Sorry it's been awhile guys, had a bit of technical difficulty, but I'm back now!!!!!!!
Here's a few of my personal view points on some of the topics that came up in week 5. My following thoughts are in regards to authority and what sites people deem more authentic then others.
WIKIPEDIA VERSUS BRITANNICA
I have used both sites in the past and find them both extremely helpful. But i am still a skeptic about the content on wikipedia because as we found out in class anyone could write things on it and how are we users suppose to know who the authors are. I put this opinion and feeling also down to the fact that Britannica also comes in the book form and there is the ideology in society that the written word of a book is true and authentic. And thats exactly the ideology that i personally belief in. Whether it is true or not, the idea in my head about britannica authors are that they are scholars, with a vast range of knowledge, with phds, or masters degrees. And that idea and image of these authors make me more comfortable using sites like britannica because i feel they are more truthful.
How do you guys feel?
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Week 3-Hackers
Wow, wow, wow!!!!!
Todays class definately put on new spin on things and i certainly learnt something new. Hackers, who knew they could do good, I absolutely had no idea. (hopefully I'm not alone in this) Just to know that the term originated from the people who constructured the internet was almost unbelieveable. The term originally referred to computer/internet enthusist and came from - to hack code (make a code as short as possible to go as fast as possible. Secondly to hack in a system (which they did to test the system over and over again to breaking point purely to make their art(the internet) better and stronger for use the users. So thats what hackers originally referred to and there are even Hacker Ethics.
However the media has taken the term and referred it to a few bad eggs that spoiled the bunch and used their skills for evil, for stealing money or data that is not there's. So up until todays lecture when i heard the term 'hacker', i immediately had this stereotype in my head of a loner male, computer mad, alone in a room or apartment, no friends in real life, barely goes out in the real world who hacks into companys or governments and steals data or money. It's a perception that I think a lot of people have and this is because of the media and how they have potrayed this term, rightly or wrongly, this is how it's shown. We see it on t.v., in magazines, newspapers, the internet and films. A example I can think about is Bad Boys 2 (sorry not a very good example but it's the first thing i could think about) , the police use a convicted hacker to help in an investigation. He's wearing glasses, giving the perception of geekyness (don't think that's a word), very intelligent and is able to pull up data that's was virtually impossible to access. Media has showed only this side in the media, it leaves out the history of the word and that there are good hackers (white hat) and not only the criminals (black hat)
Todays class definately put on new spin on things and i certainly learnt something new. Hackers, who knew they could do good, I absolutely had no idea. (hopefully I'm not alone in this) Just to know that the term originated from the people who constructured the internet was almost unbelieveable. The term originally referred to computer/internet enthusist and came from - to hack code (make a code as short as possible to go as fast as possible. Secondly to hack in a system (which they did to test the system over and over again to breaking point purely to make their art(the internet) better and stronger for use the users. So thats what hackers originally referred to and there are even Hacker Ethics.
However the media has taken the term and referred it to a few bad eggs that spoiled the bunch and used their skills for evil, for stealing money or data that is not there's. So up until todays lecture when i heard the term 'hacker', i immediately had this stereotype in my head of a loner male, computer mad, alone in a room or apartment, no friends in real life, barely goes out in the real world who hacks into companys or governments and steals data or money. It's a perception that I think a lot of people have and this is because of the media and how they have potrayed this term, rightly or wrongly, this is how it's shown. We see it on t.v., in magazines, newspapers, the internet and films. A example I can think about is Bad Boys 2 (sorry not a very good example but it's the first thing i could think about) , the police use a convicted hacker to help in an investigation. He's wearing glasses, giving the perception of geekyness (don't think that's a word), very intelligent and is able to pull up data that's was virtually impossible to access. Media has showed only this side in the media, it leaves out the history of the word and that there are good hackers (white hat) and not only the criminals (black hat)
Sunday, March 9, 2008
First 2 weeks
I have to admitt when i found out the special topic for this paper was about the internet, i was a little afraid. I'm not very technological and find it a bit difficult using the internet for more then just email or bebo. However I have enjoyed the first two weeks of this paper and am extremely glad that there is little technological terminology to remember.
(If anyone knows a definition for Meritocracy that would be a big help, just missed the meaning in class)
INTERNET
Im slowly grasping the concepts that we have learned in class. Reflecting on the internets rapid advances over such a short time (30 years), I feel that the internet might someday govern most peoples lives as virtual communities are becoming more and more popular. Is virtual reality going to someday replace face-to-face contact completely? From learning the history of the internet in lectures, i feel this could one day become a reality. As it was pointed out in our lectures the internet has only been around for a short time but already it has become a world-wide phenomenon. I never grasped this concept before taking the class for the pure fact that i have grown up in the internet generation, for as far back as i can remember it has been accessible to me and i never thought twice about its development. I guess you could say i took it for granted.
BLOG: WHAT A MISSION?
