Week 2 - June 2-8 - Blog 1

CCV - Multimedia Tools and Applications

Week 2: June 2-8

Blog #1

Guiding Questions: How has the Long Tail, Cloud Computing, Social Media influenced my life? Why do I need to know about these things in my field?  Why has Karen chosen to use the cloud for our blogs?

Cloud Computing

Cloud computing has transformed e-commerce and is explained in the YouTube video "Cloud Computing Explained". This video explains that hardware, like servers are becoming out-dated as cloud computing is instant, scale-able, and more financially responsible for web-based businesses. The reason cloud computing is becoming the norm, is because servers take up so much space, and are incredibly expensive to own and operate. Servers allow increased traffic flow to a particular website, as more traffic arrives, more servers are needed to maintain all users access. The cloud based server, does not require any physical hardware or space, it is accessible instantly. The instant, on-demand access of cloud-based computing allows users to increase and decrease as needed, when their traffic increases and decreases. The ability to have this instant access, allows users of the cloud-based computing software to spend less money as they are only charged for what they use. Cloud Computing is scale-able, on-demand, and fiscally responsible so that users can spend more time on their website, software, and user experience, rather than worrying about managing physical hardware like servers all the time.

(Reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJncFirhjPg&feature=youtu.be - Fair Use)

The Long Tail

"The Long Tail" is explained, by Wired Online Magazine in three key concepts; "1. Make everything available, 2. Cut the price in half, now lower it, 3. Help me find it."

"1. Make everything available":

The Long Tail shows a a curve that never reaches the positive y-axis, infinite value and popularity or opportunity to make money, nor the positive x-axis, infinite supply of limited, less popular, but still infinite opportunities to make money. Ideally there will be so many options you should never be able to view them all.

"2. Cut the price in half now lower it":

To own retail space is expensive, similarly to owning hardware. Every square-foot, square-inch, etc has a value when you pay for rent, utilities and in many of cases inventory up front. To create something of value takes time, energy, and money. To get something of value to the store takes marketing, packaging and shipping. These are "creation costs" and "production costs."

To use/own cloud space is to pay one utility bill and only while you are using it. This cuts out the majority of the expenses associated with physical retail stores, so now expenses are down half. However, because everything is available, so will all prices be available as well, but the popularity will match that value too, so more opportunities for more smaller sales which can lead to larger overall sales.

"3. Help me find it":

Well it would be pretty hard to find all of this everything if there wasn't someway for me to find it. Online marketplaces are utilizing language and algorithms to make suggestions, or nominate things of similarity to their purchasers to entice further sales. Many of these suggestions are similar in popularity, or price, or both, but generally these types of suggestions, hope to push the customer further down the Long Tail in hopes of having them spending more money. 

(Refernce: https://www.wired.com/2004/10/tail/?pg=1&topic=tail&topic_set= - Fair Use)

A Synthesis of Free

"An in-depth look at Chris Anderson's Free and related theories" by Surat Lozowick explains her understanding of Chris Anderson's work Free and related theories. The idea of "free" has for a long time meant that a good is not something of value. Since technology has begun to evolve, so has the concept of "free". As availability increases as does the need to draw in consumers. Free has become the ideal value for something of much importance. The saying "Nothing is free"  is a rather true, as with free is a consequence or obligation of some sort. In the modern world an example of this is that you can have a free access to music on  Pandora or Spotify of any and every song (that they have copy write agreements with 😉), however as a consequence of free, you must listen to advertisers who pay the bills to make it free for you, also because they want you to buy their goods too! Or with free access to Strava you can only do a few things, but in the paid subscription you have so many more options, and the statics are way more improved, as well as pairing with other fitness trackers. Essentially there is always a self-calculated pro and con about free vs quality. This is one major point that Anderson recognizes "Free is not enough by itself, and works well in conjunction with Paid."

(Reference: http://suratlozowick.com/blog/2012/10/chris-anderson-free-freemium/ - Fair Use)

Guided Reflections:

My life has been influenced by all of these items due to the increased digital technologies and e-commerce. Cloud computing has allowed my access to the internet to become less expensive. The Long Tail is alive with I search Amazon for products. Free is a standard I didn't realize has changed so much over time. Still free can mean less valuable, but free can also be great. I have a FitOn app that I love, but I just won't bite the bullet and purchase the paid service, because the options they have in the free program are everything I need! There are some benefits to the other options int he paid subscription, but personally it isn't worth the money for those add on's.

I need to know about these to be a Web Developer in order to better understand how to create content that users want to participate in or purchase on.

Karen,

It is clear why you chose the cloud for us to host our blogs. In particular, this use of free is very valuable and is incredibly helpful with learning this course.

Thank you,

Lura