How does it differ from web 3.0?
Web 3.0 defines the internet as 'getting smart'. It will be able to 'connect every aspect of our digital lives - be it a website, an e-mail, or a file on our PC - to every other aspect. It will know, for instance, when you are typing an e-mail, what the subject of the e-mail is, and be able to suggest websites and books as well as documents, photos and videos you have saved that may be relevant to that topic.'
Already the likes of 'Facebook, YouTube and the other social networks and blogs that fall within the scope of 'Web 2.0' may be beginning to penetrate the mainstream' so it is only a matter of when this will all take off.
However this 'intelligence' differs from the 'semantic web' because it is a case of less searches, sites and links, and more connection, interactivity and intelligence. Whereas the 'semantic web' seems to be a more intelligent labeling system of the many pages, sites and information on the internet.
Mr Spivack, the founder of Radar Networks, a leading Web 3.0 company, says it's useful to think about the web's development in ten-year cycles."We have had the first decade of the web, or Web 1.0," he says, which was about the development of the basic platform of the internet and the ability to make huge amounts of information widely accessible, "and we're nearing the end of the second decade - Web 2.0 - which was all about the user interface" and enabling users to connect with one another.'
The information i found for this question was from this article..
Web 3.0 and beyond: the next 20 years of the internet. October 2007. The Times Online. (Online) Can be found at http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/the_web/article2726190.ece
Saturday, 28 March 2009
Week 10. Semantic Web..
What is the 'semantic web'?
Tim Berners-Lee (2001) discusses the concept of a semantic web in todays society, which is basically an internet which semantically filters out searches to find more specific and needed websites and pages rather than the usual 'routine processing' (e.g. linked pages, matching words) and so it would be much more intelligent than the world wide web.
Berners-Lee defines the need for such an idea because 'most of the Web's content today is designed for humans to read, not for computer programs to manipulate meaningfully' and so 'in general, computers have no reliable way to process the semantics'
The Semantic Web, May 2001. The Scientific American. (Online) Can be found at http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=the-semantic-web
Tim Berners-Lee (2001) discusses the concept of a semantic web in todays society, which is basically an internet which semantically filters out searches to find more specific and needed websites and pages rather than the usual 'routine processing' (e.g. linked pages, matching words) and so it would be much more intelligent than the world wide web.
Berners-Lee defines the need for such an idea because 'most of the Web's content today is designed for humans to read, not for computer programs to manipulate meaningfully' and so 'in general, computers have no reliable way to process the semantics'
The Semantic Web, May 2001. The Scientific American. (Online) Can be found at http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=the-semantic-web
Week 10. Wenger and Prensky.
How might Wenger's notions on practice communities relate to Prensky's on education?
Wenger's theories can relate to Prensky's on education because they both concern the development and cooperation of a learning concept.
Wenger discusses how groups of people who share common interests and goals with each other (for example people in a sociable sports team with the interest and goal of learning new and better techniques with the goal to win) are known as being part of a community of practice. And this relates to Prensky's concept of 'Digitally Native' students being taught by their 'Digitally Immigrant' teachers because this way of learning, although not necessarily the right way (e.g. teachers being taught by their pupils) shows how common interests are placed into activeness in the practice community of the schooling system.
Wenger's theories can relate to Prensky's on education because they both concern the development and cooperation of a learning concept.
Wenger discusses how groups of people who share common interests and goals with each other (for example people in a sociable sports team with the interest and goal of learning new and better techniques with the goal to win) are known as being part of a community of practice. And this relates to Prensky's concept of 'Digitally Native' students being taught by their 'Digitally Immigrant' teachers because this way of learning, although not necessarily the right way (e.g. teachers being taught by their pupils) shows how common interests are placed into activeness in the practice community of the schooling system.
Week 9. Describe the experience of a fictional technophile student in 2020.
A typical day in the life of Jez91 (known to his friends online and off now) is to him 'maxing and relaxing' (as he says so in various 'about me' sections on his several different social networking sites).
He wakes up to various set digital alarms around his double room and switches them off via his computer as he briefly surfs the net as a bit of quick mornings shopping and orders breakfast online from the local star bucks. Then gets himself ready and leaves climbing aboard his expensive electric bicycle (he likes to exercise himself to uni, the environmentally friendly way!) and stops by starbucks on the way to pick up his breakfast and returns to listening to his SuperiPod with integrated radio, TV and Film (handy for sitting in 2 hour lectures!) He sits his 'notepad' laptop on his lap in the lectures and types up some notes here or there but finds it easier to simply use the built in web cam to take pictures of the slides the lecturer is showing.
