The Revenge of the Nerds was one of the many teen movies of the eighties and. although there were sequels the original was the best. The storyline is about a group of misfits and outcasts facing constant harassment and being made the butt of cruel jokes the “cool” people on a college campus. Furthermore no one in this motley crew would ever grace the cover of GQ. The ending was predictable with the group using their considerable brain power to gain their self respect and get revenge on their tormenters; hence the name “Revenge of the Nerds” Nevertheless, in the age of technology and computers, being a nerd is a badge of honor and the sheriff is the richest man in the world, Mr. Bill Gates, the founder and CEO of Microsoft Inc.
Bill Gates epitomizes the brainy, introverted social misfit. William Gates the III, the middle child and only son of William Gates Sr. and Mary Maxwell Gates was born in Seattle Washington. His parents had planned for “Trey” Bill’s family nickname for him, to follow in his fathers footsteps and become an attorney. However, we all know how that story ended. He wrote his first computer program at age 14, a tic-tac-toe game that the user played against the computer. Extremely shy, Trey was more comfortable tinkering in the basement and learning about computers than he was in social interactions. He fretted for two weeks about asking a young lady to the senior prom and when he finally worked up the courage she rejected him. Nevertheless by the time Mr. Gates was in his twenties he was one of the richest most eligible bachelors on the planet and could have he pick of women. However he never got caught up in the superficial world of celebrity.
Furthermore, when Mr. Gates finally decided to marry and who he chose as a life partner gives some insight into Bill Gates the man. Many successful men feel the need to have a trophy wife to bolster their image and ego. And while any starlet or beauty queen would have gladly taken the coveted title of Mrs. Bill Gates, he chose Melinda French. A native of Dallas Texas, Melinda is a graduate of Duke University who holds three degrees, bachelors in computer programming and economics plus a MBA from Dukes Fuqua School of Business. However, Melinda Gates is equally as beautiful as any starlet and processes the intelligence and business savvy equivalent to Mr. Gates. Married in 1994, they have three children, Jennifer Katherine 13, Rory John 10 and Phoebe Adele 7. Additionally, Mrs. Gates has served on several prestigious boards, received honorary degrees but is most noted for as a philanthropist with the creation of the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation. The Gates presently have donated over 24 billion dollars to assist in various projects from scholarships to assisting underdeveloped countries obtain clean drinking water.
Bill Gates is the prototype of a business man with the Midas touch. An extremely astute business man, Mr. Gates has made his share of enemies in the business world. Many claim that his practices are anti competitive and he is known for destroying his competition. The business graveyard is littered with the carcasses of business opponents who underestimated this Harvard dropout. Perhaps that is the price for being the richest man in the world. Nevertheless, Bill Gates is one of the factors that made it cool and a badge of honor to be a nerd. You did not have to be an Adonis, jock or athlete to be triumphant, marry a beautiful intelligent woman and have a family. The sheriff of the nerds has proven beyond a doubt that you can have prestige, untold wealth, unprecedented power, a successful marriage and that is the ultimate revenge of the nerds.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2006/nov/26/theobserver
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Gates
http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/2000/pulpit_20001123_000672.html
Steve Jobs: Innovator, Communicator, and Visionary
Steve Jobs has always believed in technology that could be utilized by the public to enrich their lives. Belief in a concept and making it a reality is a daunting task, but Jobs had the uncanny ability to effectively communicate his ideas to the community, his employees, and private investors by appealing to their ideologies. Perhaps, more importantly, the products created under the leadership of Steve Jobs promoted new forms of social communication. |
An amalgamation of technology and style, Apple is more than a music player, phone, and computer innovator; it is a culture, a movement combining the very best in technology, architecture, and style. Apple’s destiny was not always clear and its preeminent place as one of the best technological trendsetters in the market place today wasn’t a certainty. Owing its existence to Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, Apple Computers sprung into existence in 1976. Jobs, a college dropout, and a child given up for adoption had a vision that one day computers would be in every household. Carrying this vision in his heart, and embracing the philosophy of social architecture to ignite the passions of his workers to create products that they embrace and love, Jobs against all odds secured the needed funds to realize his dream. Steve Jobs claimed that his love of people especially students spurred him to produce a computer that could be used by educators for effective communication. In fact, some of his greatest achievements in his estimation were the three educational projects he launched: Kids Can't Wait, Apple Education Foundation, and the Apple University Consortium. |
