What might you do with access to UWB radio transmissions if you had a receiver in a car?
UWB stands for ultra wide band. According to Abelson, UWB uses very low amounts of power. This is possible because because of the large bandwidth. This low power and large bandwidth can severely limit the range from transmitter to receiver but could transfer large amount of information. Two ideas from chapter eight of Blown to Bits stood out to me as uses for UWB, connecting media aspects of ones home without the use of cables and also connecting a music library to a car.
This second idea is more relevant to me being as I have a car but not my own home with many media outlets. I really like the idea of connecting my home computer's music library to my car. Almost every time I am driving I have my ipod plugged in. The UWB would eliminate this need. Whenever I update my music library I could just transfer over the music and listen to the music in my car without using any cords and taking less time that a manual transfer. Not only could this be done with music but also other media files like movies, f.or the back seats of course.
Another use could be the ability to send directions from your home computer to your car. With a screen in your car that could read the direction anytime you go somewhere new from home the directions can be quickly and easily transferred to the car. Not only directions but even other addresses, phone numbers, or other pertinent information about an upcoming trip.
It would also be helpful if the car could then transmit information to other receivers. Important information could be transferred to the car, the car then driven to another location, and the information then transferred to that new location. This would be like driving a giant memory stick.
The ability to transfer information back from the car would also be helpful to mechanics and car savvy people who wish to look at car diagnostics. The car could record statistics like, gas mileage, distance traveled, rpm, and other useful engine information to make cars perform better and diagnose problems.
The idea of having a UWB receiver in a car has many practical applications. Most of these application do however need other tools to make them useful, such as a storage device for saving the information once transferred. The large bandwidth allows for large amounts of information to be transferred but only over a short distance. The use of UWB is practical with a single home or business office and even to a vehicle however the short range keeps this technology from covering larger areas as wifi and other telecommunications do.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Ken Zeran vs. kenZZ03
What might you have done differently if you were in the position of artist Ken Zeran, mentioned in this chapter?
Ken Zeran was placed into a very unfortunate and frustrating position. After reading his story I even became a little frustrated with AOL and the fact that he seems almost powerless to defend himself. He was forced to spend quite a bit of valuable time tracking down and trying to stop the abusive phone calls an their source.
The courts did not rule in favor of Zeran. They basically said that AOL could not be held responsible for what the patrons of the site used the space for. In the end the company AOL and also the radio station were victorious and convinced the courts that they specifically cause not harm to come to Zeran. The only person that Zeran could sue would be the person who created the false advertisement. AOL would not cooperate with Zeran in order for him to continue his legal campaign against the true offender.
I feel like I would have handled the situation that Ken Zeran was in very similarly. He went to the authorities for help. The courts were not in his favor due to previously made laws. How ever ethically wrong this might have been the courts could do nothing. My understanding is that Zeran could not have changed his telephone number because of his business but to prevent the threatening calls I feel that that might be worth the cost.
The cost spent on dealing with the calls and the courts could have been spent spreading the news about his new business phone number. He also easily could have created a post on the same AOL page about the wrong doing of kenZZ03. He could have told his story on this page and convinced many people to turn on the original slanderous author. The laws are in place to protect freedom of speech which means Zeran's words would have been just as protected as kenZZ03.
I would have possibly screened my calls or created an automatic return message that explained the situation. In other words I would have used the technology to defend myself since the courts and AOL would not help bring justice to the situation, just as Ivanna did in the first chapter of Shirky's book. I would make announcements just as KRXO did and try to regain the reputation that was lost. I would work to gain emotional support from the very same people originally against me. Through these measures hopefully I would convince AOL to remove the postings and possibly the user for their company's ethical standpoint.
Ken Zeran was placed into a very unfortunate and frustrating position. After reading his story I even became a little frustrated with AOL and the fact that he seems almost powerless to defend himself. He was forced to spend quite a bit of valuable time tracking down and trying to stop the abusive phone calls an their source.
The courts did not rule in favor of Zeran. They basically said that AOL could not be held responsible for what the patrons of the site used the space for. In the end the company AOL and also the radio station were victorious and convinced the courts that they specifically cause not harm to come to Zeran. The only person that Zeran could sue would be the person who created the false advertisement. AOL would not cooperate with Zeran in order for him to continue his legal campaign against the true offender.
I feel like I would have handled the situation that Ken Zeran was in very similarly. He went to the authorities for help. The courts were not in his favor due to previously made laws. How ever ethically wrong this might have been the courts could do nothing. My understanding is that Zeran could not have changed his telephone number because of his business but to prevent the threatening calls I feel that that might be worth the cost.
The cost spent on dealing with the calls and the courts could have been spent spreading the news about his new business phone number. He also easily could have created a post on the same AOL page about the wrong doing of kenZZ03. He could have told his story on this page and convinced many people to turn on the original slanderous author. The laws are in place to protect freedom of speech which means Zeran's words would have been just as protected as kenZZ03.
I would have possibly screened my calls or created an automatic return message that explained the situation. In other words I would have used the technology to defend myself since the courts and AOL would not help bring justice to the situation, just as Ivanna did in the first chapter of Shirky's book. I would make announcements just as KRXO did and try to regain the reputation that was lost. I would work to gain emotional support from the very same people originally against me. Through these measures hopefully I would convince AOL to remove the postings and possibly the user for their company's ethical standpoint.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
DRM
What’s the value of a bit? It seems that going after folks who have traded songs or movies online is a huge expenditure of effort and money. Is DRM-protected content the way to go? If you don’t agree, propose another method for the distribution of digital multimedia so that content creators can still be compensated.
It is interesting how much value is placed on a bit. According to Abelson article one illegally downloaded song could cost anywhere from $200 to $150,000. This should be a deterrence for anyone to download illegally when songs cost at maximum $1.29 on iTunes. Either people do not know or do not understand the enormous consequence of their actions because illegal downloading of music and other media files is prevalent.
The RIAA has been working to stop these illegal transactions of media. They use software to find and contact those people who have some amount of suspicious files. They put forth a large amount of effort in order to catch what they consider to be "cyber criminals." There are laws and it is illegal to download copyrighted material. This organization is simply enforcing laws that are easily and often broken. These laws are like speed limits. Many people go over the speed limit but the major violators are the ones that pay the most. It is not possible to catch all the speedsters or illegal downloaders but everyday another person is caught.
I do not agree with all aspects of DRM protected content. There are several setbacks and restrictions that make this media control technique less than optimal. The restriction that this type of media puts on organizations, such as iTunes and musicload, is a tight spot for their respective customers. The DRM software would not allow certain music files to be played. This problem invites people to find ways to bend and get around the rules put in place, just as people circumvent the system of buying music.
I feel that with any system people will learn to navigate around and squeeze through loopholes. People will do a lot to avoid paying for music when they believe that the record companies already make more than enough money. This brings us back the previously discussed idea of the hot button word "free."
I think that DRM is the current solution to the problem. It is not however the final solution to the problem. The nature of illegally downloading and sharing music and movies will continuously change with the type of protection against it. The only way to fully avoid the illegal distribution of digital media is to get rid of it. This is not beneficial to anyone. Organizations are trying to enforce the laws more effectively and will the introduction of new protections things will change until another loophole is discovered.
With the discovery and additions of new technology security of these new features is put to the test. A foolproof system does not exist yet. I believe that one day it will. Abelson suggests a few possibilities, however none are perfect. There could be a paid subscription that allows people to download what they want while paying an overarching theme. There could be specific networks and if you pay for the network you could have access to the media within. The main point is to stop illegal downloads and still allow the legal distribution of digital media. Someday a solution will be found but I believe that untill that day the current system is the best it can be.
It is interesting how much value is placed on a bit. According to Abelson article one illegally downloaded song could cost anywhere from $200 to $150,000. This should be a deterrence for anyone to download illegally when songs cost at maximum $1.29 on iTunes. Either people do not know or do not understand the enormous consequence of their actions because illegal downloading of music and other media files is prevalent.
The RIAA has been working to stop these illegal transactions of media. They use software to find and contact those people who have some amount of suspicious files. They put forth a large amount of effort in order to catch what they consider to be "cyber criminals." There are laws and it is illegal to download copyrighted material. This organization is simply enforcing laws that are easily and often broken. These laws are like speed limits. Many people go over the speed limit but the major violators are the ones that pay the most. It is not possible to catch all the speedsters or illegal downloaders but everyday another person is caught.
I do not agree with all aspects of DRM protected content. There are several setbacks and restrictions that make this media control technique less than optimal. The restriction that this type of media puts on organizations, such as iTunes and musicload, is a tight spot for their respective customers. The DRM software would not allow certain music files to be played. This problem invites people to find ways to bend and get around the rules put in place, just as people circumvent the system of buying music.
I feel that with any system people will learn to navigate around and squeeze through loopholes. People will do a lot to avoid paying for music when they believe that the record companies already make more than enough money. This brings us back the previously discussed idea of the hot button word "free."
I think that DRM is the current solution to the problem. It is not however the final solution to the problem. The nature of illegally downloading and sharing music and movies will continuously change with the type of protection against it. The only way to fully avoid the illegal distribution of digital media is to get rid of it. This is not beneficial to anyone. Organizations are trying to enforce the laws more effectively and will the introduction of new protections things will change until another loophole is discovered.
