Consistency and Standardization
A myriad of social networking sites have hit the scene in the last few years. Everything from Twitter, to Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, etc. etc. These sites all strive to be different and occupy some sort of niche. However, they all have similarities. I find it a pain to create different accounts for each site and keep everything up to date and detailed. I propose that there is some sort of system of cross-standardization. For instance, if I were to update some of my personal information or contact list (Friends) in Facebook, it would automatically do the same in all of my other social networking platforms. This would save me the time and trouble of logging into each account and updating everything manually. Perhaps the individual sites could reach an agreement where this could be made possible. We are already seeing different platforms merge and co-operate (Yahoo with Facebook, Twitter, etc.). The social networking sites themselves should co-operate to make it more efficient for users.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Friday, April 20, 2012
Our Class Wiki - So Far
I will be contributing to the section on Sports and New Media.
I plan to work in a variety of areas (including NBA, NCAA, MLB, NHL, PGA)
I will contribute to consistent categories for each sport (devoted sites, athlete Twitter pages, athlete Facebook pages, athlete/professional blogs). I know that some are already present, but I will update and add on to these offerings.
I will also create new sections for other sports (such as MMA, boxing, tennis, poker). Again, I will focus on social networking sites (Twitter, Facebook) as well as devoted sites, blogs, and Facebook pages.
I plan to work in a variety of areas (including NBA, NCAA, MLB, NHL, PGA)
I will contribute to consistent categories for each sport (devoted sites, athlete Twitter pages, athlete Facebook pages, athlete/professional blogs). I know that some are already present, but I will update and add on to these offerings.
I will also create new sections for other sports (such as MMA, boxing, tennis, poker). Again, I will focus on social networking sites (Twitter, Facebook) as well as devoted sites, blogs, and Facebook pages.
P2P File Sharing
File sharing:
File sharing is defined as the exchange of information, such as computer documents, programs, or multimedia. There are many ways to share files, including removable media (i.e., flash drives), servers, and peer-to-peer networking
P2P File Sharing:
P2P File Sharing is defined as a method/system that connects users in a peer-to-peer network. These users can then search for files on the computers of other users connected to that network. The user can not only download files from other users, but can also upload their own files. The P2P system involves partitioning parts/tasks among users. For instance, a user wishing to download a song will download that song in parts from a many other users. These users break up and share the "workload." Some example of P2P File Sharing applications are: Napster, BitTorrent, Kazaa, and Limewire.
Piracy Concerns:
There is an ongoing battle between content producers and users of P2P Networks. The sharing of protected material has grown and spread since the days of Napster. In a 2006 outrageous legal battle, a Minnesota mother is being sued for $1.5 million for downloading and sharing 24 songs on Kazaa (source:
http://baruchnewmedia.com/w/images/3/35/IllegalMusic.pdf). Suitable penalties for sharing content are being debated. Some believe that restricting internet access is a viable option, whereas others believe that "There's increasing understanding that broadband is fundamental to basic economic and social participation." (source: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/13/technology/internet/13iht-piracy13.html).
Future File Sharing
While P2P file sharing can be used in a myriad of legal and positive ways, there will always be piracy concerns. New avenues of illegal file sharing are already being pursued. For example, alternatives to downloading, such as streaming movies, are growing fast. There are also ways to share files without having your internet address being tracked. (source: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/13/technology/internet/13iht-piracy13.html).
File sharing is defined as the exchange of information, such as computer documents, programs, or multimedia. There are many ways to share files, including removable media (i.e., flash drives), servers, and peer-to-peer networking
P2P File Sharing:
P2P File Sharing is defined as a method/system that connects users in a peer-to-peer network. These users can then search for files on the computers of other users connected to that network. The user can not only download files from other users, but can also upload their own files. The P2P system involves partitioning parts/tasks among users. For instance, a user wishing to download a song will download that song in parts from a many other users. These users break up and share the "workload." Some example of P2P File Sharing applications are: Napster, BitTorrent, Kazaa, and Limewire.
Piracy Concerns:
There is an ongoing battle between content producers and users of P2P Networks. The sharing of protected material has grown and spread since the days of Napster. In a 2006 outrageous legal battle, a Minnesota mother is being sued for $1.5 million for downloading and sharing 24 songs on Kazaa (source:
http://baruchnewmedia.com/w/images/3/35/IllegalMusic.pdf). Suitable penalties for sharing content are being debated. Some believe that restricting internet access is a viable option, whereas others believe that "There's increasing understanding that broadband is fundamental to basic economic and social participation." (source: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/13/technology/internet/13iht-piracy13.html).
