Final Blog Post

1. The most important thing that I learned this quarter was the ongoing digital divide that exists in our world. We studied the importance of technology and how it is changing our world. The western world has been greatly influenced by technology such as pod casts, blogs, ipods, HDTV, etc. However, does the implementation of wireless Internet need to happen in Africa if they have more pressing issues like running water and civil war? It really is a tough question to answer and one that will be interesting to note in the future.

2. One thing that I would have liked to study more was the evolving world of online politics. At times, I feel that I’m not up to speed on the political activities in our country. However, with more and more politics being discussed in a forum on the Internet it would give people like me who spend a lot of time online more chances to express my political beliefs.

3. For me, I thought the Human-computer Interaction was some of the driest material in the quarter. I didn’t like learning about computers and how they change people lives. I would have rather spent more time on new emerging technologies.

Readings for Monday February 27

Voice over Internet Protocol or VoIP is rapidly changing the telephone industry. The new technologies is by passing the use of telephone companies by enabling computers to have phone access. It’s turning digital information that can be transmitted over the Internet. There are 3 ways to make calls through the ATA, IP phones, and computer-to-computer systems. By the year 2006, it is expected that VoIP will reach 5 million homes. One of the most important components of VoIP is packet switching, which frees up computer space in computers. The greatest advantage of VoIP is that it is reliable. It vastly improves phones in turns of efficiency, cost, and flexibility. I foresee financial problems for cable and phone companies in the future with the addition of VoIP in the telephone world. A large majority of companies may become bankrupt or lose their businesses. They only way that some of them could survive is they converge with VoIP and market and sell the new technology in sort of a ultimate phone reception and performance on one machine.

What will VoIP cost in the year 2006?

What will the impact be on the cell phone world and industry?

Is packet switching the most effective way to transmit the frequencies and what will supercede packet switching in the future?

Readings for Wednesday February 22

As I read the readings for this week I was quiet surprised to find that the relationship between cyberspace and accessibility to cyberspace is on the rise. There are many new technologies that are being created to grant radio, voice technologies, and the Internet to people all across the world. Additionally, with new technologies being invented at a rapid pace it drops the prices on relatively old, but not obsolete technologies like radios. A few of the “new” technologies that are being brought to the forefront include systems called corDect and UAP or Universal Access Provider. Local communities are taking charge of directing the movement to get these systems put into place amongst the people.

The greatest challenge of granting accessibility to the public sphere is to reach rural areas that don’t have the benefits of the big cities. Problems exist such as rural areas don’t receive data connectivity. However, recent projects in Bhutan and Sari in India are proving that wireless cyberspace can reach far stretching areas. Researchers have found that small scale entrepreneurial operators have the best success implanting systems such as corDect and UAP. Ultimately, it is believed that cyberspace will be granted to all people in various areas of the world through hard work and small networked based groups working together.

How will countries with not a large economic base be able to have the newest technologies flowing into their communities?

What if a communist government will not allow for the wireless technologies to be put into place for fear of upheaval?

What role does the U.S. play in helping distant lands such as Bhutan with their cyberspace problems?

Readings for Monday February 13

How does Internet technology impact politics?

Both of the articles addressed the issue of the impact of the Internet on our political landscape. To begin, as the article about Joe Trippi points out is that the Internet expands resources for political candidates. Not all politicians have unlimited funds for a campaign so it makes financing things a lot easier. In essence it can offset costs. Additionally, the Internet can allow people to discuss politics on the Internet. For example, the meetup website created by Howard Dean enabled citizens to forma group of supporters from around the country talking about one single topic. Additionally, it allows candidates to gauge the support or non-support of their campaign without having to call people or conduct interviews. It saves people time that they can focus on more pressing issues.

Do you agree with the premise of these authors?

I do agree with the main principles of these authors. Many of their ideas and concepts are similar, however I noticed one common theme between the two authors. To me, I noticed that there is a shift occurring away from more traditional media such as newspapers and magazines to the Internet. More and more people are getting their news and their political news from the Internet. I agree in that 20 years the Internet may be the largest source of information for all people. However, I also agree that some use of the Internet does depend on economic status, age, and education but the shift has already occurred and will continue down the road.

Will the Internet be a main source of campgain information for political candidates in 5 years?

How will the political candidates give access to those who don't have a computer?

Will the Interent allow elections to be an international event for all countires?

Readings for Monday February 6

The Blogging technology isn’t the first non-mainstream media to exist in our country. For example, there were Pamphleteers who mud racked before the drafting of the constitution and first Amendment. Gradually, our media as evolved into newspapers, magazines, and now the world of television, and of course, the Internet. Blogs are not really a competitor to established media; rather it serves a unique purpose. It provides links to small news organization from personal sources that are better than what traditional media offer. A great example that the article “From Tom Paine to Blogs and Beyond” discusses is the impact of September of 11th. Bloggers posted reports and facts that the mainstream media were unable to report or didn’t choose to report. Also, information was put on the net in a faster, more economic way.

Blogs look beyond the usual fare on what established media concentrate their reports on. In the article, “NPR pod casts birth a new business model for public radio” it discusses an alternative option for people to obtain their media. One advantage of the Blog model is that information is shorter and more concise. Additionally, Pod casts have great potential for advertisement revenue in large sums of money. Thus, it could take away money from big time media conglomerates. In conclusion, the Blogging technology will not alter the importance of traditional media on our society. On the contrary, it seems that it will simple give people an alternate source of news and information. Establish media may suffer an initial hit from advertising loss, but it will still serve us in an effective manner for society to gather news.

What kind of advertisers will Pod Casts and Blogs target in the future?

Does society have confidence in these Blogs that all information is credible?

Will the government and military allow people to blog about issues of national security?

Extra Credit Monday January 30

“Social Software and Politics of Groups”

As humans, the Internet is a never foreseen technology in that we have no experience with it. The Internet is creating new social patterns. Software specialists are still learning how to build software for conferences around “tables” and “campfires” for discussion. Additionally, the aspect of social software is developing slower than single user software. There are lots of questions regarding social software. For example, testing the software. The organizers must encourage tangents rather than focusing on one thing. Lastly, the most important thing is improving the online environment for brainstorming about software.

Readings for Monday January 30

Communication scholars must take an active role in the software movement. As society expands, it has become more and more important that we are computer savvy. Participation by scholars in the field would only help the movement. As in the “GNU” article, restrictions can’t be placed upon our technologies. We must have a freedom of expression right granted to us by the First Amendment. Additionally, scholars would provide better education to the general public such as Universities. Lastly, the GNU article states that although people may lose jobs suggested by their free software, they still want people to work towards the general cause. In essence, the more people working, the more people can help the cause.

In the second article, “Second Super Power” it states that intranet work employees can work with internet work markets. Hence, the article believes that scholars should study the software movement because it can combine man and computer into one force. As of right now, man and machine are competing in some respects and may be damaging the technology field. It also mentions that society must remember, “Sound of voice,” or in other words the people. Scholars should research how man feels about the software movement. In the final article, “Second Super Power Rears Ugly Head,” it believes for ultimate success in technology we need to have a planetary society, for long term well being, encourages broad participation in democratic process. The Second Super Power is access through web enabled initiatives. But, the greatest success of the Second Super Power is that the ants or people rule from below, not the government. So, it remains crucial that communication scholars study the software movement in order to ensure the government does not gain too much power.

How will the U.S. government react to the software movement?

How are employees getting hyperlinked?

If Unix isn’t the ideas system according to the GNU creators, then what is the ideal system?