With the discovery and additions of new technology security of these new features is put to the test. A foolproof system does not exist yet. I believe that one day it will. Abelson suggests a few possibilities, however none are perfect. There could be a paid subscription that allows people to download what they want while paying an overarching theme. There could be specific networks and if you pay for the network you could have access to the media within. The main point is to stop illegal downloads and still allow the legal distribution of digital media. Someday a solution will be found but I believe that untill that day the current system is the best it can be.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
EBAY WORKS
Considering the Prisoner’s Dilemma in this chapter, provide your own insight on how sites such as eBay “work” for most participants of this popular online auction site. Do they really work? Or is there too much risk?
Most people selling on eBay are people who are trying to get rid of old junk and just make a dollar. Those people buying on eBay are generally trying to get something cheap. This creates two goals. Selling something cheap does not make as much money and making more money requires that people pay a higher price. Here is a clear dilemma. In order for auction sites to work both parties must find an equal value for which they are willing to buy and sell their product for.
Each party must also trust the other. As in the prisoner's dilemma, one must trust the other to get the best outcome for each. However the buyer could decide that the minimum bid is too high, the seller gets nothing and must hold onto the item and the buyer looses nothing or the seller drops the price and makes less money and the buyer get exactly what they wanted. On the other hand the buyer could be tricked into spending more for a product. The seller could have multiple screen names and up-bid their own product. They seller could also sell something that is less quality than what they may lead to believe.
Both of the previous situations can be avoided with trust. If there is a way to ensure trust the idea of eBay could be foolproof, as would the idea of stealing and crashing a car like in Shirky's chapter. Trust is a major part of buying and selling online. The site eBay attempts to improve trust between patrons of the site by providing areas that users can leave feedback for each other. EBay then compiles the feedback for other users to see. This allows buyers to rate the trustworthiness of a seller. This is enough for most users. They will select a seller with a higher satisfaction rating than one with a low rating.
Other users do not even look at this feedback and trust in the goodness of people or simply trust in the reputation of the site. If a large percent of customers lied cheated and stole to make more money less and less people would use the site to make purchases, but the site survives. The fact that eBay and other auction and bidding sites exists and continue to make money show that even with the framework of a prisoner's dilemma in place the sites still work. People are obviously still interested in using the tools provided and trust the other users as they hope they are trusted.
There are obvious risks involved with making purchases on eBay. There may even be too mush risk for those skeptical people. But over all the use of the auction site is too high for someone to believe that there is too much risk. EBay has built up a solid reputation and seems to have helped people stay within the boundaries of the win-win (or rather less loss-less loss) choice in the prisoners dilemma.
Most people selling on eBay are people who are trying to get rid of old junk and just make a dollar. Those people buying on eBay are generally trying to get something cheap. This creates two goals. Selling something cheap does not make as much money and making more money requires that people pay a higher price. Here is a clear dilemma. In order for auction sites to work both parties must find an equal value for which they are willing to buy and sell their product for.
Each party must also trust the other. As in the prisoner's dilemma, one must trust the other to get the best outcome for each. However the buyer could decide that the minimum bid is too high, the seller gets nothing and must hold onto the item and the buyer looses nothing or the seller drops the price and makes less money and the buyer get exactly what they wanted. On the other hand the buyer could be tricked into spending more for a product. The seller could have multiple screen names and up-bid their own product. They seller could also sell something that is less quality than what they may lead to believe.
Both of the previous situations can be avoided with trust. If there is a way to ensure trust the idea of eBay could be foolproof, as would the idea of stealing and crashing a car like in Shirky's chapter. Trust is a major part of buying and selling online. The site eBay attempts to improve trust between patrons of the site by providing areas that users can leave feedback for each other. EBay then compiles the feedback for other users to see. This allows buyers to rate the trustworthiness of a seller. This is enough for most users. They will select a seller with a higher satisfaction rating than one with a low rating.
Other users do not even look at this feedback and trust in the goodness of people or simply trust in the reputation of the site. If a large percent of customers lied cheated and stole to make more money less and less people would use the site to make purchases, but the site survives. The fact that eBay and other auction and bidding sites exists and continue to make money show that even with the framework of a prisoner's dilemma in place the sites still work. People are obviously still interested in using the tools provided and trust the other users as they hope they are trusted.
There are obvious risks involved with making purchases on eBay. There may even be too mush risk for those skeptical people. But over all the use of the auction site is too high for someone to believe that there is too much risk. EBay has built up a solid reputation and seems to have helped people stay within the boundaries of the win-win (or rather less loss-less loss) choice in the prisoners dilemma.
FOAF
What professional benefits do you see by investing some time in a FOAF-style network?
Many time professional services and businesses rely on connections, especailly small business. Freind of a Friend or FOAF style networking is all about connections. If someone is a friend of mine and they then meet a different friend of mine there is now a connection between them, me. This is what happens with a friend of a fiend network only I do not need to be involved any sort of way. The network makes all the connections for us. In Clay Shirky's book, he speaks about a social network tool called dodgeball. This tool not only allows you to find connections online but it allows people to physically find someone who is also updating their location. It uses the connection between friends and the information they upload to various social network sites to connect people with each other.
A basic example is the friend wheel on facebook. Here is my friend wheel, it shows how each of my firends connects to other friends that are also on facebook. This is not as complicated as the dodgeball scenario but still shows how many connections can be made throough just one small group of friends.
For a professional organization these connections are important. Any company that I am a part of, now has acess to all of my firneds. From my friends they can get to each of their friend wheels and this can obviously be a huge increase in customers. The expansion is also kept from being random. There is a certain order in which companies can recognize possible customers.
Using FOAF the companies can see the interests of thie current employees and customers and then look and find friends of those people with similar interests. FOAF is a tool that can is complex enough to be benificial to businesses. It is important to keep in mind however that it is just a tool. These networks only go part way. The company would have to put in work to connect the dots and work to gain the customers. It connects people through aspects about their lives but does not physically bring people together.
Small business are always in need of a larger customer base. They could use FOAF to expand. Instead of simply casting a broad net hoping to pull in at least a few customers they can target certian types of people throught this type of network. As small networks are connected through FOAF a larger network is formed. As the network grows so does the businees and so does their business's connections. With the addition of every new customer a new network can be reached. These networks will intermingle and the users of the companies service or product will become a network of their own.
Many time professional services and businesses rely on connections, especailly small business. Freind of a Friend or FOAF style networking is all about connections. If someone is a friend of mine and they then meet a different friend of mine there is now a connection between them, me. This is what happens with a friend of a fiend network only I do not need to be involved any sort of way. The network makes all the connections for us. In Clay Shirky's book, he speaks about a social network tool called dodgeball. This tool not only allows you to find connections online but it allows people to physically find someone who is also updating their location. It uses the connection between friends and the information they upload to various social network sites to connect people with each other.
A basic example is the friend wheel on facebook. Here is my friend wheel, it shows how each of my firends connects to other friends that are also on facebook. This is not as complicated as the dodgeball scenario but still shows how many connections can be made throough just one small group of friends.
Using FOAF the companies can see the interests of thie current employees and customers and then look and find friends of those people with similar interests. FOAF is a tool that can is complex enough to be benificial to businesses. It is important to keep in mind however that it is just a tool. These networks only go part way. The company would have to put in work to connect the dots and work to gain the customers. It connects people through aspects about their lives but does not physically bring people together.
Small business are always in need of a larger customer base. They could use FOAF to expand. Instead of simply casting a broad net hoping to pull in at least a few customers they can target certian types of people throught this type of network. As small networks are connected through FOAF a larger network is formed. As the network grows so does the businees and so does their business's connections. With the addition of every new customer a new network can be reached. These networks will intermingle and the users of the companies service or product will become a network of their own.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Relay for Life and Strike
Look deeper into the concept of a “information cascade.” Can you cite an example of where following the actions of others was a sound idea? Where doing so ended up being a poor choice?
The basic idea of "information cascade" is that someone notices something that another person or group is doing. After seeing those actions they then make the same choice, or take the same action as the other person or group. The idea of protesting the East German government after World War II is an example of this information cascade. A small group started a small protest every Monday. Overtime more people noticed these gathering and decided to join after seeing no response from the government, because of the groups overall lack of numbers. Each week the number grew. Once the government realized they needed to make a change and stop the group, it was much too large. The protests were then a success and the East German Government resigned.
Many times joining a group like this is a successful venture. When there is little chance of failure or receiving punishment more people are willing to join. People like to be comfortable in what they do, especially low risk high reward situations, like in East Germany. Another more positive example is the idea of Relay for Life in the fight against cancer. Relay for Life began when one man decided to run for 24 hours straight to raise money for his local cancer society office, he raised $27,000. People saw what he had done and liked it so they then began running with him in teams to raise money. Eventually the word spread and now we have relay for life events once a year in thousands of locations around the country. I attend the local relay for life in my city and as a event we raise over 1 million dollars every year. Millions of people followed the lead of one man the create an event to raise millions of dollars to fight cancer! This is a great positive outlook on an information cascade.
Another example of an information cascade could be a strike. Union workers start talking amongst themselves about higher pay and working less hours. Then a small group decides to try and force the subject with the company by not working. Other people may see the cause, realize they want the same thing and follow suit. This idea could spread through the company and maybe achieve their goals, but many times not. Companies can crush strikes by acting when they are still small. Threatening to fire those workers who strike and simply continuing work without them could cause the strike to fail. My dad works for the Newport News Shipyard and was hired when workers went on strike in the mid 1980's. The shipyard simply continued as a company allowing those who went on strike to not get paid and eventually loose their jobs because of the strike. This is an example of where following the ideas of a small group may not pay off.
