I want to learn, I ridiculously thought I had a good understanding of the net. The reality was that I had no idea, my emails looked like I hurricane had hit a post office and then spread its disorganized chaos thru my inbox. I googled and took the first hits I went to as gospel, well not really but I never really looked at other ways of searching.

I found myself thinking before searching, thats a kin to a guy asking for directions thats how much of an influence the unit had on me. I discovered blogging. I discovered that I like being a voyeur and watching what other people blog,email, flame,post and tweet.
I have enjoyed this unit, I don’t in all honesty have any idea how I have done but I have put myself out there, sometimes too out there but I have enjoyed it.

Thanks Peter, Cynthia and Students.

Wow talk about going out with a bang, the last module gives us some heavy duty reading and while there is a lot to think about most of the info that was in the module was relevant to me they were things that I use already but had no understanding of why they came about e.g. peer to peer networks etc.

It also raised the question of where is Technology going? What are our defining points as users and as part of the cyber space community? When do we become obsolete and will the computers strike back a la Terminator?

“How might the metaphor of an ‘ecology’ impact on the way you think about, understand or use the Internet”(Allen, n.d)

Before this course I would never have looked at the internet/web as an ecology but as different avenues have opened up to me and layers removed and revealed, I agree that the net is an virtual organic creature, so to speak that we are all dependent on others. Rather than just being, I have learnt that we depend so much other factors that most dont take into account, server working, packets of info getting to their correct destination,hosting, graphics etc.  Like any ecology if something is out of wack while the effects may not be felt immedately the ripples soon make their way to the edge of the pond.

“How are the concepts ‘information’ and ‘communication’ understood within the framework of an ‘information ecology?’”(Allen,n.d)

From what I can gather from the two reading materials

Towards an information ecology ( Wormell,I)

Information Ecology (Stalder,F)

Information is not the byproduct of two nodes communication but is an integeral part of structure of the ecology of online life. The way I see it is that while both nodes have their own seperate functions and identities they are also a part of the communication and sharing of information between themseleves and the rest to the online ecology.

When I think of the word ecology I see it as a living growing and or dying world. This is what the internet is, while we often verbalize its “space” how often do we look at the organic, nuts and bolts forms behind it.

“Why don’t we talk of a ‘communication ecology’?”(Allen,n.d.)

“Knowledge is power. Information is power. The secreting or hoarding of knowledge or information may be an act of tyranny camouflaged as humility”.(Robin Morgan)

I guess we don’t talk of a “communication ecology” because its the information that is of value and not the communication. While communication is vitally important, relaying information is the reason communication exsists.  Is that right?  I think so its how I see it, with out information communication becomes obsolete.

Allen, M. (n.d.). The Concepts (Publication. Retrieved n.d., from Curtin University of Technology: http://www.lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/portal/

Capurro, R. Towards an information ecology. Journal. Retrieved from http://www.capurro.de/nordinf.htm

Stalder, F. (1997). Information Ecology. Journal. Retrieved from http://felix.openflows.com/html/infoeco.html

“Sending and receiving emails effectively is only possible if you consciously consider communicative issues and problems.(Allen, n.d)

For us to be effective in communicating online we must examine the way in which we are communicating with others, what ‘persona’ we want to portray to others and what we expect those that receive our online communications to do with them once received.

Our online persona is constantly changing, correspondence sent from our “work” or “student” persona should be different from our “at home” persona. The way in which we interact with our friends the emails and structure of our communication can be more relaxed, because the familiarity, slang and implied meanings can be picked up quicker and concerns about privacy are usually much less.

However in a business sense, communicating with large groups from diverse ethnic and financial backgrounds we are confronted with new problems. As an English speaking person I find when I communicate with people of different cultural backgrounds the main problem is losing the context within my emails. I tend to keep emails short and to the point, which is unfortunate when dealing with” high context cultures”(Gundling, E. June 1999).

