Introduction
There are numerous ways to save and present data. The existing media world provides numerous options for the end-users to reach and scrutinize the information of interest. Within the framework of this paper, I will provide the information regarding the most renowned media publishing options.
CMS
Content management systems (CMS) are commonly used to create and modify the entries that contain digital content. For the most part, CMS is intended to create a collaborative environment and allow the end-users to access the data. The majority of CMS users are interested in certain critical options including version control, web publishing, and indexing. One of the definitive characteristics of a content management system is the separation of content. There are three CMS platforms that currently lead the market – WordPress, Drupal, and Joomla.
WordPress is the best option for bloggers and the owners of small online stores. Moreover, this platform is rather user-friendly, so it seamlessly suits the beginners. Joomla is a perfect choice for those who are interested in building a social network or an online store. On the other hand, it is more complex than WordPress, and the user should possess certain technical skills in order to use this CMS. Out of three, Drupal is the most complicated content management system. The user has to be rather familiar with PHP, CSS, and HTML to make it work.
Social Media and Connectivity
Social networks are yet another way to connect with each other on the Internet. For instance, Myspace is one of the pioneers of social networking. It offered basic opportunities to chat and share pictures, videos, and music. Another social networking website that became rather popular is Facebook. Millions of people all over the world are currently using it to chat via Messenger and share interesting stuff in their feed. One of the latest features includes live translations, and it allows the users to go live and connect with friends and followers in real-time.
There are also younger social networks that became popular not so long ago. Two of these are Twitter and Instagram. When the former was first shown to the public, it made a rather big splash amongst the users. Twitter became synonymous with the word “microblogging” due to the fact that they allowed only 140 characters per tweet. Instagram was developed as a unique application that helped the end-users to share their lives with others by means of photography. The functionality of this app also included the application of different filters intended to personalize the photographs.
Video Online
Currently, there are numerous ways to share videos online. The most renowned web application developed for the people who like to share their videos and watch the videos of others is YouTube. It was developed by several students and then bought by Google. Vimeo is one of the runners-up but it lacks functionality, and this is one of the reasons why YouTube and Google currently run the game.
When it comes to social networks, there is also a possibility to share videos online. First, this functionality was implemented by Facebook. Currently, it allows its users to go live and broadcast their activity in real-time. The same functionality can be found on Instagram as well, which is currently owned by Facebook. The users can also upload and share their videos on Twitter or embed the videos from other platforms. Presently, Twitter owns Periscope – an application developed solely for the sake of live translations.
Photos Online
On the Internet, one may find numerous pictures and photos. There is an extensive array of websites that give users the possibility to search for such content and share their own works. Flickr was the first website that became rather popular. Then there was Tumblr. The latter offered more functionality and embraced the spirit of microblogging. Therefore, it is primarily used to share pictures, but Tumblr users do not limit themselves to that type of content only.
When it comes to sharing or searching for pictures, there are two more online platforms. The first and youngest one is Pinterest. It allows the users to create so-called boards and pin their favorite images depending on the subject. Currently, Pinterest allows users to advertise their products and websites by means of their pins. The most powerful and most widely used tool is Google Images. This functionality comprises the biggest collection of images that can be found on the Internet. The core advantage of this application is that it allows us to customize the search options and filter the search results in a rather strict manner.
Conversation Platforms
The variety of conversation platforms is currently overflooding the market. Regardless, there are several apps that are used by the majority of mobile and computer users. One of the first apps is MSN Messenger. It featured relatively basic functionality and allowed the users to exchange messages and smiley faces. Then appeared Facebook Messenger and iMessage. These two apps sparked interest to chatting as they gave the possibility to share pictures, videos, and emojis in addition to the basic functionalities available in other messengers.
The new generation of conversation platforms is represented by WhatsApp, Snapchat, and Kik Messenger. WhatsApp is one of the simplest chatting apps that have ever been developed. In addition, it is completely free and gives the possibility to send messages in every corner of the world. Snapchat is a unique smartphone application. The messages disappear after they were viewed by the recipient. Kik Messenger is also a free messaging platform. It works on all platforms including smartphones, Macs, and PCs.