Information cascade is a phenomenon that can produce both positive and negative effects depending on the topic spreading. Just like good and bad news a groups can spread ideas rapidly. Whether good or bad it is not to hard to find members to join your cause, even if they regret it in the end.
http://www.relayforlife.org/relay/about
The basic idea of "information cascade" is that someone notices something that another person or group is doing. After seeing those actions they then make the same choice, or take the same action as the other person or group. The idea of protesting the East German government after World War II is an example of this information cascade. A small group started a small protest every Monday. Overtime more people noticed these gathering and decided to join after seeing no response from the government, because of the groups overall lack of numbers. Each week the number grew. Once the government realized they needed to make a change and stop the group, it was much too large. The protests were then a success and the East German Government resigned.
Many times joining a group like this is a successful venture. When there is little chance of failure or receiving punishment more people are willing to join. People like to be comfortable in what they do, especially low risk high reward situations, like in East Germany. Another more positive example is the idea of Relay for Life in the fight against cancer. Relay for Life began when one man decided to run for 24 hours straight to raise money for his local cancer society office, he raised $27,000. People saw what he had done and liked it so they then began running with him in teams to raise money. Eventually the word spread and now we have relay for life events once a year in thousands of locations around the country. I attend the local relay for life in my city and as a event we raise over 1 million dollars every year. Millions of people followed the lead of one man the create an event to raise millions of dollars to fight cancer! This is a great positive outlook on an information cascade.
Another example of an information cascade could be a strike. Union workers start talking amongst themselves about higher pay and working less hours. Then a small group decides to try and force the subject with the company by not working. Other people may see the cause, realize they want the same thing and follow suit. This idea could spread through the company and maybe achieve their goals, but many times not. Companies can crush strikes by acting when they are still small. Threatening to fire those workers who strike and simply continuing work without them could cause the strike to fail. My dad works for the Newport News Shipyard and was hired when workers went on strike in the mid 1980's. The shipyard simply continued as a company allowing those who went on strike to not get paid and eventually loose their jobs because of the strike. This is an example of where following the ideas of a small group may not pay off.
Information cascade is a phenomenon that can produce both positive and negative effects depending on the topic spreading. Just like good and bad news a groups can spread ideas rapidly. Whether good or bad it is not to hard to find members to join your cause, even if they regret it in the end.
http://www.relayforlife.org/relay/about
Revolutionary E-mail?
Based on the quote from this chapter, “revolution doesn’t happen when society adopts new technologies--it happens when society adopts new behaviors,” do you agree or disagree? Cite examples to support your position.
Just as we have talked about before things become invisible over time. When something becomes invisible it no longer stands out and is integrated into many aspects of everyone's daily life, much like the Internet is today, or telephone. We may not remember a time, but at one point both of these ideas were revolutionary. They became truly revolutionary when people began to have other aspects of life revolve around the new technologies, not just when they started being used. I believe Clay Shirky is correct. Society truly becomes revolutionized when people's behavior is changed to fit a new technology.
Using the Internet to send e-mail, in chapter six of Shirky’s book shows a change in Societies behavior, not just an adoption of a new technology. Many to many communication is vital in today's society. E-mail is one tool that makes this possible. When society began adopting this new idea and using the Internet's capabilities to interact e-mail was not yet revolutionary. The revolution happened once there was no other logical way to send a mass letter. Revolution happens when a person's first thought, their behavior, immediately points them to the new technology. This shows a change in society’s behavior.
When society adopts the technology of e-mail it becomes one option for sending out a mass message, there were other forms of group communication. These other forms did not have the benefits that e-mail had, like quickness of delivery, inexpensive cost, and lack of need for synchronization. Once society realized the e-mail was the only reasonable way to send a mass message, it became second nature to gravitate to e-mail over any other type of communication.
E-mail in a way has become invisible in society. Once this shift to e-mail from other forms of communication happened it became revolutionary. It changed the way people thought about communication. It opened many doors of opportunity for communication. Adoption of a technology is quick, making that technology revolutionary takes more time.
Just as we have talked about before things become invisible over time. When something becomes invisible it no longer stands out and is integrated into many aspects of everyone's daily life, much like the Internet is today, or telephone. We may not remember a time, but at one point both of these ideas were revolutionary. They became truly revolutionary when people began to have other aspects of life revolve around the new technologies, not just when they started being used. I believe Clay Shirky is correct. Society truly becomes revolutionized when people's behavior is changed to fit a new technology.
Using the Internet to send e-mail, in chapter six of Shirky’s book shows a change in Societies behavior, not just an adoption of a new technology. Many to many communication is vital in today's society. E-mail is one tool that makes this possible. When society began adopting this new idea and using the Internet's capabilities to interact e-mail was not yet revolutionary. The revolution happened once there was no other logical way to send a mass letter. Revolution happens when a person's first thought, their behavior, immediately points them to the new technology. This shows a change in society’s behavior.
When society adopts the technology of e-mail it becomes one option for sending out a mass message, there were other forms of group communication. These other forms did not have the benefits that e-mail had, like quickness of delivery, inexpensive cost, and lack of need for synchronization. Once society realized the e-mail was the only reasonable way to send a mass message, it became second nature to gravitate to e-mail over any other type of communication.
E-mail in a way has become invisible in society. Once this shift to e-mail from other forms of communication happened it became revolutionary. It changed the way people thought about communication. It opened many doors of opportunity for communication. Adoption of a technology is quick, making that technology revolutionary takes more time.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
To buy, or not to buy...
Explain and give an example of a mental transaction cost.
A mental transaction cost can be defined by a decision that must be made by a consumer when making a purchase. Is that purchase necessary? Is the cost worth what is being received in return? These are the questioned involved with the decision to make a purchase. People would rather not think and make decisions which means people would prefer to have little or no transaction cost. That is one reason people like free things. If there is no cost to the product then the decision is made infinitely easier by the fact that the mental transaction cost is basically eliminated.
According to Chris Anderson, in his chapter on "free," Selling something even as cheap as a penny can deter people from making a purchase. That simple one cent cost forces a decision and a higher mental transaction cost. Obviously that transaction cost would be lower than the purchase of a new car. That mental transaction cost requires a much higher level of thought.
One example of a mental transaction cost takes place when a consumer is shopping for a new shirt. The consumer must decide it the cost is worth what is being gained, the new shirt. If the shirt is a name brand the monetary cost is higher but the benefit may be higher as well. The shirt may be "cool" or look really good on the purchaser, these are things that could go through the head of the person making the purchase. The mental transaction cost is like what is being given up if the purchase is made. The consumer would obviously lose some amount of money and possibly popularity but would gain a shirt and possible popularity. In this case the consumer must determine if the pros out weigh the cons.
This example shows the mental transaction cost of purchasing a shirt. There are these costs when making any purchase. It is important to keep these points in mind when making a purchase. Most people make these choices in their head without even realizing, but they are still present.
A mental transaction cost can be defined by a decision that must be made by a consumer when making a purchase. Is that purchase necessary? Is the cost worth what is being received in return? These are the questioned involved with the decision to make a purchase. People would rather not think and make decisions which means people would prefer to have little or no transaction cost. That is one reason people like free things. If there is no cost to the product then the decision is made infinitely easier by the fact that the mental transaction cost is basically eliminated.
According to Chris Anderson, in his chapter on "free," Selling something even as cheap as a penny can deter people from making a purchase. That simple one cent cost forces a decision and a higher mental transaction cost. Obviously that transaction cost would be lower than the purchase of a new car. That mental transaction cost requires a much higher level of thought.
One example of a mental transaction cost takes place when a consumer is shopping for a new shirt. The consumer must decide it the cost is worth what is being gained, the new shirt. If the shirt is a name brand the monetary cost is higher but the benefit may be higher as well. The shirt may be "cool" or look really good on the purchaser, these are things that could go through the head of the person making the purchase. The mental transaction cost is like what is being given up if the purchase is made. The consumer would obviously lose some amount of money and possibly popularity but would gain a shirt and possible popularity. In this case the consumer must determine if the pros out weigh the cons.
This example shows the mental transaction cost of purchasing a shirt. There are these costs when making any purchase. It is important to keep these points in mind when making a purchase. Most people make these choices in their head without even realizing, but they are still present.
ZERO?!
Why is “zero” such a hot-button word?
The word "zero" changes things. There is a psychological trigger associated with the word. In the Chris Anderson chapter on free, an experiment was conducted with selling chocolate. When first selling chocolate the higher quality Swiss chocolate sold at fifteen cents and the Hershey's kiss at only one cent. The Swiss chocolate sold better, because of the better quality of candy. When each price was reduced by one cent, making the Hershey's kiss free, it was taken at a higher rate.
Zero is less of a quantitative value and more of a psychological effect that must be taken in context. Does the fact that something is free effect the quality of the item? Does the fact that something is free now but it used cost money matter? What real difference is there between a free bagel and free ketchup? Do people value items that were free the same as items they pay for? All of these questions are related to the actual cost of an item but are more related to the psychology of the decisions that we make as customers.
As Chris Anderson spoke in the beginning of the chapter, things that used to be sold but are then given away at zero cost tend to fail, but things that have never cost money tend to be extremely successful, as seen with the Village Voice and The Onion. The quality of the Village Voice, seemed to diminish because the price diminished. The Onion which has always been free, and makes its money from advertisements, is an extremely successful satirical news source. People's perception of free affects their decisions when it comes down to the idea of zero.