Future File Sharing
While P2P file sharing can be used in a myriad of legal and positive ways, there will always be piracy concerns. New avenues of illegal file sharing are already being pursued. For example, alternatives to downloading, such as streaming movies, are growing fast. There are also ways to share files without having your internet address being tracked. (source: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/13/technology/internet/13iht-piracy13.html).
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Privacy and Confidentiality
The growth of the internet and new media has been undeniable. But with that growth comes pitfalls and obstacles as well. Privacy and confidentiality issues are serious dangers in the age of Web 2.0.
First, there are the privacy issues presented by social networking sites. For example, Facebook's privacy policy has been constantly criticized for making private information public. The default privacy settings are to share as much information as possible. This makes Facebook a playground for potential hackers and identity thieves.
Youtube is another example of new media with privacy and confidentiality concerns. Users who post personal videos become vulnerable to personal attack (either on the internet, or in real life).
Privacy and confidentiality concerns shook the world with the release of WikiLeaks. The project presented an anonymous way for users to post sensitive, classified, or hidden documents for the world to see. Items posted include sensitive political and military documents, as well as confidential documents about corporate misconduct. The things posted on WikiLeaks routinely become giant news stories.
First, there are the privacy issues presented by social networking sites. For example, Facebook's privacy policy has been constantly criticized for making private information public. The default privacy settings are to share as much information as possible. This makes Facebook a playground for potential hackers and identity thieves.
Youtube is another example of new media with privacy and confidentiality concerns. Users who post personal videos become vulnerable to personal attack (either on the internet, or in real life).
Privacy and confidentiality concerns shook the world with the release of WikiLeaks. The project presented an anonymous way for users to post sensitive, classified, or hidden documents for the world to see. Items posted include sensitive political and military documents, as well as confidential documents about corporate misconduct. The things posted on WikiLeaks routinely become giant news stories.
Advice to Baruch College
Baruch College is actually more involved in new media than I thought. They have a Facebook page that provides useful and interesting information. The page is also kept up to date regularly. They also have an active Twitter page, a blog, an online newspaper, and a Youtube channel with interviews from faculty and students.
The problem is that I had no idea that Baruch utilized some of these tools. The University should increase student awareness of these resources by putting up more posters, sending reminders with letters, etc. The more students use these resources, the richer and livelier they become.
I also think that Baruch should create a separate Wikipedia page that is student and faculty oriented. Currently, the Wikipedia page seems suited for an outsider who wants to read about the history of Baruch College. Baruch should create an internal Wiki that is kept up to date. So aside from focusing on history and general information, the Wiki can focus on daily events, student life, faculty news, etc.
Finally, Baruch needs to add more online courses. There are only a few online classes offered each semester. This is very unfortunate because many Baruch students are employed and need more flexibility. Online courses can be easily implemented with the use of online video lectures, Blackboard discussions, Wiki online collaborations, Twitter, blogs, etc. It would save the University money because online classes can be conducted without the need for a classroom, while also giving students and faculty flexibility.
The problem is that I had no idea that Baruch utilized some of these tools. The University should increase student awareness of these resources by putting up more posters, sending reminders with letters, etc. The more students use these resources, the richer and livelier they become.
I also think that Baruch should create a separate Wikipedia page that is student and faculty oriented. Currently, the Wikipedia page seems suited for an outsider who wants to read about the history of Baruch College. Baruch should create an internal Wiki that is kept up to date. So aside from focusing on history and general information, the Wiki can focus on daily events, student life, faculty news, etc.
Finally, Baruch needs to add more online courses. There are only a few online classes offered each semester. This is very unfortunate because many Baruch students are employed and need more flexibility. Online courses can be easily implemented with the use of online video lectures, Blackboard discussions, Wiki online collaborations, Twitter, blogs, etc. It would save the University money because online classes can be conducted without the need for a classroom, while also giving students and faculty flexibility.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Creativity
Creativity is not new. It has always existed in people's minds. There have always been storytellers, artists, musicians, dreamers. But creativity been limited by medium. But not anymore. The technological advances in new media has created an explosion of creative expression. New media has allowed creativity to run rampant in all aspects of life.