He then calls a Chinese delivery service when he returns home, from which he found the number online and tucks in to his meal when it its delivered to the door, whilst catching up on daytime tv and missed episodes of his usuals by downloading them and leaves a few friends text messages about silent discos that night.
With his friends later that evening, Jez91 uses his electronic chip and pin card to withdraw enough cash for that nights outings and gets almost free entry into the club with his digital members swipe card. They enter and are given electronic headphones where they listen to all the music the DJ sends out making several requests by text from songs they had downloaded earlier.
Jez91's parents go to sleep that night hoping their son will do well in his big computer-thingy exams tomorrow because they know how he struggles with some of that computer stuff.
He wakes up to various set digital alarms around his double room and switches them off via his computer as he briefly surfs the net as a bit of quick mornings shopping and orders breakfast online from the local star bucks. Then gets himself ready and leaves climbing aboard his expensive electric bicycle (he likes to exercise himself to uni, the environmentally friendly way!) and stops by starbucks on the way to pick up his breakfast and returns to listening to his SuperiPod with integrated radio, TV and Film (handy for sitting in 2 hour lectures!) He sits his 'notepad' laptop on his lap in the lectures and types up some notes here or there but finds it easier to simply use the built in web cam to take pictures of the slides the lecturer is showing.
He then calls a Chinese delivery service when he returns home, from which he found the number online and tucks in to his meal when it its delivered to the door, whilst catching up on daytime tv and missed episodes of his usuals by downloading them and leaves a few friends text messages about silent discos that night.
With his friends later that evening, Jez91 uses his electronic chip and pin card to withdraw enough cash for that nights outings and gets almost free entry into the club with his digital members swipe card. They enter and are given electronic headphones where they listen to all the music the DJ sends out making several requests by text from songs they had downloaded earlier.
Jez91's parents go to sleep that night hoping their son will do well in his big computer-thingy exams tomorrow because they know how he struggles with some of that computer stuff.
Week 9. Describe the daily frustrations of a fictional neo-luddite at university now in the UK.
Being at uni in the UK today, i think, would be VERY frustrating for a neo-luddite.
Take for example, a day for Englebert the neo-luddite in the middle of a semester, if he has managed to survive getting into uni without using computers in the first place, enrollment, online timetables, making friends who are in constant communication using facebook and mobile phones, etc.
Englebert attends lectures and seminars all day ending each one with a quick visit to the possibly annoyed lecturer to quickly pick up that weeks reading, as he refuses to use computers and printers and heads to the library to start the reading. However he cannot gain access to the library as he will not use the small electronic swipe card to get in and so heads home to his accommodation, where he must first go to the office so that someone can walk him to his building with a key card to let him in because he doesn't use his own and so cannot enter the building.
He then retrieves to his room where he sits alone writing notes with pen and paper because he disagrees with the guys television and games consoles and the girls electronic hair equipment laying around the so-called 'communal area'.
It's one of his coursemates birthdays and half the course is apparently going out for a nice meal together but of course he has no facebook account or mobile phone for people to have invited him out. So he makes his way to the train station as he is going home for the weekend instead, but misses his train because he couldn't book his tickets online and the ticket Que was so long, so he has to wait a frustrating 3 and a half hours for the next train.
At home he cannot keep in touch with coursemates or flatmates because he has no means of electronic communication with them and then a large snow storm blocks the family into the home during the weekend.
The family cannot call anyone to come and remove the snow so poor Englebert can't return back to uni on time the following week nor can he email friends or lecturers telling them of the disaster because of the lack of such technology.
The thought on all Englebert's family members minds is 'should he even bother bless his heart?'
Take for example, a day for Englebert the neo-luddite in the middle of a semester, if he has managed to survive getting into uni without using computers in the first place, enrollment, online timetables, making friends who are in constant communication using facebook and mobile phones, etc.
Englebert attends lectures and seminars all day ending each one with a quick visit to the possibly annoyed lecturer to quickly pick up that weeks reading, as he refuses to use computers and printers and heads to the library to start the reading. However he cannot gain access to the library as he will not use the small electronic swipe card to get in and so heads home to his accommodation, where he must first go to the office so that someone can walk him to his building with a key card to let him in because he doesn't use his own and so cannot enter the building.