“But in other countries–including many in Asia and the Middle East-context, or setting, with its myriad nonverbal cues, can convey far more     meaning than the literal words of a given message. In such high-context cultures, business transactions are ritualized, and the style in which     the rituals are     carried out matters more than the words. A high value is placed on face-to-face interaction, and after-hours socialization with     customers and     colleagues is almost a daily occurrence. Companies that depend on low-context communication technologies to replace     context-rich forms of human     interaction unwittingly place the members of high-context cultures at a disadvantage.”
(Gundling, E.June 1999).

For me an example of high context interaction is when dealing with businesses in Fiji it is not unusual to have a meal and drinks during or after a meeting. In business meetings between indigenous Fijian’s it is not unusual for a Kava ceremony to take place, formal introductions and linage etc are announced. For those businesses to trade solely online, there is no equivalent in online speak. While salutations and introductions can be made online the meaning and gesture lies behind a face to face meeting is lost. In this scenario, we look at ways of incorporating email and a physical gesture, such as sending a sample of products or making a phone call as a way of presenting our absent physical self.

Factors to take into consideration range from age and level of computer literacy of the person we are emailing to English as a second language and no comprehension of implied meanings and slang.

“Email and voicemail can make communicating with colleagues in other countries easier, but such technologies can also be counter- productive.”(Gundling, E. June 1999)

Word based form of communication, email removes the subtlety, context can be lost and building rapport takes longer. Combating these factors we must examine where there is potential for failure, either in getting our message across in the way that it was intended or in securing a response that is both coherent and relevant to our request.

Taking internet speed into account is vital when sending emails especially to regional area’s still dependant on dial up. Loading times for graphics should be considered when building websites as many users will lose interest and move on.

Operating systems and the format in which we send and receive information is also important, as information sent in the wrong file type is rendered useless to recipient if they are unable to read or view it. In this respect, updating our software and looking for programs that go across board without adverse affects aides us in being effective in our communications via email.

With accessibility, cost and the ability to send and receive information and data quickly larger numbers of people are using the web and email as tools to communicate with others. To ensure effective communication is possible we must examine what can go wrong and how we can avoid falling into those traps.

Site 1   “Computer-mediated communication in low and high context cultures”

The differences between high context and low context societies and how they interact with one another is discussed in this site. What roles these differences make  and how they  directly influence the users ability to communicate effectively.  Pflug also looks at ways of making the net a more hospitable place for those from high context backgrounds and how we can make communicating with high context societies easier and less stressful.  Privacy issues are discussed at length and once again how we must take into account how others view the right to online privacy or the lack of within their web environment.

Site 2    Transliteracy: Crossing divides.

Dissecting transliteracy, this paper examines how we have learnt  to incorporate different types of media and the different ways of communication. Email, the issues of assuming  the literacy of the reader/sender, language barriers and ability to understand context within communications are closely examined .  Understanding how incorporating different forms of media is essential to becoming an effective  when communicating via the net and email is directly addressed. The site reinforces the concept that we must take into account potential problems and have ways of counteracting or offsetting them before they begin.  The role of text within our society and how it is woven irrevocably into the fabric of society is discussed at length.

Concept 7  “Netiquette”

Good communication practice on the Internet is not something  one ‘learns’, but something one ‘practices’ so as to teach others, less familiar than yourself, how it is done.(Allen,nd.)

Every community, city, village and group depends on certain protocols and procedures to enable them to coexist as a functioning group. The net is no different, in fact it is more important for us as members of the internet community to become aware of and practice.

I do not agree that “‘netiquette’ is something that a good internet user solely practices, with changing boundaries and contact with other countries becoming frequent, as informed internet users, being aware of changes occurring with software and  hardware, also with changes that occur in society, including netiquette has become vital.

Subject’s that were considered taboo and socially unacceptable a couple of years ago are now spoken about freely, falling into the trap of believing that we as experienced internet users cannot learn something from others is potentially a fatal flaw. A good example of changes within the net and how ideas and social guidelines evolve is Chatiquette (Row, H. 2007), netiquette evolved into chat form.

The issue of netiquette arises when we start interacting with people outside of our comfort zone, be they members of another company, country, strangers etc. We must, as effective internet users be aware that the social niceties and behavior that we expect from ourselves and from our community might not be relevant to another’s culture online or off.

Naturally, we expect a certain type of behavior from those we correspond with, we should be aware that we might be committing a netiquette sin when communicating with those of different ethnic, social and age groups.