Oddly, in 1985, because of Jobs’ attention to detail, failed sales of the Mac, chiding of engineers for what he deemed a lackluster effort, and his appreciation of technological sophistication over customer approval, his control over Apple operations was stripped by the very individuals he hired, so Jobs left Apple and continued his pursuit of trying to make computers available to educators by forming a new company called NeXT. In the end, the only real success of this company was its Internet software, WebObjects. It was crucial in enhancing Web communication. WebObjects is a web application framework that works on a Java web application server. During this time, big companies were attempting to create online stores, and WebObjects provided the technology to accomplish their tasks. Dell used WebObjects for their retail online stores, and Nissan and Ford created online catalogues with this technology. Since 1997 the BBC has used WebObjects for its online news site. |
In addition, after Jobs left Apple, he bought Pixar in 1986. Who could forget Toy Story in 1995, Monster, Inc in 2001, or Finding Nemo in 2003? The movies made by Pixar during the tenure of Steve Jobs always shared a central theme of camaraderie and collaboration between people. Pixar was sold to Disney in 2006 and Jobs was given a seat on Disney’s board and became their largest shareholder. During this same period, Apple started a downward spiral where its very existence was threaten, so in 1996, Jobs again became interim CEO of Apple and immediately started to make Apple profitable again. Jobs was always the heart and soul of Apple, for he brought a natural talent to focus on the right ideas that ultimately was embraced by the public. As an example, he was able to see the public sentiment turning toward PDA’s and the growth in the availability of music on the internet, so he said no to PDAs and yes to iPods. The iPod introduced in 2001 and the iTunes store in 2003 revitalized the music industry, and allowed old and new recording artists to communicate directly with consumers in a virtual environment to significantly increase their record sales. The iPhone introduced in 2007 and its applications created a new social platform where individuals actually stayed connected at all times. |
From the creation of Apple computers to the coronation of the iPhone as the most innovative cellular phone ever made, Steve Jobs has always embraced technologies that enable people to communicate with and relate to each other. Without a doubt, Steve Jobs has cemented himself as one of the most technological visionaries in the world. |
Angelelli, Lee. (20070). Steve Paul Jobs. Retrieved on August 13, 2009 from http://ei.cs.vt.edu/~history/Jobs.html.
Elmer-DeWitt , Philip. (2009). Top 10 moments in Steve Job’s career. Retrieved on August 13, 2009 from http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2009/fortune/0906/gallery.steve jobs career timeline.fortune/index.html.
The Apple Corporation
When talking about tech giants and companies that have taken advantage of the latest markets and mediums for those markets in the latest 10 years, you have to mention the Apple Corporation. Since Apple’s burial by Microsoft Corporation in the 80’s and early 90’s, the Corporation seems to have restructured the focus to new technologies and future ones such as the cellular phone market with the iphone.
Apple’s first innovative strike was in 2001 with the introduction of the ipod. The ipod mp3 player, along with its own itunes mp3 format was a sign that Apple was now beginning to branch out into formats other than PCs and laptops.
After several different versions and updates of the ipod, Apple Corporation decided to enter the cellular phone marketplace with the iphone. The introduction of the iphone and the cellular phone market was a major step for Apple. The iphone incorporated a small software operating system, a cellular phone, mp3 music platform, and an internet connection with browser. When you think about it, those are the four main technology markets today.
Cellular phones have become as important (if not more important) than wallets and keys. Many people these days don’t even have a home phone anymore, only a cellular phone. If you integrate that with a web browser and an operating system, you have access to an infinite amount of information at your fingertips. If you need a map, if you need to find a restaurant, if you need to check the playing times of a movie, if you need to look up a word in the dictionary, the answer is in the iphone’s ad slogan “there’s an app for that”.
I myself am a PC user, but I am a fairly new iphone user, so I am not 100% biased towards Apple Corporations products. That being said, it’s hard to look at Apple’s vision for now and the future, and not think that whatever direction the corporation goes to next will be the next big markets
LINKS:
http://applemuseum.bott.org/sections/history.html
http://www.apple-history.com/
The 3 C's
Communication
Cisco
Cisco Systems has been involved with the internet and networking since day one. Their routers and switches are used almost everywhere now and they have the reputation of being the best. Technology and communication is what has made Cisco successful, but the market has changed. Sure, new routers and networking hardware will be needed but the consumer wants to be able to use all this connectivity to their advantage without technical experts needed. Collaborative communication only works if it is easy to use for the end user. The CEO of a company does want to waste 30 minutes trying to get a web-conference to work. Cisco stepped into this collaborative communication arena a while ago and is working on changing the way businesses operate. Many companies already use Cisco’s WebEx, a popular online meeting solution. Cisco also offers TelePresence a video conferencing solution. Telepresence changes the way distant employees collaborate by providing face to face communication. One of Cisco’s most impressive solutions is their Unified Communications. This solution builds a bridge between every communication gap you could think of.
“Cisco Unified Communications solutions unify voice, video, data, and mobile applications on fixed and mobile networks so users can easily communicate in any workspace and on any media, device, or operating system.”
