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“Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy” and how it Relates to Multimedia Interactive and Web Design

Douglas Adams had a remarkable way with words. His gifted imagination created an amazing book. This book captivated the minds of millions of people around the world. His inventive and imaginative style took the reader on a true adventure. It spanned from the demolition of Earth to a trip through the cosmos. As Arthur travels, he encounters many different species on various worlds. He quickly adapts while utilizing new technology.

This is easily related to the internet. It is a new universe full of different websites. These websites are like the planets and other spaceships Arthur encountered. Each one has its own unique community. Learning and adapting to each community is required. I can relate this book to our journey. It mirrors the lessons in this class Multimedia Communications Interactive and Web Design. On day one, most of us came to class not knowing what to expect. Luckily, as Arthur had Ford Prefect to guide him, we had an amazing teacher to guide us along our journey. As we learned new technology and explored the world wide web while creating our own spaceship web page. We quickly adapted and became comfortable with linking our webpages to other webpages and posting content created on other websites.

Brazil outline with grass field and flag

World Citizen Embracing Universal Good Essay

We all enter this world dependent. We must learn what we need to survive from the information provided to us. We learn from the environment that we spend time in. We develop bonds with family. We forge new friendships, creating a sense of community.  The knowledge we learn in our community determines if we feel a sense of pride or shame. Hence, we all must embrace universal good. We all have access to the internet. In this connected world, we can reach out and grow our community beyond our local hometowns. We can connect with worlds far away, without any unbreakable barriers.

 Just like the space crew in the book “Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy”, we can dive into new worlds. We can explore communities in the world wide web. We can learn how to use computers and to learn new languages. These skills can take us to new places. In these new places, we can forge new friendships and learn new ways. As we grow our online community and create new content, it is important to use hypertext. This shows unity within the community. We connect our pages together with links to extra content.

My country of choice is Brazil. I am building web pages for this country. It shows a rich sense of regional pride. I am fortunate to have been lucky to experience Brazil’s amazing culture, beautiful cities and landscape. I hope to visit this country again one day.

3 eagles become one with an ocean view

Animation Enhancement Essay

When I was young, I watched this animation that completely changed how I perceived things around me. It was a bird surrounded by grass, standing as tall as possible. As the bird flew higher, the grass gave way to tall trees in a thick forest with a full canopy. The bird kept flying higher and above, the canopy gave way to the open sky. As the bird kept flying higher the once very detailed forest became a background blur.

For me this was a powerful animation that opened my eyes to the world around me and all its possibilities. I always remember this animated video when I am on a plane or on top of mountains. For over 25 years, I have realized that the world has so much more than what we see. I always notice this complexity when I look at the world.

Knowing how animation has affected me also brings the realization of how animation can affect other people as well. Animation can be a very powerful tool. It is used for entertainment and also influences the minds of the viewers. When done well, animation can leave the viewers in deep thought and awe. Animation is one of the most powerful tools in a media creator’s tool kit.

fire breathing parade act

Moving Pictures Essay

“When I meet God, I am Going to ask him two questions: Why relativity? And why turbulence? I really believe he will have an answer for the first.” –    German physicist Werner Heisenberg.

This quote is fitting for this essay. Although turbulent flow is not easy to understand mathematically, it can be seen in art. Van Goghs painting of Starry Night is a great depiction of this.

This is a concept that when utilized it will help captivate and intrigue the audience. Turbulence can be used in moving pictures. Animation visually entertains the viewer. It also provides audio and visual information. This helps the information be easily retained with a higher attention span.

When we experience well-designed moving pictures that contain information, we become interested. They inspire us to learn more and create our own projects. On the other hand, when film is monotone with little to no movement, viewers quickly lose interest. They become distracted by more turbulent outside sources. These sources ultimately do not inspire or educate.

In conclusion, if you want to gain a group, you must make a point or inspire people. Do it in a way that captures the viewers’ attention. Understanding the concept of turbulence is the best way to do that.

vector portrait thinking about logo design

Copyright, Intellectual Property (IP), and Reproduction Rights

To allow a better understanding of the topic matter Its best to define these before talking about them.

Copyright provides the exclusive legal right. This right is given to the original creator or an assignee. It allows them to use or change original created content. It is a form of property law that focuses on protecting art.