Education plays an important key in netiquette and its use online. Being new to the internet in today’s society, brings with it new problems, with the rest of the world generally up to speed in the netiquette stakes these newer communities and countries are still testing the water.

“Although computer-mediated encounters between people of different
cultures are an everyday occurrence, their outcome depends on largely
unanalyzed assumptions about the ways in which intercultural communication
plays out on-line”(Hanna, B. E., & Nooy, J. D. 2004)

When communicating with friends and colleagues in the south Pacific nations I found that most emails received and text messages were written in capital letters, enquiring as to why they felt the need to shout at me they had, had no idea that writing in capital letters only was considered shouting.

In this case it was not me practicing good netiquette that helped them to learn but being told that it was considered bad form that helped them to change their internet practice. Within their social and business network it was considered the norm because they did not have anything to compare it to, even though when I had responded I had done so using correct grammar and spelling.

While it is still unacceptable to communicate using txt speak and capitalization in a business and academic scenario it is perfectly ok to use it in social networking sites such as myspace,etc. We are
faced with the dilemma of whether we correct what we consider to be bad netiquette when confronted with it.

What is the best course of action to take when confronted with an email that is capitalized, an order for stock that is written in text speak. Do we take the risk of angering or shaming fellow colleagues or business associates by correcting them? As an experienced internet user we must devise ways of working with and helping others to understand the basic’s of good net etiquette.

Site 1                Netizens: On the history and Impact of the Net on People’s Lives

This site discusses the relationship between Netizens and how the opening up of virtual boards or lack of has effected society. Because if the influx in new Netizens, improvements in hardware and ever changing software Netziens are constantly having to learn and adapt. The site also examines Netizens and their behavior has changed the political landscape. Author (insert) also looks at how different cultures interact and how the learning curve is quite steep. Netiquette being an integral part of the net is constantly changing, thus we must learn and adapt in order to survive the web jungle.

Site 2                “What is your claim to flame”

The author looks at the role of flames and flamers and how those who have been burnt online learn from the experience. Studying why flaming exists so predominantly on line and how it effects not only the two parties directly involved but also the direct consequences it has on those observing the interaction are considered. How we learn from watching participating in or being the victim of Flames is the central theme of this  site. Misunderstandings due to language, context and community interpretation is assessed and possible solutions and outcomes are given. This site is relevant to concept 7 netiquette ( Allen, n.d.) as it shows that if we do not have an understanding of what the expected behaviour or way we respond to others we are unable to practice good netiquette. Many of us learn what is expected of us after being flamed and or reprimanded by our online peers.

Concept 14 Cyberspace is informationally created ‘space’

“The sense of space is essential for humans – or at least many humans
- to be able to express their identities in special and rich ways”. (Allen,nd)

Aesthetically pleasing sites give us a feeling of permanency, in fact we tend to be more surprised when a store with all of the bells and whistles disappears into oblivion as opposed to a store built with basic coding and maintained by a novice web designer.

The assumption is made because website’s give us a feeling of generated space as opposed to emails which we look at as a letter or type of traditional correspondence . Subconsciously I associate web stores and sites with physical buildings, if the web designer has done a good job then moving about in the site will give the user a feeling of actually moving from “virtual room to room”.

This is misleading as the site itself is dependant on many behind the scene’s factors, reliable hosting, maintaining ownership of domain names, creating and maintaining live links and photo and graphic hosting servers remaining on line. While many users are aware of this behind the scenes stuff happening it is akin to how we view breathing, necessary but we don’t spend time thinking about it when we are using oxygen.

As an advanced internet user we must be aware that while well made websites allow us to feel that the site is a permanent fixture on the web the reality is their lifespan is dictated by the owner, servers and software they are using.

With emails we get no sense of movement because we associate it for what it is, writing a note or conveying information via a key pad and computer. We must ask ourselves then why is it that the same keypad and computer can generate a sensation of space that is lacking in email.

The contrast between filling out an online customer form and sending the same information via email differ, while set parameters of an online contact us form give the feeling of legitimacy, company headers, set questions, messages that the information has been sent the same cannot be said when sending the same information via email. Realistically, one cannot assume that in either scenario the information  will reach the intended person.