If that’s not collaborative communication I don’t know what is! My workplace actually uses Cisco’s Unified Messaging. This product lets us receive voicemails via email and lets us listen to and reply to emails through our voicemail system as well. The voicemail is received as an email with an attachment. This is handy because you can see who it is from, when it was sent, and so on instantly by reading the message. Then you can simply double-click the audio file and listen to your message. Piece of cake!
Cisco Systems. (2009).Cisco Systems Inc. Retrieved August 12, 2009 from http://www.cisco.com/en/US/hmpgs/index.html
Cisco Systems has been involved with the internet and networking since day one. Their routers and switches are used almost everywhere now and they have the reputation of being the best. Technology and communication is what has made Cisco successful, but the market has changed. Sure, new routers and networking hardware will be needed but the consumer wants to be able to use all this connectivity to their advantage without technical experts needed. Collaborative communication only works if it is easy to use for the end user. The CEO of a company does want to waste 30 minutes trying to get a web-conference to work. Cisco stepped into this collaborative communication arena a while ago and is working on changing the way businesses operate. Many companies already use Cisco’s WebEx, a popular online meeting solution. Cisco also offers TelePresence a video conferencing solution. Telepresence changes the way distant employees collaborate by providing face to face communication. One of Cisco’s most impressive solutions is their Unified Communications. This solution builds a bridge between every communication gap you could think of.
“Cisco Unified Communications solutions unify voice, video, data, and mobile applications on fixed and mobile networks so users can easily communicate in any workspace and on any media, device, or operating system.”
If that’s not collaborative communication I don’t know what is! My workplace actually uses Cisco’s Unified Messaging. This product lets us receive voicemails via email and lets us listen to and reply to emails through our voicemail system as well. The voicemail is received as an email with an attachment. This is handy because you can see who it is from, when it was sent, and so on instantly by reading the message. Then you can simply double-click the audio file and listen to your message. Piece of cake!
Cisco Systems. (2009).Cisco Systems Inc. Retrieved August 12, 2009 from http://www.cisco.com/en/US/hmpgs/index.html
Browsing Wizard
"I'm not in this for the money. I truly love it," Ross says. "I could never see myself sitting in a cubicle."
I wanted to write about fifty percent of the duo that helped bring Firefox to the forefront of internet browsing, Blake Ross. At the age of 15, well still in high school, Ross went to work for Netscape to help develop their web browser but quickly became disillusioned with the direction they were going in. One idea that stuck with Ross from Netscape was open source code. Open source code is an approach to the design, development, and distribution of software. With that idea Ross help create the Mozilla foundation and eventually the Firefox web browser. Firefox has become one of the most popular web browsers available with over 40 million people using it daily. Because Ross utilizes open source code the Mozilla Foundation is a nonprofit organization which means Firefox will always be free to the user. This gives Firefox a huge advantage against its main competitor, Internet Explorer. Because it’s free to the user and open source code it is easier for people to find and troubleshoot problems with the browser. As Ross put it, "It gives you a breadth of experience outside of just computer geeks. It also means the people are truly dedicated because there's no payday." (Time.com, 2006) Because his approach to business he has been able to help launch one of the most exciting and a successful internet browsers to date.
Lev Grossman (2006) Blake Ross. Retrieve August 10th 2009 from http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1570734,00.html
Stranger DANGER in your own home
Soon after you have a baby you start thinking about all of the things you need to do to protect them. Parents will spend hundreds of dollars on; soft barriers for the sharp corners in their home, electric outlet covers, toilet seat locks, cupboard and drawer locks, door knob locks, kitchen safety kits, gates, and even railing extensions. The first few years of a child’s life is almost spent in a bubble. As children grow older the locks come off and the parents start to allow for more freedom. This wondrous experience of watching your little one grow also includes providing every opportunity for them to learn. Soon the family computer is being used to introduce children to the ABC’s and the 123’s. Children catch on to using a computer very quickly and over the years will start to use the computer for school projects, interactive fun with friends, and even more mature or educational games. It is at this time that parents need to spend the time and money to again protect their children.
Parents now have options when it comes to protecting their children. Microsoft is a leading company in: software, computing devices, and innovative technologies. Included in their many expanding products is the support for internet safety, especially the safety of children using the internet. With youth being brought up with technology at their fingertips, many are already tech savvy and have become the tech guru’s in their own homes, with such ability also comes a big responsibility. This is because children are the optimum target for an internet predator. Even the risk of children accidentally tying a URL wrong can lead to disturbing results.
“Until very recently, if you typed www.whitehouse.com instead of the correct URL of www.whitehouse.gov, you’d be directed to an "adult" site with graphic pornography. This has recently been "addressed" and the government now owns the dotcom site, but until recently, this was a hardcore pornographic site. “(http://www.warningsigns.info/internet_safety.htm ).
