Technological Determinism
Technological determinism has been coined as 'The belief in technology as a key governing force in society ...' (Smith, M). It is described that as technological development occurs, society and culture is changed because of this. People say that technologies such as television or the computer 'changed society'. In its most extreme form, society is seen as being determined by technology. Therefore new technologies transform society at every level such as institutions and social interaction. At the least a wide range of social and cultural phenomena are seen as shaped by technology. 'Human factors' and social arrangements are seen as secondary. (Chandler, D)
I do believe that new media has shaped society in some ways, but i wouldn't go as far as saying that society's development is a pure result of new technology. Digital media has radically changed the way we live and the introduction of television, the internet, etc has changed our culture and attitudes towards new media greatly. However, i do not believe that new technology will be 'in control' of us, i think society will always make new technology shape around us and we will use it in the best way to benefit us.
What do you think?
Thursday, 31 January 2008
Week 1 - Task 2b
Differing views on the Internet
Like with every new form of media, the introduction of the internet was met with mixed reponses. There are so many positives to having the internet, but there are also some problems and issues that arise from having this facility.
Security is a major issue. With internet banking being available now there are many moral panics in that financial information will be stolen, and in some cases this has occured. However, this has lead to better security via more passwords, etc. The issue of fraud is another worry as many sites ask you to give all your personal details and often credit card details, and there is always a chance people could get access to this information. This has made people quite weary about putting their personal details online and this has lead to many people still going to banks and shops in the highstreet instead of doing it on the internet.
Another concern if the use of internet is that this could lead to the decline in need for highstreet shops. With so many options of shopping online for your food and even your holidays, there is becoming less need to go into the actual shops to perform these tasks as you can do it from the comfort of your own home. However, i believe the enjoyment of the personal experience of walking into a shop and having one-to-one help from a sales assistant will never die out and therefore highstreet shops will never die out either.
A highly disturbing moral panic of the internet is children's safety concerning paedophiles. There are many publishised cases over the years of children being taking advantage of by paedophiles using the internet and chat rooms as a tool of getting close to them. Many children are naive to the intentions of these people and it can lead to horrible situations. However, as this concern is so highly publishised in the media i believe chat rooms and community sites such as Myspace etc have stepped up their security as a result of this. Also, parents are much more aware of this problem now and will constantly watch what they're children are doing on the internet which i believe this will decrease this moral panic.
There are also lots of positives to having the internet and why people are so keen on its usage. It is a great way to stay in touch with people, especially if you have friends who live over-seas as sites such as Facebook and Myspace let you communicate and send messages and pictures to people all over the world. Also, MSN is really good at talking to people in real-time and you can have a conversation with them with the use of webcam which is a cheaper version of a phone call!!
I know that i would not be able to cope without the internet as it helps me out in my day to day tasks and is great for researching and booking cheap holidays. As well as keeping in touch with friend, researching for essays and holidays are my other main uses of the internet and i think i have benefited a lot from it. I know there are many worries concerning the use of internet, but as long as you are careful when using it and don't give out your personal details then i think it is a great tool to use.
Do you agree?
Like with every new form of media, the introduction of the internet was met with mixed reponses. There are so many positives to having the internet, but there are also some problems and issues that arise from having this facility.
Security is a major issue. With internet banking being available now there are many moral panics in that financial information will be stolen, and in some cases this has occured. However, this has lead to better security via more passwords, etc. The issue of fraud is another worry as many sites ask you to give all your personal details and often credit card details, and there is always a chance people could get access to this information. This has made people quite weary about putting their personal details online and this has lead to many people still going to banks and shops in the highstreet instead of doing it on the internet.
Another concern if the use of internet is that this could lead to the decline in need for highstreet shops. With so many options of shopping online for your food and even your holidays, there is becoming less need to go into the actual shops to perform these tasks as you can do it from the comfort of your own home. However, i believe the enjoyment of the personal experience of walking into a shop and having one-to-one help from a sales assistant will never die out and therefore highstreet shops will never die out either.