For instance, the digitizing of music has allowed for "mash-ups," a digital mixing of two separate songs. A good example of this is the mash-up of Jay Z's "The Black Album" with The Beatles "The White Album." The offspring was cleverly titled "The Grey Album." Another example is Jay Z's and Linkin Park's collaboration called "Collision Course." "Mashups find new uses for current digital technology, a new iteration of the cause-and-effect relationship behind almost every change in pop-music aesthetics."
(Read more http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2005/01/10/050110crmu_music#ixzz1qTy8o0Ca)
Educational institutions use new media to find creative ways to teach. For instance, online courses (like this one) are partly or completely online, giving students and professors scheduling flexibility. Many Universities offer virtual campuses on Second Life where students can walk around, meet, and take online classes. Youtube let's professors record lectures and go over important concepts.
Finally, print (old media) has transformed into digital content (new media). Now magazines have digital versions of their issues that can be read on electronic devices. Sometimes these digital issues offer innovative content like video clips and interactive games. Advertisers in these magazines can create interactive content and provide direct links to their website.
Creativity has always been there. It's not new. It's just that technology has allowed people to flex their creative muscles. New media has allowed people to show their photographs and their musicality. It has allowed businesses to grow and be more efficient. It has allowed students and teachers to explore a new way of teaching and learning. Creativity is endless and new media is just starting to catch up with the human imagination.
For instance, the digitizing of music has allowed for "mash-ups," a digital mixing of two separate songs. A good example of this is the mash-up of Jay Z's "The Black Album" with The Beatles "The White Album." The offspring was cleverly titled "The Grey Album." Another example is Jay Z's and Linkin Park's collaboration called "Collision Course." "Mashups find new uses for current digital technology, a new iteration of the cause-and-effect relationship behind almost every change in pop-music aesthetics."
(Read more http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2005/01/10/050110crmu_music#ixzz1qTy8o0Ca)
New Media has also allowed for creativity in the areas of photography and videography. Sites like Flickr and Tumblr allow anyone to upload pictures to the internet. Professional and amateur photographers alike are scouring the globe to find inspiring images. Creativity in movies has exploded thanks to digital effects. Movies like "300," "Avatar," and "Inception" were all inspired by imagination, but were brought to life by the breakthrough's in technology and new media. Sites like Youtube allow anyone to post videos of whatever they want. Sometimes posting Youtube videos can even get you rich (ahem Justin Bieber).
Businesses are not immune from new media either. For businesses, the internet has allowed for online conferencing making meetings more efficient than ever. Virtual Worlds like Second Life have allowed for virtual meetings and team-building exercises. Companies can now look to social networking sites for inspiration from customers.
Technology companies have been the most active in relying on others to innovate for them. This is in large part because the Internet lets people exchange ideas easily and rapidly with large groups, and computing tools let people design new products cheaply...Lego started a site called Design byME, where fans can use Lego design software to create their own models. Lego then sells the designs, effectively offloading the design cost to fans.(Read more http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/26/technology/internet/26twitter.html)
Educational institutions use new media to find creative ways to teach. For instance, online courses (like this one) are partly or completely online, giving students and professors scheduling flexibility. Many Universities offer virtual campuses on Second Life where students can walk around, meet, and take online classes. Youtube let's professors record lectures and go over important concepts.
Finally, print (old media) has transformed into digital content (new media). Now magazines have digital versions of their issues that can be read on electronic devices. Sometimes these digital issues offer innovative content like video clips and interactive games. Advertisers in these magazines can create interactive content and provide direct links to their website.
Creativity has always been there. It's not new. It's just that technology has allowed people to flex their creative muscles. New media has allowed people to show their photographs and their musicality. It has allowed businesses to grow and be more efficient. It has allowed students and teachers to explore a new way of teaching and learning. Creativity is endless and new media is just starting to catch up with the human imagination.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Creativity and New Media
To explore the topic of creativity in new media, I created an avatar in Second Life. At first, I picked a sports car as my avatar, but then decided on a guy in a penguin suit and a top hat. It just felt weird flying around in a red sports car instead of flying around as a human being. Naturally, I was a little overwhelmed by the complexities of the game. I started walking around, trying to avoid all the other avatars. I then decided to take my opportunity to visit places that I've never been. Below is my journey:
The Statue of Liberty: I've never visited the statue of Liberty, and I most definitely would not have been able to get this view in real life.
