the September 11 Archives website, I know that every person has a unique story. Perhaps some are more interesting than others, nonetheless these stories recount the experiences of ordinary people (and some not-so-ordinary people) of one of the most tragic days in America’s history. My own father worked at the Pentagon in the 1960s and I personally knew the highest ranking officer who died at the Pentagon on 9/11. I also worked on some renovations projects at the building, so I have some close ties to the people there and the building itself.  I consider the 9/11 Archives an amazing way to reach out to others and let them participate in the preservation of the past and future by using digital forms.

I took some time to look through the 9/11 Archives, as well as the April 16 (VA Tech), Flickr, and Thanks, Roy websites. Each of these sites are quite impressive overall and I was particularly moved by the Roy Rosenzweig website, the material was presented so well that I felt like I knew him myself and missed him without knowing him. Now, that’s a powerful website.

When it comes to the 9/11 website, I did however find it bothersome that whenever the “Research” page is called up everything on the pages shifts to the right, and some of the text is difficult to read. I am not sure why this happens. And at the bottom of the “April 16″ homepage there is a word spelled out; I think it says “DRILLWOOD” over some of the other text situated on the bottom of the page. It makes the text difficult to read, and I am just not sure why that word is there at all. I like the Flickr site in general because it is easy to read and navigate, but I do find that the layout has too much white space and the icons on the page are too randomly placed and spaced.

When it comes to politics…well, I don’t have too much to say about that subject except that I really wish the election was over. I am tired of the speeches, debates, mud-slinging campaigns, etc. that comes with it all. I already know who I am voting for, and nothing is going to change my perspective at this point.  The night of the last debate, I watched the Twitterelection.com site and counted 20-24 blog entries were entered every minute on average. An hour after the debate, it slowed down by 50%, to 10-14 blog entries every minute on average. I also noticed that some of the same people wrote numerous entries over the course of three hours. I must admit it got old…I just don’t know who has time to sit and write blogs over and over again, even if it is limited to 40 characters per blog entry. It’s simply not a priority for me, and I would rather spend time in face-to-face conversations with real people. Does anyone else feel the same way as I do?