Thursday, April 8, 2010
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Blog 4 COM 305
Online Privacy:
One important thing to keep in mind about online privacy is that it is NOT a right given to you. Anyone is able to view information they want to see if they are good enough at using the technology, or willing to pay for someone else to get it to you via internet. This is a scary thought when you think about everything we do online. Think of all the personal information put on social networking pages such as Faecbook and MySpace, banking, business, and so much more. When sites such as Facebook say that they have “Privacy Settings” so that those besides yourself and friends can’t see your information, it is very easy to go around that. One of friends from high-school was able to somehow hack into peoples’ Facebook pages and view their information and even acquire their passwords. If someone in high-school fooling around can do it, imagine what a hacker who is beyond high-school is able to do.
A key thing to look at when deciding whether or not to trust a sites privacy settings to see whether it begins with “HTTP” or “HTTPS”. HTTPS has much more security, and is primarily used for banking, business, ect. Most of not all social media, however, are simply http, and therefore very easy to hack. This shows, as said in class, that you should have a variety of different passwords that you use for banking and for pleasure. This will make life much easier for you in case someone is trying to hack into your information.
The main question is should there be more privacy and security on the web? Answer= you are as private as you choose to be. NOONE is forcing you to put pictures or information on your facebook. It is something that you have chosen to put on a medium that is accessible to anyone. And there is nothing wrong with that except for the fact that most people don’t realize it. Although the internet may feel like a little neighborhood of your friends, it isnt. There is a reason of why it is called the WORLD WIDE WEB. As long as you take simple precautions, the internet can be a safe and enjoyable place – It truly is a remarkable source of information and to talk to your friends, but you must know that there are dangers that you must abide by and prepare for.
One important thing to keep in mind about online privacy is that it is NOT a right given to you. Anyone is able to view information they want to see if they are good enough at using the technology, or willing to pay for someone else to get it to you via internet. This is a scary thought when you think about everything we do online. Think of all the personal information put on social networking pages such as Faecbook and MySpace, banking, business, and so much more. When sites such as Facebook say that they have “Privacy Settings” so that those besides yourself and friends can’t see your information, it is very easy to go around that. One of friends from high-school was able to somehow hack into peoples’ Facebook pages and view their information and even acquire their passwords. If someone in high-school fooling around can do it, imagine what a hacker who is beyond high-school is able to do.
A key thing to look at when deciding whether or not to trust a sites privacy settings to see whether it begins with “HTTP” or “HTTPS”. HTTPS has much more security, and is primarily used for banking, business, ect. Most of not all social media, however, are simply http, and therefore very easy to hack. This shows, as said in class, that you should have a variety of different passwords that you use for banking and for pleasure. This will make life much easier for you in case someone is trying to hack into your information.
The main question is should there be more privacy and security on the web? Answer= you are as private as you choose to be. NOONE is forcing you to put pictures or information on your facebook. It is something that you have chosen to put on a medium that is accessible to anyone. And there is nothing wrong with that except for the fact that most people don’t realize it. Although the internet may feel like a little neighborhood of your friends, it isnt. There is a reason of why it is called the WORLD WIDE WEB. As long as you take simple precautions, the internet can be a safe and enjoyable place – It truly is a remarkable source of information and to talk to your friends, but you must know that there are dangers that you must abide by and prepare for.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Blog 3 COM 305
Conflict in the Digital Age:
All of the conflict that sparks during the digital age begins with a topic that we have already covered in detail – the digital divide. Many of the issues that are occurring in the world today have roots that spring from this divide, and this is causing conflicts on a global scale. There are two main groups that are represented in this conflict: 1) those with the digital technology AND that know how to use it and 2) those without the technology OR those who have access to it but have no idea how to use it. It should also be noted that those who are in the first group are the minority, and that most of them are in this group because they can afford to be. As a result there is much resentment and animosity towards those in the first group, and this has been displayed most noticeably in the Middle East. The digital divide has caused many different nations to feel left out, and since the United States is (or was) at the forefront in technology, most of this hatred has been directed at them. Not to say that events such a 9/11 or the underground tube bombings in London are strictly because of this digital divide, but there surely must be some connection due to the timing.
Internet only started to become a big means of communication as well as a resource in the mid 90’s, and has been growing in popularity since then. If one looks at the percentages, however, there is a huge gap from continent to continent. High in the use of digital technology is the USA as well as Europe (particularly the Western half) and on the low end of the spectrum is the Middle East and Africa. It should also be noted that those continents on the lower segment are also constantly fighting, whether it be with others or within their own countries.
But why are they fighting in regards to the digital divide? Maybe it is to get our attention since they are unable to reach us through other means of communication. Maybe this is the only way they have been able to effectively get our attention so far, even though it is an extreme. Either way, we should not ignore them, or this will continue to worsen. There must be a way for the digital divide to be narrowed, if not closed.
