poldbloq

VO ip

2005-05-25T09:44:00.000-07:00

Anything that takes down or basically gives the phone companies a hard time sounds great to me. But I think the larger phone companies will adapt to the changes VoIP is bringing and I have no doubt they will be able to apply charges somehow; I can already hear the commercials touting the quickest internet Vo IP provider. Of course it would be great if this didn't occur, if VoIP somehow managed to stay a free service but I don't think business will allow it to happen.

How does internet technology impact political activity

2005-05-11T01:26:00.000-07:00

The internet is the new political medium to master for politicians. Like Roosevelt and radio, Reagan and TV, the internets full capabilities are being still being learned by the likes of campaign managers like Trippi. What struck a chord with me is that the net involves people with campaigns to the point that they feel invested, as the article stated, financially and personally. This seems excessive, one would hope that the internet would be used by citizens to gather and share information on candidates instead of being used to divide and seperate voters; pipe dream! American democracy is such a contest, it has the feel of our side is winning, not the best candidate. My only use for the internet in the last election was to study the candidates, and try to get them to give me money.
Electronic voting honest? Please. Pardon the pessism but after reading this article I never want to vote again. Most peoples concerns about elections are valid, the system is imperfect and for the moment there isn't too much we can do to watchdog anypart or person involved in the election process. We can only hope to combine technology but no matter what we'll always have doubts as to honesty involving politics. Go figure.
After reading the final article I was reminded of one of our earlier discussions on voter privacy, no offense to anyone but voter privacy is an outdated concept. In todays society, or the not to distant future, I don't see public or internet voting as an issue. Most current voters wear their political affiliation like a badge of courage, red or blue. And in todays social climate of anti-discrimination and harrasment laws protecting rights I think public voting could stand. Okay maybe I'm being somewhat simplistic, trusting, naive, whatever... but I personally could live with whatever repercussions voting for who I wanted to held.

Hacktivism

2005-05-11T00:26:00.000-07:00

Everything in cyberspace is public space and should have, in almost every case, no censorship. I do agree that sites unsuitable for viewers under the age of 18, etc., should be censored to a degree by sites and internet providers but parents are ultimately the ones to be held accountable.
As far as free speech in "public spaces" on the net- currently free speech on the net is the barometer for a nations political freedoms. Unfortunately most countries aren't free. Citizens rights to free speech is not a part of the countries mentioned in these articles political policies. It is great to see the internet as Irans most trusted news source.
This is the first I've heard of Hacktivismo or any group fighting oppression in this manner, what they're are doing is amazing.
Extra Credit
There is no such thing as public space anymore, everything is for sale. College kids sell their space, bodies, and time to advertise for corporations that in turn put them through college. Schools have to be told not to sell space, corps. target children- is there anything sacred? Not yet. I dislike most ads, some are great, c'mon Gieco? Wzup? Yo Quero Taco Bell? The new music download one where the guys repeating Claptons "You look wonderful tonite", because his girlfriend is taking to long deciding what to where so he keeps repeating the chorus, "shes wondering what clothes to wear," genius. But then theres everyother in your face buy our crap ad that makes me want to... well, I don't know. But if you're watching TV or surfing the net pop-ups and crappy ads are part of the medium. Unless you've got TiVo or the lates pop-up blocker. Pop-ups are like viruses that evolve past each antibiotic. Banning is good legislation but where do you draw the line? (To be honest I would really like to have seen ads orbiting our planet, if for no other reason then to figure how to vandalize them.)

Mid-term report

2005-05-06T17:36:00.000-07:00

My subject has shifted from focusing on both Blair Witch and Star Wars: Attack of the Clones to just Attack of the Clones. My focus will be just on the transition from analog film stock to digital and Lucas as pioneer, the first to make and distribute an entire feature lenght film digitally. There is plenty of information, and I am learning the specific APA citation requested. Covering just the G. Lucas film and giving background on the creation and evolution of film will be plenty. I will still touch on films like Blair Witch and Atanarjuat to illustrate how digital tech. has changed how films can be funded.

In Assignment one I covered only Google and Lexis-Nexis because I thought that was all that was required of me to discuss in the paper. These are not the only search engines I'm using. Pro Quest, Yahoo, and Blackberry has a few good postings. I didn't mention these because the paper was getting a bit long.