He then retrieves to his room where he sits alone writing notes with pen and paper because he disagrees with the guys television and games consoles and the girls electronic hair equipment laying around the so-called 'communal area'.
It's one of his coursemates birthdays and half the course is apparently going out for a nice meal together but of course he has no facebook account or mobile phone for people to have invited him out. So he makes his way to the train station as he is going home for the weekend instead, but misses his train because he couldn't book his tickets online and the ticket Que was so long, so he has to wait a frustrating 3 and a half hours for the next train.
At home he cannot keep in touch with coursemates or flatmates because he has no means of electronic communication with them and then a large snow storm blocks the family into the home during the weekend.
The family cannot call anyone to come and remove the snow so poor Englebert can't return back to uni on time the following week nor can he email friends or lecturers telling them of the disaster because of the lack of such technology.
The thought on all Englebert's family members minds is 'should he even bother bless his heart?'
Week 9. b) The youngest digital immigrant you know.
I don't think i know any people my age who DON'T use computers, phones ect, only people who use them a little less. So i think the youngest digital immigrant i know is one of my mums friends who is in her early 30's because she has only recently switched to DVD from VHS because a few of her favourite videos broke! And my mum is always complaining about texting her because 'she always calls back straight afterwards because she doesnt know how to text back' (ha!) This seems almost impossible to hear from a person these days but apparently she simply doesn't text because she doesn't like it!
Week 9. a) The oldest digital native you know.
I think the oldest Digital Native i know could be my great uncle who is 63, as he made a carreer from building computers and owned his own company from which he is now retired and still cant help being involved with laptops and PC's, i suppose because it is all he has known for such a long time so it is just a second nature to him.
But i think it is interesting becuase he could look at the hard-drive of a computer and fix it somehow manually and/or go into a computer as a user and click away fixing and mending but refuses to use any type of new communicative sites and programmes (accept email) such as skype, facebook and MSN because he claims they are too lazy and pointless as he 'works with the darn things' so refuses to use them in his spare time.
To younger digital natives, spending time online iS their freetime, so he is an intriguing digital native.
I think this is an interesting difference in what people do in their spare time depending on the time they grew up though. E.g. my uncle not agreeing with 'wasting' his time online because he grew up without computers.
But i think it is interesting becuase he could look at the hard-drive of a computer and fix it somehow manually and/or go into a computer as a user and click away fixing and mending but refuses to use any type of new communicative sites and programmes (accept email) such as skype, facebook and MSN because he claims they are too lazy and pointless as he 'works with the darn things' so refuses to use them in his spare time.
To younger digital natives, spending time online iS their freetime, so he is an intriguing digital native.
I think this is an interesting difference in what people do in their spare time depending on the time they grew up though. E.g. my uncle not agreeing with 'wasting' his time online because he grew up without computers.
Week 9. Should education 'stretch a person do you think? (What do you mean by 'stretch'?)
I think education does stretch a person, it depends on how much of a 'stretch' for different people, but there is certainly a stretch, to a certain extent, for most.
For example, the most 'stretch' a student can have, in this sense, relating to his/her education, is where the student is not doing particularly well in their studies, grades or behavior and they are helped, encouraged and supported with all these aspects and so turn out very good grades and changed their behavior and continue with further and higher educations. This is a large stretch in a persons life as well as education and so is something very positive and well achieved.
A student can be 'stretched' by education on a smaller scale, based on these terms aswel, by simply sticking with educational programmes and activities from the first pre-school experience to leaving education with masters degrees and PHD's, or even then continuing within the education system by teaching it.
Or people who leave school, for example, with a specific qualification to carry on into a carreer with this and continue and do well for the rest of their lives is also a certain degree of 'stretch' from that initial education.
For example, the most 'stretch' a student can have, in this sense, relating to his/her education, is where the student is not doing particularly well in their studies, grades or behavior and they are helped, encouraged and supported with all these aspects and so turn out very good grades and changed their behavior and continue with further and higher educations. This is a large stretch in a persons life as well as education and so is something very positive and well achieved.
A student can be 'stretched' by education on a smaller scale, based on these terms aswel, by simply sticking with educational programmes and activities from the first pre-school experience to leaving education with masters degrees and PHD's, or even then continuing within the education system by teaching it.
Or people who leave school, for example, with a specific qualification to carry on into a carreer with this and continue and do well for the rest of their lives is also a certain degree of 'stretch' from that initial education.
