Digital versus Optical Zoom
Write the Right Word
Advertising vs. Public Relations vs. Marketing
Presentation Graphics Services Available
Updated Publications
Digital versus Optical Zoom
Most digital cameras come with both digital and optical zoom capabilities.
You may see an advertisement like 7 Megapixel, 3X Optical, 2X Digital.
Optical is far superior over digital zoom. Optical zoom increases the magnification of a scene in the lens just like the film cameras of old. Digital zoom simply saves the pixels of the area you zoomed to and deletes or crops out the other pixels, thus your 7 Megapixel camera may turn into a 4 Megapixel camera. The manual that came with your camera will include a section on selecting optical and digital zoom features. Best advice: always use the optical zoom.
Dave Rice, (701) 231-7381, david.rice@ndsu.edu
Write the Right Word
Here is another installment of words that sound somewhat the same but have different meanings and cannot be used interchangeably.
Compliment/complement - A compliment is praise or commendation. The troop leader complimented her Girl Scouts for their quick thinking when their tent collapsed. The woman received several compliments on her new red dress. Complement indicates completeness or the process of supplementing something. The department has a complement of 10 professors and three assistant professors. The man´s red, white and blue tie complements his charcoal suit.
Accept/except - Accept means to receive. She accepted the award for saving the stranger´s life. Except means to exclude. All of the buildings on campus except Minard Hall will undergo some remodeling this summer.
Premise/premises - A premise is a proposition supporting or helping support a conclusion. It also is something that´s assumed or taken for granted. She based her argument on the premise that if the ground was wet this morning, rain must have fallen during the night. Most people agree with the premise that two wrongs don´t make a right. A premises is a tract of land that includes buildings. The Smiths let their dog run loose on the premises when they went on vacation.
Ellen Crawford, (701) 231-5391, ellen.crawford@ndsu.edu
Advertising vs. Public Relations vs. Marketing
Sometimes there is confusion about the different functions of advertising, public relations and marketing.
Simply stated, advertising is paid space or broadcast time. The organization controls what is said or written and when the advertisement will run.
The difference between public relations and marketing is more blurred. In general, public relations is concerned with building relationships and generating goodwill. Marketing is concerned with customers and selling products and services.
James Grunig, editor of "Excellence in Public Relations and Communication Management," says the major purpose of marketing is to make money for the organization by increasing the slope of the demand curve, while the major purpose of public relations is to save money for the organization by building relationships that enhance the ability of the organization to meet its mission.
Perhaps some of the confusion comes in the overlapping of terms. In general, marketing and advertising professionals use terms such as target markets, consumers and customers. Public relations professional speak in terms of publics, audiences and stakeholders.
Rich Mattern, (701) 231-6136, richard.mattern@ndsu.edu
Presentation Graphics Services Available
Have a professional meeting, field day or trade show coming up? Ag Communication staff can design and produce large-format color posters, banners, tabletop displays and other presentation graphics. The staff can add lamination, foamcore, velcro and grommets for more durable, long- lasting displays.
John Grindahl, (701) 231-7898, john.grindahl@ndsu.edu
Updated Publications
No new publications have come off the presses this month, but there are two revisions. H1035 Fertilizing Trees, a four-page publication by Ron Smith, explains the methods and application calculations of fertilizing. Graphics show how to calculate tree fertilization requirements and proper planting and fertilizing of new trees.
Dave Franzen has just revised SF882 ND Fertilizer Recommendation Tables and Equations Based on Soil Test Levels and Yield Goals. Twenty- seven nutrient recommendation tables are included in the 12-page publication.
Sharon Lane, (701) 231-7882, sharon.lane@ndsu.edu
Let's Communicate
Past issues and topics from Let´s Communicate are at www.ag.ndsu.edu/agcomm/letscomm/letscomm.htm. If you have questions or comments, or would like to submit information or make a suggestion for Let´s Communicate, please contact me.
Be sure to include communications costs in your grant proposals. Call for
estimates.
Extension faculty and staff may request operating funds from your program leader
or district director prior to the start of work on a project.
Becky Koch, (701) 231-7875, becky.koch@ndsu.edu
