Tina's COM 300 Blog

Final Thoughts

2006-03-11T19:30:00.000-08:00

1. What is the most important thing you learned in this course? Why?

I was interested to learn how more forms of new media like blogging are being utilized in politics and news. I had never gotten around to learning much about blogging, and I was surprised to learn how widespread, and more importantly, mainstream its use is becoming. I'm glad we had a chance to learn how to set up and use a Blogger account, and also how to interact with one another's blogs by commenting. I'd been wondering how people were able to keep up with blogs, so it was useful to learn how to use an RSS aggregator like Bloglines. Now I'm able to keep up with my favorite online magazine columns and news blogs. I believe this simple technology is going to revolutionize and help to democratize online communication.

2. What would you like to have had more time to study? Why?

There are only a limited number of class hours to learn everything, and the class gave us a good overview of the many varieties of new media. I would like to learn more about video and audio Podcasting, because they are inexpensive and accessible for the average Internet user. I think these technologies, along with blogging, will be extremely influential in contributing to the increase of citizen journalism.

3. What topic was the least interesting to you? Why?

I think all the topics were interesting and appropriate, but I thought Zuckerman and McLaughin's article about Internet Architecture was dull reading. But in all fairness, it would be hard to make a geeky subject like IP packets read like a New York Times bestseller.

The impact of VoIP on cable & telephone networks

2006-02-24T18:07:00.000-08:00

I was surprised to learn that phone companies are already using VoIP to route long distance calls. Since the demand for bandwidth is increasing so rapidly, it makes sense for phone companies to utilize VoIP’s data compression and packet-switching capabilities in order to stay competitive.

The most attractive thing about VoIP for the consumer is the cost savings. As Best’s article from last week pointed out, VoIP is already being used in poor and underdeveloped countries to send voice calls over the Internet. I’ve experimented with Skype (free VoIP software) and it works very well on my laptop. (My family and friends don't see any reason to try it, though, because they have free long distance with their cell phones.) Some people are using Skype to make conference calls and to record interviews for adding to podcasts.

My main concern about VoIP is the lack of 911 service. You can use Skype on a laptop using battery power, but it wouldn’t be a workable in an extended emergency (think: Hurricane Katrina). Standard phones are almost always reliable, even when the power goes out (as anyone who saw The Day After Tomorrow will recall).

Discussion questions:

1. Do you think VoIP calls on the internet should be free? If so, how will phone companies be able to compete?

2. In what ways can 911 service be guaranteed for people using VoIP phones?

3. What are the disadvantages of the current standard phone system and how is VoIP an improvement?

Cyberspace and accessibility standards

2006-02-22T11:00:00.000-08:00

It’s interesting to read about how technological improvements are enabling undedeveloped and rural communities to get online. Since cyberspace is becoming a dominant space where people, communities and information intersect, it’s important for underdeveloped communities to have Internet access to stay competitive and informed. It’s not surprising to hear that some of the more innovative uses of wireless technology are being developed in areas where electricity and cheap hardware aren’t readily available.

Using wireless in undeveloped countries makes sense, since it can cover a wider area more cheaply than cable. The need for local value-added service vendors also offers potential entrepreneurial opportunities for women--and local woman-owned businesses help to raise the standard of living for families, which in turn benefits the whole community.

Discussion questions:

1. Should wireless technologies be available free of charge to underdeveloped communities? If so, who should pay for it?

2. In what ways can technology be made more available in areas without electricity?

3. Why is it important to make license-exempt channels available in third world countries?

Extra Credit: 2004 Political Web sites

2006-02-11T19:18:00.000-08:00

"The Race of the Web Sites 2004,” by Kathy Gill

Gill notes, “the Howard Dean campaign legitimized the internet” in political campaigning. The results made people take notice: the web is now THE essential campaign technology. Therefore, it follows that user-friendly and accessible web design is mandatory. So it was interesting to read that the candidates’ websites overlooked some fundamentals of usability.