What we need to look at is how we expect the data to be processed and responded to, do we give more time for online forms to be processed because of the concept that a website is bigger and therefore busier and that an email should be responded to quicker because it is conceived as smaller and quicker.

We look at the way our language has evolved around internet usage and how the way we speak about the net reaffirms our feeling of space and the net.

· Go to the website
· Click thru to the next page.
· Links to take you to our site.
· Chat rooms/private room
· Navigate
· Browse thru
· Portals

This is everyday speak it is common to hear internet users with varying degrees of experience use these terms, all of which link a physical act with a mouse click or keystroke. The language that we use in connection with the net gives us the feeling of owning the virtual space we as netziens inhabit. This in turn helps to reinforce our conscious and subconscious belief that is cyberspace is real in a physical sense.

Site 1    Visible Past: Learning and discovering in real and virtual space and time

Looking at how we as netizens  can use created space to our advantage in “real space and time” is the focus of this paper. How we as individuals form tribes and communities online by interacting with others in a created and controlled environment is explored thoroughly. We are able to create space in a text based environment through creative speech and graphics. This paper critically studies the pros and cons of each of the ways we communicate online and how living solely in a virtual environment can be detrimental to our perceptions of the information gathered. Future and past usage of communication are reexamined and how our communities and virtual identity are influenced by both our online literacy and real life situations. Reconfirming that virtual space is becoming as important as real space provided within the site and the authors give an honest account of how space online line is vital.

Site 2    Personal boundaries/global stage

Structure of the internet, tribalism and ethics feature heavily in this paper. Looking at how we are drawn together across various borders and the lack of boundaries is discussed. The internet being perceived as  one large space the author attempts to explain how and why we are drawn to different sections of the space. It is also interesting to note that pitfalls of living in a relatively unplaced are touched upon and how the author sees the evolution of internet and our role within it.  I found that this site reinforced the concept of space within the net and used examples that I was able to easily identify with. The author also explores how self imposed morals and expectations can be detrimental to our time in web space and suggest ways to make living in cyberspace a more enjoyable event.

Concept 20 Active communication generates identity awareness

” One can only generate awareness of one’s membership of an email list by posting messages; others’ awareness of your identity will enable them to include you in their discussions and enable you to play your part in the community  that is the list. (Allen, n.d)

Communication is vital for the survival of a community; those that appear, thrive and function online are no different. One’s online identity on any particular site/list/forum depends on their ability to interact on some level with their fellow members.

Active participation with in list’s will not guarantee one’s popularity, however it gives life to our online persona and can convey a mental image of our belief’s, physical appearance, ethnicity and level of academic achievement to other participants.

Active participation that is germane to the list/thread reaffirms ones online identity to other members. Credibility is more likely to be given to those that contribute on a regular basis rather than irregular posts by unknowns/lurkers.

What stops an online member from contributing to a email list?

“Participants viewed persistent conversation, especially when it can be retrieved through
search mechanisms at a later date, as a loss of security and privacy, and an impediment to public participation. Participants followed     conversations to understand the practices and language of a DL. Strategies for reading and managing email were idiosyncratic and goal     driven. Some participants were concerned about maintaining access to DL information for future use. Others, more concerned about being     overloaded with too much email, focused on eliminating messages.(Nonnecke, B., & Preece, J. 2000)

Lurkers make up the majority of email list member’s (Nonnecke, B., & Preece, J. 2000), they gather information and in return choose to give little if anything to the list and the community of which they are a part.

In their paper “Persistence and Lurkers in Discussion Lists: A Pilot Study. ” (Nonnecke,B & Preece,J.2000) discuss why lurkers choose to remain actively hidden. Reasons vary, spamming, invasion of privacy and being overloaded with mass emails seem to be the main concerns of lurker’s, those members of a group that remain shadows of a group collecting information but rarely sharing.

The structure and nature of the online lists, enables lurkers to keep their anonymity while still being a part of group. For me personally as a lurker, I am able to get the information I want with out being involved in board wars, flaming or the politics that large groups ultimately engage in, so in my case I lurk to avoid conflict.