APA citations

2005-05-06T16:18:00.000-07:00

Telotte, J.P. (2001) The "Blair Witch Project" Project. Film Quarterly. Retrieved April 23, 2005, from
http://www.filmquarterly.org/issue_5403_contents.html

Pandya, G. (1999) Summer 1999 Box Office Wrapup. Box Office Guru. Retrieved April 23, 2005 from
http://www.boxofficeguru.com/summer99.htm

Haflidason, A. (2002) Star Wars: EpisodeII- Attack of the Clones. BBC FIlms Review. Retrieved April 23, 2005 from
http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2002/10/11/star_wars_episode_2_2002_dvd_review.shtml

Lucas Online. (2005) Star Wars: Episode II Filmography. LucasFilm. Retrieved April 23, 2005 from
http://ww.lucasfilm.com/films/starwars/episode2.html

"I Get By With a Little Help From My Friends of Friends..."

2005-05-04T01:56:00.000-07:00

Open source, networking and "the second superpower" are all rooted in online communities, people coordinating and communicating to build software, relationships and social change. Networking online is like getting a headstart in meeting someone, you jump past introductions and straight into various forms of partnering- tennis, working out, jobs... This is where social movements meet and where like minded software engineers meet up to create.

Another relationship I see between Kirkpatricks second superpower (online) movement and the open source software movement resides in the fact that without open source software and relatively free and uncensored global communication the second superpower disappears. The internet must continue to grow and involve everyone in order to counter the globally damaging economic and political agendas of corporate monarchies. Of course it's farcical to imagine the U.S. government intervening and taking control of a public domain technology such as radio or the internet. Imagine an administration divvying up and selling the radio waves, and then censoring them and creating a "commision" to generate "fines" against private citizens or companies for broadcasting outside of decency standards which don't exist... hey, wait a second. It seems the internet has sidestepped, for the moment, being developed publicly only to be controlled privately.

Tom Paine to Blogs & Beyond/Shirkys Writing

2005-05-02T09:07:00.000-07:00

If an individual nows how to search the net today they can literally find just about anything or any social group they want, and they can do so for free at their local library. The internet facilitates local and national communities by almost instantly connecting like minded individuals and allowing them to "meet". The internet, for me, has already proven to be a great way to stay in touch with and chat with people around the world.
The largest challenge I see is the drive by software companies to make software that dominates the market place and doesn't play nice with other software.

WiFi

2005-04-26T11:02:00.000-07:00

As WiFi technology grows and encompasses more area, connecting everyone, and the cost of technology and the demand for cutting edge technology declines people across the globe will be connected. I mention the decline in price and demand because I feel as older generations of tech are stockpiled they are more available for everyone to use. Global communications are expanding to the degree that soon, as McCluhan points out, we will be a global community. As wireless connections reach from Latin America to Africa and the Domincan Republic communication scholars will be able to connect to and converse with more and more people.

Open Source Software

2005-04-23T10:45:00.001-07:00

Why should communications scholars study the open source software movement?
The idea of "free" or open source software affects anyone who uses computers, which is quickly becoming everyone. Globally technology has given individuals the ability to communicate openly and with ease but as new technology is developed restricting trade or making certain software incompatible with other software will stifle growth and more importantly communication.

Open Source

2005-04-23T10:45:00.000-07:00

Electronic Voting

2005-04-20T17:19:00.000-07:00

It is interesting to me that the Donald Norman article which states how we are analog humans designing digital technology which isn't really compatible with our style of functioning fits into the current electronic voting debacle; seems we are creating more problems then we are solving in this area. Yet I have no doubt that we will continue to progress in the direction of technology.
The authors of each article end on a note of concurrence, electronic voting will be further developed and used. It seems easy to tamper with but the point brought up in class- about banks having been able to avoid the problem issues associated with electronic voting, such as privacy and accuracy- seems to prove that a user friendly and dependable system could be reached. The fact that electronic ballot systems are not being "designed by a designer," someone who could mediate between county officials and design user friendly ballots, displays ignorancne on the part of election officials. In this case it seems that technology is capable of developing a new and competent system but our election process, "There shall be four drawings, three in each even-numbered year...", is dead weight anchoring the process to a rather archaic system which stifles progress. Or not.

