Journal Response #5

I really liked Jennie Germann Molz' "Connectivity, collaboration, search" because of how, instead of just saying why things should be achieved, she reflected on how to create the methods and environment that allow for your desired goal to be achieved. I think the points that Molz considers regarding mobility and knowability and their relationship are important and relevant for those like us who are learning to produce texts in mediums that operate differently, more and less effectively. I especially like the idea that Molz suggested about a social search engine. This would be unique for a search engine because it would supply the searcher with videos that have been shared, saved, or commented on by other users (maybe friends?). Also, instead of showing the websites of big corporations that pay large sums for Google's front-page advertising, users searching for content would be able to find the content that is most relevant to them and their aspirations. I think the example about travelers that she employed is very effective because of the assurance that readers can get simply from reading the helpful words of a stranger who has already traveled to some soon-to-be-visited land. I think that Molz makes a good point when she mentions the spreading of knowledge through "distributed structures" (i.e. travel-specific wiki projects). To me, these subject-dedicated platforms provide a good opportunity to acquire a dedicated audience, an group of people that anticipate the writer's work because they know what to expect and enjoy the content and quality of the text. Also, with a dedicated structure, your audience is likely to grow because, if your current audience enjoys the content you are sharing, they are likely to share it with some of their peers, and so on.