Chapter 3, Exercise 2

#2)    I've decided to evaluate http://www.questionablecontent.net/ because it is a site that I frequent on a daily basis and the usability of it is designed with a specific audience in mind.

From a Visual Culture perspective, this document is designed to appeal to a specific target audience (english speaking and "indie"). To explain this, a funnel technique would be the most effective means of conveying how the choices the writer has made in the document narrow the audience.

The main page merely states "Questionable Content" without describing exactly what questionable content is. Underneath the page title, there are objects that allow the user to navigate the page. These objects consist of English text instead of a wider reaching symbol, and the text itself includes abbreviations understood only by those who frequent similar sites (RL RSS). The large image on the page is a continuation of an online comic. By offering the most recent comic instead of an explanation of what the user is looking at or the first in the series, the writer is focused on returning users who understand the context of the image without explanation of any kind. Thus, the audience becomes very specific.

From a Visual Rhetoric as User-Centered Design perspective, the decisions made by the writer appear to be dead-on. The design of the site itself is easy to learn and consistent with what the site is for. The writer provides archives for past comics as well as constant updates, links for recommended reading, sales, and tabs available (sort of) for new users that need information about the site.

The intended ethos of this site is definitely that of being part of the hipster/indie scene.

The logos of this site is content first, explanation later if at all.

The pathos is, well...You're either in, or out. Withholding information that would explain what the site is creates a sense of inclusiveness which ties closely in with the indie/hipster mantra. By being a reader and *understanding* the context, you're a member of their really awesome super-secretive club. It makes the reader want to belong.