Being Analog

2005-04-18T03:10:00.000-07:00

These readings remind me that, happily, I am only human. We advance so rapidly in information systems and technology that it is impossible to keep up, being a specialist is not a bad gig though. Our culture is creating technology which can frustrate the individual, leaving us technostressed. So why should we stress over the newest technology, especially when it is barely applicable and not necassary to our lives?
That the author, Donald Norman, ends by tying into the chapter that technology (his calculator) is of import is something I agree with, despite my opening paragraph. I see the value of technology but in reading Normans point that a century ago it wasn't strange for people to live and die and never travel 30 miles from home raises what I think is one of his more valuable points, what portions of technology are serving us and which are we serving?

Agree with the point that, "Technology should conform to the people, not people to the technology," and that we are living in an exciting and bizarre era of technological advancement. I would contend to this chapter/writer that we are evolving, however slowly, towards less rigid or "digital" means of technology but as the chapter pointed out it takes time. The author notes that systems should be redesigned to comply with their user in order to avoid errors, errs, and aren't we advancing towards this? Systems are already remembering user profiles and adjusting to preferences, so how long before they asses personality traits, education, social standing, family background, income etc. and apply those to user interface?

Extra Credit

2005-04-12T19:17:00.000-07:00

The "Did You Knows?" are disturbing, I really like them. We are a culture awash in different forms of media, so much that by 70 I'll have watched more like 14-20 years worth of television, not the 7-10 they come to. The one thing that really disturbs is the outright distortion of information- aka lying- the FCC gets away with. Whether backing up their decision with false data or hiding the fact that they are in bed with media corporations. Will anyone be surprised if 'lil Mikey Powell retires from politics and takes some made-up private sector job with a title like Public Information Sub-Systems Analyst (eg- P.I.S.S. Ant) for some large corporation like Comcast? Ahh, repaying political favors in a public marketplace, wonderful.

Role of Internet in National and Local News Media

2005-04-12T18:04:00.000-07:00

That financial constraints have affected and held back the rise of the use of the internet is very true but this is rapidly changing as schools are recognizing, applying, and adapting to digital technology. From kindgergarten to Doctors programs cultures are recognizing and applying into curriculums this newest form of the textbook, which could be called a distant cousin to newspapers which leads one to believe that print media might become an antiquity.
As far as Abramson, Arterton, and Orrens fear that the internet will further polarize our cultural, "pool of common knowledge and common perspective will be reduced," I must disagree. The internet, like Television or newsprint, can be used to either look outside oneself and explore new viewpoints and ideas or it can insulate the individual who chooses to travel within the same circles of thought whether as an individual or with others on the internet. This can be seen in the medium of television in which we have the option to watch the biased FOX News organization and consider only it or navigate to it and other sources of information and perspective.

Beginners Guide
The tail (corporate media) wagging the dog (society) scenario is the overall theme of "Beginners Guide" and I agree. Politically and socially the American public is disregarded in what is plied over the airwaves ,which is ridiculous. That every hour of radio consists of over 18 minutes of commercials makes me ill, literally. Aside from occasionally listening to KEXP I cannot turn on the radio for fear of advertising induced nausea. That the FCC, and government in general, uses the old bait and switch tactic of focusing on matters of indecency while corporate lobbyists manipulate the system to buy out the market is a tragically comical slice of American political subversion. That "The Beginners Guide" relates ways to affect the political landscape of current media outlet's was good.
It would be nice to believe that the government and thus economic exploitation which has occured with TV and radio could never happen to the internet but Chinas situation of government control shows us that governments are capable of intervening and disturbing a wonderful global communication device.
The internet is a medium which could very well deflate the marketplace of both television and radio or fall prey to the same vices. As our society becomes inundated with this new digital technology it seems that its creators recognized the economic and social toll television, radio, film, and newsprint have had on cultures and decided to try to sidestep allowing governments to manipulate or private business to exploit; if their plans work remains to be seen.