Intellectual Property refers to creations of the mind which includes copyrights, trademarks, and patents. IP protects art and inventions.

Reproduction Rights guarantee that no one else can make copies of original work without permission from the copyright holder.

These terms and definitions are valuable for content creators. They help protect our property. They guarantee it is used as we intend. They also give us a way to profit from our work, which is rightly deserved. You wouldn’t expect someone to give you a free camera. So, why would you give your work away unless it is for a charitable cause you believe in? We want our creative work to be protected. Thus, it is our responsibility to follow all copyright laws. We must research to check that we have the right to use material.

The best way we can protect ourselves as content creators is to register our best work with the U.S. Copyright Office and keep digital records to prove authorship. Signing our work also helps us to recognize it. We can also use apps like Adobe to embed a digital footprint of copyright code in our work. Although, once our work is in tangible form, it is automatically protected by copyright.

H2G2, Chapter 8, and Wikipedia can be compared when we see the world wide web as a galaxy. Wikipedia is our guide to the galaxy and is created by the joint efforts of many people.

abstract photograph banner of Good Design #8
Good Design #8 color logo

Meanings intended or assumed about the Apple logo. Eve, Adam, Isaac, Alan…

The famous apple with a bite taken out of it. Is the logo a reference to the story of Adam and Eve? Or Sir Isaac Newton for the law of gravity after an apple dropped on his head? If so, the reason is simple. The apple in the story is the forbidden fruit that holds the power of knowledge. It also holds the power of understanding. This story suits the Apple company perfectly. It stands for the pursuit of knowledge. It also symbolizes pushing boundaries to achieve new goals.

Another possibility for the logo creation is darker. Alan Turing is credited with laying the foundations for the modern-day computer pioneering AI research and unlocking Nazi war codes. 10 years after the war he laced an apple with cyanide and took a bite. Apple has drawn up this logo as a tribute to him.

The truth is that those are just theories that Apple fans have come up with.  The logo design is meant to be simple. The bite taken out of the apple is just there for scale. It differentiates the fruit from a cherry.  Overall, the design has worked out well for the company. It fits well with many historical stories of fiction and nonfiction.

photo shop eagle in the sunset over the water

Star Wars and Photoshop Innovation Connection

Star Wars captured the imagination of the world with their innovative techniques that gave way to spectacular visual effects. George Lucas and his team created these special effects. They had high expectations and found innovative ways to achieve them. This led to the creation of Photoshop and other editing software to give the films their desired effects. These movies inspired other technologies, like prosthetic limbs and Artificial Intelligence. They also inspired Holographic displays, GPS, and cellphones. Elon Musk’s robots and many more innovations were influenced by these films. These inventions were inspired by art which reminds me of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics). These fields work together to create truly amazing inventions that help humanity.

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Photoshop and the influence effect

There are two notable links related to flat Earth theories. One is 8 Times Flat-Earthers Tried to Challenge Science (and failed) in 2017 | Live Science. Another is to 11 million Brazilians, the Earth is flat. These are great examples of photoshopped images and their effect. Thankfully, only 2% of American adults are firm in their belief that the earth is flat. Meanwhile, 7% just are not sure. Surfing the web and social media, it is easy to find plenty of images of photoshopped flat earth. Thankfully, many of these images are aimed at disproving. Nonetheless, some websites and social media groups focus on proving the world is flat. This goes to show how powerful the images and content that we create are. The world wide web unites us and brings civilization closer together than ever before. We should use it to share knowledge and help each other grow. This benefits everyone, especially future generations. Imagine utilizing Photoshop for the advantage of knowledge. Instead of creating photoshopped planets, animals, products, and even people, we should focus on truth. We should not try to convince everyone that these are real. The division created by tricking gullible people is a wall holding humanity back from achieving our full potential.

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Color Use

The world is full of colors that we see all around us and they are universally recognized. Colors can influence emotions. Greys, blues, greens, and purples can be very calming. In contrast, reds, yellows, and oranges can be very exciting. I wonder if Marvin the robot from Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy was programmed to see in blues and greys. Was its depression just programmed in with its genuine people personalities (GPP) technology? 

Colors also are universally recognized to convey messages. We all recognize green to go and red to stop. You will see the same colors from traffic lights to traffic signs. The markings on the roads also use them in every country. They will guide you even if you can’t read the written language. Colors are also used to Convey information universally in the workplace like hazardous materials identification system and warning signs.