Zero means that there is no real decision to be made. Regardless of whether the item that is free is needed it can be obtained at no toll. If the item goes unused, so be it. The consumer also loses the right to complain if the item is not exactly what they wanted. This is where the expression, "you get what you pay for," comes into play. If an item costs money the consumer clearly wants to own the product and will purchase the exact item that they desire. If the item is free the consumer may or may not want or need the product, or it may not fulfill the exact need of the consumer.
Zero is a hot-button word and it changes consumers' perceptions about products. The word zero can create success or failure for a product. It allows people to make decisions more easily and can cause people to get something they do not need or is not what they really wanted.
The word "zero" changes things. There is a psychological trigger associated with the word. In the Chris Anderson chapter on free, an experiment was conducted with selling chocolate. When first selling chocolate the higher quality Swiss chocolate sold at fifteen cents and the Hershey's kiss at only one cent. The Swiss chocolate sold better, because of the better quality of candy. When each price was reduced by one cent, making the Hershey's kiss free, it was taken at a higher rate.
Zero is less of a quantitative value and more of a psychological effect that must be taken in context. Does the fact that something is free effect the quality of the item? Does the fact that something is free now but it used cost money matter? What real difference is there between a free bagel and free ketchup? Do people value items that were free the same as items they pay for? All of these questions are related to the actual cost of an item but are more related to the psychology of the decisions that we make as customers.
As Chris Anderson spoke in the beginning of the chapter, things that used to be sold but are then given away at zero cost tend to fail, but things that have never cost money tend to be extremely successful, as seen with the Village Voice and The Onion. The quality of the Village Voice, seemed to diminish because the price diminished. The Onion which has always been free, and makes its money from advertisements, is an extremely successful satirical news source. People's perception of free affects their decisions when it comes down to the idea of zero.
Zero means that there is no real decision to be made. Regardless of whether the item that is free is needed it can be obtained at no toll. If the item goes unused, so be it. The consumer also loses the right to complain if the item is not exactly what they wanted. This is where the expression, "you get what you pay for," comes into play. If an item costs money the consumer clearly wants to own the product and will purchase the exact item that they desire. If the item is free the consumer may or may not want or need the product, or it may not fulfill the exact need of the consumer.
Zero is a hot-button word and it changes consumers' perceptions about products. The word zero can create success or failure for a product. It allows people to make decisions more easily and can cause people to get something they do not need or is not what they really wanted.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Dukepedia
The “power law distribution” or “long tail” phenomenon, as seen in behavior online on the Wikipedia, suggests that the concept of an average user of wikipedia is meaningless. Support your answer: how do you think a local, “JMU only” version of the Wikipedia would compare to the worldwide version? Would it be very similar? Higher quality? Less quality? Why?
Wikipedia is run by a phenomenon called the power law distribution. This is defined by a huge imbalance between participation. In the wikipedia example found in chapter five of Shirky's book, out of the 129 contributing writers for the page on asphalt, six of them can take credit for about a quarter of the edits. This means that the average user of wikipedia has very few edits. A local version of Wikipedia, lets call it Dukepedia, would compare on several levels to the worldwide version. Major trends would be similar whereas the sheer volume of entries would have to be smaller.
The phenomenon of the power law distribution would still take place within a smaller community like the JMU community. If it was narrowed down to one class on campus this theory would hold less true. Just a few students would make up for most of the articles. However there would be a variety of articles, because of the variety of majors at this school. I personally may only write one article or edit a couple articles, whereas media, communications, and english majors may contribute more because it is something that they are interested in doing.
I feel that the quality of Dukepedia would be similar or comparable to that of Wikipedia. It does not take an expert in a certain field to write a quick article about a topic, especially when someone else can come later and add to it. It would take a while to catch on and really become reliable, but so did Wikipedia. Once it became known around campus people would want to join and put their two cents in. This would allow Dukepedia to get on Wikipedia's level, quality wise.
The main difference I see is the number of articles and number of contributers. The other possible problem is the type of article. Many topics are not relevant to a college atmosphere and would therefore most likely not be written. This is affected solely by the restrictions of a local community. More people in the community allows more people to edit and write more article. More writers would equal more articles. This creates a quality versus quantity argument in a way. Quality wise they would match up whereas quantity would suffer in the local version of Wikipedia.
Wikipedia is run by a phenomenon called the power law distribution. This is defined by a huge imbalance between participation. In the wikipedia example found in chapter five of Shirky's book, out of the 129 contributing writers for the page on asphalt, six of them can take credit for about a quarter of the edits. This means that the average user of wikipedia has very few edits. A local version of Wikipedia, lets call it Dukepedia, would compare on several levels to the worldwide version. Major trends would be similar whereas the sheer volume of entries would have to be smaller.
The phenomenon of the power law distribution would still take place within a smaller community like the JMU community. If it was narrowed down to one class on campus this theory would hold less true. Just a few students would make up for most of the articles. However there would be a variety of articles, because of the variety of majors at this school. I personally may only write one article or edit a couple articles, whereas media, communications, and english majors may contribute more because it is something that they are interested in doing.
I feel that the quality of Dukepedia would be similar or comparable to that of Wikipedia. It does not take an expert in a certain field to write a quick article about a topic, especially when someone else can come later and add to it. It would take a while to catch on and really become reliable, but so did Wikipedia. Once it became known around campus people would want to join and put their two cents in. This would allow Dukepedia to get on Wikipedia's level, quality wise.
The main difference I see is the number of articles and number of contributers. The other possible problem is the type of article. Many topics are not relevant to a college atmosphere and would therefore most likely not be written. This is affected solely by the restrictions of a local community. More people in the community allows more people to edit and write more article. More writers would equal more articles. This creates a quality versus quantity argument in a way. Quality wise they would match up whereas quantity would suffer in the local version of Wikipedia.
Why Scratch?
After reading the article about Scratch and exploring the Scratch website, what are some observable benefits in creating a space to share student work?
After I began reading the article I decided that I wanted to visit this site. I then spent almost an hour exploring and playing some games that had been created, some better than others, but all were unique. I enjoyed this experience and believe that the fun I had just messing around for a bit must be amplified for the people that create their own games and presentations then look at other people's programs. Not only is this site fun and filled with mini games but it also has intelligent presentations and school projects.
One benefit is that students can use this space a means to get creative and learn all at one time. No matter what the student is creating they are learning basic programing skills. If the student must do research to create the project then that student is also learning about that topic. Students would get excited about this type of project for school and really enjoy working on it, which would in turn produce higher quality work.
The fact that it is online programing add to the student's experience. I feel that in today's society understanding and learning about technology is vital. This website allows for technological education at the same time as other learning can be taking place. The website also allows for student to edit the work of other programmers. If a student uses an incorrect fact or other misconception, comments can be left so that the creator can fix it or that same person can download the program and make edits themselves.
Along the same lines of collaborative work all users can see all the other user's published work. If an educational presentation is looked at by other students that same information can be learned by others. Teachers could even download a presentation to use in class if it was good enough, which many seemed to be. Teachers can also createv there own presentation or educational game and provide a link to the class so that they could learn that way.
I feel that using this website students are opened up to a new branch in education. They are not just using online resources but also creating them. It is a fun and educational experience to create their own program. The website breaks down many barriers including the language barrier and the barrier between subjects. When creating a program about history students would be using computer science and technology skills, language skills, and also the history skills.
After I began reading the article I decided that I wanted to visit this site. I then spent almost an hour exploring and playing some games that had been created, some better than others, but all were unique. I enjoyed this experience and believe that the fun I had just messing around for a bit must be amplified for the people that create their own games and presentations then look at other people's programs. Not only is this site fun and filled with mini games but it also has intelligent presentations and school projects.
One benefit is that students can use this space a means to get creative and learn all at one time. No matter what the student is creating they are learning basic programing skills. If the student must do research to create the project then that student is also learning about that topic. Students would get excited about this type of project for school and really enjoy working on it, which would in turn produce higher quality work.
The fact that it is online programing add to the student's experience. I feel that in today's society understanding and learning about technology is vital. This website allows for technological education at the same time as other learning can be taking place. The website also allows for student to edit the work of other programmers. If a student uses an incorrect fact or other misconception, comments can be left so that the creator can fix it or that same person can download the program and make edits themselves.
Along the same lines of collaborative work all users can see all the other user's published work. If an educational presentation is looked at by other students that same information can be learned by others. Teachers could even download a presentation to use in class if it was good enough, which many seemed to be. Teachers can also createv there own presentation or educational game and provide a link to the class so that they could learn that way.
I feel that using this website students are opened up to a new branch in education. They are not just using online resources but also creating them. It is a fun and educational experience to create their own program. The website breaks down many barriers including the language barrier and the barrier between subjects. When creating a program about history students would be using computer science and technology skills, language skills, and also the history skills.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Wiki-Wiki
Ward Cunningham came up with the software to make Wikis possible through an application called HyperCard
-HyperCard
-Created by Bill Atkinson
-Used on Macs only
-Grandparent of Wiki's
-Hyper text- meaning clicking on a term or picture will take you to another item
-Used on only one computer not a network
A Wiki...
-promotes meaningful associations between pages
-is not a carefully crafted site
-seeks to involve visitors in an ongoing process of creation and collaboration
-is a simple page
-is free form
Wikis can be...
