3 Digital communications sites or applications

1. Twitch.tv

Justin.tv was launched in 2007 by Justin Kan and Emmett Shear, though this is not directly Twitch.tv, it is what created the popular site. On Justin.tv, everything was split up into categories dependant on content, this meant that initially people could stream more than just games. However, the gaming category on the site grew exceedingly fast and then soon became the most popular content on the site. This lead to the company deciding to create a spin off of the gaming content now known as Twitch.tv in 2011 on June 6th.

Twitch.tv is a video streaming service where people can create an account and begin to Livestream playing games. This means that viewers can click on their stream and watch them play the game live, so everything happens in real-time. The idea of this is certainly odd to anyone not interested in gaming culture or doesn’t play games regularly online but to some, it allows people to look at a game and watch someone play it to determine whether or not they want to purchase it and be able to interact with other viewers of the same stream. Another big reason people do this is because it allows content creators over on YouTube and their fans to also interact together in an environment whilst they also watch the content they would normally see on their YouTube channel. Charity streams and events have also been done online where viewers are encouraged to donate their money with pre-determined challenges the streamer must do.

2. STEAM

Steam is an internet-based digital distribution platform developed by Valve Corporation and written in C++. The initial release of Steam was on the 12th of September 2003 (12 years ago) and allows users to play games from a built in store. Its purpose for being created was to allow users across the world to play games together and make new friends who share a common interest or play the same game, and in later years allows users to create their own content for certain games which can be added into the actual game later in time. The site also allows you to add other users and interact with them, you can trade items found in certain games like TeamFortress 2 and Counter Strike: Global Offensive as well as chat via VOIP (Voice over internet protocol) or open chat windows with accepted friends to talk via text.

The community is huge on steam, within each game approved (there are over 6,400 games on steam) and sold on the software is a community hub where people can upload videos, screenshots, artwork or discussion topics in which others can comment, share or upload their own content. The community also has a workshop for multiple games that are moddable and allow user created content to be added into the game, enhancing players play time and experience. Here is where people and fans of the games made and on the software can create their own in-game assets and maps which another player can either add to their subscriptions and be able to play in game or in some cases, like TeamFortress 2, create a new cosmetic your character can wear. These cosmetics, if accepted into the game by Valve allows the creator to receive a portion of the money earned every time someone purchases the item so it also supports independent content creators and freelance artists, modellers and script writers in the form of Greenlight. Greenlight is the same of the community workshops but allows companies or indie developers to publish their own game up for review and if accepted, they can start to make a living from the sales they receive when someone purchases their game.

3. Skype

Skype is an application that provides users with the ability to create video chat or voice calls with other users and even registered phone numbers. As well as this, users can also exchange text, images. files and video messages amongst each other. The program was first released in August 2003 by Niklas Zennström and Dane Janus Friis from Sweden in cooperation with Ahti Heinla, Priit Kasesalu, and Jaan Tallinn from Estonia which developed the backend of the program.

For years has this program been a part of my life, I've met many new people and spoke to a range of different people from all over the world. Some have left and moved on and some have continued to stay in contact even to this day. I don't think that without Skype, I would have half the friends I have still nor still be in contact with friends ever since my childhood. Skype impacts my life on daily basis and has always been there and running if I need to contact or talk to someone, I can connect to the internet, open Skype and start talking to my friends instantly via text or VOIP (Voice Over IP).