And so ends my epic blogging task.
No more late night research about the benefits of open source vs. commercially produced software. No more annoying blogger spell-check...because 'internet' is not spelt 'inter net'. Stupid computer. But most of all no more lengthy and emotional discussions on exactly how to write a scholarly/personal blog. It’s done.
In the famous words of Julius Caesar
"I came, I saw, I conquered."
So until I am lured back to the creaky black keyboard, which I can guarantee will be a long time coming…
Peace out precious!
Monday, May 12, 2008
All over red rover
Food for thought...
Thank you James for your comment on my blog “I better not get in trouble for this...”. I feel James really highlights the moral dilemma that exists in certain social circles about file sharing. I have friends in unsigned bands who actively seek peer-to-peer sharing of their music, in the hope that a music producer will discover and sign them.
(Just a small plug)
Shouting at Mary is an awesome Brisbane based band who are currently unsigned. They’ve uploaded many of their tracks to their Myspace site where users can download songs and lyrics. I think this is a creative and innovative way to seek out a support network, and build a reputation.
Axel Bruns also describes a shift towards the use of converged media, and file-sharing.
“It is now becoming possible to suggest that rather than perceiving and analysing streaming media, YouTube, video filesharing, and IPTV from a perspective shaped by half a century and more of television production and consumption, a reversal of focus may be in order: this would position the emerging Internet-based video distribution models as the core exemplars in relation to which conventional broadcast, cable, and pay-TV models may be described and understood.” (2008)
I interpret this to mean that traditional media comes across “second-rate” (Bruns 2008) compared to the internet which allows mass communication and sharing of knowledge between its members and co contributors. I could further extend my blog to include Axel’s interesting research, however will refrain from doing so at the risk of regurgitating his entire essay.
Overall I believe my statement that file sharing is social unacceptable, has been well challenged. While I still believe that in my immediate friendship group file sharing is unacceptable, it would be worth researching other social circles and their reasons for illegal file sharing.
Bruns, A. 2008. Reconfiguring Television for a Networked, Produsage Context. Beyond Broadcasting 126. http://snurb.info/files/Reconfiguring%20Television%20for%20a%20Networked,%20Produsage%20Context.pdf (accessed May 12, 2008).
(Just a small plug)
Shouting at Mary is an awesome Brisbane based band who are currently unsigned. They’ve uploaded many of their tracks to their Myspace site where users can download songs and lyrics. I think this is a creative and innovative way to seek out a support network, and build a reputation.
Axel Bruns also describes a shift towards the use of converged media, and file-sharing.
“It is now becoming possible to suggest that rather than perceiving and analysing streaming media, YouTube, video filesharing, and IPTV from a perspective shaped by half a century and more of television production and consumption, a reversal of focus may be in order: this would position the emerging Internet-based video distribution models as the core exemplars in relation to which conventional broadcast, cable, and pay-TV models may be described and understood.” (2008)
I interpret this to mean that traditional media comes across “second-rate” (Bruns 2008) compared to the internet which allows mass communication and sharing of knowledge between its members and co contributors. I could further extend my blog to include Axel’s interesting research, however will refrain from doing so at the risk of regurgitating his entire essay.
Overall I believe my statement that file sharing is social unacceptable, has been well challenged. While I still believe that in my immediate friendship group file sharing is unacceptable, it would be worth researching other social circles and their reasons for illegal file sharing.
Bruns, A. 2008. Reconfiguring Television for a Networked, Produsage Context. Beyond Broadcasting 126. http://snurb.info/files/Reconfiguring%20Television%20for%20a%20Networked,%20Produsage%20Context.pdf (accessed May 12, 2008).
Monday, May 5, 2008
Living the Second Life
Her name is Dena. I’ve known her since I was 16. She’s everything I’m not. She’s beautiful, tall, blonde, tanned and skinny. She earns more money than I ever could, and she’s Mayor of her town. She lives in a perfect house, the house I created. Everyone loves her.