-meeting agendas
-collaborative spaces
-internal blogs
-focused compact groups
-documentation
-a collection of action items
-focused on the existing community
Wikipedia...
-is the largest most common wiki
-has 3.4 million articles (Encyclopedia Britannica has about 500 thousand)
-is easily searched and edited (if not locked)
-put quality information into the hands of the people
-is far from finished
Other wiki services
-Wiki Spaces
-PB Works
-Google Sites
-Media Wiki
It's for my safety...okay thats fine
Some news reports have suggested that the Bush administration used the USA Patriot Act to look at the e-mails of American citizens without a warrant. What’s your position if this was indeed the case? Should citizens be willing to give up their privacy? Does it bother you to know that your online communications are very potentially semi-private instead of private?
I believe that the government does things in order to help and protect the citizens of the United States. The government does not need a warrant to check what I am saying. They are not taking away my freedom of speech, they are just listening to what I am saying. I feel that the government is staying with in the boundaries of my civil rights even when they filter through my emails that are sent, and so I am okay with it.
I feel that when it comes to the safety of another American we should be willing to give up a small piece of privacy. If the government needs, for national security reasons, to filter emails, I am all for it. If looking through the public email record can help stop terrorist attacks and other major crimes then I believe that this "spying" is essential.
It does not bother me at all to know that my conversations are only semi-private. If I decide for whatever reason that I need to talk behind someone's back and I do this via email, the chances of that person knowing is still very slim. The government is not looking to expose drama between two people, they are looking for threats to the State. I do not send any form of communication that might be of use to the government. I feel that most of the people who were strongly against this act had something to hide.
People must also understand that with in a company the emails are monitored more closely than the government monitored. This was partially because of shear numbers I am sure. If I send my dad an email at his work or vice versa the subject line must have something to do with his job. Most emails I send to him, about any topic, have a subject of, "possible meeting" and start with, "Paul" not "Dad." His company blocks non-work related emails. I cannot use words like dad, love, and even dinner. Pictures are also blocked in his email service.
I feel that as long as the government tells us that our email is being watched it is fine. I am in support of the Patriot Act and believe that in some cases loosing a little privacy can be a good thing. A completely secure network that spans the globe seems like a dangerous idea to me.
I believe that the government does things in order to help and protect the citizens of the United States. The government does not need a warrant to check what I am saying. They are not taking away my freedom of speech, they are just listening to what I am saying. I feel that the government is staying with in the boundaries of my civil rights even when they filter through my emails that are sent, and so I am okay with it.
I feel that when it comes to the safety of another American we should be willing to give up a small piece of privacy. If the government needs, for national security reasons, to filter emails, I am all for it. If looking through the public email record can help stop terrorist attacks and other major crimes then I believe that this "spying" is essential.
It does not bother me at all to know that my conversations are only semi-private. If I decide for whatever reason that I need to talk behind someone's back and I do this via email, the chances of that person knowing is still very slim. The government is not looking to expose drama between two people, they are looking for threats to the State. I do not send any form of communication that might be of use to the government. I feel that most of the people who were strongly against this act had something to hide.
People must also understand that with in a company the emails are monitored more closely than the government monitored. This was partially because of shear numbers I am sure. If I send my dad an email at his work or vice versa the subject line must have something to do with his job. Most emails I send to him, about any topic, have a subject of, "possible meeting" and start with, "Paul" not "Dad." His company blocks non-work related emails. I cannot use words like dad, love, and even dinner. Pictures are also blocked in his email service.
I feel that as long as the government tells us that our email is being watched it is fine. I am in support of the Patriot Act and believe that in some cases loosing a little privacy can be a good thing. A completely secure network that spans the globe seems like a dangerous idea to me.
WPA, the smart choice
If your mother uses wifi at home to send you e-mail, and your home network is not protected by WEP or WPA, what reasons would you suggest to her for enabling one of these two protocols at home if the liability of reading those e-mails still exists once her message leaves your home, on it’s way to school?
Having some form of privacy system on your wireless internet is important for anyone. Especially for my mom whose lack of a secure network could lead to problems for me! Having a secure WEP or WPA (WPA is better) network protects not only your own computer from being attacked but also those whom you correspond with via the internet. If a hacker or thief broke into your information a simple email can lead them to you or send a nasty virus in your direction.
If my mother can protect her own computer she protects aspects of her own life not just the information she included in the email to me. My mother uses online banking and without a secure network this would not be a smart choice! Anyone siting in their car in front of my house can then be a part of my network and can gain access to that privy information. Password and other such items are for my mother only not to be share with even the most trusted neighbor.
Another reason it is important to have a secure network is because you are paying for the internet. If you have an open wifi connection then your neighbors and anyone else close to your house does as well. It may sound a bit selfish but your internet is not something to be shared. This is true from both an economical and safety standpoint.
My mother wants to protect the aspects of her life and is smart enough not to put any of that information into an email and if she did I would suggest to her to not do I again. There is no information in emails from my mother that is worth stealing, unless they cares that my brother got a girlfriend or that she had to suspend a kid from her class. The WPA secured network is more to protect her own computer. If nothing can hurt her computer then nothing can hurt my computer through an email I received from her.
I believe it is important to secure your network. It allows for safer internet surfing. The system is not fool proof so everyone should still be mindful of what they click on or what internet form they fill out but overall the system seems to work.
Having some form of privacy system on your wireless internet is important for anyone. Especially for my mom whose lack of a secure network could lead to problems for me! Having a secure WEP or WPA (WPA is better) network protects not only your own computer from being attacked but also those whom you correspond with via the internet. If a hacker or thief broke into your information a simple email can lead them to you or send a nasty virus in your direction.
If my mother can protect her own computer she protects aspects of her own life not just the information she included in the email to me. My mother uses online banking and without a secure network this would not be a smart choice! Anyone siting in their car in front of my house can then be a part of my network and can gain access to that privy information. Password and other such items are for my mother only not to be share with even the most trusted neighbor.
Another reason it is important to have a secure network is because you are paying for the internet. If you have an open wifi connection then your neighbors and anyone else close to your house does as well. It may sound a bit selfish but your internet is not something to be shared. This is true from both an economical and safety standpoint.
My mother wants to protect the aspects of her life and is smart enough not to put any of that information into an email and if she did I would suggest to her to not do I again. There is no information in emails from my mother that is worth stealing, unless they cares that my brother got a girlfriend or that she had to suspend a kid from her class. The WPA secured network is more to protect her own computer. If nothing can hurt her computer then nothing can hurt my computer through an email I received from her.
I believe it is important to secure your network. It allows for safer internet surfing. The system is not fool proof so everyone should still be mindful of what they click on or what internet form they fill out but overall the system seems to work.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Give me side effects or give me death!
The official website for the drug Olanzapine probably didn’t mention the fact it might cause diabetic symptoms in patients. Another website obviously did. Commercials on TV now are required to mention possible side effects. Should drug companies be required to come clean about situations like the one with Eli Lilly’s Olanzapine in their commercial websites? Why or why not?
I am a believer in consumer rights and consumer protection. As a consumer I want to know exactly what I am purchasing. I believe I deserve to know details about every product that I buy. I should be informed about what any given product is made of and what are possible results of using the product.
Drug companies should give full disclosure about the medicinal substances that they produce. Customers need to know what could happen to their bodies if they consume the drug. In some cases it could be a matter of life and death. If a person takes a drug and one of the side effects effects reaction time it would not be smart for that person to get behind the wheel of a car. There are numerous negative results if this person did not have access to all of the information about the medicine.
I do not feel like this information needs to be put in headlines and in large bold face print, but it needs to be available to those who wish to know. Websites should include a link to a listing of ALL possible side effects. This link can be small and off to one side or at the bottom of the page, but still should be present. Similar to a privacy policy link inconspicuous but easily found if a customer is looking.
I would guess that companies would want to point out these side effects without laws being in place in order to protect themselves. If the information can be found then the company is less likely to find itself in a legal battle with someone who is suffering from one of the listed side effects. I feel that the risk of a legal battle is worth the cost of including side effect information. As in the Abelson book, the news of a "secret" side effect can easily be leaked. The confidential document in that example is now online for all to see. Many times the customers will find out about a side effect from each other or the news, so companies should simply issue a list of side effect themselves. The extreme speed at which information can be spread over the Internet should cause drug companies to want to disclose all information. If a single person wins a lawsuit against a company, many others will quickly follow suit.
I believe the same rule of advertising should apply regardless of where the advertising takes place. Television commercials must be informative about the side effects and ads in a magazine about a medicine usually contain a full page of disclosure about the medicine. These things are optional to read or listen to, but they are present. It takes some responsibility of the customer, the drug company is responsible for providing the information but the customer is responsible for finding and reading it.
I am a believer in consumer rights and consumer protection. As a consumer I want to know exactly what I am purchasing. I believe I deserve to know details about every product that I buy. I should be informed about what any given product is made of and what are possible results of using the product.
Drug companies should give full disclosure about the medicinal substances that they produce. Customers need to know what could happen to their bodies if they consume the drug. In some cases it could be a matter of life and death. If a person takes a drug and one of the side effects effects reaction time it would not be smart for that person to get behind the wheel of a car. There are numerous negative results if this person did not have access to all of the information about the medicine.