And while their interaction with others is limited and lack of rapport means that they are less likely to be sought out to give their views on issues being discussed many lurkers, if only to themselves can still remain part of a community given that their only contribution might be increasing the member count. Because the majority of list members are silent the onus then falls on those vocal members to carry the group, keeping it current and relevant. It is with our active participation that we allow others to include us in their conversations, rants and general banter (allen n.d.).

The life of the list remains solely with those active at any given time, therefore members roles and values within the list are constantly changing, increasing and decreasing within hours, days weeks or months depending on the activity with in the list, say for example a topic is started with regards to apples, only John (an active participant) and Bill (a lurker) have the knowledge to answer the given questions.

While John’s status with in the group remains unchanged, Bill’s is now on the rise and depending on the manner in which he answers the questions, it should continue to rise. Once the focus of the group changes to another subject the hierarchy within the group changes again and so it continues. Like any long term communication network many lists evolve and change, while its core beliefs and interests may remain, it is not unusual for the feel and direction of the list to change many times through out its lifetime.

Site 1    “The Mentality of Homo interneticus”

Michael H Goldhaber dissects and discusses the make up of netiziens and how their cultural differences affect both their self image and projected image in the web. How we as individuals learn and whether that is directly influenced by our community is addressed in this paper.  Identity  as individuals and as a society is examined  closely. Goldhaber has a way with words and is able to paint a picture with his words. Drawing heavily on Walter J Ong Goldhaber presents an interesting look at Homo interneticus.

Site 2    “Whose space is My Space? A content analysis of MySpace profiles”

Disclosure, to much or not enough how we mark our identity on the www is explored in this site. Reaffirming that our online persona is subject to how much personal information we disclose to our fellow netizens is what the author is focused on.  A detailed exploration into the realm of MySpace this paper attempts to understand why we give our personal information to relative strangers. The influence of others on our online social interaction and what we do with the information that we receive about others is explained. The paper raises many questions regarding personal safety, repercussions in the job market. Interestingly the author addresses how we form friendships and find love on line. Political views,  fashion trends and how we change or reevaluate our ideas about others can be tied to our online identity. The author examines how freedom of speech and the perception of lack of negative repercussions effects most online users.

REFERENCES:

Allen, M. (n.d.). The Concepts (Publication. Retrieved n.d., from Curtin University of Technology: http://www.lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/portal/

Cohen, L. B. (1996). Boolean Searching on the Internet. Retrieved 21st april 2009, from http://www.internettutorials.net/boolean.asp

Goldhaber, M. H. (2004). The mentality of Homo interneticus: Some Ongian postulates. Journal, 9(6). Retrieved from http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/1155/1075

Greenbaum, P. E. (1985). Nonverbal Differences in Communication Style Between American Indian and Anglo Elementary Classrooms. Journal, Vol. 22(No. 1), 101-115. Retrieved from http://aer.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/22/1/101. doi:DOI: 10.3102/00028312022001101

Gundling, E. (June 1999). How to communicate Globally. In B. S. Premier (Eds.), Communication Skills Global Teams (Vol. 53, pp. 28 24p 21 graph). Available from http://www.hum.utah.edu/communication/classes/sp04/3190-2/Virtual.pdf

Hanna, B. E., & Nooy, J. D. (2004). Mulitlingua – Journal of Cross- Cultural and Interlanguage Communication. Journal, 23(3), 257- 281. Retrieved from http://www.reference-global.com/doi/pdf/10.1515/mult.2004.012?cookieSet=1

Hauben, M., & Hauben, R. (1998). The Net and Netizens: The Impact of the Net on People’s Lives. Journal, 3(7). Retrieved from http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/607/528

Jones, S., Millermaier, S., Goya-Martinez, M., & Schuler, J. (2008). Whose space is MySpace? A content analysis of MySpace profiles. Journal, 13(9). Retrieved from http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/2202/2024

Lange, P. G. (2006). What is your claim to flame? Journal, 11(9). Retrieved from http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/1393/1311

Matei, S. A., Miller, C., Arns, L., Rauh, N., Hartman, C., & Bruno, R. (2007). Visible Past: Learning and discovering in real and virtual space and time Journal, 12(5). Retrieved from http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/1836/1720