Dena is a Sim. A character in a video game, a virtual creation or avatar (Bente et al. 2008, 288). I created her when I was 16, short, fat and brunette. I wasn’t comfortable with the way I looked and I made her everything I wanted to be. I’m now 19, tall, red-head, average build and I love my curvy body. I look at Dena and I laugh.
A number of studies have explored the idea that avatars are online substitutes for offline interaction and a replacement for personality and body traits (Lin 2008, 47). While this is an interesting topic, I am more interested in the increase in the opinion that online interaction is replacing offline interaction.
In tutorial the other week, a student brought up the fact she believed people who played online networked games were socially retarded. I beg to differ. There is some evidence to suggest that excessive video game consumption has been correlated with violent and antisocial behaviour (Huesmann and Taylor 2006, 393). However as Lachlan, Smith and Tamborini point out “although these findings are informative, they are based on survey data. As such, we have no way of knowing if playing violent video games is actually causing aggressive behaviour” (2005, 314). Causation is a measurement of probability, and very rarely is something ever thought to be 100% cause-effect (Paltridge and Tang 2006). Furthermore these studies do not take into account personality deficiency and other environmental factors such as parental conditioning and peer interaction (Lachlan, Smith and Tamborini 2004).
It frustrates me when people seem to believe that just because an individual plays a simulated real-world game that they are somehow social inept. I have particular sensitivities to the topic because I play a number of video games such as Sims and Grand Theft Auto, and have also played MMORPG's (Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games) Second Life and World of Warcraft. I would hate to think that I am socially retarded because I play these games.
I understand that in the context of the argument, that playing games for numerous hours daily, with limited interaction with peers in an offline social environment, leaves the participant at risk of social isolation (Sanger et al. 1997, 64). However with the development of online social networks within these games, social interaction is continuous and almost as regulated by norms as offline communities (Flew 2004).
Overall I believe that there are many misconceptions about the socialization of individuals on the internet. The internet, in my opinion, is a very different platform from reality, however the way we act on this platform is fundamentally the same.
Bente, G., S. Rüggenberg, N. C. Krämer, F. Eschenburg. 2008. Avatar-Mediated Networking: Increasing Social Presence and Interpersonal Trust in Net-Based Collaborations. Human Communication Research 34 (2): 287–318. http://www.blackwell-synergy.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1468-2958.2008.00322.x (accessed May 7, 2008).
Flew, T. 2004. New Media: An introduction. Melbourne: Oxford University Press.
Huesmann, L. R. and L. D. Taylor. 2006. The Role of Media Violence in Violent Behavior. Annual Review Public Health, 27: 393-415. http://gateway.library.qut.edu.au/login?url=http://proquest.umi.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/pqdweb?did=1040921501&sid=4&Fmt=2&clientId=14394&RQT=309&VName=PQD (accessed May 7, 2008).
Lachlan, K. A., S. L. Smith and R. Tamborini. 2005. Models for Aggressive Behavior: The Attributes of Violent Video Characters in Popular Video Games. Communication Studies, 56 (8): 313-329. http://proquest.umi.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/pqdweb?index=0&did=989459261&SrchMode=2&sid=5&Fmt=6&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1210561042&clientId=14394 (accessed May 7, 2008).
Lin, A. C. 2008. Virtual Consumption: A Second Life for Earth? Brigham Young University Law Review 2008 (1): 47-114. http://proquest.umi.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/pqdweb?index=19&sid=2&srchmode=2&vinst=PROD&fmt=6&startpage=-1&clientid=14394&vname=PQD&RQT=309&did=1451350371&scaling=FULL&ts=1210560265&vtype=PQD&rqt=309&TS=1210560314&clientId=14394 (accessed May 7, 2008).
Paltridge, A. and T. Tang. 2006. Quantitative Analysis and Finance. Milton: John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.
Sanger, J., J. Willson, B. Davies and R. Whittaker. 1997. Young Children, Videos, and Computer Games: Issues for Teachers and Parents. London: Falnor.