We Have the Information

2005-04-08T19:22:00.000-07:00

Ahhh, the Information age. What I found interesting during this reading was the repeated term information anxiety and my notion that it doesn't exist among those who know how to navigate computers, or travel within cyberspace. Unfortunately sometimes I do suffer from Adult Information Age Anxiety, or A.I.A.A. I was taking medication but the side affects...
Seriously, I can usually surf the web and find what I'm looking for but sometimes, usually when there's a deadline, I feel the aforementioned anxiety. Most of the time this comes from using Macintosh systems, nothing against Mac, but the differing interface equals unfamiliarity for me which leads to anxiety.
My belief is that there is no such as too much information, the more perspectives the better but this of course does lead to problems of navigating which are remedied through knowledge of how to navigate the web and exploit the technology.
As new generations of technology are developed they grow easier to use and the generations who use them grow more adapt at manipulating them. As a society our children are becoming accustomed to computers and technology at younger and younger ages and of course this has a great affect on how adept they are in sorting and applying the gobs of information being produced which decreases anxiety. I hate to use personal experience but... last quarter I was introduced to google images by a freshmen, a simple tool that I was unaware of. This is my attempt at illustrating the notion that learning is adapting and growing with new technologies.

McLuhan/Principles of New Media

2005-04-05T18:03:00.000-07:00

Medium is the Message
Can anyone say tones of 1984? All due respect to Mr. McLuhan, I enjoy his work, but he comes off a little hypersensitive to the notion of media controlling or merely affecting perception in a negative manner. Agreed it is important to be aware of the affects of new technology but Marshall comes off a little apprehensive of evolving mediums. In using the cubist painting style as an example of medium is the message McLuhan illustrates his point very well. His point is also very well illustrated by comparing literature to film- between these two mediums one can try to communicate the same basic story with very dissimilar results.

That we are constantly evolving in every criss-crossing area of our human existence isn't really touched upon by Mr. McLuhan. Technological evolution is just another extension of human evolution but there isn't much thought applied to this idea. That McLuhan draws attention to the near unrecognizable affects of media is very interesting; "If it works, it's obsolete," the audience or user doesn't notice that it's "working", altering, or affecting them. This I liked.

Principles of New Media
The first section of Principles of New Media goes along way in relating how immense the variations of technology, mainly digital, are becoming. Semiotics and how it applies to and affects media stood out to me, digital technology is built on symbols- what immediately came to my mind was windows. We are moving away, slowly, from the necessity for written comprehension to more of a symbolic culture? Also interesting was recognizing how complex and far reaching the realm of digital media and technology has become. This chapter highlighted how amazing technology such as the internet is. Here is a device which connects an astronomical amount of information, applies order to the information through databases and programs which I can barely comprehend and daily forms perceptions about reality. This chapter ended by highlighting how computers are adopting other forms of technology- such as DVD, camera, stereo, typewriter, mail carrier; computers will continue this but now the trend for new software, novels, movies, music, and other media is to be introduced through computer networks. The next step is for computers to be the singular all encompassing medium, how would McLuhan feel about that?

What New Media is Not discusses what digitization of information does and doesn't do to the information. The 5th topic discussed applies directly to my experience as a video and film editor and I strongly disagree with the authors underlaying idea that digital copying is as apt to degradation as analog. Rendering from digital medium to film provides more vibrant copies than original print to film and the shelf life of digital is immortal in comparison to film which easily picks up blemishes. Of course the author does save themself by stating "use in comtemporary society" meaning transference over the net for "flawless replication of data" but transfer is only one area of the technological ground digitization covers. In regard to lossy compression I note that the author points out that advances in storage media and communication bandwidth are pending so, when one considers the quick pace of advancements in technology, it would seem just a matter of time before near perfect digital transfer of information is possible.
The final topic of media designer leading the individual was interesting, again very Orwellian or Matrix-ish in it's idea that the electronic medium leads and arranges understanding, instead of vice-versa.

