In my opinion, Wikipedia should definitely not be used as a scholarly source for researchers and readers. The biased and controversial information we found on just one article is enough to prove that Wikipedia is not the best website for valid information. It does have some positive attributes though. It is a great start for researching information and can give the reader a general idea about what they are trying to find out. It has substantial information that can be used as a guide to research, but not entirely. I believe that because it is edited so often and by so many different people, it is impossible to have valid and reliable sources and information within the content. This is where its weakness lies. The sources (whichever ones are not a dead link) are not particularly accurate and informative as primary sources. Most of them are articles in magazines, personal blogs and so forth.
These strengths and weaknesses ultimately prove that technology is advancing and becoming a primary candidate for information sharing and editing. It has become to popular to share information and let the world know something as soon and as fast as possible. This is what Wikipedia does. It shares information through the internet in a timely manner to millions of users worldwide. Then if someone has something they want to add or delete, they are free to do so. Technology in this way is awesome because it allows for us to access information about anything within seconds. On the other hand, it has created a controversial website that cannot be depended upon for accurate information. Technology in this sense has effected the culture of our world in such a way that now anyone is a researcher and expert on information. It thwarts the talents of true researchers, but gives the average person a chance to shine.
After completing this project, I learned how controversial Wikipedia really can be. At first, I had no idea that there was so much useless information on the website. I used it all the time. Now, I will definitely think twice about citing Wikipedia as a source for any of my research papers. It has opened my eyes to the world of information editing and clearly demonstrates the power of revision.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Friday, November 19, 2010
The Facebook Effect Part 1
The very beginning of this book really implicates the effect Facebook has had on the world. The fact that Oscar Morales, a computer-savvy, civil engineer from Columbia could create a National March against FARC with just a few words and mouse clicks on Facebook is fascinating. He essentially created a world-wide event that literally brought over 300,000 people together to voice themselves against this organization. "Now, two years after Morale's stunning succes, one can find Facebook-fueled activism and protest in every country and community where the service has caught on-and that is pretty much all of them in the developed world," (6). Therefore, because of Facebook, this one event (although extremely effective and large-scaled) has changed the way society thinkes, acts and lives.
Mark Zuckerberg was just your all-around average Harvard student. With a lot of luck, a lot of skill and a lot of patience, he managed to create a social networking website that forever changed the ways of communicationing with one another. He did this while sitting in his dorm room, slugging beers and ocassionally, sleeping. With the help of his friends/suitemates Dustin Moskovitz, Chris Hughes and Billy Olson, Zuckerberg started off testing his social networking programs with wesbites like Course Mash, Facemash and Thefacebook. With his intellect and input of his friends' ideas, the websites were essentially a hit throughout the Harvard campus. "It was a very basic communications tool, aimed at solving the simple problem of keeping track of your schoolmates and what was going on with them," (29). People could not get enough of using them and would spend hours logged onto these sites rating the hottness of people, as well as sharing personal and educational information. Thefacebook was the one social networking site that really took off. After going live, it spread like wildfire throughout the campus. Kirkpatrick calls this a "viral explosion," (31). People would get an e-mail asking to be a friend, then they could invite friends to join as well. This domino effect had more than 650 students connected after just four days (31). Zuckerberg (with the help of Moskovitz) then figured out a way to launch the incredibly popular site throughout other universities and also created a template for connecting students within different universities by mutual agreement (the basis of Facebook connections today). Zuckerberg quickly became prime meat for interviews and school magazines. He also settled some financial and business deals with investers who were interested in his site. While attending meetings in NYC to meet with different executives and venture capitalists, "a financier offered Zuckerberg $10 million for the company," (41). Mark was twenty years old. Then came the ad companies (like Mastercard) who wanted a piece of the action, as well as investment firms. There were some who were willing to give Zuckerberg's site millions of dollars because of the site's potential and popularity, but Mark himself was more ineterested in keeping the users happy and changing the world rather than money. Zuckerberg constantly says, " 'I think we can make the world a more open place'," (43). Zuckerberg moved to California and later named Sean Parker, a young entrepreneur because of Napster, president of the company. With Parker's help and expertise, Zuckerberg managed to make Thefacebook one of the most rapidly growing websites in the world. Kirkpatrick compared it to Google but says, "Their site was about people; Google was about data," (54). While partying hard and working hard in a house in Palo Alto, Zuckerberg was deciding, with the persuasion of his friend and business partner Saverin, whether or not to turn Thefacebook into an Interent company. Yet after Zuckerberg's decisions to change Saverin's percentage share to zero, they quickly became negotiating and legal enemies. Also, Zuckerberg was faced with lawsuit actions from Tyler and Cameron Winkelvoss and Divya Narendra, claiming he stole their idea. Yet, as Kirkpatrick tells us, the social networking "idea" has been around for quite some time now. Websites like Friendster and MySpace got the boat rowing. Yet the first social networking site aimed specifically at college students was Club Nexus, which began at Standford University in 2001, (77). As for the Winkelvoss brothers and their idea on Harvard Connection, well, Zuckerberg basically took it into his own hands to develop something similar without the crappy ideas these brothers seem to have. Although Zuckerberg helped them at first, he slowly realized what his pontential could be on his own. "From sixdegrees to Friendster to Facebook, social networking has become a familiar and ubiquitous part of the Internet," (85).