The Acropolis: I love Greek and Roman mythology, so this was a free way of visiting history.
The Eiffel Tower: Another long-awaited destination. The details in Second Life are amazing.
The Statue of Liberty: I've never visited the statue of Liberty, and I most definitely would not have been able to get this view in real life.
The Acropolis: I love Greek and Roman mythology, so this was a free way of visiting history.
The Eiffel Tower: Another long-awaited destination. The details in Second Life are amazing.
Machu Picchu: What a sight to behold!
Bora Bora: After all that flying and sight-seeing, I was exhausted. Time to relax and take in some sun.
Temple University: Next, I wanted to check out the virtual campus of Temple University and explore the amazing ways that Second Life could be implemented.
Toronto: Finally, being from Canada, I felt homesick and wanted to visit downtown Toronto. Ahhhh, Yonge St (without the swarms of people!)
Although the size of the maps were relatively small, it was amazing to see the amount of detail put into these "worlds." It was really cool being able to visit all of these places and landmarks right from the comfort of my couch. I can see how some people can become immersed in Second Life. And that's only the beginning. I chose to visit realistic places, but Second Life is bursting with fantastical landscapes dreamt up from people's creative imaginations. With just a little dedication and time, you can pretty much create whatever you want!
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Modeling Reality With Virtual Worlds
With the emergence of the internet and other technologies, people are living online - literally. Virtual worlds allow users to live vicariously through their online characters (called avatars) in fantasy worlds. These worlds can be as fantastic as those of "World of Warcraft", or as realistic and mundane as the virtual worlds of "The Sims," or "Second Life." There are many positive uses for virtual worlds, but they also have their fair share of problems.
Virtual worlds can be a positive tool for people who are immobile. For instance, these individuals can create avatars of themselves in Second Life and experience running, or dancing, or even flying! Those who have difficulties in social situations will feel comfortable living in a virtual world. For example, a virtual learning center was created in Second Life for those with autism:
"For people with autism, we've found it's a very nice way of setting up situations they might come across in their everyday lives," Bignell said. "For people who have social, emotional, communicational problems ... we can get them familiar with an environment before they actually try it out in real life." (Saidi, 2008).
Another benefit of Second Life is the ability to offer online learning. Several Universities have created virtual campuses where students can walk around, interact with other students, and even go to class (professors hold virtual lectures). A list of educational institutions that use Second life can be found here.
Businesses see the potential of Second Life as well. Many companies are now using the virtual world to create virtual meetings, saving time and money:
According to Linden Lab, creators of Second Life, more than 1,400 organizations -- including large companies, educational institutions, government agencies and even the U.S. military -- use Second Life to hold meetings, conduct training and prototype new technologies more efficiently (Tutten, 2009).
Businesses can also reach out to customers through Second Life. They can even test out new products before they are launched in the real world. For example, Mazda allows virtual users to test drive their cars in Second Life. More about the Mazda test drive can be found here.
But virtual worlds are not all about fun and games. Such a limitless medium is bound to have a dark side. A major problem for these virtual worlds is the amount of time spent living in them. Virtual world addiction can lead to countless hours spent gazing at a computer screen. Users get so immersed in these virtual worlds that they often forget about the real world. In fact, the cartoon South Park even parodied this addiction in their episode titled "World of Warcraft."
Second Life has also seen it's fair share of controversy. A virtual world is a place where anybody can act out on their desires - apparently even pedophiles:
Britain's Sky News TV channel uncovered a virtual playground hidden away behind a strip mall in "Second Life" — a playground where little girls who looked about 10 years old offered the Sky reporter's avatar, or virtual representative, a variety of sex acts (Foxnews.com)
The openness and anonymity of Second Life creates a variety of dangers (similar to those of the internet in general). These dangers include pornography and gambling as well.
But on a more positive note, the openness and the "rule-free" foundation of virtual worlds allows creativity to flourish. In Second Life, you can basically be anything you want. Want to be a vampire? Check. Superman? Check. You want to be Brad Pitt? Beyonce? Check. Check. In this limitless world, you can run, drive, bike, swim, climb, leap tall buildings in a single bound, even fly. Virtual worlds omit real world constraints. Gravity? What's that? Physics? Unheard of. You also have close to unlimited resources (including money). In Second Life, you can "quaff Champagne, teleport to private islands and splurge on luxury brands that are the cyber equivalent of Prada waders or a Rolex watch" (La Ferla, 2009).