All of the conflict that sparks during the digital age begins with a topic that we have already covered in detail – the digital divide. Many of the issues that are occurring in the world today have roots that spring from this divide, and this is causing conflicts on a global scale. There are two main groups that are represented in this conflict: 1) those with the digital technology AND that know how to use it and 2) those without the technology OR those who have access to it but have no idea how to use it. It should also be noted that those who are in the first group are the minority, and that most of them are in this group because they can afford to be. As a result there is much resentment and animosity towards those in the first group, and this has been displayed most noticeably in the Middle East. The digital divide has caused many different nations to feel left out, and since the United States is (or was) at the forefront in technology, most of this hatred has been directed at them. Not to say that events such a 9/11 or the underground tube bombings in London are strictly because of this digital divide, but there surely must be some connection due to the timing.
Internet only started to become a big means of communication as well as a resource in the mid 90’s, and has been growing in popularity since then. If one looks at the percentages, however, there is a huge gap from continent to continent. High in the use of digital technology is the USA as well as Europe (particularly the Western half) and on the low end of the spectrum is the Middle East and Africa. It should also be noted that those continents on the lower segment are also constantly fighting, whether it be with others or within their own countries.
But why are they fighting in regards to the digital divide? Maybe it is to get our attention since they are unable to reach us through other means of communication. Maybe this is the only way they have been able to effectively get our attention so far, even though it is an extreme. Either way, we should not ignore them, or this will continue to worsen. There must be a way for the digital divide to be narrowed, if not closed.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
BLOG 2 COM 305
Since the increasing use of the internet from the early 1990’s till now, there has been an impending issue known as the digital divide. This has been caused because this new technology is not cheap, and a great percentage of the world can not afford it. With this comes a small group of people who have access to seemingly limitless source of information, while the larger group are left out and being left behind more and more everyday.
According to Jakob Nielson, who wrote on the digital divide, there are three main stages that divide those with and those without the information source. These three stages are 1) The Economic Divide 2) The Usability Divide and 3) the Empowerment Divide. Each one has extremely valid points, and the evidence of them can be seen today. The economic divide is quite simple enough. Although it is not as large of an issue in industrialized societies such as America and Western Europe, it is a prominent issue for more than half of the globe. Computers and access to the internet are simply too expensive, and repairs/ maintenance would be monetarily impossible for many. The usability divide is also self explanatory. If those who can not afford to have a computer therefore don’t use one, they will have no knowledge of how to operate one, and the technology is only going to advance from here. This leaves that larger group who are left out to keep getting more left behind everyday. The last one, according to Nielson, is the most important and troubling. Long story short, EVEN if everyone in the world had access to a computer and knew how to use it, not everyone would. Not everyone would want to interact online, and therefore there would still be a digital divide. For instance, even though many seniors in America have money, there is not a large group of them that use the internet. I have four grandparents who are well off and have the opportunity to have access to the internet, but only one out of the four makes use of it.
Digital Divide: The Three Stages
The digital divide is a tricky situation because you have to way the pros and cons. As of now, the gap in percentages is decreasing according to the percentages we saw in class, but the majority still have no access to the internet, and if they do they share one computer with multiple others. Each day that goes by the larger group misses out on more and more – as the technology advances and becomes more difficult, as more happens online that they will not hear about, and as more information becomes available online. This will leave the others out of the loop in news, pop culture, and world events.
If someone wants to take the initiative to close this gap, they must have a lot of power behind them, as well as money. This will not be a cheap venture since computer and access will not only have to be purchased for a large percentage of the world but also maintained and repaired since they shall be too poor to do it themselves.
According to Jakob Nielson, who wrote on the digital divide, there are three main stages that divide those with and those without the information source. These three stages are 1) The Economic Divide 2) The Usability Divide and 3) the Empowerment Divide. Each one has extremely valid points, and the evidence of them can be seen today. The economic divide is quite simple enough. Although it is not as large of an issue in industrialized societies such as America and Western Europe, it is a prominent issue for more than half of the globe. Computers and access to the internet are simply too expensive, and repairs/ maintenance would be monetarily impossible for many. The usability divide is also self explanatory. If those who can not afford to have a computer therefore don’t use one, they will have no knowledge of how to operate one, and the technology is only going to advance from here. This leaves that larger group who are left out to keep getting more left behind everyday. The last one, according to Nielson, is the most important and troubling. Long story short, EVEN if everyone in the world had access to a computer and knew how to use it, not everyone would. Not everyone would want to interact online, and therefore there would still be a digital divide. For instance, even though many seniors in America have money, there is not a large group of them that use the internet. I have four grandparents who are well off and have the opportunity to have access to the internet, but only one out of the four makes use of it.
