Millard West Green Light

ONE-CLICK SHOPPING - Not a creature was stirring, except for the mouse

KEVIN ZHENG

Shopping is one of the most controversial issues around. No, not controversial like stem cell research, but controversial in the fact that many people despise it, yet there are those who would die without it. However disputed the issue may be, one cannot deny that shopping is popular--so popular, that one will find it difficult to walk a street in the United States without passing some kind of store or shop. It simply cannot be helped that shopping in general is omnipresent in every corner of this country.

As high-powered as shopping can be, the addition of the Internet is like giving it a 50X steroid boost. In terms of online stores, there are many different varieties. Most of the online stores provide listings of other online stores, so there is one cohesive shopping experience without the need to explore much. One such store is Amazon.com, one of the most critically appraised shopping sites, because they offer their own selection of products while still listing prices from stores such as JR.com, TigerDirect, and Buy.com. Not only do sites like Amazon make shopping ultra-easy for the consumer, it is very good business for sites that people generally do not know about. Several students have praised the excellent service that Amazon provides.

When shopping online, I usually use sites like Amazon to find what I want. If there is a store that I want to shop at that isn’t in Nebraska, the ability to buy their products online is very convenient. I like the online stores with free shipping, as it makes buying gifts quick and easy,” said senior Christine Stein.

The shopping departments of major online search engines provide another form of online shopping. Yahoo! Shopping and Froogle are two of the most popular ways to shop online, as anyone can just enter his specification in the search box, and different sites with the product will appear. From there, it is easy to sort by lowest price, customer satisfaction, or item name. Conveniences like this make desired items literally just one click away.

It’s interesting to see people who have despised shopping actually start enjoying it, after the e-commerce influenza hit. It is without question that online shopping is significantly more convenient than the traditional way, and most traditional stores even sell their products online as well. Such sites as Walmart.com and Bestbuy.com have become just as popular online as big dogs like Amazon, and they sometimes even offer better deals through their online retail, as some items can be found only online. When an item cannot be found in the traditional store, people now have the option of ordering it online from the warehouses. This is one reason why online retail has become so popular.

The drawback to online shopping is that even if an individual doesn’t want to shop, the temptation will be splashed on his face through advertisements, videos, and banners wherever he may roam on the internet.
Another disadvantage with online shopping is that the consumer must wait for the item to be delivered, which takes anywhere from a week to a month. Though this is only a minor inconvenience for some, others want their items right away.

“Traditional shopping allows you to get the product faster than online shopping. A lot of people like to have the product right then and there,” said junior Erin O’Tool.

Of course, a customer cannot use cash when shopping online, and many people are uneasy providing their credit card information to websites, no matter how secure those sites may be.

“The only annoyance I might have with online shopping is the security of using a credit card online,” said senior Patrick Graeve. “Of course, unlike traditional shopping, it’s faster, and you don’t have to put up with the hassle of other shoppers.”

These aspects of online retail become annoying very quickly, though it certainly beats long lines, maniacal kids, and ill-tempered mothers who will literally knock your lights out if you even touch that clearance item they’ve been eyeballing.

THE TECH GUY- Microsoft and Apple- where are they going?

CHAD BOUVIA

No two companies have influenced the technology industry quite like Microsoft and Apple. Each company brings something unique to the table. Each day millions of people come in contact with one of the products of these companies. But where are the companies now and where are they going in the future?

Both Apple and Microsoft have reached the pinnacle of their software and hardware development. Microsoft has released its flagship Vista operating system and Apple its Leopard. It is difficult to tell where each company is going in the future, but by looking at their past, it is possible to make some pretty good educated guesses as to where they might be going.

Microsoft has made many achievements in the development of their Windows operating system. Windows has had a total of 24 total releases in its lifetime, not to mention the different versions of the operating system. Currently, Microsoft is set to release Windows 7, sometime in 2009.

Apple is slowly gaining ground on Microsoft. They currently hold the market on digital music players with their iPod. There was once a time when the Apple of today almost never was.

