Response to Article: The End of Books

     This is an interesting article. Contrasting the differences between hypertext and traditional text.
The advent of hypertext is revolutionary in terms of communication. It also could mean the end of traditional text. This is evident in the decline in book and newspaper sales. The use of hypertext can allow a person do to so much more. It is more fluid. Links, photos and up to date stories. It is ever changing and keeps up with current events. Orginal text does not do this at all. Obsolete in many ways. However, I like books and newspapers since they  are a tangible items. I also like them since it is easier to locate and item. I sometimes have an issue locating hypertext items that I have read and have not made a note of there address. This can be frustrating to people.
     The article gave insight into what is considered the next step of written communication. This is an important step just was the advent of the wrtten text.  It reminds us that new technologies may spring up in the future and that hyper text may go by the way side of the printed text.

Response to Article: Netfix Drops Since 2004 Since Losing 800k Customers

Response to Article: Navigating Technomedia

     This article is basically a review of a few previous articles that we read. Namely, The Written Word: From Printing to the Internet. There is also more on Marshall McLuhan's "Medium is the Message".
     I would like to discuss a few aspects of this reading:
1) The false hopes of modernity under the guise of advancement and
2)New World Order
3)Single Technology Applications
     The reading touches upon the advent of the internet. As I remember, it was perceived as something that would change the world. It is stated that it would help democracy spread throughout the world. I believe that it only helped spread the word of what inevitably would have happened. It was not the internet that specifically started the movement of nations towards democracy. It was a tool to spread the word of democracy. Two distinctly different perspectives. Of course, not everyone may agree with my opnion.
     There is also mention of the New World Order. I believe that we are in an age of a new order. The internet has helped shape and streamline improvements in many areas. Specifically, communication on the business level. This has had a huge impact on the global economy. It is a very good reason why there is high unemployment rates in the Western World.
   Finally, I never thought about it before but to view television one would have to pruchace a T.V. That is not the case anymore since a cel phone enables a person to view T.V., take pictures and place events in leiu of a calendar now days. It is truly an amazing world that we live in.

Response to Article: Personal Dynamic Media

     I found this article to be historical in the sense. The Dynabook system seems to have been the precursor to the modern computer. Most of the components that are standard computer items existed with this system. Personal computer yet crude in nature since it was developed in the 1970's.
     The system was developed is stated to be influential in terms of historical content. The funny thing is that I have never heard of it until now. The software program that was developed was called Smalltalk.  I took it that this program may be seen as a precursor to "Windows". The system was developed to manipulate information. Fonts could be adjusted. Music and images could be augmented and so forth. A program by the name of SHAZAM allowed annimation to be created. This system seemed to have it all. Geared toward adults and even children. The system had a  mouse, storage unit, keyboard and screen. The only drawback of the system is that it had some limits. Primarialy in the storage area. Only about 1,500 pages could be stored.
     The dynabook is an important device in the computer age. It is a testament of what man can create. Man has built upon the fondation of this system and has developed systems that are now much better. The cycle of creation will continue as newer technologies are introduced.

Response to Article: The PC is dying, but very, very slowly

I came across this interesting article. The article claims that PC sales are slowing down in certain parts of the world. For example, sales of lap tops and Ipads are up in this country while PC sales are down. However, this appears to be a regional issue. PC sales are way up in China and India. They can't seem to get enough of them. It is also noted that Latin American sales of PC's is in the double digits.
  Now, this is what I think, from my perspective. I don't own a lap top or an Ipad since I prefer to sit comfortably in an office area to work on my computer. Of course, this is not how everyone operates. Some people prefer to have the independance of using a lap top or ipad in order to do their business. It will take a revolutionary system to be introduced in order for me to change from my PC to something else.
  I'm sure that most people feel the same way. This is the reason why I think PC's will be around for a while longer. We must take into account the reasons why the PC may have sluggish sales in the U.S. One reason comes to mind would be the fact that the United States in in depression mode. People just don't have the money to buy much of anything now days.

Response to Article: Second Life

     This article was not as interesting to me as some of the others. It was probably due to the fact that it had to do with charecters within a game by the name of Second Life. The research that was done here was the the aspect of gender within a virtual world.
      Apparently, there are limited choices that one can become when a charecter is developed during this game. The charecters are pre-programed by the software creators. The gender choices are steoreotypical in stucture. For example, Men have strong pectorals and women have large breasts.
     The charectarization of these gender roles are usually found not only in this game but all of the other games that I have seen. Especially, the games that I have come across at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Those games usually reflect women and men in the same fashion. Especially, the medieval battle sequencing games. The same options are available for the kids create their charecters while playing the games down there.  The charecter choices are preset with men that have strong pecs and women that have large breasts. These charecter types make the best impression according to the authors research. Charecters that are sexual in nature and created in for the purpose of fetish.
     The authors of the reading were very aware of the sensitivity of gender roles as they began to create their charectars in regards to this research. They were very aware of the fact of how their gender charecters were percieved since we expect gender to act or look in a certain way. The results of this study are a reflection of how society looks upon gender roles. I learned that this study supports my perceptions of what I have already seen in other virtual games. Sexual and fetish charecters appeal to people.

Response to Article: From Computer Power to Human Reason

I found this article to be interesting. It is a self reflective article in regards to a psycotherapist software program that Joseph Weizenbaum created in the 1960's. The main points of the article that I would like to discuss here are 1)Can software programs such as those used for medical reasons offer the same or better results. 2) Human emotional attachment to computers and finally, 3) Weizenbaum's own conclusions of his work.
   1) The software program that Jospeh Weizenbaum created is limited in my opinion. The reason that I take this position is because the program was created by Mr. Weizenbaum. The program only offers his advice. This is disturbing since Mr. Wizenbaum had no medical training in the discipline of psycotherapy. Also, the realty of the whole therapy application is that not all psychotherapists are suited for people. Each person must make a choice in order to whom they see fit for their needs. The cookie cutter approach of "one program serves" all is not useful.
   2) The article touches upon the fact that people become emotionally attached. Mr. Weizenbaum's reflection many years later alluded to the fact that people seem to have a personal attachment to their computers and will let their guard down by conveying information to a program that could be used in order to build information in regards to them. The article also empasizes the fact that this is indeed proof that computers have augmented our lives and way of thinking.
  3) Joseph Weizenbaum's self reflection indicates that he was very aware of the fact that man should set limits of responsibility for which aspects of computers have in intervening the lives of humans. Can computers actually imate the the thinking process of man and make decisions? More importantly, can man put trust in these machines to run their lives? Even Mr. Weizenbaum undertood the need for a conspectual line where the impact on computers in the lives of humans should be drawn.