Posted In: Reflections
Week 4 Reflection
Reading about files this week, and specifically looking at different files within a folder (the “about me” folder in the hands on activity), reminds me of file folders in real life. A large drawer or case, holding all the files within it, is like the website/blog itself. Then you have the file folders, which are like the categories on a menu or header on a blog page. Finally, you have the individual files themselves, stored based on which category/folder they fit into.
Similarly, this is how blogs are made (and most websites). A link at the top of a page or in a menu bar sends you to a list of all the files associated with that category. Let’s take for example one of my favorite bloggers: Kristen with Bearfoot Theory.
On her website, when first opened, the menu bar (below the 1st bar) contains five blog categories: destinations, adventures, lifestyle, van life, and gear. If we hover over destinations, we are taken to another drop-down menu, with different options (different destinations to consider, including different states, national parks and trails).
You could also click the link on the menu bar for destinations and be sent to a page listing all of these subcategories (broad destinations). If, for instance, I clicked on Colorado in the Destinations drop down menu, I am taken to a list of Kristen’s individual blog posts about advice for Colorado trips.
Kristen’s blog is pretty simple, containing mostly plain text files that are simply articles describing her recent trips or outdoor travel advice. Within those files are usually other content type as well, including links and images. These are alternated with the blurbs of text to give the file some variety.
Occasionally, Kristen will post a video. These videos are typically categorized in the same manner as her other posts, based on their content and within the associated folder. But clearly this file type is different from the rest. A small description, in plain text, is written at the beginning of the file. Then, an imbedded video is found below.
One unique thing about Bearfoot Theory is the different methods of finding what you are looking for. A file is not only found in it’s associated folder from a link in the menu. Kristen tries to infer how her readers are thinking and tailors her search options in these different ways.
For example, for someone who has never visited her site, Kristen has a file called Start Here. This is a document that very generally lays out all the different things you can read about on her blog. You can click on links on this page to find the folders/categories associated with the subject she is describing or to individual recommended blog posts.
Another interesting search option is found when clicking on the Destinations link from the menu. Instead of just listing out the different destinations she writes about or the blog posts themselves, she gives you the option to search for a destination and the files associated with it by “adventure type.” These options include backpacking trips, day hikes and paddling. Once you click one of these, it will take you to a special subfolder not associated with any of the folders listed in the menu bar, but only about the adventure you selected.