Children on the internet cannot readily discern what they are doing, as safe practice, without proper guidelines. Microsoft wants to help families with this enormous task. Some of the features include free upgrades/downloads, internet filters, personalized setting for each individual user, time limit settings, internet activity reports, gaming limits, protection against accidental system changes, download blocking, kid access request via e-mail, and even setting limits on who you can communicate with.
All of this is extremely important to protect your children from; exposure to pornography or other offensive material, child predation and exploitation, internet addiction, cyber bullying, viruses and malicious computer attacks. To help protect against this Microsoft additional promotes the following to help assure enjoyable and successful sessions.
Safety comes first
Surfing with the kids
Share an account
The internet is not Private
Communicate
Be an informed parent
Explain the risks
Set rules
Never reveal private information
Keep the computer in an open area
Keep track of sites and passwords
Use screen names not real names
Avoid private chat rooms
Time limits
Be respectful
No trading photos
Terminate inappropriate communication and report them if necessary
Don’t be tricked into giving away your phone number
People are not always as they appear online
Avoid discussing personal or family matters online
Get permission to sign in
Children are meant to be protected and Microsoft is helping in that ongoing endeavor.
http://www.KidSafeInc.com
http://www.sesamestreet.org/home
http://pbskids.org
http://www.warningsigns.info/internet_safety.htm
http://www.atg.wa.gov/InternetSafety/FamiliesAndEducators.aspx
http://www.microsoft.com/protect/family/guidelines/default.mspx
The man behind Madrona Venture Group
“Every great founding team has terrific passion, energy and confidence at that moment!” - Matt Mcilwain Managing Director Madrona Venture Group
Matt Mcliwain has a proven track record of being in the forefront of technology in today’s software-driven companies. Today he is the Managing Director at Madrona Venrure Group and co-teaches on venture capital in the University of Washington’s Technology MA Program. I googled Matt to learn more about him and I found numerous hits from facebook, to LinkedIn to twitter and the list keeps going. How does a man so busy manage to stay abreast to today’ slatest networking groups? I found it interesting to read some of his twitters, here is an example “Why do we call it search when much of the time we are discovering?”.
Madrona Venture Group “funds the passion behind the idea... Funds the potential of that idea to revolutionize the way people work, live or play." Madrona is driven by the ideas
and visions to build the new generation of market-leading companies. They have immersed themselves in many different businesses from Consumer Internet, Commercial Software Companies and Services, Digital Media and Advertising, Network Infrastructure and Wireless.
Mixing a solid foundation with some “kidspiration”
Investor and customer relationships play a vital role in Dell’s technological success. Dell (2009) states, “Dell was founded on the premise that direct relationships with customers are a tremendous competitive advantage, and we believe these direct relationships are just as vital with investors (p. 1).” Company success relies on all parts working together to produce optimal results. In the competitive and ever-changing world of technology, producing a good product begins with a foundation of solid investors. Keeping up with the blogging craze, Dell offers a blog site for interested parties who can follow various aspects of the company from marketing strategies to financials called DellShares, found at http://en.community.dell.com/blogs/dell_shares/default.asp.
After the investors are in place and finances are solid, creativity and innovation in technology is what it’s all about. Dell’s user-friendly website, http://www.dell.com allows consumers to navigate with ease as they shop for new products designed with innovation and inspiration. A glimpse of innovation can be found at http://www.forbes.com/feeds/businesswire/2009/08/11/businesswire127754370.html in an article detailing a new product geared towards children, after all, technology is not only widely used by children, but it’s future also lies in the hands of children. Forbes (2009 ) states, “The Dell Inspiron Mini Nickelodeon Edition opens a window to entertainment and education that parents can easily monitor and control as children grow more Internet savvy (p. 1) .”
In addition to solid financial backing and cutting-edge innovation, consumers are reassured through the ability to research Dell’s corporate responsibility that includes the following:
•Commitment to the environment
•Social responsibility
•Diversity
•Accountability (Dell, 2009)
References:
Dell. (2009). Investor Relations. Retrieved August 11, 2009, from http://content.dell.com/us/en/corp/about-dell-investor-info.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=corp
After the investors are in place and finances are solid, creativity and innovation in technology is what it’s all about. Dell’s user-friendly website, http://www.dell.com allows consumers to navigate with ease as they shop for new products designed with innovation and inspiration. A glimpse of innovation can be found at http://www.forbes.com/feeds/businesswire/2009/08/11/businesswire127754370.html in an article detailing a new product geared towards children, after all, technology is not only widely used by children, but it’s future also lies in the hands of children. Forbes (2009 ) states, “The Dell Inspiron Mini Nickelodeon Edition opens a window to entertainment and education that parents can easily monitor and control as children grow more Internet savvy (p. 1) .”