Nielsen, J. (1997). Writing for the web., from http://www.useit.com/papers/webwriting/

Nonnecke, B., & Preece, J. (2000). Lurker demographics: counting the silent. Journal, 73 -80. Retrieved from http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=332040.332409

Nonnecke, B., & Preece, J. (2000). Persistence and Lurkers in Discussion Lists: A Pilot Study. Paper presented at the Proceedings of the Thirty-Third Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences., from http://www.ifsm.umbc.edu/~preece/Papers/HICSS-33_final.pdf

Pearce, F. (1999). BUSINESS NETIQUETTE INTERNATIONAL. from http://www.bspage.com/1netiq/Netiq.html

Pflug, J. (2008). Computer-mediated communication in low- and high-context cultures. Journal, 13(12). Retrieved from http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/2188/2056

Publishing, L. www.dictionary.com (Publication., from Lexico Publishing: www.dictionary.com

Row, H. (2007). Remember Netiquette? Now There’s Chatiquette! . Journal. Retrieved from http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/15/chatiquette.html

Thimbleby, H. (1998). Personal boundaries/global stage. Journal, 3(2). Retrieved from http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/582/503

Thomas, S., Joseph, C., Laccetti, J., Mason, B., Mills, S., Perril, S., et al. (2007). Transliteracy: Crossing divides. Journal, 12(12). Retrieved from http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/2060/1908

]]> http://secretlifeofmees.wordpress.com/2009/05/22/concepts/feed/ 0 Mariska http://secretlifeofmees.wordpress.com/2009/05/10/reflections-of-module-4/ http://secretlifeofmees.wordpress.com/2009/05/10/reflections-of-module-4/#comments Sun, 10 May 2009 17:22:54 +0000 Mariska http://secretlifeofmees.wordpress.com/?p=259 ]]> Overall I found module four(allen n.d.) to be enlightening, I mistakenly thought I knew all there was to internet searching and had not given much thought to the credibility of the sites that I was gathering information from.  As it now appears I was wrong in assuming all that glitters must be gold.

I fell into a trap that I am sure that many other internet users fall into, I took the site at face value, at first impressions which in the world on line can be a fatal error.

The Ohio Su net.Tutor was enlightening for me. I participated willingly if not eagerly in the tutorials and quizzes to see how my online prowess was, after reading the material in the tutorial I now know not measure a sites value until checking all the necessary requirements off my list.

Through my course discussion group I learn even though wiki’ing is cool many of its entries are not credible with in an academic setting, something I found astounding as within my core group its become the norm to say “Just Google it” or “I have to wiki that”  this week alone I have taken great pleasure in telling my friends you know academically you can’t take what’s wiki’d as gospel.

The Ohio tutorial also made me reassess the way that I look at websites as well as re examine the way that I previously gathered information. As a sort of self reflection I have had to rethink some of my internet habits and what was second nature.

In this age of instant accessibility is it a good thing that the web is at large uncensored? Are we encouraging people to learn or become even lazier in their learning habits by having a mass of knowledge so readily available?

Things to ponder…..

References

Google.com

Wiki.com

Ohio State University Net Tutor

Curtin University

photo courtesy of tinypic.com

Are you one of those people who clicked on a link and was taken to a fancy schmancy website and just started browsing. Did you ever give any thought to who was behind the website, where your personal details and info was being stored who was watching you looking at the website.

I know I am guilty or rather was guilty of judging a website by its initial appearance something I am sure the majority of internet users would be guilty of.  For example I have purchased many things from Deals Direct I have browsed the website numerous times and have up until now never given much thought about who or what was behind the website. I guess in the back of my mind I pictured another person waiting, just waiting to take my order regardless of when or what time I logged onto the site.

I never questioned weather or not the items were in stock simply because some pixels at the bottom of the screen told me that the item was currently in stock.  I sent off emails asking for more info about items I was interested in and always received a reply, I never questioned weather or not the name attached to the email or signed down the bottom was in fact genuine simply because the site looked legitimate.  Sounds pretty stupid doesnt it.