Dena is a Sim. A character in a video game, a virtual creation or avatar (Bente et al. 2008, 288). I created her when I was 16, short, fat and brunette. I wasn’t comfortable with the way I looked and I made her everything I wanted to be. I’m now 19, tall, red-head, average build and I love my curvy body. I look at Dena and I laugh.
A number of studies have explored the idea that avatars are online substitutes for offline interaction and a replacement for personality and body traits (Lin 2008, 47). While this is an interesting topic, I am more interested in the increase in the opinion that online interaction is replacing offline interaction.
In tutorial the other week, a student brought up the fact she believed people who played online networked games were socially retarded. I beg to differ. There is some evidence to suggest that excessive video game consumption has been correlated with violent and antisocial behaviour (Huesmann and Taylor 2006, 393). However as Lachlan, Smith and Tamborini point out “although these findings are informative, they are based on survey data. As such, we have no way of knowing if playing violent video games is actually causing aggressive behaviour” (2005, 314). Causation is a measurement of probability, and very rarely is something ever thought to be 100% cause-effect (Paltridge and Tang 2006). Furthermore these studies do not take into account personality deficiency and other environmental factors such as parental conditioning and peer interaction (Lachlan, Smith and Tamborini 2004).
It frustrates me when people seem to believe that just because an individual plays a simulated real-world game that they are somehow social inept. I have particular sensitivities to the topic because I play a number of video games such as Sims and Grand Theft Auto, and have also played MMORPG's (Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games) Second Life and World of Warcraft. I would hate to think that I am socially retarded because I play these games.
I understand that in the context of the argument, that playing games for numerous hours daily, with limited interaction with peers in an offline social environment, leaves the participant at risk of social isolation (Sanger et al. 1997, 64). However with the development of online social networks within these games, social interaction is continuous and almost as regulated by norms as offline communities (Flew 2004).
Overall I believe that there are many misconceptions about the socialization of individuals on the internet. The internet, in my opinion, is a very different platform from reality, however the way we act on this platform is fundamentally the same.
Bente, G., S. Rüggenberg, N. C. Krämer, F. Eschenburg. 2008. Avatar-Mediated Networking: Increasing Social Presence and Interpersonal Trust in Net-Based Collaborations. Human Communication Research 34 (2): 287–318. http://www.blackwell-synergy.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1468-2958.2008.00322.x (accessed May 7, 2008).
Flew, T. 2004. New Media: An introduction. Melbourne: Oxford University Press.
Huesmann, L. R. and L. D. Taylor. 2006. The Role of Media Violence in Violent Behavior. Annual Review Public Health, 27: 393-415. http://gateway.library.qut.edu.au/login?url=http://proquest.umi.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/pqdweb?did=1040921501&sid=4&Fmt=2&clientId=14394&RQT=309&VName=PQD (accessed May 7, 2008).
Lachlan, K. A., S. L. Smith and R. Tamborini. 2005. Models for Aggressive Behavior: The Attributes of Violent Video Characters in Popular Video Games. Communication Studies, 56 (8): 313-329. http://proquest.umi.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/pqdweb?index=0&did=989459261&SrchMode=2&sid=5&Fmt=6&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1210561042&clientId=14394 (accessed May 7, 2008).
Lin, A. C. 2008. Virtual Consumption: A Second Life for Earth? Brigham Young University Law Review 2008 (1): 47-114. http://proquest.umi.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/pqdweb?index=19&sid=2&srchmode=2&vinst=PROD&fmt=6&startpage=-1&clientid=14394&vname=PQD&RQT=309&did=1451350371&scaling=FULL&ts=1210560265&vtype=PQD&rqt=309&TS=1210560314&clientId=14394 (accessed May 7, 2008).
Paltridge, A. and T. Tang. 2006. Quantitative Analysis and Finance. Milton: John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.
Sanger, J., J. Willson, B. Davies and R. Whittaker. 1997. Young Children, Videos, and Computer Games: Issues for Teachers and Parents. London: Falnor.
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