The first part of this book is fascinating so far and the story about Mark Zuckerberg's ideas are incredible. Although he seems like such a shy person with little social qualities, its bizarre that he is the creator of the most popular social networking site in the world. Obviously he is brilliant. He has amazing computer programming skills and has a well-rounded education from an Ivy League school. This helps him become successful in my opinion. He is not just the average college student, he is a genius. His business skills and his website ideas are the foundation for why has come so far in such a short amount of time. Although Thefacebook was just the beginning of such a huge and popular phenomenon, it is clear that the basic and simple structure is what drives Facebook. People who have an account and who use it often, as well as Zuckerberg himself, thrive on the easy user interface and the idea of having fun. These are such simple terms and Mark Zuckerberg knew and understood that that's all you need to have a successful social networking site.
Mark Zuckerberg was just your all-around average Harvard student. With a lot of luck, a lot of skill and a lot of patience, he managed to create a social networking website that forever changed the ways of communicationing with one another. He did this while sitting in his dorm room, slugging beers and ocassionally, sleeping. With the help of his friends/suitemates Dustin Moskovitz, Chris Hughes and Billy Olson, Zuckerberg started off testing his social networking programs with wesbites like Course Mash, Facemash and Thefacebook. With his intellect and input of his friends' ideas, the websites were essentially a hit throughout the Harvard campus. "It was a very basic communications tool, aimed at solving the simple problem of keeping track of your schoolmates and what was going on with them," (29). People could not get enough of using them and would spend hours logged onto these sites rating the hottness of people, as well as sharing personal and educational information. Thefacebook was the one social networking site that really took off. After going live, it spread like wildfire throughout the campus. Kirkpatrick calls this a "viral explosion," (31). People would get an e-mail asking to be a friend, then they could invite friends to join as well. This domino effect had more than 650 students connected after just four days (31). Zuckerberg (with the help of Moskovitz) then figured out a way to launch the incredibly popular site throughout other universities and also created a template for connecting students within different universities by mutual agreement (the basis of Facebook connections today). Zuckerberg quickly became prime meat for interviews and school magazines. He also settled some financial and business deals with investers who were interested in his site. While attending meetings in NYC to meet with different executives and venture capitalists, "a financier offered Zuckerberg $10 million for the company," (41). Mark was twenty years old. Then came the ad companies (like Mastercard) who wanted a piece of the action, as well as investment firms. There were some who were willing to give Zuckerberg's site millions of dollars because of the site's potential and popularity, but Mark himself was more ineterested in keeping the users happy and changing the world rather than money. Zuckerberg constantly says, " 'I think we can make the world a more open place'," (43). Zuckerberg moved to California and later named Sean Parker, a young entrepreneur because of Napster, president of the company. With Parker's help and expertise, Zuckerberg managed to make Thefacebook one of the most rapidly growing websites in the world. Kirkpatrick compared it to Google but says, "Their site was about people; Google was about data," (54). While partying hard and working hard in a house in Palo Alto, Zuckerberg was deciding, with the persuasion of his friend and business partner Saverin, whether or not to turn Thefacebook into an Interent company. Yet after Zuckerberg's decisions to change Saverin's percentage share to zero, they quickly became negotiating and legal enemies. Also, Zuckerberg was faced with lawsuit actions from Tyler and Cameron Winkelvoss and Divya Narendra, claiming he stole their idea. Yet, as Kirkpatrick tells us, the social networking "idea" has been around for quite some time now. Websites like Friendster and MySpace got the boat rowing. Yet the first social networking site aimed specifically at college students was Club Nexus, which began at Standford University in 2001, (77). As for the Winkelvoss brothers and their idea on Harvard Connection, well, Zuckerberg basically took it into his own hands to develop something similar without the crappy ideas these brothers seem to have. Although Zuckerberg helped them at first, he slowly realized what his pontential could be on his own. "From sixdegrees to Friendster to Facebook, social networking has become a familiar and ubiquitous part of the Internet," (85).
