Thursday, December 15, 2011
2.)Does the user truly have the control to express themselves online, or are they just using some else’s creation? So does the expression lie with the user or with the creator of the program.
3.) With all the advances in the internet, What all (can/or/will) be changed to make the Internet a first order creation.
4.) Where do we see the future of the internet going? Are we doomed to more and more social networking site or through time will it begin to truly flourish and show its true potential.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Revised Remix Paper
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Second Writing Assignment
Bebo vs Lessig Remix
The social network king website I chose to introduce is Bebo. It was launched in July of 2005 founded by Michael Birch and his wife Xochi Birch. It currently is owned and operated by Criterion Capital Partners after taking it over from AOL in June of 2005. Bebo is somewhat similar and competitive with Facebook. Every user receives a profile that consists of a comment section and a list of users. Users can chose from a selection of modules to add as well. The account is created from a default profile that is set up to be private in which limits access to friends or other users unless specifically added. Public profile is an option in settings. Personalization is also prohibited on this social networking site in which you can chose designed templates for backgrounds known as a “skin”. Profiles also can include quizzes, polls, voting, unlimited photo albums limiting 96 images per album, blogs, comment sections, list of bands, list of groups, a video box, etc. The video box can either be hot-linked from youtube, uploaded directly to Bebo's servers, or copied from a Bebo Media Content provider's page. All of these aspects of the social networking service could be used to elaborate on Lessig's argument to a change in the current copyright laws.
Bebo's current copyright policy states that you may not post, modify, distribute, or reproduce in any way any copyright material, trademarks, or other proprietary information belonging to others without obtaining the prior written consent of the owner of such proprietary rights. Bebo respects the intellectual property rights of others and reserves the right to terminate any user's access to the Bebo Service according to these terms of use if Bebo is notified that such user's activities infringe the rights of third parties on more than one occasion. If you think your work or another user's work has been copied in a way that constitutes copyright infringement you are given the option to file a copyright infringement notification with them by sending a written communication that should include their required information. If you also believe that if an material that you have uploaded to the service has been removed in error and does not cause infringement you also may file a counter-notice by sending a written communication included their required information.
In Lessig's Remix, he argues the fact that there needs to be a change in the current state of copyright laws in regards to legalize remix culture. Lawrence Lessig, the reigning authority on intellectual property in the Internet age, spotlights the newest and possibly the most harmful culture war—a war waged against our kids and others who create and consume art. America’s copyright laws have ceased to perform their original, beneficial role: protecting artists’ creations while allowing them to build on previous creative works. In fact, our system now criminalizes those very actions.
Advancements in all of these new technologies have made it irresistible for users to disregard these what we call unreasonable laws. Some of today’s most talented artists along with many other individuals are considered felons because of this very law even if they are your average every day good people. Because the computer allows for it we, as this generation, see no reason why we shouldn’t do what computers from this day in age and the current Web will allow. Burning a copyrighted CD for a friend to “biting” riffs from films, videos, songs, etc and making new art from them is not prohibited but we still at this point in time do it. Criminalizing ordinary people for a crime that in my opinion is harmless is exactly what our society should not do, and Lessig shows how we can and should end this issue. Lessig states,“it is time we stop developing tools that do nothing more than break the extraordinary connectivity and efficiency of this network.” This quote ties into the argument very well because the copyright laws are in fact lessening our amount of connectivity within our networks. He also states that the internet was born a sharing economy; for example, with the social networking website Bebo users share everything from photos to what they are doing that day. Already so much is being shared on these social networking sites that Lessig puts up a good argument.
Another good quote to further the topic stated by Lessig is “Creative work is a “public good” meaning that (1) once it is shared, anyone can consume it without reducing the amount anyone else has; and (2) it is hard to restrict anyone from consuming it once it is available to all.” Once you post to the internet it really is so simple for anyone to use your idea and branch of it. That is actually the exact way I start mapping out ideas for designing websites. I look at how other good websites are structured and pull ideas to enhance my own design. If one sees something inspirational and something that they like its instinct in my opinion to share their ideas. I see this everyday working in the art department. We work in a community of artistic talent and we all are forever bouncing ideas off of each other. Lessig explains how the copyright laws enforce losses in innovation, and stifle certain kinds of creativity.