A highly disturbing moral panic of the internet is children's safety concerning paedophiles. There are many publishised cases over the years of children being taking advantage of by paedophiles using the internet and chat rooms as a tool of getting close to them. Many children are naive to the intentions of these people and it can lead to horrible situations. However, as this concern is so highly publishised in the media i believe chat rooms and community sites such as Myspace etc have stepped up their security as a result of this. Also, parents are much more aware of this problem now and will constantly watch what they're children are doing on the internet which i believe this will decrease this moral panic.
There are also lots of positives to having the internet and why people are so keen on its usage. It is a great way to stay in touch with people, especially if you have friends who live over-seas as sites such as Facebook and Myspace let you communicate and send messages and pictures to people all over the world. Also, MSN is really good at talking to people in real-time and you can have a conversation with them with the use of webcam which is a cheaper version of a phone call!!
I know that i would not be able to cope without the internet as it helps me out in my day to day tasks and is great for researching and booking cheap holidays. As well as keeping in touch with friend, researching for essays and holidays are my other main uses of the internet and i think i have benefited a lot from it. I know there are many worries concerning the use of internet, but as long as you are careful when using it and don't give out your personal details then i think it is a great tool to use.
Do you agree?
Week 1 - Task 2a
Goebbel's View of Radio
In Goebbel's speech he discusses how radio was used to reach the masses and send out a message in a fast and effective way to large groups of people. He saw it as a method to "distract the masses from the difficulties of our national and social life". This was done by distracting them with games and entertainment to take their minds off what was happening around them.
Goebbel voices his negative views towards the lack of political information in radio shows. Radio can hit a large audience and by presenting political views it could influence people on a large scale. Radio was mainly used for entertainment purposes and this is why it was so successful as people enjoyed the light-hearted attitude that was so different to their lives. However, the influence of radio should have been taken advantage of and political issues should has arisin somewhere as well.
I think that people today would agree with Goebbel's views that radio is an effective way of communicatiing with large audiences and it can influence them greatly. Radio is a very good form of entertainment, but that it should also include related issues that effect our lives such as the news and politics. That's why radio is still one of the most popular mediums today as it involves a mixture of news and entertainment that appeals to mass audiences.
Do you agree with my interpretation of this text?
In Goebbel's speech he discusses how radio was used to reach the masses and send out a message in a fast and effective way to large groups of people. He saw it as a method to "distract the masses from the difficulties of our national and social life". This was done by distracting them with games and entertainment to take their minds off what was happening around them.
Goebbel voices his negative views towards the lack of political information in radio shows. Radio can hit a large audience and by presenting political views it could influence people on a large scale. Radio was mainly used for entertainment purposes and this is why it was so successful as people enjoyed the light-hearted attitude that was so different to their lives. However, the influence of radio should have been taken advantage of and political issues should has arisin somewhere as well.
I think that people today would agree with Goebbel's views that radio is an effective way of communicatiing with large audiences and it can influence them greatly. Radio is a very good form of entertainment, but that it should also include related issues that effect our lives such as the news and politics. That's why radio is still one of the most popular mediums today as it involves a mixture of news and entertainment that appeals to mass audiences.
Do you agree with my interpretation of this text?
Week 1 - Task 2a
Our Views on New Media
I don't think that we would understand or appreciate 'new' media today if it wasn't for the previous media that has come before-hand. Our atttidudes toward the technology that is available is constantly changing and developing with the evolving media industry. Our values and ideologies towards this therefore represent our change in demand for the latest gaget out there.
Before the use of internet people survived perfectly fine and and the use of other methods of communication such as reading newspapers, listening to the radio, and writing letters was the main source of keeping society connected. However, our society today wouldn't be able to cope without the use of internet. I personally would find it very difficult to conduct any sort of task or essay without looking on the internet for research and information. An example in this difference of attitudes can be seen in my grandparents (a bit random i know!). My nan loves the internet and was so happy when we bought her a computer and showed her how to use everything. She only has three main uses for it, to buy shopping online, book holidays, and send emails to her other golf-club members! She says she lived fine all her life without the internet before, but now if it stops working for whatever reason she feels lost without it! my grandad on the other hand hates the fact she uses it and depends on it so much. He feels that society was fine before with its previous media and technology and therefore feels we would still be fine without it. Maybe his hatred towards it is just the fact he doesn't understand it and doesn't want to. This represents how people's attitudes towards new media often link to their age and the ideologies of the society they grew up in.