Digital Divide: The Three Stages
The digital divide is a tricky situation because you have to way the pros and cons. As of now, the gap in percentages is decreasing according to the percentages we saw in class, but the majority still have no access to the internet, and if they do they share one computer with multiple others. Each day that goes by the larger group misses out on more and more – as the technology advances and becomes more difficult, as more happens online that they will not hear about, and as more information becomes available online. This will leave the others out of the loop in news, pop culture, and world events.
If someone wants to take the initiative to close this gap, they must have a lot of power behind them, as well as money. This will not be a cheap venture since computer and access will not only have to be purchased for a large percentage of the world but also maintained and repaired since they shall be too poor to do it themselves.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
BLOG 1 COM 305
Having an online identity and interacting with others using that medium may be more dangerous that originally assumed. Some people using online identity as a way to interact with others are able to hide the fact that they may be something that they are not in the real world.
In this particular case, a millionaire from Australia was leading a "second life" outside of his actual life. The millionaire, Rockefeller, was using online dating sights to create a virtual identity. After a business trip, however, Rockefeller went missing. After an investigation, two members of a "swingers network" that Rockefeller was a member of were charged with his murder.
Source: Malaysia Sun
Because having an online identity feels so distant from the real world, many people don't give the dangers of it a second thought -- especially the younger generation. But the truth is it can be a dangerous place. In this particular instance, it lead to Rockefellers death.
Although online dating has become increasingly popular in the past few years, how are you able to trust the information given to you by the second party. If you do not like your reflexive or ascribed identity, virtual identity gives you the illusion of a freedom from your everyday life. This is a scary thought considering how many people are members of dating sites, and using it for its original purpose. How can you be certain that the person you are speaking to is being honest about themseleves, and not giving out a false persona?
And it is not just dating sites, but video games (WoW, Runescape, ect) as well as many popular networking sites (i.e. Facebook, Myspace, ect.) For instance, a professor in South Korea poses as a little girl in his virtual video games, although in real life he is over 50 years old. You simply never know who the person behind the mask is, and that is a scary though, especially to the parents of the younger generation.
Source: CNN
In this particular case, a millionaire from Australia was leading a "second life" outside of his actual life. The millionaire, Rockefeller, was using online dating sights to create a virtual identity. After a business trip, however, Rockefeller went missing. After an investigation, two members of a "swingers network" that Rockefeller was a member of were charged with his murder.
Source: Malaysia Sun
Because having an online identity feels so distant from the real world, many people don't give the dangers of it a second thought -- especially the younger generation. But the truth is it can be a dangerous place. In this particular instance, it lead to Rockefellers death.
Although online dating has become increasingly popular in the past few years, how are you able to trust the information given to you by the second party. If you do not like your reflexive or ascribed identity, virtual identity gives you the illusion of a freedom from your everyday life. This is a scary thought considering how many people are members of dating sites, and using it for its original purpose. How can you be certain that the person you are speaking to is being honest about themseleves, and not giving out a false persona?
And it is not just dating sites, but video games (WoW, Runescape, ect) as well as many popular networking sites (i.e. Facebook, Myspace, ect.) For instance, a professor in South Korea poses as a little girl in his virtual video games, although in real life he is over 50 years old. You simply never know who the person behind the mask is, and that is a scary though, especially to the parents of the younger generation.
Source: CNN
Monday, November 23, 2009
Ice age heat wave, cant complain...
Modest Mouse is a seven part Indie Rock band from Washington. They released their debut album, "This Is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About", in 1996. Since then, Modest Mouse has released five total studio albums as well as five EPs. They gained mainstream success in 2004 with their fourth album, "Good News for People Who Love Bad News" due to songs such as "Float On" and 'World at Large".
This past August they released their newest EP, "No One's First and You're Next" which is available in vinyl and digital form. The new single on this album is "Satelite Skin", which they performed on Late Night With David Letterman on March 19th 2009.
Modest Mouse has seen several members come and go over the last few years. In 2004, founding member Dann Gallucci was replaced by Johnny Marr, formerly of "The Smiths". This had a notacable impact on their 2006 CD, "We Were Dead Before This Ship Even Sank".
As of now, Modest Mouse is still touring for their newest EP, and is currently in the United Kingdom through mid December.
This past August they released their newest EP, "No One's First and You're Next" which is available in vinyl and digital form. The new single on this album is "Satelite Skin", which they performed on Late Night With David Letterman on March 19th 2009.
Modest Mouse has seen several members come and go over the last few years. In 2004, founding member Dann Gallucci was replaced by Johnny Marr, formerly of "The Smiths". This had a notacable impact on their 2006 CD, "We Were Dead Before This Ship Even Sank".
As of now, Modest Mouse is still touring for their newest EP, and is currently in the United Kingdom through mid December.
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