In addition to solid financial backing and cutting-edge innovation, consumers are reassured through the ability to research Dell’s corporate responsibility that includes the following:
•Commitment to the environment
•Social responsibility
•Diversity
•Accountability (Dell, 2009)
References:
Dell. (2009). Investor Relations. Retrieved August 11, 2009, from http://content.dell.com/us/en/corp/about-dell-investor-info.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=corp
Google, Googling, Googlie
Google was created by two Stanford University students, Larry Page and Sergey Brin as a class project and has grown to a multi – million dollar corporation. Google started as a search engine, but has since grown and diversified and offers email, video sharing, webblogs, online mapping, social networking and office productivity. Googling has become an inherent component of the internet and cyberspace. Although the internet has various search engines, Google is the most popular and returns websites, videos, images and articles. The company motto “Don’t be evil” and the public image that Google has sought portray has made the search engine and other products a trusted internet entity with the online public.
The unique working culture that stresses play along with the casual atmosphere has made Google one of the most sought after employment aspirations for technology and engineering professionals. Google has been voted by Forbes as the number one place to work for the pass two years. The main office is located in Palo Alto California in the heart of Silicon Valley. The office environment is suited for play as well as work. The various recreation rooms contain a variety of video games as well as ping pong tables. Furthermore, different arcade and video games can be found through the office complex. The engineers are encouraged to take twenty percent of their work week and focus on personal projects. The creativity and relaxation that Google promotes in the office has paid dividends. Numerous ideas and ventures have evolved from personal projects.
The rivalry between Google and Microsoft is common knowledge within the high tech world. Microsoft has introduced Bing as an alterative search engine to take some of the market share from Google. Furthermore, Microsoft has linked Bing to several famous Twitters to give it market appeal. On the opposite spectrum, Google is planning on introducing an operating system in 2010 called Google Chrome. Microsoft has dominated the PC market for years with its operating systems. The Chrome operating system will be an open source similar to Linux and will likely be free. Google is currently in negotiations with Hewlett – Packard and other PC manufactures to offer the Chrome system on the Net books that are under 600.00 and should be extremely popular with college students or anyone on a budget.
The diversity of Google and the ability to adapt to a changing environment is a strength that has sustained the company. However that has been concerns that Google is becoming more cooperate and less benign. Furthermore, the issue and concern for the privacy of users because of the embedded search engine cookie that tracks users searches and maintains a record. Google Earth which gives online satellite photos of private residences has been in litigation for invasion of privacy. Google won the case but its image as being trustworthy was tarnished. Any successful company will have admirers and distracters; however, whether a person feels admiration or antagonistic towards Google is irrelevant. The impact of Google on cyberspace and the effect on the internet experience and the way we communicate online is indisputable. Furthermore, the company that began as a project of college students has evolved and grown into a mega – giant and will continue to diversify and effect the world of cyberspace.
http://www.financialpost.com/story.html?id
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Google
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google
The unique working culture that stresses play along with the casual atmosphere has made Google one of the most sought after employment aspirations for technology and engineering professionals. Google has been voted by Forbes as the number one place to work for the pass two years. The main office is located in Palo Alto California in the heart of Silicon Valley. The office environment is suited for play as well as work. The various recreation rooms contain a variety of video games as well as ping pong tables. Furthermore, different arcade and video games can be found through the office complex. The engineers are encouraged to take twenty percent of their work week and focus on personal projects. The creativity and relaxation that Google promotes in the office has paid dividends. Numerous ideas and ventures have evolved from personal projects.
The rivalry between Google and Microsoft is common knowledge within the high tech world. Microsoft has introduced Bing as an alterative search engine to take some of the market share from Google. Furthermore, Microsoft has linked Bing to several famous Twitters to give it market appeal. On the opposite spectrum, Google is planning on introducing an operating system in 2010 called Google Chrome. Microsoft has dominated the PC market for years with its operating systems. The Chrome operating system will be an open source similar to Linux and will likely be free. Google is currently in negotiations with Hewlett – Packard and other PC manufactures to offer the Chrome system on the Net books that are under 600.00 and should be extremely popular with college students or anyone on a budget.