It’s also important to consider basic human psychology. Splash pages that force people to register or to agree to something before entering a site can turn people off. This is especially important, as Gill notes, if the user is an undecided voter attempting to learn more about a candidate. (As a general rule, I find splash pages annoying, anyway, and will usually click the “skip intro” link.) If, as Trippi says, it’s important for supporters to come to you, then it makes sense to make it as easy as possible for them to get there.

It’s also important to know your audience. If a large percentage of Bush supporters were from areas with limited bandwidth, then it seems self-defeating to design a high-bandwidth consuming web site.

The article is a reminder of the importance of testing and getting user feedback before launching a website, especially when the stakes are as high as winning an election.

Internet Technology and Politics

2006-02-11T17:45:00.000-08:00

Trippi’s experiences confirm that the Internet is becoming the tool of choice for both mobilizing political support and disseminating political information, because wider audiences can be reached at a “lower cost per body.” There isn’t any other medium that allows the level of access and interactivity. The bar has been raised--political campaigns need to include the internet in their outreach.

Reidel’s study observed that people relied on the internet less for local news than for national/international news--but those studies were from six years ago. Now, the generational divide is decreasing, as more people become internet savvy (the internet generation is growing up). More local content is becoming available online. Higher bandwidth allows the delivery of higher quality content, like hi-res photos and video. For example, the CBS Evening News is now being streamed online for free, the day after it airs on TV. Online newspapers can virtually duplicate their print counterparts, with some advantages. The Seattle Times online edition offers searchable archives and classified ads.

Right now, I suspect people use the web more as a convenience for obtaining news, but in the future it may become an imperative. The advantage to the consumer is that you can access the information wherever and whenever you want it. The disadvantage is the “digital divide” means accessibility is limited to those who can afford it.

Discussion Questions:

1. How do you think government should address the problem of the “digital divide?” Is it a federal responsibility?

2. In what ways do you think the Internet contributes to your knowledge and understanding of political issues, and how could it serve you better?

3. Which of Trippi’s methods can be emulated by other campaigns?

Blogging and the established media

2006-02-05T21:04:00.000-08:00

People want to share their ideas. That’s why they painted on cave walls, it’s why they write poetry and songs, call in to talk-radio programs and write blogs.

Blogging doesn’t cost much. There is no "big newsroom” overhead, no high-paid news anchors, no legal department or editors or fact-checkers. Blogging challenges the status quo--it puts the power of expression into the hands of anyone with a PC and an internet connection. The Average Joes and Janes might not be well-informed about libel or copyright law, and they probably don’t care about beating the other news networks to the story. Blogging isn’t discriminatory—anyone can blog, and they don’t have to get someone else’s approval to publish. People who are isolated, due to physical location or disabilities or economics—can communicate with others in cyberspace.

Digital media–blogs, video, audio recordings--can be published instantaneously. In Iraq, freelance journalists and military personnel have been recording their experiences with daily blogs. During the London terrorist bombings last year, people in the subways took videos with cell-phone cameras and sent them to the BBC. The technology is enabling the emergence of “citizen journalists”—everyday folks who can give a unique perspective of events from where they live.

1. What factors make a blogger more or less credible as a source of information?

2. In what ways can mainstream media utilize blogging technology effectively?

3. How do liability laws affect bloggers?

Extra-Credit: Social software and groups

2006-01-28T19:21:00.000-08:00

Shirky notes that groups have their own unique identities and behaviors, which may be different from those of the individuals acting alone. He points out the original ideals about unlimited access and freedom on the internet have changed—in order to protect the community, groups have developed ways of being more restrictive, such as moderating behaviors and controlling membership.

About a year ago, I was a member of an online forum that imploded. It started with one unruly member who was continually sabotaging discussions. The member was repeatedly kicked off the list, but would reappear from time to time under a new identity. When this was discovered, the group’s moderator responded with a heavy-handed approach, imposing too-restrictive rules that resulted in stifling the discussion of the others on the list. This alienated a large number of members, who didn’t agree and felt their objections weren't heard. As a result, most of the members left and formed a new group. The old group no longer exists.