The first part of this book is fascinating so far and the story about Mark Zuckerberg's ideas are incredible. Although he seems like such a shy person with little social qualities, its bizarre that he is the creator of the most popular social networking site in the world. Obviously he is brilliant. He has amazing computer programming skills and has a well-rounded education from an Ivy League school. This helps him become successful in my opinion. He is not just the average college student, he is a genius. His business skills and his website ideas are the foundation for why has come so far in such a short amount of time. Although Thefacebook was just the beginning of such a huge and popular phenomenon, it is clear that the basic and simple structure is what drives Facebook. People who have an account and who use it often, as well as Zuckerberg himself, thrive on the easy user interface and the idea of having fun. These are such simple terms and Mark Zuckerberg knew and understood that that's all you need to have a successful social networking site.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Made to Break II (pgs 83-185)
In Slade's novel "Made to Break" (Chapters 4-6), he discusses some of the most important products of the twentieth century and how they have been made to become obsolete for American consumers. The radio was one of the many technological advancements in American society that forwarded society's communication with one another. At first, there was an on-going battle between the FM radio broadbands, which was started by Armstrong and RCA televisions (developed by Sarnoff). They fought legally over rights and there were speculations as well as accusations as to which form of communication would become obsolete first. During the post-war era, Sarnoff thought he could sweep the radio-listening generation up with the invention of the television, making radio obsolete to the American public. Although radios became less popular after the war (because the TV was picture and sound combined), they ultimately remained on the nightstands and counters of American households regardless of the television's visual and auditory achievement. The development and manufacturing of these products were ultimately done so that Americans would constantly upgrade there electronics and continue to buy new radios and TV's. "By the 1950's, product life spans were no longer left to chance but were created by plan, and it is at this moment (from about 1957 on) that the phrase planned obsolescence aquired the additional meaning of 'death dating'," (Slade 113).
Slade goes on to discuss the importance of synthetic silk within chapter five. "Even before it had a name, nylon made two natural fibers obsolete: hog's hair and silk," (115). Nylon became the ultimate material for stockings which were worn by millions of women once they had been developed. Nylon was the fabric of the future once the chemistry of its fibers had been mastered. Not only did our silk trade with Japan become obsolete, but our fashion industry was highly motivated by the production of nylon. "It is the story of a symbolic contest between two cultures fighting for economic dominance," (128). Therefore, it is clear that such a huge development (and ultimately such a small product itself) can make such a large impact on our society socially and politically. Slade's book also discusses the obsolescence of man in a philisophical way by the invention, creation and usage of the atomic bomb. Although nuclear tests and bomb dropping did not inevitably cause the obsolescence of mankind, it did raise a flag for many politicians that nuclear proliferation and weapons of mass destruction are in fact real and ready to be used against enemies of our country.