Now when I go to a web site I tend to look for finer details, contact details, updates reviews etc.

Surprisingly because I come from a media background I tend to be more analytical about political articles and such as I know the effect that the media can have on the public’s perception on a political figure or state of affairs.

For example, I was in Fiji during the 2000 coups. I have members of my immediate family that were involved on both sides of the coup. The morning of the coup I was in Lautoka and had received a phone call from a work colleague telling me what was going down. The situation in Suva was tense and there had been some rioting as a result of the march however there were no casualties. I took a ride into Lautoka and then into Nadi to see if there was any similar riots happening on our side of the island. Things remained calm, I even had a few what coup’s when I asked if locals felt uneasy about the coup.  By 9pm Fiji time I had received about 300 phone calls from Australia from friends and family telling me to get out before I got shot or injured as the whole country was rioting and burning. Apart from Suva no other town or city had any report of civil disobedience.  However according to international media reports the whole country was in chaos.

The reason I used my experience as an example is to show how commercial interests can affect infomation, obvioulsly blood shed and chaos sell more news papers than sunshine and butterflies. And so we must take into account who is writing articles that we are reading, do they have an interest in the positive or negative portrayl of the subject being described or written about? What will the author gain from writing the article?  You know stuff like that.

Ernest Ackermann’s website has an excellent article on “Evaluating Information found on the World Wide Web” I might add that Ernest also has some wicked facial hair and a nice shiny top.

I would like to state that I have never had any problems with the dealsdirect.com. au website or organization.

Ahhh “Sun Java” I remember when Java was nerd speak and that applications that used it were cutting edge and very chic, now days its seems that everything is run on a Java platform and that its pretty much run of the mill technology.

Had I honestly ever thought about how this platform/program came into being before starting this course, ummm NO but reading the material in Module 4 (Allen, n.d)  gave me a new perspective on the whole Java experience.

Java Boutique give us an excellent intro into the actual nuts and bolts of java, what it does and how it affects the programs, websites and other applications we have taken for granted.  It is interesting to note that when James Gosling and Bill Joy initally wrote this programming language it, they did so with the intent that it be used in house hold appliances, in that respect Java could very well have brewed your morning Java.

Of course us as mere mortals would have probably been oblivious to this fact and thankfully the powers that be realised its massive potential and steered the Java ship into computer applications rather than cups of coffee and butter soaked toast.

Please make sure you check out Java Boutique

Read the article its short and more importantly to the point. Additionally this time line give you a fantastic idea of how far Java has come over the past  18 years.

Bill Joy talks about his book Mirror Worlds and about Java and the web.

Here is a link to James Gosling talking about how Java has evolved and where it started from. Its great viewing and you get to hear it from the horses mouth.

The Clan Gunn society has created this website to keep its members, mainly those directly affiliated with Clan Gunn on its current events, history and kinfolk scattered through out the world. The society through its website aims to encourage its members to be active participants with in its clan by posting up and coming events and giving information that is not readily accessible about gatherings through out the world.

Visually the site is lacking, perhaps a reflection on the amaturish ability of the web designer, however the pages are fast loading due to a lack of large pictures and no flash script.

The site appears to not have any commercial value, there is no adware or paid advertising/click through links on the site. The sole purpose, to the reader appears to be conveying news and information relevant to its members without any ulterior motives. Each of the subject matters are clearly defined in the buttons on the left hand side once again promoting ease of use for the viewer. Titles and subject matter are to the point and factual, in fact the site tends to read more as a newsletter rather than glammed up website or commercial editorial.  A letter from the “Ceann Cath of the Clan” gives the site credibility and denotes a sense of authenticity because of his position with in the Clan.

Links provided on the site are Clan Gunn societies in other countries all of which link back to http://www.clangunnsociety.org once again giving credence to its authenticity as the main source of information on matters relating to Clan Gun. All links and contact information listed on the site are in working order and was last updated in the northern hemisphere’s spring.

Overall while visually bland the site provides useful information about the history, events relating to Clan Gunn and useful contacts. If the viewer was researching historical information or looking for contacts within Clan Gunn then this website would be a useful tool in aiding their search.