Friday, 20 March 2009
Website Critisms.
1. 'Open Education'.
This article is difficult to criticize in terms of up-to-dateness because it seems to be very up-to-date, being a site based on 'free education for ALL'.
It has articles based on new terminology, technological discoveries and mostly to do with school and educational subjects.
It certainly practices what it preaches as it is based on education, and for ALL members of the public, the writing style and language isn't too academically complex and the usability is easy for a basic site with simple navigation.
http://www.openeducation.net/2008/09/22/digital-immigrants-teaching-the-net-generation-much-ado-about-nothing/
2. 'Dawn of the digital natives'.
This article comes from www.guardian.co.uk and is, again, very simple in terms of usability for most users, but could baffle certain 'Digital Immigrants' with being so complicated as there is so much going on in the screen(pictures, writing, sections, colours, links, ect), and then even more when the user scrolls down.
It's up-to-dateness is very reasonable from a user's point of view, as everything recent and new happening in the world, from movies to politics, is somewhere in this site, whether it be in the form of a video or an article.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/feb/07/internet.literacy
3. 'Some Thoughts from the Generation Gap'
This article is from the The Technology Source Archives at the University of North Carolina and is very compatible for people considered 'Digitally Immigrant' because the usability is very simple with the home page containing some information and history on the website and a simple-to-use archive search engine.
On practicing what it preaches, however, it is not so 'Digitally Native'. On typing 'Digital Native' into the search bar, it gave me essay after essay on the 'digital age' and other sorts but no essay 'found' the words 'digital native', accept the essay i used for research.. Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants:
Some Thoughts from the Generation Gap. So i criticize the website for not being so 'Digitally Native', but preaching of what it is.
http://technologysource.org/article/digital_natives_digital_immigrants/
4. 'Digital Natives, Online Learning, and the Production of Capable Computer Science Graduates: The Case for Virtual Synchronous Learning Activities'
This page comes from the International Journal of Technology, Knowledge and Society which contains newsletter, journals, articles, ect and i find it's up-to-dateness very true because it 'creates a place for the publication of innovative theories and practices relating technology to society.' It uses many of the new terminology within its reading (including the 'Digital Natives') and its usability quite simple aswell.
http://ijt.cgpublisher.com/product/pub.42/prod.493
5. 'Where are the Digital Natives?'
This article was found on the Future Buzz website which is about all new things to do with new technology and its effects with society. So top marks for up-to-dateness.
It deals with very new and contemporary issues such as 'Mitch Joel argues print is not dead. Perhaps not yet - but it is mortally wounded.' and some more topics which i found very relative and helpful (if i had discovered this site sooner!) for this unit in particular.
So as for its usability, i shall perhaps be referencing this site in future essays!
http://thefuturebuzz.com/2008/08/31/where-are-the-digital-natives/
This article is difficult to criticize in terms of up-to-dateness because it seems to be very up-to-date, being a site based on 'free education for ALL'.
It has articles based on new terminology, technological discoveries and mostly to do with school and educational subjects.
It certainly practices what it preaches as it is based on education, and for ALL members of the public, the writing style and language isn't too academically complex and the usability is easy for a basic site with simple navigation.
http://www.openeducation.net/2008/09/22/digital-immigrants-teaching-the-net-generation-much-ado-about-nothing/
2. 'Dawn of the digital natives'.
This article comes from www.guardian.co.uk and is, again, very simple in terms of usability for most users, but could baffle certain 'Digital Immigrants' with being so complicated as there is so much going on in the screen(pictures, writing, sections, colours, links, ect), and then even more when the user scrolls down.
It's up-to-dateness is very reasonable from a user's point of view, as everything recent and new happening in the world, from movies to politics, is somewhere in this site, whether it be in the form of a video or an article.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/feb/07/internet.literacy
3. 'Some Thoughts from the Generation Gap'
This article is from the The Technology Source Archives at the University of North Carolina and is very compatible for people considered 'Digitally Immigrant' because the usability is very simple with the home page containing some information and history on the website and a simple-to-use archive search engine.