I do not feel like this information needs to be put in headlines and in large bold face print, but it needs to be available to those who wish to know. Websites should include a link to a listing of ALL possible side effects. This link can be small and off to one side or at the bottom of the page, but still should be present. Similar to a privacy policy link inconspicuous but easily found if a customer is looking.
I would guess that companies would want to point out these side effects without laws being in place in order to protect themselves. If the information can be found then the company is less likely to find itself in a legal battle with someone who is suffering from one of the listed side effects. I feel that the risk of a legal battle is worth the cost of including side effect information. As in the Abelson book, the news of a "secret" side effect can easily be leaked. The confidential document in that example is now online for all to see. Many times the customers will find out about a side effect from each other or the news, so companies should simply issue a list of side effect themselves. The extreme speed at which information can be spread over the Internet should cause drug companies to want to disclose all information. If a single person wins a lawsuit against a company, many others will quickly follow suit.
I believe the same rule of advertising should apply regardless of where the advertising takes place. Television commercials must be informative about the side effects and ads in a magazine about a medicine usually contain a full page of disclosure about the medicine. These things are optional to read or listen to, but they are present. It takes some responsibility of the customer, the drug company is responsible for providing the information but the customer is responsible for finding and reading it.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Advantages of Going Proprietary
Some states and some companies are turning to open source software for a variety of reasons, some mentioned in this chapter. Some companies (say Microsoft) have gone on the record against open source software. Explain some of the advantages of using proprietary software and cite your advantages with websites that take or mention these positions.
According to businessdictionary.com, proprietary software is, "[a] computer program[s] that are exclusive property of their developers or publishers, and cannot be copied or distributed without complying with their licensing agreements." There is also something called open source software. This is, according to the same website, "software that is available free of charge with its source code for modification and redistribution." Both types of software have obvious and slightly more subtle advantages and disadvantages. There are many websites, blogs, news articles, and essays devoted to arguing that one is better than the other. Proprietary software has many advantages over open source software.
Some advantages are for the developer or publisher. These advantages, according to kedah.edu, include two main ideas. First is income. The creator of software could then sell the created software for others to use. This creates a revenue which can then be used to create better services and improvements to the software (freesoftwaremagazine.com). Kedah.edu also mentions setting the license use as a benefit to the producer. If one sets the use requirements then there is more control over distribution and it also allows the developer to monitor the use of his or her product.
Many advantages are directed toward the consumer, as those are the people that the developer is trying to attract. One of these advantages is a stable support system if the software fails or malfunctions (kedah.edu). This support system is usually not available for open source software but when it is, it is generally not professional or reliable (ivertech.com). Another advantage is the ease of mind that proprietary software gives the user. Companies put great effort into making the software safe and effective for the user. There are few bugs and no viruses. When a bug does appear the developer offers a free update with the latest information, or the latest improvement to the software (kedah.edu). The final main advantage to proprietary software has to do with image. According to linux-magazine.com people have a tendency to stay with proprietary because of brand names. Brand names are know and trusted. Many smaller pieces of open source software have the same features but not the label and to many the label is important.
Disadvantages to open source software is just as beneficial to the argument as advantages to proprietary software is. According to ivertech.com, open source software has no professional support. This makes it hard for a user if something goes wrong. Other disadvantages include a lack of release coordination and erratic updates. This can cause problems to users that do not have the knowledge that programmers have. If a bug were to appear the user has no one to contact and no one that can offer an update or improvement. If there is an improvement it may not come until long after the user gave up on the software or the user may never be able to find that improvement. As shown proprietary software has many advantages over open source software.
http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/proprietary-software.html
http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/open-source.html
http://www.kedah.edu.my/sahc/a_portal/portal_tekvok/ict/nota_com_sys/Microsoft%20Word%20-%20les_57.pdf
http://www.freesoftwaremagazine.com/node/1446
http://software.ivertech.com/_ivertechArticle13894_OpenSourceSoftwarevsProprietarySoftware.htm
http://www.linux-magazine.com/Online/Blogs/Off-the-Beat-Bruce-Byfield-s-Blog/The-Prestige-of-Proprietary-Software
According to businessdictionary.com, proprietary software is, "[a] computer program[s] that are exclusive property of their developers or publishers, and cannot be copied or distributed without complying with their licensing agreements." There is also something called open source software. This is, according to the same website, "software that is available free of charge with its source code for modification and redistribution." Both types of software have obvious and slightly more subtle advantages and disadvantages. There are many websites, blogs, news articles, and essays devoted to arguing that one is better than the other. Proprietary software has many advantages over open source software.
Some advantages are for the developer or publisher. These advantages, according to kedah.edu, include two main ideas. First is income. The creator of software could then sell the created software for others to use. This creates a revenue which can then be used to create better services and improvements to the software (freesoftwaremagazine.com). Kedah.edu also mentions setting the license use as a benefit to the producer. If one sets the use requirements then there is more control over distribution and it also allows the developer to monitor the use of his or her product.
Many advantages are directed toward the consumer, as those are the people that the developer is trying to attract. One of these advantages is a stable support system if the software fails or malfunctions (kedah.edu). This support system is usually not available for open source software but when it is, it is generally not professional or reliable (ivertech.com). Another advantage is the ease of mind that proprietary software gives the user. Companies put great effort into making the software safe and effective for the user. There are few bugs and no viruses. When a bug does appear the developer offers a free update with the latest information, or the latest improvement to the software (kedah.edu). The final main advantage to proprietary software has to do with image. According to linux-magazine.com people have a tendency to stay with proprietary because of brand names. Brand names are know and trusted. Many smaller pieces of open source software have the same features but not the label and to many the label is important.
Disadvantages to open source software is just as beneficial to the argument as advantages to proprietary software is. According to ivertech.com, open source software has no professional support. This makes it hard for a user if something goes wrong. Other disadvantages include a lack of release coordination and erratic updates. This can cause problems to users that do not have the knowledge that programmers have. If a bug were to appear the user has no one to contact and no one that can offer an update or improvement. If there is an improvement it may not come until long after the user gave up on the software or the user may never be able to find that improvement. As shown proprietary software has many advantages over open source software.
http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/proprietary-software.html
http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/open-source.html
http://www.kedah.edu.my/sahc/a_portal/portal_tekvok/ict/nota_com_sys/Microsoft%20Word%20-%20les_57.pdf
http://www.freesoftwaremagazine.com/node/1446
http://software.ivertech.com/_ivertechArticle13894_OpenSourceSoftwarevsProprietarySoftware.htm
http://www.linux-magazine.com/Online/Blogs/Off-the-Beat-Bruce-Byfield-s-Blog/The-Prestige-of-Proprietary-Software
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Communities of Practice
Consider the concept of a “community of practice.” How can such a community offer opportunities for learning?
I feel that the concept of a "community of practice" is a great opportunity for learning. These posts below a picture, as in Shirky or posts in a discussion forum start out in a simply way. Someone asks a question about something. This is how almost all learning takes place. Whether at school where either the teacher or student asks a question in a formal setting or online where someone asks any question that they need or simply desire an answer too.
The next step in creating a community of practice is for someone to answer. When this answer is posted several things can happen. It can be the correct answer, the incorrect answer, or an answer that does not help the person who asked the question. Regardless of which happened the question asker can choose to use or not use the answer for whatever purpose they were intending.
After this exchange of information another user may stumble upon the question. This person may comment that they agree, disagree, or give an answer that is more helpful. This process can continue as long as someone is reading the post and is interested. Many people may become involved in a disagreement about the answer, become engulfed and give a very detailed answer, or discover more than one answer to the original question.
One of the great things about this scenario is that learning takes place even when the original user looses interest. They may be satisfied with the original answer. Other users may be able to use the more detailed answer or one of the alternate answers given, rather than adding another answer post. Anyone who is in search of an answer to a similar question could find this discussion useful and learn from the answers of others long before the question entered their head.
The idea of a community of practice is like working on a test or project with a group. More ideas are flowing and there is a higher probability that someone knows the answer. Therefore the answer will most likely be more developed and stronger than if working alone. Communities of practice are also more efficient. Instead of reading long manuals or texts one could search for a question on a discussion board and find an answer for their specific question in simple terms. Many times the solutions found in these communities are more simple and easy to understand. People with a problem can learn from others that encountered the same problem before them and see how the others went about solving the problem. Tips and tricks may also be included to make the solution more efficient and easier.
I feel that the concept of a "community of practice" is a great opportunity for learning. These posts below a picture, as in Shirky or posts in a discussion forum start out in a simply way. Someone asks a question about something. This is how almost all learning takes place. Whether at school where either the teacher or student asks a question in a formal setting or online where someone asks any question that they need or simply desire an answer too.
The next step in creating a community of practice is for someone to answer. When this answer is posted several things can happen. It can be the correct answer, the incorrect answer, or an answer that does not help the person who asked the question. Regardless of which happened the question asker can choose to use or not use the answer for whatever purpose they were intending.
After this exchange of information another user may stumble upon the question. This person may comment that they agree, disagree, or give an answer that is more helpful. This process can continue as long as someone is reading the post and is interested. Many people may become involved in a disagreement about the answer, become engulfed and give a very detailed answer, or discover more than one answer to the original question.
One of the great things about this scenario is that learning takes place even when the original user looses interest. They may be satisfied with the original answer. Other users may be able to use the more detailed answer or one of the alternate answers given, rather than adding another answer post. Anyone who is in search of an answer to a similar question could find this discussion useful and learn from the answers of others long before the question entered their head.