Furthermore, Slade discusses the Cadillac tailfins that were in and out of the market quicker than expected. He also discusses the study called The Waste Makers, which focused on planned obsolescence in contemporary America. They distinctly categorize obsolescence in three different meanings: Obsolescence of function, quality and desirability. This sums up all of the meanings of the way in which "planned" obsolescence exists in the manufacturing of products. Ultimately, products become obsolete based on the functionality (that is, if a new product functions better than the old, the newer product will obviously be bought). They also become obsolete based on their quality. That is, if a product gets old, wears out or does not work anymore, there is usually another product lined up to take its place that has better quality for a higher price. In the obsolescence of desirability, it is ultimately based on the minds of consumers that "a newer product means a better product." We have a desire to buy newer things because of style and appearance.
I focused on this part in Slade's book the most because I think it is important to understand the business aspect of planned obsolescence within American consumerism. It's all about making more money. I myself am a victim (as we all are) to this planned obsolescence. We automatically assume that a better-looking product will be better functioning and a better quality. Though it is not always the case, it is usually true. Manufacturers have been doing this on purpose because they know that Americans have to have to best of everything in order to keep up with the Jones. They know that Americans will spend thousands and thousands of hard-earned dollars on the simplest things in order to have the newest, coolest, high-tech gadgets and products in their lives. It is why we shop for new clothes, new cars, new appliances, new furniture and new electronics. Planned obsolescence is at its all-time highest in my opinion, especially with new technologies and the fast-paced development of products of all kinds. We are distributing more waste to the landfills than ever before. After reading these chapters, it was interesting to realize how much waste and how many products were thrown away due to obsolescence.What is even more interesting is that technological obsolescence is happening moreso than ever before. The number of products (electronics specifically) that will go to waste in the next few decades will be staggering.
Slade goes on to discuss the importance of synthetic silk within chapter five. "Even before it had a name, nylon made two natural fibers obsolete: hog's hair and silk," (115). Nylon became the ultimate material for stockings which were worn by millions of women once they had been developed. Nylon was the fabric of the future once the chemistry of its fibers had been mastered. Not only did our silk trade with Japan become obsolete, but our fashion industry was highly motivated by the production of nylon. "It is the story of a symbolic contest between two cultures fighting for economic dominance," (128). Therefore, it is clear that such a huge development (and ultimately such a small product itself) can make such a large impact on our society socially and politically. Slade's book also discusses the obsolescence of man in a philisophical way by the invention, creation and usage of the atomic bomb. Although nuclear tests and bomb dropping did not inevitably cause the obsolescence of mankind, it did raise a flag for many politicians that nuclear proliferation and weapons of mass destruction are in fact real and ready to be used against enemies of our country.
Furthermore, Slade discusses the Cadillac tailfins that were in and out of the market quicker than expected. He also discusses the study called The Waste Makers, which focused on planned obsolescence in contemporary America. They distinctly categorize obsolescence in three different meanings: Obsolescence of function, quality and desirability. This sums up all of the meanings of the way in which "planned" obsolescence exists in the manufacturing of products. Ultimately, products become obsolete based on the functionality (that is, if a new product functions better than the old, the newer product will obviously be bought). They also become obsolete based on their quality. That is, if a product gets old, wears out or does not work anymore, there is usually another product lined up to take its place that has better quality for a higher price. In the obsolescence of desirability, it is ultimately based on the minds of consumers that "a newer product means a better product." We have a desire to buy newer things because of style and appearance.
I focused on this part in Slade's book the most because I think it is important to understand the business aspect of planned obsolescence within American consumerism. It's all about making more money. I myself am a victim (as we all are) to this planned obsolescence. We automatically assume that a better-looking product will be better functioning and a better quality. Though it is not always the case, it is usually true. Manufacturers have been doing this on purpose because they know that Americans have to have to best of everything in order to keep up with the Jones. They know that Americans will spend thousands and thousands of hard-earned dollars on the simplest things in order to have the newest, coolest, high-tech gadgets and products in their lives. It is why we shop for new clothes, new cars, new appliances, new furniture and new electronics. Planned obsolescence is at its all-time highest in my opinion, especially with new technologies and the fast-paced development of products of all kinds. We are distributing more waste to the landfills than ever before. After reading these chapters, it was interesting to realize how much waste and how many products were thrown away due to obsolescence.What is even more interesting is that technological obsolescence is happening moreso than ever before. The number of products (electronics specifically) that will go to waste in the next few decades will be staggering.
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