On practicing what it preaches, however, it is not so 'Digitally Native'. On typing 'Digital Native' into the search bar, it gave me essay after essay on the 'digital age' and other sorts but no essay 'found' the words 'digital native', accept the essay i used for research.. Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants:
Some Thoughts from the Generation Gap. So i criticize the website for not being so 'Digitally Native', but preaching of what it is.
http://technologysource.org/article/digital_natives_digital_immigrants/
4. 'Digital Natives, Online Learning, and the Production of Capable Computer Science Graduates: The Case for Virtual Synchronous Learning Activities'
This page comes from the International Journal of Technology, Knowledge and Society which contains newsletter, journals, articles, ect and i find it's up-to-dateness very true because it 'creates a place for the publication of innovative theories and practices relating technology to society.' It uses many of the new terminology within its reading (including the 'Digital Natives') and its usability quite simple aswell.
http://ijt.cgpublisher.com/product/pub.42/prod.493
5. 'Where are the Digital Natives?'
This article was found on the Future Buzz website which is about all new things to do with new technology and its effects with society. So top marks for up-to-dateness.
It deals with very new and contemporary issues such as 'Mitch Joel argues print is not dead. Perhaps not yet - but it is mortally wounded.' and some more topics which i found very relative and helpful (if i had discovered this site sooner!) for this unit in particular.
So as for its usability, i shall perhaps be referencing this site in future essays!
http://thefuturebuzz.com/2008/08/31/where-are-the-digital-natives/
Five different websites/pages.
1. http://www.openeducation.net/2008/09/22/digital-immigrants-teaching-the-net-generation-much-ado-about-nothing/
Open Education.
Digital Immigrants Teaching the Net Generation - Much Ado About Nothing?
2. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/feb/07/internet.literacy
Dawn of the digital natives. The Guardian, Thursday 7 February 2008
Steven Johnson
3. http://technologysource.org/article/digital_natives_digital_immigrants/
The Technology Source Archives at the University of North Carolina
May/June 2003.
Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants:
Some Thoughts from the Generation Gap
by Timothy VanSlyke
4. http://ijt.cgpublisher.com/product/pub.42/prod.493
The International Journal of Technology, Knoweledge and Society.
Digital Natives, Online Learning, and the Production of Capable Computer Science Graduates: The Case for Virtual Synchronous Learning Activities
By John W. Coffey.
5. http://thefuturebuzz.com/2008/08/31/where-are-the-digital-natives/
The Future Buzz.
Where are the Digital Natives.
By Adam Singer. August 31, 2008
Open Education.
Digital Immigrants Teaching the Net Generation - Much Ado About Nothing?
2. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/feb/07/internet.literacy
Dawn of the digital natives. The Guardian, Thursday 7 February 2008
Steven Johnson
3. http://technologysource.org/article/digital_natives_digital_immigrants/
The Technology Source Archives at the University of North Carolina
May/June 2003.
Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants:
Some Thoughts from the Generation Gap
by Timothy VanSlyke
4. http://ijt.cgpublisher.com/product/pub.42/prod.493
The International Journal of Technology, Knoweledge and Society.
Digital Natives, Online Learning, and the Production of Capable Computer Science Graduates: The Case for Virtual Synchronous Learning Activities
By John W. Coffey.
5. http://thefuturebuzz.com/2008/08/31/where-are-the-digital-natives/
The Future Buzz.
Where are the Digital Natives.
By Adam Singer. August 31, 2008
'Digital Immigration'
The term Digital Native is certainly a new one to me, but after researching it, i have realized how true its definition is in todays society.
To be a Digital Native, it seems, is to simply be of the younger generation of the Westernised culture, where to surf the net, chat online and understand all the lingo of the new technologies of today would be the same as reading new teen magazines and understanding all the lyrics and culture of the 'new' rock and roll music of the 1950's.
Being part of the generation who has grown up with computer games, PC's, mobile phones and many other more recent gadgets, i haven't particularly thought of myself as being technology literate, however, compared to my Nan (for example), who grew up in the generation where new gadgets would probably have been the first television, i am. And it is these such people (the generations who have not been raised and indulged in such digital media from an early age) who are, as the term puts it, Digital Immigrants.
'Digital natives, a term made popular by Marc Prensky, are young people whose use of technology is completely ingrained in their lives -they have grown up always-on and constantly-connected. Unlike those even a little bit older, these Digital Natives didn’t have to learn to “be digital,” they learned in digital the first time around.'
I found my information (and quote) from this website..
http://www.digitalnative.org/#home
To be a Digital Native, it seems, is to simply be of the younger generation of the Westernised culture, where to surf the net, chat online and understand all the lingo of the new technologies of today would be the same as reading new teen magazines and understanding all the lyrics and culture of the 'new' rock and roll music of the 1950's.