The idea of a community of practice is like working on a test or project with a group. More ideas are flowing and there is a higher probability that someone knows the answer. Therefore the answer will most likely be more developed and stronger than if working alone. Communities of practice are also more efficient. Instead of reading long manuals or texts one could search for a question on a discussion board and find an answer for their specific question in simple terms. Many times the solutions found in these communities are more simple and easy to understand. People with a problem can learn from others that encountered the same problem before them and see how the others went about solving the problem. Tips and tricks may also be included to make the solution more efficient and easier.
Media ==> Invisible
If Shirky is right, and we’re headed to a period where social media tools like YouTube, Flickr, and social networks like Facebook become “invisible,” what’s the impact on things you spend money on as consumers? Books? Movies? Music?
If social media were to become invisible people would rely less on things like books, movies, and music. There are websites that are able to take the place of all of these things currently but many people are still not used to finding and taking advantage of these resources. The social media tools have not yet crossed over into the realm of invisible, they still take the form of normal, to use Shirky's words. Eventually these tools will become second nature, and they will not be lived without. According to Shirky this is the direction that we are headed in.
If this were to happen economics would have to change. Stores would not be able to sell books, movies, and music as they once could. These media items would be, most likely, electronic. There is evidence of this transition today. Once things had to be written on paper to be transported. Later things could be typed and put on a large disc, smaller disc, and finally cds. Flash drives later were used, then attachments to emails. Now, today using google docs and other sites, typed information can simply be accessed and edited with the correct password.
This concept is also true for the three forms of media listed above. Books, movies, and music can all be downloaded online as computer files and saved to a hard drive. This is already happening. iTunes allows people to download these things without ever obtaining a physical copy. This cuts down on production costs and allows these items to purchased at a slightly less expensive rate. Eventually, with the social media sites becoming invisible the forms of media will become easier to obtain at cheaper costs and the more expensive physical copies will become obsolete or collectors items. Eventually the only obvious way to do things could become online through social networks.
Doing things through social networks will also cause one of two things to happen. Media will become extremely well put together, well sung, or well written. More people will be talking in larger forums, as the internet provides, about the media, and therefore critique more harshly than ever before. Things will need to be near perfect to become "famous." This may also take place because of sheer amount of competition. More competition means it must be better to stand out among the rest in its' genre.
If social media were to become invisible people would rely less on things like books, movies, and music. There are websites that are able to take the place of all of these things currently but many people are still not used to finding and taking advantage of these resources. The social media tools have not yet crossed over into the realm of invisible, they still take the form of normal, to use Shirky's words. Eventually these tools will become second nature, and they will not be lived without. According to Shirky this is the direction that we are headed in.
If this were to happen economics would have to change. Stores would not be able to sell books, movies, and music as they once could. These media items would be, most likely, electronic. There is evidence of this transition today. Once things had to be written on paper to be transported. Later things could be typed and put on a large disc, smaller disc, and finally cds. Flash drives later were used, then attachments to emails. Now, today using google docs and other sites, typed information can simply be accessed and edited with the correct password.
This concept is also true for the three forms of media listed above. Books, movies, and music can all be downloaded online as computer files and saved to a hard drive. This is already happening. iTunes allows people to download these things without ever obtaining a physical copy. This cuts down on production costs and allows these items to purchased at a slightly less expensive rate. Eventually, with the social media sites becoming invisible the forms of media will become easier to obtain at cheaper costs and the more expensive physical copies will become obsolete or collectors items. Eventually the only obvious way to do things could become online through social networks.
Doing things through social networks will also cause one of two things to happen. Media will become extremely well put together, well sung, or well written. More people will be talking in larger forums, as the internet provides, about the media, and therefore critique more harshly than ever before. Things will need to be near perfect to become "famous." This may also take place because of sheer amount of competition. More competition means it must be better to stand out among the rest in its' genre.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
EBay ($25 < $100)
Have you used a website like Craigslist or EBay to buy or sell something? What was the experience like? Would you use such a service again? If you haven’t, detail how you have sold or bought something outside the environment of a retailer.
I am not as careful as I should be with phones. Only once since I have had a phone have I made it through the entire contract without having to buy a phone early. The first time it happened I talked my dad into going back to the Verizon store to buy a replacement phone, he was not thrilled. So, several months later, when my phone was dropped and the screen cracked, I was nervous to tell my father. I worked up the nerve, because I really did like having a personal phone to use. He told me he would spend no more than twenty dollars, because it was a second time happening. This was not good news being that a phone was going to run about one hundred dollars. I was going to have to make up the difference.
I thought for a while about the proposal. I was going to have to save some money, and if I saved enough maybe I could get a cool phone with lots of features! I explained my situation to a friend and he suggested EBay to find a new phone; he had purchased a few things the previous month. I took his suggestion and went online to find an old phone that someone was selling and decided to create an account and bid on a phone that was the same as the one I had just broken. I won the bid at exactly twenty dollars, convenient. Then paid for the shipping and saved myself seventy-five dollars. The phone arrived in the mail a few days later.
I had a good experience with EBay. I put in a bid of twenty five dollars and won the bidding war at twenty dollars. The phone I received in the mail had a few small scratches but was worth the money I saved. The description of the product and the pictures that went with it gave forewarning of these scratches, no surprises. I have heard stories about items that have been described as being in good condition and then once the package was opened the item was no where near the condition described. The fact that I was able to put in a maximum bid was a feature that I liked. I did not have to continuously check the site and rebid. The shipping was fast as well. The day after I won the phone the seller shipped it off. The customer service was excellent. I have also heard stories about situations where delivery was postponed because the seller waited a week before shipping the item.
I would use the service again in a similar situation. I would need to feel that I could trust the product. I would need to know exactly what I would be getting. Generally now I use sites like Amazon or I enter a Google search on the product I am looking to purchase. The results almost always include a site or two selling the item used or at an extremely reduced price. I like saving money and therefore look for the best deals I can and if it is on EBay or Craigslist then that is where I will make my purchase.
I am not as careful as I should be with phones. Only once since I have had a phone have I made it through the entire contract without having to buy a phone early. The first time it happened I talked my dad into going back to the Verizon store to buy a replacement phone, he was not thrilled. So, several months later, when my phone was dropped and the screen cracked, I was nervous to tell my father. I worked up the nerve, because I really did like having a personal phone to use. He told me he would spend no more than twenty dollars, because it was a second time happening. This was not good news being that a phone was going to run about one hundred dollars. I was going to have to make up the difference.
I thought for a while about the proposal. I was going to have to save some money, and if I saved enough maybe I could get a cool phone with lots of features! I explained my situation to a friend and he suggested EBay to find a new phone; he had purchased a few things the previous month. I took his suggestion and went online to find an old phone that someone was selling and decided to create an account and bid on a phone that was the same as the one I had just broken. I won the bid at exactly twenty dollars, convenient. Then paid for the shipping and saved myself seventy-five dollars. The phone arrived in the mail a few days later.
I had a good experience with EBay. I put in a bid of twenty five dollars and won the bidding war at twenty dollars. The phone I received in the mail had a few small scratches but was worth the money I saved. The description of the product and the pictures that went with it gave forewarning of these scratches, no surprises. I have heard stories about items that have been described as being in good condition and then once the package was opened the item was no where near the condition described. The fact that I was able to put in a maximum bid was a feature that I liked. I did not have to continuously check the site and rebid. The shipping was fast as well. The day after I won the phone the seller shipped it off. The customer service was excellent. I have also heard stories about situations where delivery was postponed because the seller waited a week before shipping the item.
I would use the service again in a similar situation. I would need to feel that I could trust the product. I would need to know exactly what I would be getting. Generally now I use sites like Amazon or I enter a Google search on the product I am looking to purchase. The results almost always include a site or two selling the item used or at an extremely reduced price. I like saving money and therefore look for the best deals I can and if it is on EBay or Craigslist then that is where I will make my purchase.
I Can Do It!
You have an important personal question you’d like answered. Explain the procedure for getting your question answered and why this method appeals to you (you don’t need to get specific, but let’s assume the answer does not require specific expert knowledge, as from a doctor).
The transition from home life to living on your own in an apartment includes major changes. My mom made dinner almost everynight. Once I moved into my own apartment things changed. I began having to cook for myself. My mother is the best cook I have ever met She runs a catering business out of our kitchen and takes boxed meals from the frozen food section and creates masterpieces that are not even close to the meal that she purchased. I have learned many things about cooking from her, but not everything. I have, on many occasions, needed extra assistance while cooking dinner or coming up with ideas about what to have. I first inclination was to phone home and talk to my mother, however my mother is not just waiting by the phone for me to call and I needed to find an alternate solution.
I turned and saw my computer. I immediately thought, "I'll Google it!" I typed in what I was looking for in the search bar and was greeted by several hundred thousand sites that wanted to help. I looked through the first site and did not see what I was looking for, so I simply went back to my search results and selected the second link. There I found the directions that I was looking for, which even included pictures for each step, problem solved!
I prefer to get information from a personally trusted source, like my mom. I know that she would never lead me astray, and that she is only a phone call away. Personal sources however are not always available to help find the answer that I might be looking for. That is when I must trust another source, my go to source being Google. This appeals to me because I have access to the internet almost anywhere I go and Google is quick and easy to use. Sometimes I must look at multiple search results but it is still faster than going to the library or finding alternate means of solving my problem. I have used Google on countless occasions to find a quick solution, do research, or get directions to complete a task. I have learned everything from recipes to how to change out parts on my car to rules of a game.
