Advice for New Student of CS1300

Although I took this class as a requirement, I've been fascinated by the many new things I've learn about microsoft word, microsoft excel, photoshop, expression web, powerpoint! It is a very interesting class, that can really make you develop your creative skills! It is fun, entertaining, and really useful for coming years at college and future career life!

Website

After looking at different websites from people at the class, I have to say all of them were really nice and aesthetially pleasing. The 3 websites that I liked the most were from Jeanna Goodrich, James Coon, and Luke Caldarera. Jeanna's website was really proffesional, she had a really great website that was just awesome. I really admired the great work she always does on class.
I liked James' website because it had great background pictures, and all went along with a baseball theme. Luke's website was really well done, had great pictures, and I liked the way he managed to portray all his traveling pictures!
It was a great experience to make my own website, I though at beggining it was going to be really difficult but it wasn't that hard. It had some difficulties but I really enoyed making my own website. Please feel free to visit my website at http://www.cs.trinity.edu/~jjaramil/!

Why HTML is important?

Nowadays, internet is one of the principal ways of communication around the world. It has become an essential tool for the majority of daily activites of people everywhere. That is why web designers have become extremley important and although there are many programs that facilitate the creation of web pages, it is important to know the HTML code because it is the background of everything. Even though most of the times people won't need to seek help of the HTML code, any specific error in a web page can be easily changed if the web designer know and understands the basic of the codes. It is important because it is a map of everything that the web contains and definitely it is great for creating and improving designs. Colors can be tested with just different codes, and things can become easier in certain aspects.

Powepoint Presentations

After watching many wonderful PowerPoint presentations I face myself with the tough decision of choosing which two were the best ones. As many people agree, definitely Jeanna Goodrich's presentation was extremely original with many effects that made of it unique as well as aesthetically pleasing. With great background pictures, amazing photos, and highly elaborated animations, she was able to make a really well-done presentation of her job interest: Postal Office.
Another presentation that was really well done, was the one made by Ashley Conway, I believe that her background picture, as well as her information made of her presentation one of the top ones. I really enjoyed the fact that she portrayed the professionalism of communication with her presentation. Overall, I think everyone did an awesome work and I dare to say everyone enjoyed making these presentations!

Powerpoint

I feel that the articles related to a good PowerPoint presentation are a great help and are very informative. I believe I have make some of the error mentioned in many of the articles and I am sure that many people of the class as well. I think that the main idea that everyone should take in mind is that PowerPoint presentations need to be simple. I think that keeping it simple is basic for a good presentation. The five guidelines I believe are the most important are the following:

1. Keep it simple
2. Concise, not too many words.
3. Matching colors throughout the presentation
4. Aesthetically pleasing
5. Good choice of pictures, not from clip art

I always find annoying the sounds and the many effects that some presentations have.

Searching on the Web

Chirs Nolan's presentation of different ways to look and search for information was interesting because he discussed and presented new and effective ways of looking through google. It was pretty amazing for me to realize that nearly 80% of the information published in the web do not appear when you look for it because of the password restrictions. Moreover, it was really interesting to find out the ranking that google uses to show what you look for. I was informed that sponsored links, and how frequent any webpage is linked to other webpages are used to rank appearances when looking for information in google.
I was pretty amazed as well to learn how to look for definitions. I had no idea that if you write a word with quotation marks then the search will take you to the direct definition of the word. As well as this, I was surprised to see that the "I'm feeling lucky" option actually takes you directly to the first option of wbsites listed for you in any search.
When I thought there could be no more advantages by using google as a searcher, I was surprised with the fact that you can look just for scholarly articles and information rather than just random articles.
Definitely google is a useful tool that has many more advantages that I was not aware of. Now I understand why google is creating such a difference in people's life that even it is starting to be used as a verb!

Copyright

After listening to the truths and facts about the copyright world I must admit that I find it extremely controversial and kind of off-dated. First of all, I was overwhelmed with the fact that there are many pieces of work that are really old, without a living author, that still cannot be used because the law prohibits it. It was more frustrating for me to hear that the copyright law says that a piece has copyright prohibition from the age of the author plus 75 years. I believe it has a sense because it gives credit to author of many piece and creations, but I believe that not everything is white or black, I consider that there are levels and there should exist some sort of exceptions and considerations. Even more, there should exist exceptions with literacy works that could be easily used for educational purposes.
I agree with the fact that certain things need to be protected for a really long time, but I think that when the time comes to change the law ( In 10 years), some ammends should definitely be taken. Specification and clarification of individual cases are necesary in my opinion.

My Experience with Microsoft Office Excel

Throughout these weeks that I have spent learning the fantastic advantages of Microsoft Excel I have discovered many tools that I am 100% sure that will be helpful for my future college life as well as for my professional life. Knowing how to sort; learning how to make graphs; correctly make graphic information; editing graphic designs; creating easier ways to calculate expenditure and income; writings formulas using average, sum, mode, median, if function, are things that are basic knowledge to be successful in any presentation I will ever face throughout my career life. Since I am a Business major, I definitely agree with the importance of excel and all its tools. One of the main reasons I was optimistic about the required computer skills classes here at Trinity was that I knew I will be able to manage programs as excel after completing the course. I know I will apply many of the things I've learned in different aspects in my life; from my statistics class to the development of presentations in my business fraternity. I am really glad I learned so many new things in excel and moreover, happy to see there were many more advantages I was unaware of!!

I choose the picture in which the photographer Adnan Hajj manipulated the image of a Lebanese city with a thick layer of smoke on top of the buildings to increase the intensity of the army attacks. This picture really appeals to me since I wonder how many times the world have seen pictures in which although the attacks were strong, they were not as big as the photographers make them appear. This picture originated in Lebanon in August 2006. The photographer made the picture be more attracting to the viewers by making the smoke darker and thicker. The manipulation obviously was harmful since it was published in the Internet and many people could have access to it and therefore, creating an erroneous interpretation of the attack

Wireless Advantages

I beleive that having a wireless connection to the internet world is a huge advantage for college students. With the posibility of moving around your personal computer, you are able to meet in a classmate dorm and do group projects much easily, you are able to go places were you can concentrate better and do a much better work. I usually take my laptop with me and sit below the trees between Herndon hall and Beze hall and it is the best place for me to concentrate. Specially in college were you share your room with other 3 people, having the possibility to move your computer out of the room and be able to find a better place to work without distractions is one of the greastest advantages of a wireless connection. Here is a link to an article which describes some advantages I find interesting about college and wireless connection.

Microsoft Word Experience

Microsoft Word is the program that I use the most in my computer. I have use Microsoft Word since I was really young, maybe since 5th grade or so. After so many years of experience using Word I can say that I manage most of the tools that Microsoft Words offers. Now, with the new Microsoft Word 2007 I kind of find myself lost when looking for tools I have always use. Learning how to use the new version of Word is something that really interest me since I know there some new tools that will be helpful for my future years here at Trinity!

"Blue Screen of Death"

It is 9:00 pm and it is the night before my computer class homework is due. After turning on my computer I see the "blue screen of death" and I panic. My new laptop just collapse, how could that happen! I remember that I could go to Beze underground to finish up my homework. It is freezing outside but still there is no other way since my roomate is not here and I really do not like my suitmates. What would be of me if I didn't have beze undergroud so close to my room!!

Introduction

Hi, my name is Jose Jaramillo. I am an international student here at Trinity University and my hometown is Quito, Ecuador. I have a younger sister who is 15 and her name is Daniela, and a younger brother who is 11 who is named David. I have a great relationship with my family and they are a very important part of my life. In Ecuador I studied in an American school and that is the reason why I ended up here in Texas.

I plan to major in International Business with a minor in Chinnese. I hope someday to have my own business settled in Ecuador since my country is one of the things I am most proud of. Here is a link to google earth so that you can see how great my city is!
http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=-0.21904807,-78.498665&z=14&t=h&hl=en

Another fact about me is that my favorite sport is Squash. Unfortunately it is not a very popular game played here. I have participated in several Squash champioships and I have enjoyed playing this great sport for more than three years.

In terms of my computer knowledge I have to admit it is pretty basic. I received some classes back in middle school but honestly I do not remember much of them. I am specially interested in learning how to use Excel since I find it extremly useful.
If someone wants to contact me my email adress is jjaramil@trinity.edu.