Being part of the generation who has grown up with computer games, PC's, mobile phones and many other more recent gadgets, i haven't particularly thought of myself as being technology literate, however, compared to my Nan (for example), who grew up in the generation where new gadgets would probably have been the first television, i am. And it is these such people (the generations who have not been raised and indulged in such digital media from an early age) who are, as the term puts it, Digital Immigrants.
'Digital natives, a term made popular by Marc Prensky, are young people whose use of technology is completely ingrained in their lives -they have grown up always-on and constantly-connected. Unlike those even a little bit older, these Digital Natives didn’t have to learn to “be digital,” they learned in digital the first time around.'
I found my information (and quote) from this website..
http://www.digitalnative.org/#home
Tuesday, 10 March 2009
Wenger Reading.
'Communities of practise'
During 6th Form I was a member of the girl’s football team and never realised that this meant I was part of a social ‘community of practise’ as put forward by Etienne Wenger and Jean Lave (1988).
The context of this ‘group’ was the common interest in the game and the wanting to learn and practise to play football, with the goal being the matches and tournaments put together by the local colleges and 6thforms.
The practice sessions were the social gatherings, where all members were friends and the idea of being part of a ‘team’ presented a ‘united front to outsiders’ and this was emphasised by the team’ kit.
Power was even an emphasis in this organisational unit because the adults, e.g. teachers, were the referees and the team captain (who could be considered, here, as an expert) would give game plans, instructions and techniques to help the rest of the members.
So it is easy to be part of an organisational unit without thinking of it in such a significant social context.
Website Analysis.
http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/
I chose to look at the Ultimate Guitar website because, aswell as using it myself for finding tabs and chords for guitar, when having a browse around the rest of the site, I thought it would be an interesting site to analyse as there seems to be a sort of online music community within the site.
The site is structured quite simply, in terms of graphical and visual layout.
It has a navigation bar at the top centre of the site which stays there throughout each page of the website and the information on the screen is placed in the centre vertically as a default profile throughout the site with a black background theme (obviously seen more on either sides of the profile).
It is structured in clickable categories placed in the navigation bar. For example a user can click on ‘updates’ or ‘news’ and read about new and upcoming music events, concerts, happenings, ect; or ‘reviews’ and ‘interviews’ will give them lots of interesting reads of bands and artists who have recently come out, been in the news, or released some new material. There is also an interesting category titled ‘lessons’ where users can read articles designed to teach guitar and help writers with inspiration.
The main part and usage of the site, perhaps, is the search bar situated in the centre of the page (when it hasn’t been scrolled down or moved in any way), where users, like myself, can type a band name or a song and will be listed with a certain amount of tabs for it that the site has available.
Music has a huge cultural appeal today and this site is all about that. It bring its users news and music examples and information and has built its own network where regular users have singed up to the site, have their own profiles, share music, info and tabs and can even chat together using the forum.
So culturally, the site is based on already existing music, but also, the fact that it offers users tabs and chords for music so they can learn how to play it for themselves makes it even richer in a creative and ‘individualised’ culture where users are encouraged to create and emphasise their musical identities.
This links back to the Blanchard reading and the area I focused my reading on about ‘lurkers’ because technically, in this case, I would be a so-called lurker as I use the search bar to find chords and occasionally will have a quick read at the interview section to see if there is anything interesting on any bands or artists I like. However I am not a member of the site, so I don’t use the forums, comments and picture applications or use the profile settings to look at and communicate with other members. So ‘Is there something special about those who choose to comment and those who do not?’ (Blanchard, 2004) Well in this case, yes. Because it is the number of ‘lurkers’ who visit the site for reading or tab searching that make the site what it is because without this huge cultural fan-based following, the site would never have been as popular, well-known and so used!
Anita Blanchard (2004) ‘Blogs as Virtual Communities: Identifying a Sense of Community’ online at: http://blog.lib.umn.edu/blogosphere/blogs_as_virtual.html
Tuesday, 3 March 2009
TOPIC THREE week 4.
Music sharing online.
