Responses to Chapter 1

1.       Visual Mode: The two main visual differences I see between the two Twitter profiles are the color and the profile pictures. I find that the color layout of the profile on the right is more eye catching and more efficiently directs my attention. The profile on the left, makes my eyes wonder a little bit and makes the profile seems choppy. Neither pictures give me a sure sense of confidence; however, between the two I would say the real life person picture (on the left) seems more creditable. In the same breath that might allow audiences to judge, where the panda picture has the idea of anonymousness, which helps me understand the idea of having a pen name. I can’t really guess what either of these two accounts could use twitter for nor why. I’m new to twitter so as of right now I don’t have a picture, but the idea of a “pen picture” so to speak seems kind of alluring. I chose the travel template just because that is my main goal. I think once I have time to mess with the website I might change it up to something that appears more attractive to my senses and something that suits my personality.

2.       Aural Mode: I listened to this video without watching it. I simply hear almost elevator music and a calm, yet informative woman’s voice. Honestly, it really bored me and I started to zone out on what she was saying. I’m really not sure what kind of music should have been used instead; however, I can say that getting the right human voice for some kind of add is huge! Even with things like documentaries I think the voice can either make or break it. My favorite voice is Morgan Freeman.

3.       Spatial Mode: My eyes would immediately go to the pictures changing on the home screen. However, then I would see that none of those have anything to do with what I’m searching for and would quickly look through the main links, which then would lead me to a direction I was intending (and further on) until I reach what I wanted. Honestly, how WSU has their website layout, it is pretty easy to try and get to where you want to go. It almost breaks it down into a tree. The trunk would be the home page and then whichever link you click would be the major branch you follow up until you break off again and again until you find the particular leave (in this analogy). If things were switched up, I would simply have to get used to it and redirect the path a laid out in my head and follow the new one set up for me.

4.       Gestural Mode: I watched Obama’s Weekly Addressed from August 20, 2011. I find Obama very reassuring. His face is calm but engaged. He does not blink to much where you would mistrust him, and he has a slight smile on his face. Nothing that would make him seem like a brown-noser or an idiot, but someone who is confident with what he is saying and personable. His hand gestures are kind of cut off; however, you can see him using them and it makes you engaged, because he is making his talking more animated and welcoming. It is nice to have a president who is competent and who does not look down and say um every other sentence.