Zuckerman and McLaughlin/Introduction

2005-04-04T00:30:00.000-07:00

Regardless of the fact that I use the internet everyday I had no idea how it worked; prior to this reading I thought it was just a magical occurence with no real explanation. That Livermore has used lasers effectively to transmit what is equivalent to "40,000 simultaneous phone calls" is wonderful to hear. Digitization and the use of light are a beautiful technological advancement. Last quarter I took Population Health and the Environment which raised my awareness as to how damaging some of our past advancements have been to ourselves and the environment, the use of light turns a corner in allowing us to deal safely with our planet. I latch onto this because the rest of the more technical information, regarding Andrew and Ethan connecting via SMTP across multiple networks in milliseconds, left me rather befuddled. That the internet is based on cooperation is also very... heartening? It's wonderful that such a groundbreaking technology which leads humanity toward unity depends on something this simple yet necassary.

In Introduction Winston points out that technology is derived by technologists who are both exponents and prisoners of the cultures which produced them. I love that line, Winston doesn't seem to recognize in this piece that with their new inventions/technology they take a turn at shaping their culture and world; devices set us free? I agree with Winston that we evolve technologically rather then revolve. Winston does a good job of categorizing his perspective on the growth of technology. According to Winston evolution occurs through cultural acceptance or rejection of inventions, parallel advancements indirectly feed this growth, and partial prototypes aren't sufficient. The "law" of suppression reminded me of the adage "build a better mousetrap", don't do anything to groundbreaking, just make it better. This holds true, somewhat, but I think we as humans become more and more accepting of technology as its evolvement quickens.

Response

2005-03-31T19:04:00.000-08:00

Kristin6's response to McLuhan point that electronic media allow more exploration and interdependence is right on. A blog called "Just Another Soldier" is proof of this, where media outlets wrap and spin situations which they deem newsworthy the internet advancement of blogging has developed into a way for first person accounts to transcend the b.s. of network newsagencies. Thank you technology, piss off Fox News.

Response to Blogs

2005-03-31T18:51:00.000-08:00

Ben Garrets ah-ha to chpt. 4 regarding railways as a stage in communication development was thought provoking to me as well. It highlighted to me that alot of our technological advancements are driven by external cultural needs or apply to a multitude of uses. The electronic internet resembles the the mechanical railways.

Chapters 4 & 16 Mediamorphosis & Affects of Tech.

2005-03-31T17:24:00.000-08:00

Mediamorphosis related a brief overview of our communication history. From Babbages mathematical programs to the application of electricty and the development of information superhighways to different mediums, i.e. computers and television. After reading Social Aspects first then Mediamorphosis I started wondering why we, humanity, have developed an almost basic need and desire to communicate quickly and in different ways, and when did it did it develop?. To make advancements technologically- applying electricity to information, telphones, movies, etc- in order to make monetary, societal, and cultural gains I get; but why do we as individuals depend so much on these advancements . The thirst for knowledge? Are we a global culture leading technology or being led. What made Zworykin, and many others, spend a lifetime developing television? As time and space shrink business is forced to quicken its pace in gathering and conveying information, advancements in science and medicine are positively affected but as Thoreau notes- in regard to running a telegraph line from Maine to Texas- be aware of the fact that there probably is nothing important to say. The message should be key but more often than not, especially today, the messages importance falls behind the medium. As I read this I realized that, partially, our advancements new evolutions of technology sometimes serve only to produce new advancements, which is fine except-pardon me I have to go check my e'mail, my voicemail, set my VCR, check a new blog.....
Part II, McLuhan is the man. In part deux Fidler relates more recent, last 70 or so years, and concise information regarding the development of television, computers, microchips, and the internet. In reading about RCA and Zworykin I recalled an article about Philo Farnsworth and how developing the technology of television alone, as opposed to Zworykin who was backed by RCA, left him (Farnsworth) penniless and mad at the time of his death. Let's hear it for corporate funding.
Social Aspects... touched on the development of new media and how or why some are engaged or passed over by the public. This really touches on the fact that alot of media devices and advancements are sold to the public out of a created necessity. High definition television? Digital video as opposed to magnetic tape, is there really such a huge difference? Not much. True, there is a slight qualitative difference but overall it's miniscule. The only real difference is the percieved one which is usually propagated by those selling said "new and improved" technology. The new generation of our consumer culture dines on the fruit of information and technology.

is there anybody out there...

2005-03-28T11:17:00.000-08:00

testing