When creating a universal design website, it is important to realize the significance of these recognizable colors. They can help users in navigating and influencing their overall experience. The colors we choose to use can support the content we create and help us to effectively convey our message.

2 eagles talking

Babel Fish and Moore’s Law Essay

Moore’s Law is based on an economic trend. It states that every 2 years, computer chips will have twice as many transistors. This increases computing ability per square inch, leading to home computers. Since 1965 this theory has been continually proven to be correct. https://www.wired.com/story/wired-explains-moores-law/. Babel Fish from the book “Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy” are yellow fish. They are placed into the ear to translate any language. We see this in the book when Ford and Arthur hitch a ride on the Vogon spaceship. https://www.technologyreview.com/technology/babel_fish_earbuds/ Today that technology actually exists. It is not an actual alien fish. Instead, it exists through Pixel smartphones. Additionally, Pixel Buds translate language through an app. Before that the was a free website Yahoo! Babel Fish which was then replaced by Bing Translator https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babel_Fish_(website). Although https://www.babelfish.com/ still translates language, today we have many options for language translation services as well as for learning new languages. There are many ways to communicate with people from all over the world. This variety opens up the doors to influence and marketing for everyone. As content creators we must be honest and transparent. What we publish online is heard around the world and can influence how people think and act. We must consider the consequences of our content before publishing. We should use our skills for the common good.

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Knowing Where Your Towel Is

In the book “Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy” by Douglas Adams, the towel is the most important item. They bring it along with them in their adventure. In this book, the towel is used for hygiene, comfort and even as a weapon. The towel has both practical value and psychological value. It can be used to make a sail, build beach forts, and shield you from the sun. It keeps you warm and dry. You can wet it for use in hand-to-hand combat.

Quote from the book: “Any man who can hitch the length and breadth of the galaxy is admirable. He is a person to be reckoned with. A man who can rough it, slum it, and struggle against terrible odds is truly formidable.” If he wins through and still knows where his towel is, he clearly has immense ability.” The towel had a psychological purpose. It was used to convince a strag that the hitchhiker also possesses other items. This encourages the strag to lend the hitchhiker items he lost. The towel became part of the book Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy because of Douglas Adams’ personal experiences. He hitchhiked and traveled through Europe, often losing his own towel. His travels are ultimately the inspiration for his book. The towel gives control in life to the hitchhiker. Due to its importance in this book, May 25th is officially recognized as Towel Day since 2001.

Christmas lights along a concrete pathway

Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Impact H2G2

Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy inspired people to create. Many ideas, from inventions to entertainment, stem from this book. Countless blog posts reference and credit the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy as an inspiration. The book has a way of unlocking imagination and sparking ideas through its mix of wonder, amazement, comedy and suspense. For over 40 years, people have kept this book alive. They have expanded on it with extra books, games, and websites. This makes the book a timeless classic that will continue to live on. Douglas Adams drew from his own life experiences. He merged them with his imagination and talent with words. This blend created a fun adventure story. It was filled with ideas that did not exist when the book was written.

Douglas Adams book Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy is full of predictions like Babel.com translation, eBooks, touch screen devices, voice command devices, Wikipedia.com and the British based collaborative h2g2.com. The book Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy even inspired one of my favorite cartoon series Rick and Morty. This book entertains the fascination with space, time, and deep thought. That’s why it is also one of my favorite movies. This book will continue to live on and inspire people to use their imagination creating deep though and innovation.

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“Hyperland” and the Future Past

I found the video “Hyperland” to be fascinating and informative. The video structure itself is a great example of what can be done with limited technology. My eyes were opened to both possibility and the history behind it. This video outlined how the technology of the internet came to be and where it was heading. In today’s world, much of that technology is in use. Yet, AI has not yet taken the form of a personal butler or similar.

I believe technology will continue to develop. We will soon see personalized AI guides to the galaxy we call the internet. Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy excels at describing the wild world of the internet. It also predicts technology like eBooks. Now we do have AI helping to guide us through the internet akin to the butler. Every day I and many other people use search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo.

We can buy eBooks off of Amazon. AI, like the butler, uses predictive software. It helps find search results quickly. AI even throws in suggestions related to our search. In conclusion, “Hyperland” did an amazing job at predicting the world of technology. The same is true for Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy.