Going into this course I felt somewhat confident because I had just completed Computer Literacy Term II.  I was familier with Claris Homepage and was looking forward to another semester of creativity.  I was a little worried about using a Mac because I didn't have much experience with that system.  I was also somewhat apprehensive about doing group work because I tend to be a perfectionist.  I end up getting bossy and anal and my group ends up hating working with me. 

My favorite part of the course was doing the interview and creating the site.  Knowing that Dr. Maluso wanted us to be creative and imaginative made it even more fun because we were allowed to create something that we could really be proud of.  At times it was frustrating because group members were absent or the computers became unruly, but all in all I must say that I learned a lot and had a great time all in one.

......Heather

The past six weeks have been interesting. I joined this class after expressing a desperate plea to enter, because I had to finish community service during my afternoons this term. Honestly, I am not working towards beginning my own business. But, I had no idea what a women's studies course is like and I am lacking in many basic computer skills, so this course 'took the cake'. I did not feel as though this course was extremely difficult, just very educational. I saw how women need to operate to be successful in the workforce.  And, I now know that working with computers can be very frustrating. I have experienced exactly how much work and creativity it takes to make anything half-way eye-catching (or worthwhile to read) on The Net.

I really do not have any sour feelings about this class, because most parts I enjoyed it. I thought it was so cool that we got to go to Ithaca for a field trip (they have such great thrift/funky shops). Even on the days that my-eyes-were-burning-in-front-of-the-screen-a nd- I-felt-like-running-down-the-hall-screaming, I still would learn something new everyday that would make my morning interesting. 'Surfing the Net'  is something new for me and I thought it was fantastic. I totally appreciate the fact that I was able take this class because I do not have a computer at home (we might get one this fall) or in my dorm room, so I had  to become more computer literate. I'm glad that I could be in such an informative, but also fun and challenging class. 

....Liz

That doll looks scary!

Well, it's been a short six weeks.  Although I have been sitting in the basement of McGraw everyday, where there is no sign of day light or life other than those who are also working down here, I have learned a lot.  I have learned that computers are NOT OUR FRIENDS.  Maybe this was not the best day for me to be writing about my experience in this class, because my computer hates me and will not cooperate.  "They, whoever they may be, sat in the computer and laughed at me as I got more and more frustrated because I could not get the letter "M" to work.  "They" are evil.  "They" enjoy watching us squirm while they play with our homepages and ruin them in some way.  But then when the professor tries to do the exact same thing on her computer, it works.  Don't I look like a fool.  How annoying is that?

Okay, I am not really that negative about the class.  It was just a very bad day for me.  This is the first time I've ever really felt like smashing a computer screen to bits.  I actually really enjoyed the class.   I learned so much about computers and how to do things that might be useful in years to come.  I had lots of fun finding animations of the internet and putting them together to make a great looking homepage.  I also feel a sense of accomplishment now that most of my stuff is done.  My homepage is up on the internet and now everyone whom I have told about it can actually see it.  I hope they like it!  I'm not as creative as I would like to be, but I think I put a lot into this page. 

Jody Allen was great.  She was fun to interview and boy do I admire her ability to balance running the business that she owns plus her family life.  Four kids under the age of five--I couldn't do it!  We all worked hard to try and make these pages fit together.  I hope she likes it.  I never really realized how much work it takes to put a site together.  I just thought that it would be pretty easy.  But, it isn't.  You don't just throw a few cute pictures on a page and call it finished.  You have to make sure everything works together.  You don't want it to clash, but you want it to be an enjoyable site for everyone.  We won't even mention what a pain it is when one of your images just does not seem to want to upload for whatever stupid reason.  You have to have everything perfect, or it just won't work.  Take it from the imperfection expert of the day!!

Slowly but surely, my pages came around.  I think they're good, but we'll see what everyone else thinks.  I know that I worked hard and I'm proud of what I have accomplished and of my finished products. 

.....Miranda

Is

Transparentizing

A

Word?

How has this process made me feel?  Well, I've certainly had my share of hours spent staring into a screen, and I'll definitely be happy to never spend five consecutive hours in the basement of Mcgraw only to emerge and have my computer-blurred eyes become blinded by the sun that I had nearly forgotten existed, ever again.  I have learned alot though.  After transparentizing about 50 intricate images I have learned to chose simple images with flat backgrounds, or to plan on spending the better part of my life with my eyes glued to the screen as I try to shade around hair and fingers pixel by pixel using a jumpy mouse with shaky hands.  I've learned that if you don't save your page before you try something new, it will probably be messed up beyond repair.  I learned to save everything with a name I understand, or risk accidentally trashing it, also to remember to save everything to the proper folder the first time or spend two days trying to remember where you got it, and then where it ended up.  To be honest, I did enjoy some of it, I like playing on computers, and to have actually created something for the web feels pretty good.  Overall, I'd have to say that given the chance, I'd take the class again, probably.

....Sarah S

Looking back on creating my web page the main feeling that occured within me was frustration.  I have a lap top computer with a touch pad so just getting use to a mouse was a challenge in itself.  I would get so angry because I would click on something and I would mess something else up.  Just getting to a program was an obsticle, I would have to click on all these different boxes just to find one thing I needed.  Not to mention I wasn't familar with the Claris' homepage. 

The worst thing about this course was having to be cooped up in the basement wherethe computer lab was located.   The weather has been so nice this term it has been extremely difficult to go to a class without a window.  The scanner here has drove me crazy, I have had to scan one picture five times inorder to make it look right.  I am not completely satisfied with the way my black and white picture looks on my web page because when I shunk it it became very fuzzy.  Moving files and saving to the right file has been the ultimite pain.  I would sometimes pretend I would know what I was doing just to avoid looking stupid.  When I finally accepted the fact that I didn't know what was going on and started to ask questions was when I began to get the most work done. 

I did, however, get over the fear of clicking on something and thinking that I would mess everything else up.  Now I am better at exploring things on the computer and learning where to find things.   And if I did mess something up I could always get my proffessor to help me out.  Through the confidence that I have built during this course with computers I was able find neat graphics that completed my web page.  These graphics not only came from the Claris' homepage but I found a really cool one on the internet.  I am very please with the way my page has turned out and I feel really good that I was able to create something that I never thought I would have the knowledge of doing. 

...Sarah L.

What A Process ! ! !

  Days sitting in the dark basement in McGraw Hall making a web page, was an experience of a lifetime which was like sitting in a cage.

 The computer program Claris was helpful in many ways, but for most of the time I spent doing it was down in the basement doing the full month of May.

  The problems and struggles that I went through were ideas that would never happen to me, but I had to go through with it everyday surprising enough I did not break anything so I would owe a fee.

  From the mouse freezing, webpage not responding to Netscape, saving was no where to be found, I thought after days of staring at the screen I would eventually faint and hit the ground.

  You actually think that creating a web page is lots of fun and happens in a short period of time, Ohhh just wait I've only just begun to tell you my memories and stories. . . . Hey looks this all rhymes ! ! !

  From the mouth of the computer just saying "Error cannot be found" to "Oh No !", by this point I give up and take the rest of the day off a and watch the Jerry Springer Show.

  Truthfully most of the time you want to give up and chat on the phone, but for me I have helpers like Diane and Jami, but for you, It sucks cause you are on your own.

  But in the end you know when your computer freezes you will be saying "Oh Shit" that sucks to be you, So as I come to an end I hope that you have lots of fun and remember creating a web pages is fun, but Im sure glad it's you and NOT me.

....Jennifer

"Nothing's

Gonna

Stop

Us

Now!"

This class was lots of fun and super educational.  I know more about Macs than I ever cared to know.  As far as building a web site and a home page, six weeks ago it was, Mission: Impossible!  Now, even though I don't believe it, it is done!  And damn, it's good!  It is a sense of complete satisfaction to type the address of my home page on the internet and to see it pop up on the screen- it worked!  You do realize that you've turned us all into computer nerds.  We're never going to stop looking for animated gifs and backgrounds! That's about all I can think of to describe this class.  It was fun!  Thanks!

.... Lynn

When I came into class for the very first time during third term, I was a little intimidated by the vast experience that the majority of the class had with computers.  I had taken Computer Literacy during my sophomore year in college, but I could hardly recall what I had learned.  I thought I knew a thing or two about computers, but to my surprise, I did not really know that much.  Everything moved pretty quickly during that first week.  I felt a little lost in the rush of the new term and I was sure that I would struggle for the full six weeks.

After I had worked a few hours a day on the computer and the panic had subsided, I became more eager to get started on the projects that had been assigned.  Despite the dreary atmosphere of the basement, I looked forward to going to class and working on my own web site and the group sites.  This was the first class that I had taken that had allowed me a great deal of freedom to be creative and constructive.  At first, it was difficult to adjust to such "independence"   I am used to classes where the syllabus is practically set in stone, the readings are straight forward, and there is not enough time or room in the schedule to think on an individualistic level. 

