Hello professors and co.

1. My name is Natalie Snyder. I am a junior who is majoring in design, art history, and minoring in writing.



2. I really hate to be one of those people, but I'm mostly taking this class as a safe haven from Word and Image. My brother studied computer science, and is pretty smug about it, so I thought this class would also be good for taking back a little bit of ground with him. Also, the sheer amount of people who have asked me if I know how to code is wearing down my patience, so I figured I'd cave instead of make a stand against the internet.



3. No! I have absolutely no experince with any development language.



4. At this point, I know so little that really anything would do. Making things move across the screen would be interesting, as would an exploration of the fine arts side of internet-based interaction.



5. So far, designing for the screen is a lot about internal structure and organization. Often with works on paper, a lot is out of your control, like exact color, paper quality, scale, etc. Here, almost like with an InDesign file that never gets printed, the final product reflects the commands you gave the computer. However, I do expect it to feel a little less...intimate? Emotionally engaged?



6. This American LifeA lot of users go to the This American Life website for two reasons: to access its recent episodes and to explore its archive. The Website automatically sends the user to the newest episodes, but gives them the very visible option of the archive at the top menu. The ample negative space evokes clarity and the brief descriptions of the options allow for the user to easily peruse the site.



7. The New York Times Cooking Column
   
   This website demonstrates effective communication through its large boxes, easily-understood images, and simple message. What is being advertised is very specific, and all of the options are arranged in a grid so that the viewer knows what to expect and is free to choose whatever they want.
   
   
8. The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
   
   This website almost makes me want to visit Boston. It portrays the museum as an active organism, promoting contemporary events through multiple moving elements and sleek, modern design. The site is easy to navigate and a pleasure to look at.