Music Online
The most popular music application that is currently available to users is iTunes. This app allows the users to buy songs and albums directly from the application. It features a user-friendly library and numerous specific audio-related options. Spotify is the most common app for the users who prefer streaming services. This means that they can listen to music online by means of paying for streaming instead of buying the content. Shazam is currently gaining popularity due to its unique feature that helps users to identify the song by simply placing the phone near the speakers. The app analyzes the sound wave and provides the end user with the song name.
Digital Presentations
Another brilliant way to share information is to create digital presentations. There are numerous applications on all existing platforms that were developed for those individuals who prefer transmitting the information by means of rich and vivid presentations. The key goal of the presentation is to create a bond between the presenter and the audience. Presentations are way more entertaining and information-rich than a trivial speech on the subject. Visual aids help to engage the audience and are an easy way to share the presenter’s outlooks by means of pictures, videos, animations, and other content types.
There are three apps that currently lead the market of digital presentations – PowerPoint, Open Office, and Google Docs. PowerPoint is the most widely used application to create presentations among Windows users. It gives flexible possibilities and endless options when it comes to design, color schemes, and other visual elements. The only problem is that PowerPoint is not free and, in some cases, the price of the software can be the decisive factor. Open Office is a free analog of Microsoft Office tools. It features a simplistic design and a smaller number of customizable options. The interface is not so user-friendly as in PowerPoint. The last competitor is mostly used by online visitors. Google Docs enables the collaboration and allows the authors of the presentation to share it with others on the Internet. The functionality of this app is limited due to the fact that it is web-based.
News Online
Another significant source of information that is available to the Internet users is online news. The advent of this data source is majorly dependent on the growing demand for the latest news and updates. Most importantly, online users are interested in viral and novel news because keeping abreast of the current state of affairs is the central aspect of the modern world. Moreover, the community is interested in learning the news from credible and high-quality sources. The sources of news can be both public and private. One of the most popular ways to share news is broadcasting. This means that the sources may be able to regulate and filter the information that reaches the general public. It is also safe to say that a certain segment of the modern community prefers to learn the news not online but in printed newspapers.
The majority of the existing news sources can be reached via social media. The latter disregard privacy and the outcomes are characterized by unlimited access to the information. The latest news can usually be found on various blogging and microblogging platforms including Tumblr and Twitter. These two also represent a perfect opportunity to share personal views concerning certain updates. What is even worse, the media popularized the distribution of fake news and the data that was taken out of context. The core advantages of the social networks include personalization of the news and the speed of the news distribution.
Encyclopedias
Encyclopedias are another source of valid information. This data source is considered to be eternal, and it does not compare to news because encyclopedias update their content very slowly. The most famous encyclopedia is Britannica. Commonly, this source of information can be accessed in the libraries. Encyclopedias are useful because the information contained in these books is reliable and validated by other people.
The most famous online encyclopedia is called Wikipedia. The main feature of this online source is that it is concurrently stuffed with new information by thousands and millions of users from all around the world. Therefore, this information is not reliable, and no one actually owns this online encyclopedia. The key advantage of this data source is its availability in different languages. One of the most credible sources is Google Books, where one can find almost any printed book in electronic format. It is also reasonable to mention Psychlopedia (encyclopedia of psychology) and Project Gutenberg – a web-based library that offers electronic books via a public domain.
Electronic Books
Electronic books are the most popular and credible source of information that is currently used by the society. Publishing companies are in charge of identifying the books that are worth publishing. Nonetheless, the majority of the books can be found online. For instance, iBooks are available to anyone and promote the democratization of access to the sources. The website lulu.com offers digital delivery and publishing services for smaller audiences.
The main advantage of this type of distribution is that it allows the publishers to edit digital copies of the book and release corrected editions. All this is done in a hasty manner and increases the efficiency of the publisher. The fact that the speed of delivery has increased significantly heavily impacted the publishing environment and the digital world in general.
Analytics
The core aspects of the modern world presuppose that there is a necessity to analyze the information recurrently. We receive various types of feedback that helps us to verify what we do and track the consequences of certain actions and functionalities of specific triggers. This characteristic of the modern online environment is contingent on the personal context of the users and focuses on what happens in real time. It is safe to say that the analytics are crucial for the Internet users. An example of such application is Google Analytics. This web-based tool allows the users to track activity on their websites and blogs including the number of unique visitors, page views, conversion rate, and many other important performance indicators.