Mobile phones are another example of how people's views towards new media differs. I can't remember life without having a mobile and i feel that is a helpful tool in everyday life. However, the older generation like my dad doesn't like the huge popularity of mobile phones and will use one only if extremely needed, like a sort of rebellion against it!! Older people socialised and coped fine before the introduction of mobiles and would just use other modes of communication such as public telephone boxes or faxes for business, etc. Now my dad says that he doesn't like the fact people can get in touch with you whenever they feel like it and that you can't get away from mobiles, whereas my attitude towards it is mobiles have helped develop society and made communication far easier.
What do you think?
I don't think that we would understand or appreciate 'new' media today if it wasn't for the previous media that has come before-hand. Our atttidudes toward the technology that is available is constantly changing and developing with the evolving media industry. Our values and ideologies towards this therefore represent our change in demand for the latest gaget out there.
Before the use of internet people survived perfectly fine and and the use of other methods of communication such as reading newspapers, listening to the radio, and writing letters was the main source of keeping society connected. However, our society today wouldn't be able to cope without the use of internet. I personally would find it very difficult to conduct any sort of task or essay without looking on the internet for research and information. An example in this difference of attitudes can be seen in my grandparents (a bit random i know!). My nan loves the internet and was so happy when we bought her a computer and showed her how to use everything. She only has three main uses for it, to buy shopping online, book holidays, and send emails to her other golf-club members! She says she lived fine all her life without the internet before, but now if it stops working for whatever reason she feels lost without it! my grandad on the other hand hates the fact she uses it and depends on it so much. He feels that society was fine before with its previous media and technology and therefore feels we would still be fine without it. Maybe his hatred towards it is just the fact he doesn't understand it and doesn't want to. This represents how people's attitudes towards new media often link to their age and the ideologies of the society they grew up in.
Mobile phones are another example of how people's views towards new media differs. I can't remember life without having a mobile and i feel that is a helpful tool in everyday life. However, the older generation like my dad doesn't like the huge popularity of mobile phones and will use one only if extremely needed, like a sort of rebellion against it!! Older people socialised and coped fine before the introduction of mobiles and would just use other modes of communication such as public telephone boxes or faxes for business, etc. Now my dad says that he doesn't like the fact people can get in touch with you whenever they feel like it and that you can't get away from mobiles, whereas my attitude towards it is mobiles have helped develop society and made communication far easier.
What do you think?
Tuesday, 29 January 2008
Week 1 - Task 1e
Websites
Websites are the main form of the internet and every action used on the internet is conducted via a website. Even though reading a website is very different to reading a book, there are similarities in structure and grammar. The presentation is just different as factors such as hyperlinks and hypertext create a whole different experience to reading. Hypertext leads us to to create our own experience on the internet as we make our own choices on what links to click on.
This interaction of websites by using links makes viewing the internet a lot more interesting and has lead to high competition within the different website's layouts. This competition has lead to a constant choice of different websites to look at, and this is where the term 'surfing' has originated from. Websites are constantly trying to be novel and innovative to gain more popularity and therefore gives users a very wide range of choice. However, people now start to have favourites and aren't surfing as much which is termed 'cultivation'. For example, i use my same favourite search engine of Google and have gone from using many social websites such as Myspace, Facebook, and Bebo to now just using my favourite one of Facebook. Does anyone else just stick to their favourite websites?
These virtual community websites are a fairly new development and have become a social phenomenon. Every person i know is involved with either Myspace or Facebook and i was even involved in a radio show last semester just about this topic. We did a survey around the Uni and the popularity for these websites is outstanding. Nobody had any negative comments about these online communities and view it as a very good way of keeping in touch with friends from around the world. What is your view on these social networking sites?
Hope to hear some feedback soon! Thank you.
Websites are the main form of the internet and every action used on the internet is conducted via a website. Even though reading a website is very different to reading a book, there are similarities in structure and grammar. The presentation is just different as factors such as hyperlinks and hypertext create a whole different experience to reading. Hypertext leads us to to create our own experience on the internet as we make our own choices on what links to click on.
