Designing For Online vs. Print

Considerations of design for a printed piece are different from those for an online one. What needs considering firstly is layout and this has been established by Parker (2003) who states that single columns are not appropriate for documents intended for onscreen reading. Nielsen (1999) points out that ‘print design is 2-dimensional, with much attention paid to layout’. To the contrary, Web design is ‘1-dimensional and N-dimensional’ with up-and-down scrolling experience for the users.

The treatment of type is another area that differs between online and print design. For example, the use of HTML text in web has to limit the placement of type by separating the page elements from the HTML texts. In contrast, on a printed page, designers have freedom to use layout, spacing, font type, etc. This is clarified by Lynch and Horton (2002) who point out that ‘each line of text, each headline, each unique font and type style is re-created by a complex interaction of the Web browser, the Web server, and the operating system of the reader’s computer’.

The pages in these figures are good examples of the differences of online and print design that are derived from the same source, but published in different genres.


The Web page: The Jakarta Post (Indonesian newspaper)


The print page: The Jakarta Post (Indonesian newspaper)

It is clearly seen on the printed page, the typography can be fully integrated with the other elements. In contrast, this is impossible with the typography on the website.

However, the differences between online and print design must be appreciated by making use of the strengths and underrating the weaknesses. As clarified by Nielsen (1999):

1. Print design is based on letting the eyes walk over the information, selectively looking at information objects and using spatial juxtaposition to make page elements enhance and explain each other.
2. Web design functions by letting the hands move the information (by scrolling or clicking); information relationships are expressed temporally as part of an interaction and user movement.


References

Lynch, P & Horton, S 2002, ‘Typography’, Web Style Guide, 2nd edn, viewed 2 May 2008, <http://www.webstyleguide.com/>.

Nielsen, J 1999, Print vs. web design, 24 January, viewed 2 May 2008, < http://www.useit.com/alertbox/990124.html>.

Parker, RC 2003, ‘Ch. 14: Designing documents for web distribution’, in Looking good in print, 5th edn, Paraglyph Press, Scottsdale, Arizona.

Classification of Blogs & Example(s) of Blogging Communities

As people blog for different reasons, they also create different types of blogs, depending on their target audience and interest (Librari*s & ‘Blogs). Some examples of the classification types of blogs include:

Subject matter:
1. Politics, e.g. Donklephant
2. Fashion, e.g. Fashion Tribes
3. History, e.g. Blog 4 History: American & Civil War History
4. Law, e.g. Sentencing Law & Policy

Device:
Moblog or mobile blogging, e.g. Seth Lakeman’s moblog

Media type:
1. Vlog or video logging, e.g. Lonelygirl15
2. Linklog is URLs (hyperlinks) blogging, e.g. Jennifer’s Link Log
3. Sketchlog, e.g. Karin Rindevall’s sketch log
4. Tumblelog is similar to link log but with more variations of posts, e.g. A Shot of JD

Status of publishers:
1. Business blog, e.g. GuruFocus.com
2. Corporate blogs, e.g. Redfin Corporate Blog

One of the difficulties with the combinations of blog styles is to identify unique types. Most people therefore have a look at the topic, style, and format. For example, when reading Lonelygirl15, we will be able to recognize that it is Vlog from the format (video).
Similar interest and passion precede a number of blogging communities such as The Dublin Community Blog, Coworking Community Blog, and The SXSWi Community Blog. The Dublin Community Blog, for example, is a group of bloggers in Dublin who write about the life and happenings in and around Dublin City.

With the emergence of social networks all over the place, many people start creating their own blog community. Drupal is an open source content management platform which supports a variety of websites ranging from personal weblogs to large community-driven websites. Also, it enables users to build their very own community blogs.

References

Librari*s & ‘Blogs, How blogs are moving into the library world, ‘Types of blogs’, viewed 1 May 2008, <http://www.slais.ubc.ca/COURSES/libr500/03-04-wt2/www/J_Thomson/types.htm>.

Blogs As Current Phenomenon & Effects on Community

As the phenomenon of the blog has become a major issue, the size of the blogosphere continues to increase. In discussing the issue in relation to the current phenomenon (comScore Networks, Inc. 2005) ‘one of the defining attributes of the “blogosphere” is the sheer number of blogs that users have published’. The chart by Technorati below shows the size of blogosphere per day for the past 90 days.

The latest blogging trends will arrive much later in the blogosphere. For example, in Europe and Asia, there have been plenty of blogs dealing with business, technology and politics. According to Twingly Blog, the majority of influential bloggers in Sweden write actively about politics. While in India, as Dikshit described (2006) in his article, bloggers appear to enjoy reading about technology. In an online survey on the blogosphere in Malaysia, Blogging Malaysia: A Windows Live Report, (Press Microsoft Malaysia 2006), ‘an overwhelming majority (81%)’ of Malaysian bloggers are primarily blogging for their ‘friends or family’.

As we know there are several various types of blogs such as personal blogs, collaborative blogs, corporate blogs, topical blogs, spam blogs (splogs), podcasts and videocasts, and photologs (Blogging-The Phenomenon). Personal blogs and corporate blogs seem prevalent in Europe, Asia and Malaysia.

Ramadass (2006) in reporting the study Blogging Asia: A Windows Live Report, ‘20% of Malaysians voted for blogs focusing on politics’. Political blog itself is beneficial to Malaysians when voicing criticism against the Malaysian Government as a pattern of free speech; so is business blog, which is to instigate discussion, ideas and better business.

References

Blogging-The Phenomenon, Types of blogs, viewed 1 May 2008, <http://library.thinkquest.org/05aug/01130/typesofblogs_othermedia.html>.

ComScore Networks, Inc. 2005, Behaviours of the blogosphere: understanding the scale, composition and activities of weblog audiences, viewed 30 April 2008, < http://www.comscore.com/blogreport/comScoreBlogReport.pdf>.

Dikshit, S 2006, ‘Interesting blogging trends in India revealed in new survey’, Hindu 28 November, viewed 1 May 2008, <http://www.thehindu.com/2006/11/28/stories/2006112800452200.htm>.

Press Microsoft Malaysia 2006, Women rule in Malaysian blogosphere, viewed 1 May 2008, <http://www.microsoft.com/malaysia/press/archive2006/linkpage4337.mspx>.

Ramadass, V 2006, ‘Blogging phenomenon sweeps Asia’, 28 November, Lowyat.NET: Malaysia’s Tech Enthusiast Resource Community, viewed 1 May 2008, <http://www.lowyat.net/v2/latest/blogging-phenomenon-sweeps-asia.html>.

Technorati, The size of blogosphere per day for the past 90 days, viewed 30 April 2008, <http://www.technorati.com/chart/the+size+of+blogosphere?language=en&authority=a4>.

Twingly Blog, First political party to use Twingly blogstream, viewed 30 April 2008, <http://blog.twingly.com/category/europe/>.

The Purpose of My Blog

I purposefully created this blog as a medium of encouraging debate about media and publishing issues, inform, and educate other people by applying the principles and ideas of publication and design.

Who are assembled to read this blog?

As media and publishing issues have emerged in the mass media, two major target audiences that deserve special attention are students and practitioners whose interests in media communication.