The company has rapidly gained a huge market share on the mp3 market. When initially released, the iPod only had the capacity for 100 songs and could only be used on a Macintosh computer. It spread like wildfire to Macintosh users and left Windows users begging for a taste of that sweet iPod pie. The iPod is Apple’s biggest generator of money, but Apple is pushing the sale of their Macs.

A GRAPHIC LOOK AT WAR - book review

DAVID KIRK

The United States is embroiled in an unpopular war in the state of Iraq. Various groups such as the Sunni, Shi’a, and Iranian fundamentalists are struggling for power in a fierce civil war. No, this is not 2007, this is 2011. In Anthony Lappé’s and Dan Goldman’s new graphic novel, Shooting War, the present war in Iraq has lumbered onward, with President John McCain in charge of about 10,000 highly specialized U.S. troops, which are referred to by the book’s main character as “the most battle-hardened, ruthless mothers the Pentagon could muster.” Meanwhile, the entire Arab world except for Israel has turned against the West, resulting in U.S. recession and gasoline hitting $8 a gallon.

The story follows the adventures of Jimmy Burns, a left-wing blogger out of Brooklyn. While filming a video blog on eminent domain for his political website, he captures a terrorist attack on a Starbucks, which also happens to be a part of the apartment complex in which he resides. Global News Network, devoted to around-the-clock terror coverage, coincidentally receives the footage, broadcasting it around the world. Overnight, Burns becomes a star, and--in lieu of a home and possessions--gets a job with Global as a war correspondent in Iraq.

While in Iraq, Burns escapes death on several occasions and becomes a pawn in a Muslim nationalist group’s plot to usher in a new world order. The book offers an invaluable history lesson on the complex interests of the various religious sects and political groups present in Iraq that would do Americans well to at least consider.

As a graphic novel, Shooting War paints a vivid picture of a possible future if U.S. policy continues its intervention in the Middle East. By referencing contemporary pop culture (American businesses, news media, and celebrities), Shooting War becomes a very real and alarming premonition of what could be the situation in the Mideast and the U.S. in the near future.

INTERNET REVOLUTION - Production quality content online

CHAD BOUVIA

It goes without saying that television has become an integral part of American society. Viewers use it for entertainment, to get news and reviews and to some extent to decide on a candidate for an election. However, there is one drawback to television: viewers cannot have content on demand, anywhere they are. There is a solution. Companies are springing up to put free high quality content on the internet to be viewed by the masses.

Revision3 is one of these companies. Located in Los Angeles, California, the company on a regular basis puts out broadcast quality shows on the internet. Revision3 was created by former employees of the now defunct TechTV and slowly grew to a prominent entity on the internet.

The company started out with only a handful of programs but now has grown to over 14. There is a high diversity from show to show. They range from two guys sitting on a couch talking about technology stories to shows that review the latest in movies, games and more. The popularity of Revision3 has grown immensely, without the benefit of advertising.

“I actually found Revision3 by word-of-mouth. Someone asked me if I had ever watched Diggnation, then they pointed me to the site, and I’ve been hooked ever since,” junior Jordan Lambrecht said.

The content is geared for a newer audience who will come back and keep watching time and time again. One way Revision3 does this is by producing shows that people want to watch, want to watch on their time, and want to watch any way they prefer.

The shows are put out in various formats. Some shows are seen in a video format as well as an audio format. Some shows also are put out in high definition.

“Having high definition content for free is better than watching actual television,” said senior Kevin McCaskill.

For some shows, Revision3 supplies an mp3 audio file that can be played on an mp3 player. On top of that, there is a video format that can be played on most popular mp3 players.

Watching production-quality shows on the Internet also has its perks. Because the content can be accessed from any computer that has an internet connection, one is able to watch shows virtually from anywhere in the world where there is a computer.

“Because the shows are on the Internet, I can watch them on the laptop, which is convenient,” senior Daniel Kissner said.

The content from Revison3 is free, so that means there must be ads in the shows. But even having ads has its perks. Special offers will be given along with a coupon code. One discount might be for Netflicks and the other for Godaddy.

Revision3 has hit a home run with its new way of distributing content over the internet. With its high success rate, many other web television networks are sure to leap their way onto the internet.