Week 10 Question 1: The End of Books

It was very clear while reading this article that the author has a strong opinion about books and hypertext. I cannot say that I agree that hypertext is a bad idea because to me it is very convenient. While I do believe more people will begin to use hypertext as a main source, I do not believe that books will ever become outdated or extinct. People always like to have a physical copy of things because the same document from hypertext may not be available several years later. Whereas books are published and there at your possession as long as you keep them.

It was really interesting to me that the author had written this article in 1992. On one hand I do believe some of his predictions about books and hypertexts were practical, but on the other, I do not think he really took into consideration how much of an advantage the technology would bring. It kind of seemed to me that the author shot down the idea of hypertext without being able to even give it a try.

Week 10 Question 3: Is Facebook Unveiling a Mobile Platform Next Week?

I chose to use All Facebook and review/discuss an article entitled, “Is Facebook Unveiling A Mobile Platform Next Week?” This article discusses the infamous topic of Facebook. Apparently Facebook has sent out an event invite to the press notifying them of a mobile event taking place next week. People are speculating that there is going to be a new "Facebook phone" solely dedicated to enhance the way Facebook is used and viewed on the device. It's kind of crazy to think that a phone is going to served and dedicated to Facebook alone in my opinion.

The news is streaming and surfacing face to speculators. It's believed to be the Android phone, or one similar to it, that will have the luxury of becoming the new "Facebook phone". It's quickly becoming a huge deal in the press, but why wouldn't it be? It's Facebook after all! When I really stop and think about it, it's really not that important, but society today has become so overwhelmed and indulged in social networks that it's the talk of the town.

Week 10 Question 2: Surveillance and Capture

This article was very interesting to say the least. I never really thought about how much information a person freely gives away just through using the computer. When I read how easy it is for someone to track another person just by scanning through the websites they visit, it was a real eye opener. People get hacked all the time, and most people, like me, use computers more than any other form of technology (online banking, purchases, etc.). I never really thought about just how much privacy is being exposed by a few clicks on a keyboard.

It was also a bit disturbing to see how much privacy is taken away from employees in certain work places. For example, learning all about how badges work and what they are really used for was kind of eerie. It is true, in one sense or another, that these types of devices can actually benefit a lot of businesses; but it is also true that there a plenty of disadvantages to being able to see just about anything you want to see, whenever you want to see it. This reminds me of an article I just read about Facebook spammers setting up links that end up obtaining personal information from us without us even intending on or wanting to give it to them. It is so scary to see the value of privacy diminishing nowadays.

Week 9 Question 2: Just Like Me Only Better

When reading this article, I was surprised to see how similar avatar bodies and human bodies are in one way or another. According to the “Just Like Me Only Better” article, an avatar is what the gods were called whenever they came down to earth. The Second Life avatar bodies desire perfection in figure, features, and even hair textures, just as many human beings do today. The avatar and human life values are extremely close and almost exactly identical.

It was very amusing to me to see that people from all over the world and different cultures have the ability to choose their avatar fitting perfectly for them. For example, someone in the African culture is most likely to choose an avatar representing their heritage, and the same for someone in the Western culture or Chinese culture and so on.

It’s amazing how girls will choose avatars to represent their femininity and men will choose avatars to represent their masculinity. Not only that, people will select avatars to show and reflect their personality as well and not just their looks. Many details go into this process of creating the perfect avatar to reflect the beauty of a person, or the lack there of.

Week 9 Question 1: Mythinformation

As I studied this article, the author, Langdon Winner, made good points that really captured my attention. I fully agree with him when he says that knowledge is power, information is knowledge, and knowledge in turn enhances democracy and equalizes social power. This is true in today’s society because of the internet. People have the opportunity and chance in the click of a button to gain unlimited amounts of information and knowledge on anything they may choose.

I agree with the author when he states that the world has the ability and opportunity to become a better place because of all the things the internet and computers have to offer. However, I’m not sure that the idea of the internet helps improve the democratic process completely. I believe that in some ways, the internet definitely does help create a more equal and better democracy, but in other ways, it completely demolishes it. Many scandals occur in democracy in terms of elections and candidates because of all the internet’s powers and infinite possibilities.

As Winner states, the internet is something like a “people’s revolution”. Everyone so heavily depends on it that it’s almost impossible for people to not resort to the internet to gain access or information on various topics. At the time this article was written, he suggested that the internet was going to be a huge way for people to believe they’d find employment with amazing pay. But, in reality, Winner explains that the internet actually is a resource to find low paying jobs that don’t really allow employees to advance in the work force. But overall, Langdon Winner believes that this “computer revolution” is the perfect creation that is going to shape our society as we know it.