Setting up this blog was a bit of a mission. It took me quite a while to figure out how to add everyone to me blog. I first tried to set up RSS feeds, just didn't happen for me (possibly could be because im on Internet Explorer). I then asked a friend who showed me how to add a list and just go through the lecturers page to see everyone elses comments. Horray!!!! I'm still not quite sure what it is exactly that should be in my postings so if you feel im not quite on the right track, feel free to leave me a comment and push me into the right direction.
ARCHITECTURES (USERS, NETWORKS, STRUCTURES)
A question was put to us in lecture 3, 'who are you online? (and is it different to who you are in other spaces?) This got me to thinking about a number of things, firstly virtual communities such as bebo and my space and whether or not people are being truthful on these sites and why people use these sites (why not phone or email). I personally use bebo, not as frequently now as i did when i first became a memeber. So why did i joine this site and why do i continuously use it? And my answer is to keep in contact more often with people, (email just isn't as cool, it doesn't have on the pretty skins and pictures), and cell phones could be expensive if im contacting someone on a different network and some people don't have landlines (we are of course 'poor students'!!!!) How do we know if people are being truthful in these sites and others such as chat rooms? In my opinion (which could be wrong), i feel unless you know these people personally i.e. face-to-face contact, you could never be 100% certain. I think the internet could be an escape for some from real life reality, so i guess in a sense in virtual reality you could take on another identity. The possibilities of the internet seem to be endless and continously changing over time. I always thought that real life reality could be separate from virtual reality but we learnt that its not as separate as we think. Why's this????? And then i thought more about how we are constantly influenced by our environment, by the people we associate with, by the media we are surrounded by. We are constantly influenced by everything so of course our real life experiences would affect our virtual life as well.
HElP!!!!!! I understand that all virtual communities (e.g. bebo) are networks but why are all networks not virtual communites. Does it have to do with fact that networks aren't monitered like virtual communities are or because networks don't neccessarily share similar language? or both?
Users, networks and structures are all interwined. I describe structures as the backbone of the internet, it works by shaping and framing networks which affect the users. Hopefully im right.
(If anyone knows a definition for Meritocracy that would be a big help, just missed the meaning in class)
INTERNET
Im slowly grasping the concepts that we have learned in class. Reflecting on the internets rapid advances over such a short time (30 years), I feel that the internet might someday govern most peoples lives as virtual communities are becoming more and more popular. Is virtual reality going to someday replace face-to-face contact completely? From learning the history of the internet in lectures, i feel this could one day become a reality. As it was pointed out in our lectures the internet has only been around for a short time but already it has become a world-wide phenomenon. I never grasped this concept before taking the class for the pure fact that i have grown up in the internet generation, for as far back as i can remember it has been accessible to me and i never thought twice about its development. I guess you could say i took it for granted.
BLOG: WHAT A MISSION?
Setting up this blog was a bit of a mission. It took me quite a while to figure out how to add everyone to me blog. I first tried to set up RSS feeds, just didn't happen for me (possibly could be because im on Internet Explorer). I then asked a friend who showed me how to add a list and just go through the lecturers page to see everyone elses comments. Horray!!!! I'm still not quite sure what it is exactly that should be in my postings so if you feel im not quite on the right track, feel free to leave me a comment and push me into the right direction.
ARCHITECTURES (USERS, NETWORKS, STRUCTURES)
A question was put to us in lecture 3, 'who are you online? (and is it different to who you are in other spaces?) This got me to thinking about a number of things, firstly virtual communities such as bebo and my space and whether or not people are being truthful on these sites and why people use these sites (why not phone or email). I personally use bebo, not as frequently now as i did when i first became a memeber. So why did i joine this site and why do i continuously use it? And my answer is to keep in contact more often with people, (email just isn't as cool, it doesn't have on the pretty skins and pictures), and cell phones could be expensive if im contacting someone on a different network and some people don't have landlines (we are of course 'poor students'!!!!) How do we know if people are being truthful in these sites and others such as chat rooms? In my opinion (which could be wrong), i feel unless you know these people personally i.e. face-to-face contact, you could never be 100% certain. I think the internet could be an escape for some from real life reality, so i guess in a sense in virtual reality you could take on another identity. The possibilities of the internet seem to be endless and continously changing over time. I always thought that real life reality could be separate from virtual reality but we learnt that its not as separate as we think. Why's this????? And then i thought more about how we are constantly influenced by our environment, by the people we associate with, by the media we are surrounded by. We are constantly influenced by everything so of course our real life experiences would affect our virtual life as well.
HElP!!!!!! I understand that all virtual communities (e.g. bebo) are networks but why are all networks not virtual communites. Does it have to do with fact that networks aren't monitered like virtual communities are or because networks don't neccessarily share similar language? or both?
Users, networks and structures are all interwined. I describe structures as the backbone of the internet, it works by shaping and framing networks which affect the users. Hopefully im right.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
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