The group’s dissolution was in itself a moderating behavior (i.e., ”if you don’t like the rules, you can leave”). It’s like a kind of Darwinian response: the groups which are able to achieve balance are the ones that will survive.

Examining the open source software movement

2006-01-28T17:35:00.000-08:00

According to Stallman, “The fundamental act of friendship among programmers is the sharing of programs; marketing arrangements now typically used essentially forbid programmers to treat others as friends.”

For communication scholars, the open source movement is worth studying because it is a model of how community can be strengthened through an open and sharing environment. The open source movement is grounded in a several key ideas:

the sense of sharing between programmers
the idea that everyone should have access to free software
people shouldn’t have to choose between sharing and breaking the law
less corporate control of software results in less duplication of programming efforts and therefore more advancement
anyone should be able to study and improve on the code (which creates a better learning environment).

The result is that while software is improved, it also becomes less costly and more freely available. And society as a whole benefits, rather than a just a few corporations.

Discussion Questions:

1. Do you agree that the social benefits of open source development outweigh the monetary profit for developers?

2. How do you think the open source movement will ultimately affect product development for corporations? Do you think Microsoft is worried?

3. What other social implications does the open source movement have besides software development?

Thoughts on the man-machine relationship

2006-01-22T20:42:00.000-08:00

It was interesting to learn that many of our ideas on human efficiency came from Taylor’s 1911 theories on the “one best way” of doing things, which included breaking down tasks into components and discouraging humans from “thinking” too much. And the trend seems to be that as we grow more reliant on machines, we also idealize them more.

Machines are dependable and consistent, not prone to error or erratic behavior. But the human brain doesn’t work like a machine. We often see the human capacity for error and deceit as weakness. Yet, our inconsistency is also our strength. Norman points out humans are able to filter out background “noise” to discern patterns in our environment, and this ability allows us to adapt. The way we process information also contributes to our ability to be creative, to imagine, and to learn.

Fans of “Star Trek” will recall how the Vulcan race was almost annihilated by war. Vulcans saw emotion as the source of conflict, inefficiency and error. So in order to survive as a species, the members of their race learned to control their emotions, and eventually evolved to become beings whose behavior was ruled by logic. But the humans they encountered didn’t understand the Vulcan disdain for emotion. Conflicts occurred when humans and Vulcans failed to see how one anothers’ strengths could complement and benefit one another.

We need to keep this in mind as we rely on technology more in the future. Technology may begin to merge more with humans. Artificial limbs are being developed that will respond to human brain impulses. And many of us already spend a great deal of time "jacked-in" to our iPods and cell phones. Technology offers potential to improve the quality our lives, if we don’t lose respect for our own uniqueness in the process.

Discussion Questions

1. The machine-centered view is precise, orderly and logical, while people are distractible, creative and illogical. The public education system seems to be modeled more on the machine-centered view. How might this model affect students’ view of themselves?

2. In what ways has 1900’s-era view of efficiency carried over into the workplace of today?

3. How will our reliance on technology affect art and innovation 50 or 100 years from now?

Information Overload

2006-01-18T10:21:00.000-08:00

The abundance of information has affected my life in profound ways. On the one hand, the immediacy and 24/7 availability of news has helped my to be more informed. Where I used to have to wait for news to be broadcast on TV at specific times (and then often missed it if I wasn’t home at the time) now I can access it in various ways. I have a home page in my browser that feeds relevant news updates. I can watch cable news at any time, and download news articles to read on my PDA at my leisure. I used to get frustrated with broadcast “teasers” that would promise a certain story at a given time, and then I would try to watch and somehow miss the story. Now I no longer have to feel controlled by broadcast schedules. Information is also cheaper--if you already have the technology to access it.