Second Life allows companies to tap into their creative imaginations as well. As mentioned above, companies can test products in Second Life before they bring them out in the real world. Companies can also create fantastical products and/or environments that would not be possible in real life. Just imagine walking through Disney Pixar's virtual world.
So where do virtual worlds go from here? The underlying technology fueling these virtual worlds will grow to keep pace with the creativity of it's users. I believe that as users (specifically businesses and learning institutions) become more comfortable with the virtual environment, there will be a rise in the productivity of virtual worlds - meaning they will become increasingly useful to society. As long as people spend more time on their computers and on the internet, virtual worlds will grow - hopefully as a supplement to the real world and not a replacement for it.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/22/fashion/22Avatar.html
http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/conditions/03/28/sl.autism.irpt/index.html#cnnSTCText
http://www.cnn.com/2009/BUSINESS/11/05/second.life.virtual.collaboration/index.html
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,306937,00.html
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Blog About Twitter
How does a Twitter discussion compare to a Blackboard discussion? To an in-class discussion?
Obviously, Twitter's limit of 140 characters puts a straining cap on the effectiveness of Twitter as a discussion medium. Twitter is more suited to "thoughts' or "updates" (ala Facebook). In comparison, a Blackboard or in-class discussion places no such limits on characters. There are also time concerns associated with text-based discussions. It takes a while for someone to type their contributions and post them. It then takes time for someone to read these contributions, process them, then respond. In-class discussions don't suffer from this lag.
However, there are some advantages to Twitter discussions and Blackboard discussions over in-class discussions. If one is shy or lacks self-confidence, he/she can post messages without anxiety. The discussion is text-based, and so everyone's presence feels the same. Also, text-based discussions allow you to type out what you want to say, read it, change/edit it, and only post when you feel it is ready. In-class discussions don't allow for this "filter."
Obviously, Twitter's limit of 140 characters puts a straining cap on the effectiveness of Twitter as a discussion medium. Twitter is more suited to "thoughts' or "updates" (ala Facebook). In comparison, a Blackboard or in-class discussion places no such limits on characters. There are also time concerns associated with text-based discussions. It takes a while for someone to type their contributions and post them. It then takes time for someone to read these contributions, process them, then respond. In-class discussions don't suffer from this lag.
However, there are some advantages to Twitter discussions and Blackboard discussions over in-class discussions. If one is shy or lacks self-confidence, he/she can post messages without anxiety. The discussion is text-based, and so everyone's presence feels the same. Also, text-based discussions allow you to type out what you want to say, read it, change/edit it, and only post when you feel it is ready. In-class discussions don't allow for this "filter."
Social Networking Sites
Below are my impressions of four popular social networking sites:
Linkedin:
The site is a professional take on social networking. Clearly, it is "career" focused. Along the top, the tabs are labeled "jobs, companies, news, contacts, etc." In terms of interface, the site has a simple classic format (black, grey, and white). The actual content is divided in a resume-style format (summary, experience, education, etc). Overall, I think the site is very clean and easy to read. It let's employees and employers find pertinent information as efficient as possible.
Facebook:
One thing that strikes me about Facebook once I sign in is the vast number of users who visit Facebook everyday. Friend updates are endless. The new timeline interface is a neat way to display content. Facebook is trying to stay new and fresh, and I believe timeline is an innovative step in the right direction. The addition of media (photos, videos, etc.) right in the newsfeed makes it easy to read. There are also many games that can be played through Facebook which is a nice addition to waste time. Compared to the other sites, Facebook seems overwhelmingly complicated, which may deter some first-time users. There are also some privacy issues (sometimes I feel like I'm being stalked/I feel like a stalker) when on Facebook. Overall, I think this is the most comprehensive social networking site there is.
Twitter:
Twitter focuses on a simple interface with simple content. When you sign in, you simply see a scrolling list of tweets. There are no pictures, no games, just tweets and links. Overall, the simple interface is effective for what Twitter is trying to accomplish. I believe that Twitter is perfect for those who don't have time to blog or constantly update Facebook (this is why it is popular among celebrities and athletes).