Week 9 Question 3: Facebook Sues Spammers

For this weeks media article of choice, I chose to use the AllFacebook website. I have never used this one in the past so I thought I would try it out and find something relevant to the things we learn and/or discuss in this class. Since we just completed our group of journals I decided I would look at Facebook this week to add on to the things we may not have already talked about regarding Facebook.

I then stumbled upon an article entitled Facebook Sues Spammers. I am glad to have read this article and found out the facts about spam on this website because I thought that this was something that the producers of Facebook allowed/were responsible for. But after reading this article I saw that Facebook is suing users who are putting false ads on Facebook that are spamming people into thinking they can attain something that they really cannot.

I also read that Facebook is in the Guinness Book of World Records for it's spam-fighting efforts. So after reading this I am glad to know that Facebook is fighting to stop these ads from appearing on our pages because they are annoying and fraudulent.


http://www.allfacebook.com/facebook-sues-spammers-2010-10

Week 7 Question 2: Cyborg Manifesto

This article was very in depth though I agree with most of my peers that her thoughts could have been summed up in a few pages if she stopped talking or wasting her thoughts on negativity. She seemed to be very bitter/angry towards the traditional ways of dualism and the "natural ways", and was hoping to use propaganda to change the status quo. The three things that stood out to me most were:

1) Ideas of the Cyborg

2) Rejections of real or Natural Things

3) Myth and Tool

Cyborg (from what I understood) was a combination of nature and technology, man and machine that moves beyond limitations of gender, traditions, and etc. She is against the belief of chemistry and forces and believes we can move about in a better unrestricted way individually first, and then together as a whole.

She seemed to reject natural or things that were "so-called" real because she does not believe in it. For example she talked about how cyborgs wold not recognize The Garden of Eden "it is not made of mud and cannot dream of returning to dust". She goes against nature and history and thinks we have to power to change the status quo.

As far as myth and tool is concerned she explains them by saying things we imagine or predict in the future are myths and things we have in the present are tools. When talking about not being able to communicate across the world face-to-face, I don't think she was saying it was not going to be a possibility I just think she was against it and more for literally face-to-face communication.

I tried to understand her points as best as possible and overall this article had me thinking about how the world would be if things were the way she perceived or believed they could be.

Week 7 Question 3: 'I like it On' Facebook Status Update Goes Viral: What It Means

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/05/i-like-it-on-facebook-sta_n_751756.html

Week 7 Question 1: A Cyborg Manifesto [outside research]

As I searched the web to find more information about the article A Cyborg Manifesto, I went through Wikipedia and other websites until I found a review from college professor Josh Jones of University of Texas. He gave a brief summary of what he thought Haraway's main points were and in addition added his opinions or things that interested him the most.

Jones was very interested in the fact that Haraway added more to the typical definition of a cyborg being just a combination of human and machine. As stated in the original article, a cyborg "is a cybernetic organism, a hybrid of machine and organism, a creature of social reality as well as a creature of fiction." (Haraway p. 516)

He mentioned that cyborgs are not interested in history or looking backward, but rather looking ahead and being innovative. He concludes his review with the importance of and effect that language has on impacts cyborgs. "Bodies are maps of power and identity" (Haraway p. 534) and language plays an important role on how power and identity is enacted.

http://complexrhetoric.blogspot.com/2009/08/review-haraway-cyborg-manifesto-1985.html

Week 6 Question 2: Personal Dynamic Media

This article really surprised me with how advanced things were back in the 60s and 70s. I mean I always assumed that there was someone out there that thought about creating something like that computer or laptop, but I never knew just how much was already created/invented back in those days. The Dynabook which was created in 1968, is what we know as the laptop today. It was originally created for children, though adults could use it too. It is pretty cool that word processing was on there and other programs that are similar to ones we use today.

This article reminded me of typewriters. When I was in Kindergarden, my mom was in college. She used to use a typewriter to do her coursework. I remember she would get angry often because the typewriter did not have a tool where you could delete or edit errors, so when you typed it had to be perfect. I also remember using one of those and being frustrated because I would like to type fast but I couldn't because of the mistake risk. There were similar problems with these early computer machines, but the idea and programs were definitely on the right track to an integrative future!

Week 6 Question 1: Disclosing the Ethongraphic Self

The article on disclosing information of the ethnographic self was very informative. It made me think about the things I disclose on Facebook or any other social networking websites whether it is intentional or not. The ethnographic self is basically the cultural and social make of yourself. This article really applied to me because it is relatable in my social networking experiences. The things I say or post online such as photos of where I am at, things that I like, or things I say can help viewers to know information about me that I did not even plan on having them know. It is also easy for people to draw assumptions about me based upon the things that I "like" or groups/people that I befriend. This article also made me think about the journal assignments we have been having because we are learning how we are shaping ourselves to others, whether we are intentionally doing it, or subconsciously doing it.