I particularly paid much attention to the chapter quoting the difference in a commercial economy and a sharing economy. Putting this into perspective really helped me to tie in my own experiences and my take on the whole argument. One quote in particular grabbed my attention which was “commercial economies build value with money at their core. Sharing economies build value, ignoring money.” He also talked about how both of these ideas combined create what he considers a third economy being the hybrid economy built upon sharing and commercial economies. These things put together seem to create a better economy that is more practical!
My favorite quote from the book:
“He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me.”
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Monday, September 19, 2011
Thursday, September 8, 2011
First Writing
My first encounter with a computer all began when my grandmother made her first purchase of a Dell. My grandmother used to live on the same street as me and I can still remember walking to her house after school when I got off the school bus to go get on her computer. However, my first experiences were not of getting on the actual internet. I would always get on various games that were already installed on her computer and she also would buy me the educational software games that I could get on and play. I spent quiet a bit of time playing the mouse and cat game as well as minesweeper. I was much too young to be operating a computer for a I never understood the concept of shutting down the computer. Instead, when the computer would freeze up I would jerk the plug from the wall and then plug it back in. Seemed to work just fine until the computer crashed....sorry Memaw!The one thing that I do remember early on about actually connecting to the internet was the sound of the dial up whenever we would access the internet. The sound was one of a kind and forever recognizable I could hardly stand it. It only was a reminder that it wasn't in fact high speed internet.
As sound was the first thing that came to mind when thinking back, another recognizable trait about earlier internet use was the imagery of older programs. I still remember the old original American Online logo design. It really has came a long way! My first real frequent experiences being online was when I developed my own screen name. I was so young I didn't really have a purpose to be online a lot other than to talk to friends. Eventually, instead of relying on my grandmothers computer my mom ended up purchasing one for my older sister. She in which got her screen name first and gave me the idea, go figure.
My relationship with the internet was much similar to Vannever Busch's when he gained his insight on how the internet could or should work. I was hooked on it and have been ever since. The new technology was something that I was always learning and advancing in where as my parents had to come to me to learn how to do things. For example, my Dad still has no idea how to use the internet in such a way that is useful. I was talking with him on the phone the other day and asked if he could check my mom's email and his response was “the only thing I know how to do is get to the used car dealership page.”
I guess if I didn't feel similar feelings to his theory then I would not have chosen the major that I am, being Graphic Design. It is amazing to me that when I was young I can remember web code very vaguely. I was always curious as to what it meant and how a website was created. I was first introduced to web coding barely a year ago and my interpretation of it before is much different than what I have learned it to be now. Vannever Bush's vision is really something that has made my future possible. I have never viewed the internet as a negative advancement because a lot of it is just an easier way to advertise businesses. It may not have been his initial idea for the memex to be geared for advertising but with his idea further explored it is one of the great outcomes from it.
I feel that another great aspect of the invention of the internet is the extensive amount of research that we can access with the click of a button. This is very much so one of the ideas Vannever Bush had in mind as he was drawing out his concept of the “memex”. In his “As We May Think” essay he predicted that many kinds of technology would come from this device such as the internet, the World Wide Web, online encyclopedias. He stated “wholly new forms of encyclopedias will appear readily made.” Once again looking back I can remember coming home from school just when I was in elementary school and having to define definitions as homework and I would use the online dictionary because it got to the point where it was quicker and easier for me and more easily accessible. I wanted to get my homework done as quickly as possible so I could go out and play. Many say that technology has taken away from the amount of activity that children participate in. I could maybe take that argument at this point in time but back when it was first being introduced it really only had a positive effect on me.
In Nathaniel Hawthorne's speaking of the advancement of the wood stove he was referring to this new technology as being a threat to social and domestic life. I think that his way of envisioning it was not very realistic to me. You are capable of making what you want of your interaction with new technologies and you don't have to pick up a video game controller or sit at a computer all day playing games or engage in any activity that takes away from your social life.