Myspace:
Although it started out being more like Facebook, Myspace has evolved into a social networking site with an emphasis on music. In this way, it can differentiate itself from the social networking giant. When you sign on, there is a scrolling column of news feeds, but also a column on the right where you can play music. The site is suited for artists, musicians, and audiophiles.
Linkedin:
The site is a professional take on social networking. Clearly, it is "career" focused. Along the top, the tabs are labeled "jobs, companies, news, contacts, etc." In terms of interface, the site has a simple classic format (black, grey, and white). The actual content is divided in a resume-style format (summary, experience, education, etc). Overall, I think the site is very clean and easy to read. It let's employees and employers find pertinent information as efficient as possible.
Facebook:
One thing that strikes me about Facebook once I sign in is the vast number of users who visit Facebook everyday. Friend updates are endless. The new timeline interface is a neat way to display content. Facebook is trying to stay new and fresh, and I believe timeline is an innovative step in the right direction. The addition of media (photos, videos, etc.) right in the newsfeed makes it easy to read. There are also many games that can be played through Facebook which is a nice addition to waste time. Compared to the other sites, Facebook seems overwhelmingly complicated, which may deter some first-time users. There are also some privacy issues (sometimes I feel like I'm being stalked/I feel like a stalker) when on Facebook. Overall, I think this is the most comprehensive social networking site there is.
Twitter:
Twitter focuses on a simple interface with simple content. When you sign in, you simply see a scrolling list of tweets. There are no pictures, no games, just tweets and links. Overall, the simple interface is effective for what Twitter is trying to accomplish. I believe that Twitter is perfect for those who don't have time to blog or constantly update Facebook (this is why it is popular among celebrities and athletes).
Myspace:
Although it started out being more like Facebook, Myspace has evolved into a social networking site with an emphasis on music. In this way, it can differentiate itself from the social networking giant. When you sign on, there is a scrolling column of news feeds, but also a column on the right where you can play music. The site is suited for artists, musicians, and audiophiles.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Social Networking
Social
networking plays a tremendous role in today’s world. The use of social
networking has allowed friends to connect across the globe. It has allowed old
friends to reconnect and continue friendships. Judith
Donath, associate professor at the M.I.T. Media Lab, explains:
“social networking
technologies make it easier to keep up with a large circle of acquaintances and
meet new people. They provide a venue for online socializing, as well as for
coordinating in-person meetings.”
With
sites such as Yelp, consumers can get reviews from other consumers. There is an
inherent trust when you read a fellow customer’s review. Social networking provides
a wide range of opinions and perspectives. There is more information floating
around than ever, and individuals can use this information to their advantage.
Company’s
are latching on to the growing trend of social networking and they’re taking
advantage of it’s ease of use and it’s limitless potential. It has become a
free form of marketing. What better way to get your product noticed than to
have actual consumers talking about them…and all for free. Product promotion
can now be done at an enormous scale. Aside from promotion, companies can now
learn from social media. Customers give feedback and companies can make their
services and products better as a result. If customers don’t like a product,
companies will know about it and they can react accordingly.
Another
use of social networking involves job recruiting. Linkedin allows businesses to
search through profiles to find the right employee:
“Linkedin says users
include executives from all of the Fortune 500 companies. Typing keywords into
a search engine, Crawford can scrape the entire network to dig out high-quality
candidates that she can't find elsewhere.”
Companies
can also use social networking as a tool for employees.
“IBM, for instance, has
created an internal social network site, “Beehive,”
to encourage more collaboration and communication across teams.”
Social
networking has the potential to increase production, communication,
collaboration, and efficiency.
Of
course, social networking is not without it’s negatives. Some are afraid that
sites such as Facebook and My Space are replacing old-fashioned face-to-face
communication. Another fear is that addiction to social networking is adversely
affecting the health (physically and mentally) of today’s society. From a
business standpoint, exposing too much of yourself can be extremely harmful for
your career. Many individuals have not been hired because of their “social
images,” and many employees have been fired because of something they say on a
social networking site.
I
believe that the next step for these technologies is the growth of mobile
social networking. With technological advances (things like the iPhone and
tablets) that are connected to the internet 24-7, social media now travels
wherever you go. For instance, you can take a picture of food from a restaurant
with your iPhone and post the picture on Yelp, or Forkly. Individuals can also
use apps like foursquare to “check in,” announcing to the world their location.