The diversity of Google and the ability to adapt to a changing environment is a strength that has sustained the company. However that has been concerns that Google is becoming more cooperate and less benign. Furthermore, the issue and concern for the privacy of users because of the embedded search engine cookie that tracks users searches and maintains a record. Google Earth which gives online satellite photos of private residences has been in litigation for invasion of privacy. Google won the case but its image as being trustworthy was tarnished. Any successful company will have admirers and distracters; however, whether a person feels admiration or antagonistic towards Google is irrelevant. The impact of Google on cyberspace and the effect on the internet experience and the way we communicate online is indisputable. Furthermore, the company that began as a project of college students has evolved and grown into a mega – giant and will continue to diversify and effect the world of cyberspace.
http://www.financialpost.com/story.html?id
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Google
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google
Html for Macs
This is a great application instead of text edit for all the mac users..
http://www.barebones.com/products/bbedit/demo.html
Internet Advertisement- then and now
“We believe that Internet advertising will account for a growing proportion of overall advertising expenditure. Moreover, advertising - and marketing in general - will adopt practices first developed or deployed on the Internet ”
- Cartellieri, Parsons, Rao, Zeisser
This journal was written back in 1997, which is not that long ago in real time but is decades ago in “technology” time. The writers were definitely on to something back then when not every household, school, and workplace in America had computer or internet access compared to today where Wi-Fi is available anywhere (if not, we can drive one more mile). In today’s market, it’s rare to see a non-internet advertisement (T.V., billboard, newspaper etc…) that doesn’t have a website displayed at the bottom of the ad.
During the early years of the internet it was obvious that advertisement would have a home there. What surprised me, looking back now, is the magnitude of importance placed on internet marketing. In the early years corporations were more skeptical about the internet market and would only advertise via Television and the print media. Today websites can function solely on advertisement and I am always glad to see new markets develop as it is always good for any economy.
-Matt M.
Journal article by Caroline Cartellieri, Andrew J. Parsons, Varsha Rao, Michael P. Zeisser; The McKinsey Quarterly, No. 3, 1997 The Real Impact of Internet Advertising
Links:
www.questia.com/googleScholar.qst;jsessionid=KztXkK0tvvrjnRhQ87qpJdxMfDDR4F96WwL7cSC9yJLXbW4KCjT1!1707175542!-1042068674?docId=5000555754
Cyberspace: No Regulation
“Just as society did not cry for an end or regulation of the printing press, so too should we not regulate the Internet”
Bowman, David. (2009). Neo-luddism and the demonisation of technology: cultural collision on the information superhighway. ACM SIGCOMM Computer Communication Review, 39(3), 19 – 21.
In this day and time, cyberspace has become the main source of innovation, communication, and leisure. The author of this particular article believes technological innovation is best served if minimal regulation is forthcoming. The author’s statement I chose captures the arguments of those that believe that freedom of speech is essential for the internet to evolve technologically and socially. After all, I believe the passions derived from the differing opinions of people are the driving forces behind a growing community that has a lot to express. This population explosion in cyberspace is one of the main reasons that new modes of technology are being explored. Traditionally, governments have ignored the internet, but now they are taking a more active look at its regulation. I believe like all things in life, the internet should be free of the government interventions that threaten to stifle it technological growth. In the end, cyberspace will be held accountable by the court of public opinion and adapt to societal changes.
Bowman, David. (2009). Neo-luddism and the demonisation of technology: cultural collision on the information superhighway. ACM SIGCOMM Computer Communication Review, 39(3), 19 – 21.
In this day and time, cyberspace has become the main source of innovation, communication, and leisure. The author of this particular article believes technological innovation is best served if minimal regulation is forthcoming. The author’s statement I chose captures the arguments of those that believe that freedom of speech is essential for the internet to evolve technologically and socially. After all, I believe the passions derived from the differing opinions of people are the driving forces behind a growing community that has a lot to express. This population explosion in cyberspace is one of the main reasons that new modes of technology are being explored. Traditionally, governments have ignored the internet, but now they are taking a more active look at its regulation. I believe like all things in life, the internet should be free of the government interventions that threaten to stifle it technological growth. In the end, cyberspace will be held accountable by the court of public opinion and adapt to societal changes.
Love in Cyberspace - Online Dating
Is cyberspace the new matchmaker for individuals in search for love and romance? Internet match making sites have becomes one of the most profitable and growing businesses of the twenty – first century. Has the phenomenon of online dating has become the accepted methodology for looking for love in this modern age? According to the Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication in 2003 the number of Americans using online dating services was 29 millions, however the following years that number had grown to 40 million (2004, p2). Furthermore the number of singles using the internet for match making continues to grown annually. The reasons people use the internet as a means to find romance is diverse and multifaceted.
Many individuals feel that utilizing the internet for online dating offers convenience and quantity. Countless people have joined online dating services to find romance in addition to the time- honored methods of match making. And while traditional methods are still utilized, online dating offers more choices because it is not bound by the geographical restraints of traditional match matching. Furthermore, using an online dating service allows communication via the internet through chat rooms, emailing and instant messaging before the exchange of phone numbers and true identities. The internet allows individuals a fairly safe environment if proper precautions are taken. For example, if the conversations have advanced the point of exchanging phone numbers, a person should always use a mobile phone and never a land phone until a certain level of trust has been reached.