I also utilize the web constantly. I reserve library books online. I read more, because it’s more convenient--I can download books to read on my PDA during my commute. I can access bus schedules, and do a great deal of shopping online. I keep up with technology (software downloads and updates) online. I use iTunes to download music and podcasts for listening on my iPod. In fact, I no longer get crazy over obnoxious grocery store music and rude people who talk too loud on cell phones on the bus--because I can just tune out by tuning in to my iPod.

The down side of all this accessible information is that I have access to a lot of information, but it’s often superficial. In the reading, Carlson points there is a difference between recall vs. precision, and that the abundance of information has resulted in a decline in relevancy and increase in trivia. I think this is true. Therefore, it has become more important for me to rely on sources I can trust.

Questions for discussion:

1. How do you determine the accuracy of the information you receive?

2. How do you determine the trustworthiness of an information source?

3. Nelson defines information anxiety as “the overwhelming feeling one gets from having too much information or being unable to find or interpret data.” In what ways can content producers more effectively deliver information to help prevent user confusion?

FCC: The Internet

2006-01-09T11:08:00.000-08:00

The Internet: A Short History of Getting Connected from the Federal Communications Commission (2004)

The Internet was developed based on Liklider’s idea of an “intergalactic community,” whereby information would be shared between individual users. ARPANET designed it using a model of “distributed” information, where there would be no centralized source of information. The concept of packet switching breaks information into pieces that are distributed separately and reconnected at their final destination. This was originally conceived as a means of preventing the loss of information in case any line was destroyed in an enemy attack. It is one of the things that makes the Internet reliable today.

Week 2 Reading

2006-01-09T10:41:00.000-08:00

Two "ah-ha's" from the readings:

1. It was interesting to learn, according Fidler, that the popularity of radio is largely due to ham radio operators. Their amateur broadcasts of news and music helped moved the radio beyond interactive communication (where information was exchanged between two individuals) to a broadcast (and largely commercial) medium. This can be compared to the rise of the Internet, which began as a tool for individuals to exchange information before commercial interests became predominant.

While commercial broadcast radio and TV have become predominant media, it is also interesting to note that the demand for interactivity is making a comeback, largely due to the Internet. Thus, newspapers and TV stations are adding forums and other tools for user comments and interactivity.

2. I was surprised to learn Bush predicted the credit card and retail card scanners by some 40 years, based on the need for a more logical and instant need to organize and access customers’ credit information.

How does Vannever Bush's 1945 description of "Memex" compare with today's personal computers and Internet?

Bush proposes a device for data storage and retrieval device, which he dubs the “memex." In order for data to be useful, humans must have a useful way of recording and retrieving it. The key to Bush’s device is the way data is handled. The human mind accesses data by building associations between ideas, jumping from one idea to another and forming “trails.” Thus, his memex device would allow the instant retrieval of information. The memex would allow the user to assemble documents at will to build a trail, and can also return instantly to the trail at any time in the future. Similarly, an Internet user can click on hyperlinks to follow trails of connected ideas, and jump instantly back to previous pages by means of links, buttons and bookmarks.

The memex is similar to PC’s and the internet in several ways. First is the similarity in hardware—the memex has a desk with a keyboard, buttons and levers. The data is stored in a highly compressed form on microfilm (recorded by means of a photographic device similar to a scanner). The data is instantly retrieved and projected on a screen (like a PC's monitor) by punching in a mnemonic code (on a PC, the document’s file name or a web URL). Documents are paged forward and backward at the user’s discretion.

How do you envision the Internet of 2045?

The trend is toward the portability and instant access of information. PC’s will be small in size and easy to carry around—perhaps built into clothing or worn on a wristband with tiny wireless transmitters attached to the ear (the style of the ear devices and clothing will be a fashion statement). Devices will integrate telephone, wireless internet and messaging and entertainment (combining features like iPods for video and music, Pocket PC’s for information and phones for communication). Subsidies will make wireless access and equipment available to people of all income levels.

There will be a group of dissenters who advocate returning to the old styles of communication. They will live in farmland communities and refuse to use computers, relying on antique methods of exchanging information, like hand-carried documents and books.