This interaction of websites by using links makes viewing the internet a lot more interesting and has lead to high competition within the different website's layouts. This competition has lead to a constant choice of different websites to look at, and this is where the term 'surfing' has originated from. Websites are constantly trying to be novel and innovative to gain more popularity and therefore gives users a very wide range of choice. However, people now start to have favourites and aren't surfing as much which is termed 'cultivation'. For example, i use my same favourite search engine of Google and have gone from using many social websites such as Myspace, Facebook, and Bebo to now just using my favourite one of Facebook. Does anyone else just stick to their favourite websites?
These virtual community websites are a fairly new development and have become a social phenomenon. Every person i know is involved with either Myspace or Facebook and i was even involved in a radio show last semester just about this topic. We did a survey around the Uni and the popularity for these websites is outstanding. Nobody had any negative comments about these online communities and view it as a very good way of keeping in touch with friends from around the world. What is your view on these social networking sites?
Hope to hear some feedback soon! Thank you.
Week 1 - Task 1d
MUDS
MUD stands for a "multi-user dungeon, domain or dimension and is a multi-player computer game that involves role-playing with other users. It is typically run on the internet and enables huge groups of people to interact with each other in a virtual world. An example of this is 'World of Warcraft' where users take up a certain character role they design and give it demands which interact with other user's characters. The graphics are usually the best in gaming and involve a kind of fantasy world with often mystical characters such as Elves and Dwarves in 'World of Warcraft'. It has become a very popular hobby within the internet community as users can talk to numerous other users through their characters and form a sort of gaming community between them.
I have never used this sort of internet interaction as this kind of gaming has never interested me. However, i can see why it is so popular as the interaction between the characters is very interesting and the fact you know that real people are behind these characters adds extra competition to the gaming experience.
MOOS
MOOS stand for Object orientatedand this involves a 'text' online virtual reality system where multiple users can join online and are all connected at the same time. When a user logs on, it will provide them with a situation such as "You are sitting under a tree in a vast field." The user then has to respond with what they want to do next in this situation and the computer will then respond to their commands. Users can see descriptions of rooms, objects, events and other characters and therefore respond to this with their specific commands and comments.
Again, i have never used this type of gaming and don't think i ever would. The virtual world that is being presented could make the user become quite involved and even obsessed with it. I personally think this type of interaction is too far in gaming and could lead to people spending too much time at their computers instead of being outside. Does anyone agree?
Look forward to hearing your feedback.
MUD stands for a "multi-user dungeon, domain or dimension and is a multi-player computer game that involves role-playing with other users. It is typically run on the internet and enables huge groups of people to interact with each other in a virtual world. An example of this is 'World of Warcraft' where users take up a certain character role they design and give it demands which interact with other user's characters. The graphics are usually the best in gaming and involve a kind of fantasy world with often mystical characters such as Elves and Dwarves in 'World of Warcraft'. It has become a very popular hobby within the internet community as users can talk to numerous other users through their characters and form a sort of gaming community between them.
I have never used this sort of internet interaction as this kind of gaming has never interested me. However, i can see why it is so popular as the interaction between the characters is very interesting and the fact you know that real people are behind these characters adds extra competition to the gaming experience.
MOOS
MOOS stand for Object orientatedand this involves a 'text' online virtual reality system where multiple users can join online and are all connected at the same time. When a user logs on, it will provide them with a situation such as "You are sitting under a tree in a vast field." The user then has to respond with what they want to do next in this situation and the computer will then respond to their commands. Users can see descriptions of rooms, objects, events and other characters and therefore respond to this with their specific commands and comments.
Again, i have never used this type of gaming and don't think i ever would. The virtual world that is being presented could make the user become quite involved and even obsessed with it. I personally think this type of interaction is too far in gaming and could lead to people spending too much time at their computers instead of being outside. Does anyone agree?
Look forward to hearing your feedback.
Week 1 - Task 1c
Chat Rooms
Chat rooms are spaces where groups of people can discuss topics with different people at the same time. It is a form of synchronous conferencing and enables people to talk in real-time over instant messages and forums. It is a good method of communicating if you want a group discussion or to talk about topics with fellow colleages as all users can comment at the same time. The chat rooms are usually categorised into different themes and topics and therefore you can choose excatly what topic you want to talk about and know that the other users are interested in that topic as well. However, chat rooms can become over-crowded if too many people are talking at once and this can lead to people's points being overlooked as too many people are talking at once.