Trust is always difficult in any relationship and especially difficult in an online environment. Especially given that only two percent of online match making evolve and lead to a walk down the aisle. However, this statistic does not account for the number of long-term relationships or the percentages of couples that decide to forego matrimony. Nevertheless, despite the low percentages of finding romance on the internet many singles have joined online dating service in hopes of finding a compatible mate. And although everyone knows someone or have experienced firsthand a disappointing face to face first date as a consequence of the initial meeting, Online dating services continue to grow and thrive, perhaps our journey has been revised by the internet. Nevertheless, even in the age of the impersonal computer the human desire remains unchanged. The yearning to arrive at ultimate destination of unconditional acceptance and lasting true love,
References:
Journal of Computer –Mediated Communication – Subject Managing Impressions Online: Self Presentation Processes in the Online Dating Environment
Many individuals feel that utilizing the internet for online dating offers convenience and quantity. Countless people have joined online dating services to find romance in addition to the time- honored methods of match making. And while traditional methods are still utilized, online dating offers more choices because it is not bound by the geographical restraints of traditional match matching. Furthermore, using an online dating service allows communication via the internet through chat rooms, emailing and instant messaging before the exchange of phone numbers and true identities. The internet allows individuals a fairly safe environment if proper precautions are taken. For example, if the conversations have advanced the point of exchanging phone numbers, a person should always use a mobile phone and never a land phone until a certain level of trust has been reached.
Trust is always difficult in any relationship and especially difficult in an online environment. Especially given that only two percent of online match making evolve and lead to a walk down the aisle. However, this statistic does not account for the number of long-term relationships or the percentages of couples that decide to forego matrimony. Nevertheless, despite the low percentages of finding romance on the internet many singles have joined online dating service in hopes of finding a compatible mate. And although everyone knows someone or have experienced firsthand a disappointing face to face first date as a consequence of the initial meeting, Online dating services continue to grow and thrive, perhaps our journey has been revised by the internet. Nevertheless, even in the age of the impersonal computer the human desire remains unchanged. The yearning to arrive at ultimate destination of unconditional acceptance and lasting true love,
References:
Journal of Computer –Mediated Communication – Subject Managing Impressions Online: Self Presentation Processes in the Online Dating Environment
Internet Addiction
“Interest in Internet addiction has grown in the past decade, leading to a better understanding of the condition, yet there is little agreement regarding its definition.” (Black & Shaw, 2008)
We all joke about being addicted to certain things, but when can we actually say that a person is addicted to the internet? Some are hesitant to say that people can actually be addicted to the internet, but others argue that this addiction is becoming a serious problem. Addiction is an interesting topic by itself, but internet addiction is a fascinating topic. Are there really internet users that have to get a “fix” every hour or so? We all know someone that may have the tendency to freak out if their internet goes down or perhaps they lose cell phone service, but I could not say that I know of anyone actually addicted to the internet. This does not mean the addicts aren’t out there though. It seems internet addiction is very possible and can be a real issue. Addiction can happen with almost anything. I would classify someone as being an internet addict when the internet starts to take over their life. This could be through online gambling, chatting, surfing, gaming, or really any type of internet use. Some online gamers stay up all night playing their game, but when does this become an actual medical condition and how would it be treated? That is what psychologists and doctors are currently debating over. If a person is perhaps unhappy with their “real” life they may see the internet as an escape or a chance to portray who they really want to be. With sites like Second Life and other online environments, it could be easy for someone to become more concerned with their online persona than their actual life. This is when I would say that this individual is an internet addict. Although this may seem crazy, it is becoming a reality. Just like with any other addiction, there is usually an underlying issue that contributes to the addiction. So what do you think? Is the internet becoming the 21st century drug?
References
Black, D., & Shaw, M. (2008). Internet Addiction. CSN Drugs, 22:5, Retrieved 07/30/2009, from http://search.ebscohost.com.dml.regis.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=32542414&site=ehost-live
We all joke about being addicted to certain things, but when can we actually say that a person is addicted to the internet? Some are hesitant to say that people can actually be addicted to the internet, but others argue that this addiction is becoming a serious problem. Addiction is an interesting topic by itself, but internet addiction is a fascinating topic. Are there really internet users that have to get a “fix” every hour or so? We all know someone that may have the tendency to freak out if their internet goes down or perhaps they lose cell phone service, but I could not say that I know of anyone actually addicted to the internet. This does not mean the addicts aren’t out there though. It seems internet addiction is very possible and can be a real issue. Addiction can happen with almost anything. I would classify someone as being an internet addict when the internet starts to take over their life. This could be through online gambling, chatting, surfing, gaming, or really any type of internet use. Some online gamers stay up all night playing their game, but when does this become an actual medical condition and how would it be treated? That is what psychologists and doctors are currently debating over. If a person is perhaps unhappy with their “real” life they may see the internet as an escape or a chance to portray who they really want to be. With sites like Second Life and other online environments, it could be easy for someone to become more concerned with their online persona than their actual life. This is when I would say that this individual is an internet addict. Although this may seem crazy, it is becoming a reality. Just like with any other addiction, there is usually an underlying issue that contributes to the addiction. So what do you think? Is the internet becoming the 21st century drug?