The transition from home life to living on your own in an apartment includes major changes. My mom made dinner almost everynight. Once I moved into my own apartment things changed. I began having to cook for myself. My mother is the best cook I have ever met She runs a catering business out of our kitchen and takes boxed meals from the frozen food section and creates masterpieces that are not even close to the meal that she purchased. I have learned many things about cooking from her, but not everything. I have, on many occasions, needed extra assistance while cooking dinner or coming up with ideas about what to have. I first inclination was to phone home and talk to my mother, however my mother is not just waiting by the phone for me to call and I needed to find an alternate solution.
I turned and saw my computer. I immediately thought, "I'll Google it!" I typed in what I was looking for in the search bar and was greeted by several hundred thousand sites that wanted to help. I looked through the first site and did not see what I was looking for, so I simply went back to my search results and selected the second link. There I found the directions that I was looking for, which even included pictures for each step, problem solved!
I prefer to get information from a personally trusted source, like my mom. I know that she would never lead me astray, and that she is only a phone call away. Personal sources however are not always available to help find the answer that I might be looking for. That is when I must trust another source, my go to source being Google. This appeals to me because I have access to the internet almost anywhere I go and Google is quick and easy to use. Sometimes I must look at multiple search results but it is still faster than going to the library or finding alternate means of solving my problem. I have used Google on countless occasions to find a quick solution, do research, or get directions to complete a task. I have learned everything from recipes to how to change out parts on my car to rules of a game.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Parking Services Hierachy
Describe a group you are a member of (online community, church, job, etc.) and how it is organized. Is there management? How is information distributed within the group?
Here at JMU I work for Parking Services. We monitor parking lots and issue citations to illegally parked vehicles. There are student employees and there are full time staff people that keep the organization running. All the employees fit into an organized flow chart or "org chart."
The chart is as follows:
Director
\/
Associate Director
\/ \/
Student Supervisors <--> Full Time Supervisor
\/ \/
Student Cadets Full Time Officers
There is one director, one associate director, 4 student supervisors, one full time supervisor, twenty student cadets, and five full time officers. There is clearly management with in the organization. Information that is passed from one tier to the next tier is either done through meetings, e-mail, or online and paper posts. Generally information does not skip tiers, that is, the cadets will not receive information from the associate director, that information is passed through the student supervisors. There is however some communication among all supervisors, but that information is passed down from upper management. The process works well and things stay organized and because the organization is small the information spreads quickly with little to no glitches.
Here at JMU I work for Parking Services. We monitor parking lots and issue citations to illegally parked vehicles. There are student employees and there are full time staff people that keep the organization running. All the employees fit into an organized flow chart or "org chart."
The chart is as follows:
Director
\/
Associate Director
\/ \/
Student Supervisors <--> Full Time Supervisor
\/ \/
Student Cadets Full Time Officers
There is one director, one associate director, 4 student supervisors, one full time supervisor, twenty student cadets, and five full time officers. There is clearly management with in the organization. Information that is passed from one tier to the next tier is either done through meetings, e-mail, or online and paper posts. Generally information does not skip tiers, that is, the cadets will not receive information from the associate director, that information is passed through the student supervisors. There is however some communication among all supervisors, but that information is passed down from upper management. The process works well and things stay organized and because the organization is small the information spreads quickly with little to no glitches.
New Group No Manager
If managers aren’t important anymore towards the formation or control of groups using online tools, what do you consider the main role websites such as Meetup.com, Facebook, or MySpace have provided newly emerging groups?
These social networking sites have provided a platform for new groups to communicate and organize. There is not necessarily any sort of hierarchical staff that control the direction or focus of the group as a whole. These sites allow for things to get done and for people to share ideas for the group. The sites also allow the groups to expand. There are ways to invite others to join your cause or participate in the activities that the organization is working on. Groups can grow and be productive with no oversight, as in the example in chapter one of Clay Shirky's Here Comes Everybody. When Ivanna lost her phone, her friend, Evan, created an organization that turned out quite productive. He created a website and hundreds of people came together to find the phone, and eventually got it returned. This organization had many people participating and watching the event unfold, but without supervision. One man made the site and many people then took the initiative to work together as one almost unknowingly to form a community with a common purpose.
So as websites, the only role these sites serve is to provide space, people will do the rest. They have changed to world of organization. Without these sites many groups could not exist. The sites give a voice to small causes and ideas that would not be lucrative to a corporation. There are not many, if any, companies that would be willing to search a city for one lost phone. It would cost too much money and require too many resources, with little to gain. However, with a platform like Facebook, meetup, and Myspace, groups can be created for a simple purpose at a low cost. If the site then becomes linked with another site even more people will see the organization and possibly contribute. This trend may continue and the organization could grow and become very effective; as seen in Ivanna's phone example.
Source:
Here Comes Everybody, Clay Shirky, Chapter 1
These social networking sites have provided a platform for new groups to communicate and organize. There is not necessarily any sort of hierarchical staff that control the direction or focus of the group as a whole. These sites allow for things to get done and for people to share ideas for the group. The sites also allow the groups to expand. There are ways to invite others to join your cause or participate in the activities that the organization is working on. Groups can grow and be productive with no oversight, as in the example in chapter one of Clay Shirky's Here Comes Everybody. When Ivanna lost her phone, her friend, Evan, created an organization that turned out quite productive. He created a website and hundreds of people came together to find the phone, and eventually got it returned. This organization had many people participating and watching the event unfold, but without supervision. One man made the site and many people then took the initiative to work together as one almost unknowingly to form a community with a common purpose.
So as websites, the only role these sites serve is to provide space, people will do the rest. They have changed to world of organization. Without these sites many groups could not exist. The sites give a voice to small causes and ideas that would not be lucrative to a corporation. There are not many, if any, companies that would be willing to search a city for one lost phone. It would cost too much money and require too many resources, with little to gain. However, with a platform like Facebook, meetup, and Myspace, groups can be created for a simple purpose at a low cost. If the site then becomes linked with another site even more people will see the organization and possibly contribute. This trend may continue and the organization could grow and become very effective; as seen in Ivanna's phone example.
Source:
Here Comes Everybody, Clay Shirky, Chapter 1
Friday, September 10, 2010
No Privacy Tax
I like grocery loyalty cards. I like the benefit that it gives to the customer. I am not a religious coupon clipper but I will save money if I can. When it is that easy I feel that the discount is worth the purchasing privacy that I give up. I actually like the idea behind the card. The fact that they record exactly what i buy is, to be honest, a little invasive, but in return i receive money off my purchase, which adds up quickly and generally a coupon that may actually be useful at some point. Sometimes the "free" coupons are way off base but most of the time the coupons are for items that might go well with what I purchased. The aspect that i do not like is that the grocery store can give my information to its partners which can in turn send me mail and phone calls that I do not wish to receive. I do however feel that the benefit of saving money is worth the time and effort to throw away the mail and hang up the phone. The loss of purchasing privacy is worth the discounted food items. I have used and will continue to use my loyalty card even after learning some facts about the information that i chose to give out.
"I Pledge" KMC
"I Pledge" KMC
G*****
I feel that google is doing the right thing by censoring there search results. China has a different culture. From a humanity perspective I do not like what Google is doing but then once I think about it for a minute I realize it is not really Google's decision to make. Google is one of if not the most used search engine in the world. They provide a very helpful service to people around the world at no cost to them, and we must remember they are in the business of making money. From a business standpoint the decision they made to censor results was an amazing choice. Without using this censorship the idea of Google may not even be able to exist in China. Google has made it possible to work around the local laws that affect the use of the internet. Google needs to produce these different results in other countries in order to keep the business in those countries. I feel that it is a good thing that Google made the effort to follow the laws of that area of the world. When deciding about whether or not it was okay for Google to make this decision we must keep in mind that this is the internet and that different country's version of Google can be accessed. I visited the chinese version of google, google.cn, to come to this realization. However in China the United States' version is most likely blocked from the public's use. I support what Google has done in China and believe that it is a good business decision but that does not mean that I think it is okay that China is blocking results from their citizens.
"I Pledge" KMC
"I Pledge" KMC
Thursday, September 2, 2010
EDUC 150 and Me
My name is Kevin Clear. I live near the beach and try to spend as much time there as possible. I love to play sports and be outside. Along with being active I enjoy working on both real and model cars. I try to spend as much time as I can with friends and family. I work hard and have held a job since I was 15. I am a very busy person and doing the things I love to do relaxes me and keeps me as stress free as possible!
I am a Junior Interdisciplinary Liberal Studies, IdLS, Major at James Madison University. When I graduate I plan on teaching at the elementary school level. I have been working with children since my early high school years and have found that it has become somewhat of a passion for me. After teaching for several years I plan to return to school and work toward a doctorate in administration and eventually take a position as a principal. If at all possible, and if I can generate the ambition, I would like to open my own private school near the beach. I have enjoyed the education classes in which I have been enrolled and look forward to this class and relating it to my future career as an educator. I have been working recently to become more technologically savvy. I feel that this class will give me some experiences that will be valuable in my future. I hope to learn about a broad view of the concept of information and how people interact with that concept. I am hoping to determine practical uses for information and how information affects today's society. I am interested in the concepts presented in the course description and look forward learning how I can relate them to the classroom. I am excited about this class and will continue to share updates!
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