My own web site is not as creative as some, but I worked constantly on it and am pleased with the results.  I am graduating in a few short days and I wanted to tell my friends how much they meant to me.  What better way of showing them how happy I am to have them as my friends than by putting their pictures and my thoughts on the internet for everyone to see!  If I did not register for this class, I wouldn't know where to begin to create a homepage, much less how to make it so presentable.  I thank Dr. Maluso and Jami for all of the guidance that they have provided (and my friends thank you as well)! 

The group site on the interview with Kate Fleisher and the research project on women in business was not only a lot of fun, but it was very informative and educational.  Being a psychology major, I have to admit that I did not know the first thing about public relations and management.  After we interviewed Kate and we did some further research in the library and on the net, I at least got a good taste of what this field is all about.  While I am happy with the major that I have chosen, I can see how people can get drawn in by the fast-paced management field.  In addition, both projects gave me a great deal of insight on the progress of women in the business world.  Before I started researching this topic, I thought that women were making a little progress in the professional fields.  I had no idea how powerful women are gradually becoming.  This is not to say that we do not have a long way to go, but I do want to acknowledge the fact that we have come a long way!

This class has been great!!   I don't know how else to put it.  It exemplifies everything a good and effective class should be.  We were given time for individualistic thinking, the opportunity for cooperative work in groups, and the tools and training necessary to expand our knowledge about a meaningful subject (women in business).  Not only have I realized the importance of computer literacy during this term, I have also recognized the importance of acknowledging the changes in the world around us.       

.....Jessica

 I never thought that I would take a computer class, but so far , it really has not been bad.  From time to time, I got a little frustrated being down in the computer lab (which lacks windows) especially on nice spring days.  I had to motivate myself to get up out of bed.

My home page was hard to do.  I missed the first day of class because of vacation, so I felt clueless on the second day.  I thought that I was never going to catch up to everyone else.  In reality, I was not too far behind, I just needed to get the hang of the tools in Claris Home Page.  Finally, everything was going smoothly.  I learned how to use the tools and I was cruising, or so I thought.  I felt as if I was going to be finished with my project in no time.  I was definitely wrong.  It has taken me the full six weeks to complete my project.  You need to put a lot of time and dedication in order to achieve a  successful product.

Now that the course is over, I can honestly say that I have learned a lot about computers and creating web sites.  I have also learned how to be patient with computers and working in a large group.  Occasionally, it was a challenge  for me to work in a group.  I found that we all had conflicting opinions and ideas.  We luckily worked everything out easily, at least without tears.

I have enjoyed being in this class very much.  I thought that I was going to get bored with computers, but we had a lot of variation, at least in the beginning of the course.  I am glad that I had the opportunity to have you as my teacher.  Courtney, my roommate, mentioned to me that you were a great teacher.  I am not returning next year either, so thank you for the six weeks that I spent in your class!

.....Rachel

I need an image of something cleaning... a broom..... maybe a mop.... a vacuum cleaner?   

um, ok.......

KIRBY!

 I feel that this is a very good class to take.  I would have never thought that I would really be able to make my own web page.  I also never realized how much work goes into it.  Just when you think you have everything set up right, something goes wrong and you have to fix it all over again.  I think that I was actually pretty lucky when doing my home page.  I put most of my graphics on it and never had much of a problem.  But our group site had more problems.  Especially trying to put a table into a table. 

Over all I had a very good time.  The class required a lot of work, but it was work that you could do in your own time if you wanted to.  I liked this because it gave me a little bit of freedom to make my own schedule and I liked it.  I could work on my home page  at my own pace and didn't have to worry about a deadline day to day.  Only that it had to be done in 6 weeks. 

I also liked learning about different women in business.   I plan to be an accountant which definitely makes me a business woman.   My group also looked at women in a predominantly male career, engineering.   I learned that as a woman you can not dwell on if you are being discriminated agaomst or not, but to do your job the best you can and you will be accepted for your work if it is as good as it should be. 

I personally really liked this class.  At times it got frustrating working with the computers, but most classes are frustrating in some way.    I learned a lot about the internet and computers and I had fun.  That's what I like in a class fun and learning.  Thanks for teaching this class,  I really loved it. 

.....Jody