References
Black, D., & Shaw, M. (2008). Internet Addiction. CSN Drugs, 22:5, Retrieved 07/30/2009, from http://search.ebscohost.com.dml.regis.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=32542414&site=ehost-live
A New Playground for Bullies
According to Mishna, McLuckie, and Saini (2009) , “The rapid increase in use of the Internet and other forms of technology such as instant messaging, e-mail, social networking sites and webcams has enabled children and youths to engage in a vast array of experiences beyond the confines of their homes, schools, and local communities (p.107).” Internet access exposes children to an environment where they can be bullied or harassed. An inherent part of parenting is protecting your children from the dangers of the outside world. Modern technology breaks the barriers in the safe haven of home and delivers the dangers of the outside world right into the hands of children via the internet. Children do not have to go to the playground to be bullied anymore – they simply just to log into a chat room. Cyber abuse lurks amidst the social networking and interaction of today’s youth. Although most on line interactions are positive, a distinct need to protect children from the dangers of the internet exists. Identifying strategies for prevention and intervention of unsafe cyber practices for children can facilitate the process of parents and educators working together to become better informed of possible problems and situations that may arise in cyberspace and may aid in the mitigation of possible harmful effects on children. Just as parents take precautionary measures to protect children from the physical dangers on the streets of today’s world, children must be protected in cyberspace also.
References
Mishna, F., McLuckie, A., & Saini, M. (2009, June). Real-world dangers in an online reality: A qualitative study examining online relationships and cyber abuse. Social Work Research, 33(2), 107-118. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier.
References
Mishna, F., McLuckie, A., & Saini, M. (2009, June). Real-world dangers in an online reality: A qualitative study examining online relationships and cyber abuse. Social Work Research, 33(2), 107-118. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier.
“I feel bad that my son does not ask me to speak at his school on career day.”
Five a.m., and the alarm has never sounded so loud. Rolling out of bed, my eyes are still filled with sleep and my head is still crowded with blurred ideas. I take my first step and have to silently scream as my foot is punctured by a transformer that never made it to the toy box. My two children are still asleep and I am hoping they stay that way for at least another hour. In this hour I have to feed and water the dog, switch the laundry and fold what is in the dryer, empty the dishwasher, pick up the other toys that are strewn around the house, take a shower, pack a diaper bag, pack a back pack, pull something out of the freezer for dinner, and dress myself. Next I have to rouse the children, dress them, and get them packed into the car to drop them off at the babysitters or school. It is not until then that I rush myself to my job, yes a job, I am still working toward my degree and career choice.
I am taking the long road in education, having already logged nearly ten years in college moving progressively through three different universities in three different cities and thousands of hours behind the screen of my computer. Each class is moving me closer to what any individual would want; a career that you don’t just do, but love to do. A career is more than a job, it is more than providing income for your family it is a passion. It is clear that my education path hasn’t followed the four year one school norm; mostly because I am first a mother. Presently I work for a hospital as secretary, answering phones, taking meeting minutes, planning trips and creating reports. My son often asks me if I am a doctor, and when I tell him no, he always asks me if he can just pretend that is what I do.
For me like many women today, the choice has been laid out between family and career. The idea that a mother would want a career is not foreign, just not completely understood. Once a woman has children, society places a sort of obligation to that woman to put their newly created family first. This notion is not off the mark, but because of the other views society has about what it takes to maintain a career, many are not even allowed the choice of both. For that reason, women are first to give up their career or at least put it on hold to be there for the family. After this is done, the next blow given by society often comes in comments related to not working as much or even not working in a job that has anything to do with their education path. The guilt is hard to deal with. Woman want to succeed and they want the family but the options are just not there. Becoming a mother often takes on new challenges, ones that don’t require a degree. These new challenges most often looks to solve simple personal needs, like being available for your family or even letting go of a few luxuries to offer more for the sake of the family. In the end many women that become mothers have taken on jobs that no longer demand the years of education they have put in, but merely ask for the time commitment.
For those women that have set their dreams aside for their families I commend you. The personal struggle is deep and troubling at times. The gain you feel giving to your family is often pulled down as you know you are capable of also giving to a company. Even though there is a lot of turmoil for women in this situation the long term gain is more rewarding than what you would receive from any career.
Chisholm P., D. S. (1999, March 1). The mother load. Maclean's , pp. Vol 112; Issue 9, p46,5p.
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