When thinking about this topic, a lot of what could be said here is discussed in an article basically talking about the ongoing battle between vinyl, CD’s and MP3. The writer discusses how much things have changed within the music industry in the past decade because years ago, most DJ’s were in the transition between vinyl and CD’s. Whereas todays D’js ‘seems to be a new internet generation of discjockeys coming - people getting their music from MP3s off different web pages, trading with others and the vilified online trading services. They download the MP3 files convert them to cd and bam they play the hottest hits as well. There is even software now where you can mix directly with MP3s. For a music industry used to one form of promotion, the internet and other new forms of distribution are creating all kinds of mayhem.’ (2003)
This ‘mayhem’ is what is bringing such a controversy to the topic.
I think that soon CD’s will be such a thing of the past as cassettes and tape recorders for music. Why go out and buy a CD of your favourite artists for £14.99 when so many thousands of people are currently downloading it straight onto their laptops and computers for free whilst comfortably sitting at home with a cup of tea.
If this truly happens then will artists even bother continuing because surely there will barely be any money involved if the business goes completely online? ‘When you download MP3s, remember all the people who worked to put the song together. If you like it and listen to it, buy it. If you don't, there may not be more songs like it in the future.’ (2003)
DJ Ron Slomowicz (2003) ‘Vinyl vs CD vs MP3’ http://dancemusic.about.com/library/weekly/aa052603a.htm
TOPIC ONE week 4.
Blanchard reading..question D
‘Lurkers’ are in a way, a large part of the online community, in my opinion, because they do not necessarily leave comments, messages or opinions after visiting and reading what others have written, but they are, nevertheless, present. Perhaps it is the hits, or how many times viewed something is, that is how lurkers are found out, but these numbers are important because they are used somehow. So surely without lurker’s making the ‘hits’ and ‘view’ times larger, peoples blogs and online writings wouldn’t be as popular, and, perhaps even, as well known or spread.
Besides, I would see ‘Lurkers’, metaphorically, as the people in ,say for example a business meeting or focus group, who are present, involved, and listening, but will make no comment or opinion on anything said. They are important because they are there and taking everything that is said into account, but their non-opinionated way doesn’t make them seem any less important. It only shows how there ARE different roles for members of the online community just as there are in ‘real life’ communities.
TOPIC TWO week 4.
Social Networking Sites.
Sites such as Myspace and Bebo have rapidly grown in user membership and content within the last decade. It could be said that such sites are used mainly by younger teenagers and the network site ‘Facebook’ is used by a wider range of young to older people. This, I would argue, could be because of the difference in imagination and creativity involved with the different sites.
Facebook profiles all contain the same sections to be filled out by users, the same plain white background and the same layout, e.g. photo in the top left-hand corner followed by a status etc. Whereas as the layouts and backgrounds for myspace and bebo profiles can be colourful pictures, patterns and designs with different sizes, styles and users can also make their own sections to write about themselves within, and add music playing their favourite music on too.
This creative profile making could be something many people enjoy doing, especially when it is choosing pictures and designs to reflect themselves and their lives to show off to others, but it is also something which can take up much time, energy and patience doing. So this could be why so many older people (who don’t have as much of these traits as the younger generation) look to the likes of facebook where there is no need to have the latest design backgrounds to reflect their ‘interesting’ personalities, and general way they want people to see them.
Tuesday, 17 February 2009
TOPIC ONE week three. Question A.
In what ways can the Net be thought of as an ‘open architecture?’
TOPIC THREE week two. Online Blogging.
The navigation of blogging could be considered similar, in some ways, to having conversations about the work with peers face-to-face. This is because in both scenarios, a user/converser will bring up a topic, with a small discussion and receive responses from others, either in the form of comments in person and blog comments. Similar to real life conversation, these posts or responses will then be replied to and so a discussion, perhaps involving new users/converser's who have heard/read the conversation so far, will occur.
The only difference would be the time as the real life conversation would end after a few minutes/hours whereas the online version could last weeks, with replies not being posted for several hours or days sometimes. Also a lack of physical interaction could give a different path of discussion within the conversation or even a different outcome, for example, facial expressions, body language and immediate reactions.
TOPIC TWO week two. Online Seminars.
Online seminars are of course very different from real life seminars however this brings forward both benefits and disadvantages.
For example, there are no people to immediately interact with, the user must wait for responses and feedback to be typed and placed online. In terms of navigation and fac-to-face interaction, instead of listening to others opinions and ideas and visually seeing and reacting to this, the user must find and read each others Seminar discussions, which is surely more effort and work?