Clan Gunn Society

So as you can well imagine this log entry/report is started with some trepidation a tinge of fear and me wondering if

I put the lid on my mascara after I washed the brushes.

Ok so the three sites I chose are….

Clan Gunn Society

Clan Gunn Society USA

Gunn Tartan

Here is the info that I managed to find on each of the pages, I saved the info by cutting and pasting the addresses I looked on the site map and or contact us/ about us for author info. Because none of them were educational institution based I didn’t put anything for that and well for the screen shots I did it old school and crtl/prtScn it into paint and then uploaded it to tinypic.com for the photo hosting.

http://www.clangunnsociety.org/page.php?pagename

Alan Robson David Taylor

The Gunn clann

http://www.clangunn.us/main.htm

Rich Gunn

Gunn Clan American Society.

http://www.clangunnsociety.org/page.php?pagename=welcome

gunns@gunnclan.net

Clan Gunn of Scotland History, Kilts tartans and Ancestry search.

The reason why I used the programs that I did was simply because they were with in my comfort zone. I did however save the urls with diigo so that I can refer back to them at a later date.

I found that a lot of the websites I looked at were lacking when it came to giving the author credit or acknowelging where info came from.  As it is something that never occured to me before, I guess a lot of websites are in breach of copywrite when it comes to photos or redistribution of infomation and intellectual property.

What are they good for?

Is it just another narcissistic, ego inflating way of blowing our own horn?

Can we actually make a difference with our blogs?

One mans trash, in some cases is another mans blog.  In this day and age when a good majority of the world has access to the internet and to free blogging programs its seems that anyone can be a writer.

Is that a good thing?

After having a look thru blogger and word press it seems like everyone has something to say. I wonder if they really do or if they are just blogging for the sake of blogging.  I know that for some blogs are seen as the modern day secret diary with passwords instead of keys and skins instead of leather or cloth bound covers.

From a political stand point, blogging gives bloggers a voice or at least the impression of having a voice in the political arena.  Unfortunately much like the Chinese whispers of old blogs can also be a way to spread rumours and false allegations.

For me personally I will usually take  the information I read in a blog with a grain for salt.  I enjoy looking at the different writing styles, skins and layouts.

AND OR NOT

These three everyday, ordinary some might say bland words can make your life sooooo much easier. George Boole was on to something when he came up with his “Boolean Algebra” , a way of showing how words collect or not, have relationships with other words with out mucking around with the original meaning or context of the word.

Boolean Algebra is also fantastic for doing web searches for example, I want to find out some info about Clan Gunn. I already have a fair idea of what I am looking for as its my clan from Scotland and I need some more info about it.

I open up www.google.com and type the following in the box, the numerical value to the right of the word searched is how many hits I got.

Clan Gun

Clan Gunn                         110000

Clan AND Gunn              153000

Clan OR Gunn         118000000

Clan NOT Gunn              249000

As you can see boolean logic helps us to weed out the irrelevant pages, now thats not saying that there won’t be some crap in the results that are smaller it just means that there will be less of it.  For example I got 118 million hits for Clan and Gunn now I know while having me in the family might be a good thing I seriously dont think its worth 118 million pages.  By the same token 153 thousand pages for Clan AND gunn also is exsessive and by page 2-3 we are starting to get into info that is not relevant to our search.

Information from University sources really stumped me until I remembered virtual libraries, I actually remembered it after I read the concept box underneath the question, by hey you know what I mean.

After reading this website WEBLIMINAL it gave me a good insight into how virtual libraries work and why we should question websites we gather info from. It also has some great links to virtual libraries. Infact go to the home page and have a read thru of stuff or info that grabs your attention. Its definately one for me to DIIGO

At the moment the way that I find the info that I want, which is the most relevant is by using the “AND OR NOT” method. I have found that this eliminates a lot of rubbish or info which is pretty useless in regards to what I am actually searching for.  I also try and think outside the square and when I am hitting brick walls I tend to rethink what I am searching for or more so the way that I am going about looking for  it.

]]> http://secretlifeofmees.wordpress.com/2009/04/16/boolean/feed/ 1 Mariska Джордж Буль Pictures, Images and Photos