We are no loner hunkered down to our PC’s from home to connect to the world. We
are free to connect anywhere we please. Whether for good or for bad, social networking
is here to stay. I believe that this is only the beginning. As long as people
have opinions, social networking will evolve and grow. We are getting more
information, better deals, and better services. We don’t just hope for these
things, we expect them.
Sources:
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Blogs vs. Wikis
Blogs and wikis share many similarities as well as differences. To understand the pros and cons of each, we need to describe the two forms of media first.
Blogs were created as a form of "personal" journalism. Instead of reading the daily paper, people could log online and gather information and news about virtually anything. The beauty of blogs is that absolutely anybody can start one. Many times, blogs broadcast valuable information, such as product reviews. For example, Wal-Mart employees used a blog to review electronics being sold at their store:
"This unusual new Web site, which was quietly created during the holiday shopping season, has become a forum for unvarnished rants about gadgets, raves about new video games and advice on selecting environmentally sustainable food." The rest of the article can be read here.
Blogs have the benefit of all0wing discussion. Readers can comment on a blog's posts and engage in open discussion. Blogs are an alternative to personal webpages in that they showcase one's passions, ideas, and opinions.
Wikis, on the other hand, are seen to be less personal. It is a collaborative form of media that can technically have an unlimited number of contributors. Whereas blogs have posts that are created one at a time, wikis can be worked on and updated in real time by any number of individuals. Wikis represents a decentralized grass roots approach. It is useful in businesses, where collaboration is paramount:
"By making it easier to gather and share information as well as record discussions about a subject, wikis (familiar as the software behind online encyclopedia Wikipedia) can help people improve their processes and get projects done faster. Among 311 CIOs who participated in CIO's 2008 Consumer Technology survey in January, 30 percent said they provide wikis as corporate applications. Almost half of those who use wikis said they employ them primarily as a collaboration tool, with employee communication cited as the second most common reason for supporting wiki software." The rest of the article can be read here.
Both forms of media are rapidly growing in popularity. We are moving away from old media (newspapers, print) and moving towards a more integrated and up-to-the minute form of communication. What is evident is that we are moving towards collaboration and convergence. The collaborative nature of wikis and blogs are bringing us closer and allows us to work together to share information, create change, and reach goals.
Blogs were created as a form of "personal" journalism. Instead of reading the daily paper, people could log online and gather information and news about virtually anything. The beauty of blogs is that absolutely anybody can start one. Many times, blogs broadcast valuable information, such as product reviews. For example, Wal-Mart employees used a blog to review electronics being sold at their store:
"This unusual new Web site, which was quietly created during the holiday shopping season, has become a forum for unvarnished rants about gadgets, raves about new video games and advice on selecting environmentally sustainable food." The rest of the article can be read here.
Blogs have the benefit of all0wing discussion. Readers can comment on a blog's posts and engage in open discussion. Blogs are an alternative to personal webpages in that they showcase one's passions, ideas, and opinions.
Wikis, on the other hand, are seen to be less personal. It is a collaborative form of media that can technically have an unlimited number of contributors. Whereas blogs have posts that are created one at a time, wikis can be worked on and updated in real time by any number of individuals. Wikis represents a decentralized grass roots approach. It is useful in businesses, where collaboration is paramount:
"By making it easier to gather and share information as well as record discussions about a subject, wikis (familiar as the software behind online encyclopedia Wikipedia) can help people improve their processes and get projects done faster. Among 311 CIOs who participated in CIO's 2008 Consumer Technology survey in January, 30 percent said they provide wikis as corporate applications. Almost half of those who use wikis said they employ them primarily as a collaboration tool, with employee communication cited as the second most common reason for supporting wiki software." The rest of the article can be read here.
Both forms of media are rapidly growing in popularity. We are moving away from old media (newspapers, print) and moving towards a more integrated and up-to-the minute form of communication. What is evident is that we are moving towards collaboration and convergence. The collaborative nature of wikis and blogs are bringing us closer and allows us to work together to share information, create change, and reach goals.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Facebook Failings - The Dangers of the Behemoth Social Network
My project will be a research paper on the dangers of Facebook. By using examples and prior observations, I will bring to light how Facebook negatively affects individuals emotionally/psychologically, physically, professionally, etc.
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