I have never personally used Chat Rooms as i find people put on a certain facade when they talk on it and therefore aren't talking as themselves. I also don't enjoy them when they become too crowded as i don't want to have to fight to get my view across. There are also many worries concerning chat rooms that i find disturbing such as young children being sucked into it and being taking advantage of by users with bad intentions. There are many cases of paedophiles using chat rooms to get close to children and this is a major reason why i believe children should not have access to them. Parents should put security blocks on their computers and limit the risk of this situation happening to their children. What do you think about this?
Messenger Service
Hope to hear your feedback soon!
Chat rooms are spaces where groups of people can discuss topics with different people at the same time. It is a form of synchronous conferencing and enables people to talk in real-time over instant messages and forums. It is a good method of communicating if you want a group discussion or to talk about topics with fellow colleages as all users can comment at the same time. The chat rooms are usually categorised into different themes and topics and therefore you can choose excatly what topic you want to talk about and know that the other users are interested in that topic as well. However, chat rooms can become over-crowded if too many people are talking at once and this can lead to people's points being overlooked as too many people are talking at once.
I have never personally used Chat Rooms as i find people put on a certain facade when they talk on it and therefore aren't talking as themselves. I also don't enjoy them when they become too crowded as i don't want to have to fight to get my view across. There are also many worries concerning chat rooms that i find disturbing such as young children being sucked into it and being taking advantage of by users with bad intentions. There are many cases of paedophiles using chat rooms to get close to children and this is a major reason why i believe children should not have access to them. Parents should put security blocks on their computers and limit the risk of this situation happening to their children. What do you think about this?
Messenger Service
MSN is a more personal method of communicating with people over the internet and is my favourite way of talking to friends. It is in real-time and has the facilities of using webcam and sending files via the messaging boxes. It is also safer as only people who know ure MSN address can have a conversation with you which therefore limits the chance of strangers talking to you. If you get a invitation to talk from someone you don't know then you can just reject it and not add them to your friends list. In my opinion this is the best way of social networking for children as parents can see excatly who is on their friend list and who they are talking to. Do you agree?
MSN is my favourite method of talking to people as it is fast and simple to use. I have been using it since my early teens and have found it a very good way of getting in touch with people, especially with friends who have moved away or friends i have abroad as this is perfect to talk to them in real-time. What are your views on MSN?Hope to hear your feedback soon!
Week 1 - Task 1b
Usenet
This is a global distributed internet discussion system where users can read and post public messages to each other in many categories called 'Newsgroups'. It does resemble Bulletin Boards and is the initial idea used in many web forums today. The discussions are threaded and users are able to view multiple Newsgroups in a 'web community' space.
One difference between Usenet and Bulletin Boards is that Usenet does not have a central server or a central system owner. It is distributed among a large, constantly changing mixture of servers which store and forward messages to one another. There are issues of privacy as every users posts can be seen by everyone else and are therefore open for discussion within the group.
Bulletin Boards
This is a computer system running software that performs functions such as downloading data, reading news, and sending messages to other users. It was a social phenomenon at the time of its introduction as never before had people been able to meet people and have discussion on message boards. Users also use it for publishing articles, downloading software, and playing games making it a very popular internet facility. The different networks within Bulletin Boards also allows regional and international communication to occur in a fast and easy way. It hasn't got the privacy of emails, but it is good for group discussions happening in different locations.
I personally have never used Usenet or Bulletin Boards before i came to University. It has just never interested me as a good method of communication, and the fact other users can view all of your posts has detered me in using it. However, since coming to Uni i have found it a useful way of communicating with other students and people off my course as it is good in sharing information on work, etc.
How does anyone else feel on using these as a way of communicating? Has anyone else felt put off by its lack of privacy too?
This is a global distributed internet discussion system where users can read and post public messages to each other in many categories called 'Newsgroups'. It does resemble Bulletin Boards and is the initial idea used in many web forums today. The discussions are threaded and users are able to view multiple Newsgroups in a 'web community' space.
One difference between Usenet and Bulletin Boards is that Usenet does not have a central server or a central system owner. It is distributed among a large, constantly changing mixture of servers which store and forward messages to one another. There are issues of privacy as every users posts can be seen by everyone else and are therefore open for discussion within the group.