However, a benefit of it, in terms of knowledge, authority and identity, the user has much more time and less pressure in their thinking and answering, and so surely the users answers and ideas will come out better than being put on the spot in a seminar room with all their peers waiting for a reply. Also, there is a fair turn-taking system here because all users have a chance to say something, in the confidence of not being humiliated or outshone by any other user as is sometimes the case in face-to-face seminars, and many real-life situations as well.
TOPIC ONE week two. Questions A and C
In my opinion, technological changes such as the replacement of Office 2003 with Office 2007 are a very consumerism-based replacement. What need will we have, as users of such programs, of buying the new one when its functions and overall purposes will be exactly the same as the old one? I think it is simply to publicize and refresh the name to users and consumers as a way of reminding them of their existence and also to sell something new for more business.
Thursday, 5 February 2009
Week 3. Turkle
A) Turkle's ideas of a simulated world being created inside the social realm of the internet are very interesting, persuasive and controversial.
I think the ideas that identity and relationships being formed online are false and inconveniently comfortable (because they are not real) is one that i don't personally agree with.
Relationships made online only lead to a 'real life' relationship after the people have met in real space. They don't only ever have a virtual relationship, otherwise what would be the point in meeting and getting to know another person in an environment they obviously feel more comfortable, safe and confident in, just to speak with online and never actually spend real time with?
B) 'Computer screens are the new location for our fantasies, both erotic and intellectual.' This idea that we use computers for the location of all our private affairs is probably quite true, but it also raises the debate about identity again, and how people use this 'location' to change, lie or simple exclude certain aspects of theirs.
For example, there are people who change or completely use a false identity for a bad purpose, such as pedophiles and online stalkers. However another aspect of this is people who simple choose not to reveal certain parts of their identity such as race, age, gender etc and this can be for more positive purposes such as online dating, where they are simply omitting things they feel others don't need to know about right away.
C) 'The lessons of computing today have to do not with calculation and rules, but with simulation, navigation, and interaction.' In my opinion, this point is very true, when mobile phones first became popular, it was largely business people who owned one for similar reasons as the computer (calculation and rules), however children even as young as seven can be seen with a mobile phone in their hands, and i, admittedly, would feel totally lost and befuddled without a mobile with me at all times.
People perhaps feel a certain social connection when carrying a mobile phone or sitting at a computer screen because they will always have someone to talk to if they wanted, and there is also a sense of safe when being somewhere unknown or unfamiliar if you have a mobile, perhaps because of such quick and simple interaction and navigation if it is needed?
I think the ideas that identity and relationships being formed online are false and inconveniently comfortable (because they are not real) is one that i don't personally agree with.
Relationships made online only lead to a 'real life' relationship after the people have met in real space. They don't only ever have a virtual relationship, otherwise what would be the point in meeting and getting to know another person in an environment they obviously feel more comfortable, safe and confident in, just to speak with online and never actually spend real time with?
B) 'Computer screens are the new location for our fantasies, both erotic and intellectual.' This idea that we use computers for the location of all our private affairs is probably quite true, but it also raises the debate about identity again, and how people use this 'location' to change, lie or simple exclude certain aspects of theirs.
For example, there are people who change or completely use a false identity for a bad purpose, such as pedophiles and online stalkers. However another aspect of this is people who simple choose not to reveal certain parts of their identity such as race, age, gender etc and this can be for more positive purposes such as online dating, where they are simply omitting things they feel others don't need to know about right away.
C) 'The lessons of computing today have to do not with calculation and rules, but with simulation, navigation, and interaction.' In my opinion, this point is very true, when mobile phones first became popular, it was largely business people who owned one for similar reasons as the computer (calculation and rules), however children even as young as seven can be seen with a mobile phone in their hands, and i, admittedly, would feel totally lost and befuddled without a mobile with me at all times.
People perhaps feel a certain social connection when carrying a mobile phone or sitting at a computer screen because they will always have someone to talk to if they wanted, and there is also a sense of safe when being somewhere unknown or unfamiliar if you have a mobile, perhaps because of such quick and simple interaction and navigation if it is needed?
Wednesday, 28 January 2009
Interactivity
Msn Web Messenger (the Microsoft Network) invites the user to have an interactive role. After signing up and joining the online community the nature of that role is to add and invite friends and family to keep in contact, and often have simply and quick communication with each other. Users also find programmes like this helpful and convenient for making new friends and meeting new and different people as often as every day. Users can chat, view each other via webcams, use their creativity with profile photos and names, etc.
Thursday, 22 January 2009
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