Bulletin Boards
This is a computer system running software that performs functions such as downloading data, reading news, and sending messages to other users. It was a social phenomenon at the time of its introduction as never before had people been able to meet people and have discussion on message boards. Users also use it for publishing articles, downloading software, and playing games making it a very popular internet facility. The different networks within Bulletin Boards also allows regional and international communication to occur in a fast and easy way. It hasn't got the privacy of emails, but it is good for group discussions happening in different locations.
I personally have never used Usenet or Bulletin Boards before i came to University. It has just never interested me as a good method of communication, and the fact other users can view all of your posts has detered me in using it. However, since coming to Uni i have found it a useful way of communicating with other students and people off my course as it is good in sharing information on work, etc.
How does anyone else feel on using these as a way of communicating? Has anyone else felt put off by its lack of privacy too?
Week 1 - Task 1a
Communication via the internet has developed greatly over the past years. The introduction of Email, Bulletin Boards, Chat Rooms, MUDS & MOOS and websites mean communicating with people has never been easier.
Email
The creation of Email has impacted our culture dramatically, and also effects my life on a day to day basis. It is one of the fastest methods of sending a message and can be transported to any internet connection around the world. It has many Pros; it enables fast communication with facilities of storing large amounts of messages and also the ability to send large amounts of data in one message.
This is very helpful in the business industry as meetings and business deals can be confirmed across the world at a click of a button. It has also enabled business partners from different countries to overcome the problem of time zone differences. For example, a person in America can confirm a business arrangement with an associate in England near-instantaneously even with an 8 hour time difference. The major Con in business however is the security issue as many business deals via email contain important financial information and email hackers could gain entry to this and commit fraud.
This security issue can be seen not just in the business world, but also in our day to day lives. The message you send has to initially go through a computer before it can reach its destination, therefore making it easy for people to intercept and read your message. Also, many Internet Service Providers store copies of your email messages on their mail servers before they are delivered. The backups of these can remain up to several months on their server, even if you delete them in your mailbox. This can lead to the chance of other people reading your emails and it not being as private as you first thought. Has anyone ever experienced problems with their email security?
There are obviously a lot of positives to email or it wouldn't be one of the most popular methods of communication. I personally use it everyday as i have many friends who live in other countries and therefore this is the most effective way of talking to them or sending pictures, etc. The use of having email lists also enables me to send group emails with the same message or same file in an easy and fast way. Even with the security risk concerning email i still think it is one of the best inventions of its time!! What does anyone else think?
I would love to hear feedback on this topic if anyone has any views concerning it!
The creation of Email has impacted our culture dramatically, and also effects my life on a day to day basis. It is one of the fastest methods of sending a message and can be transported to any internet connection around the world. It has many Pros; it enables fast communication with facilities of storing large amounts of messages and also the ability to send large amounts of data in one message.
This is very helpful in the business industry as meetings and business deals can be confirmed across the world at a click of a button. It has also enabled business partners from different countries to overcome the problem of time zone differences. For example, a person in America can confirm a business arrangement with an associate in England near-instantaneously even with an 8 hour time difference. The major Con in business however is the security issue as many business deals via email contain important financial information and email hackers could gain entry to this and commit fraud.
This security issue can be seen not just in the business world, but also in our day to day lives. The message you send has to initially go through a computer before it can reach its destination, therefore making it easy for people to intercept and read your message. Also, many Internet Service Providers store copies of your email messages on their mail servers before they are delivered. The backups of these can remain up to several months on their server, even if you delete them in your mailbox. This can lead to the chance of other people reading your emails and it not being as private as you first thought. Has anyone ever experienced problems with their email security?
There are obviously a lot of positives to email or it wouldn't be one of the most popular methods of communication. I personally use it everyday as i have many friends who live in other countries and therefore this is the most effective way of talking to them or sending pictures, etc. The use of having email lists also enables me to send group emails with the same message or same file in an easy and fast way. Even with the security risk concerning email i still think it is one of the best inventions of its time!! What does anyone else think?
I would love to hear feedback on this topic if anyone has any views concerning it!
Friday, 25 January 2008
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