Thursday, January 28, 2010
Captains Log #3. Man vs. Machine
Ok, now that we've got that out of the way.Wait..."Ipad"..WTF!
So the passage I picked for this blog was Silvia's from cyber to hybrid,which is quite fitting considering this read speaks about the migration of cyberspace to physical space through the use of mobile technologies as an interface. She points out the explosion of social networking being at the palms of your hands and how it blurs the traditional boarders between physical and digital spaces.
Through out time we as humans have had a fascination with Man vs. Machine and we see this through movies, hyperality (that being, our conceptions of certain things are influenced by what we see and how its portrayed), TV, magazines and so on. Regardless, we take these a priori ideas of a machine and hold it up as some sort of technology or artificial being. The idea that we are pretty close to having robots walking around is not too far fetched. That being said, Silva’s explanation of mobile devices conveys the idea that we accept mobile, “social interface” tools and are perception of virtual space and physical space maybe separate to one another or one mashed up conception. Because we are immersed with so many different interfaces it would make sense that we mash our virtual understandings with our physical capabilities. Obviously we can decipher the difference between an actual physical space and a virtual space but I think Silva is making the point that our experiences in the virtual world are becoming more physically possible to create outside a virtual space.
By physical virtual space, I mean, the way in which we can use virtual tools in day to day life. For example, Geocaching is a high-tech treasure hunting game played throughout the world by adventure seekers equipped with GPS devices and falls under the locative or mobile gaming category. This is a perfect example of the mash up virtual interfaces has become. With mobile gaming you’re taking the TV screen out of the video game and instead, transforming the places around you into the game board. Effectively, your phone becomes the controller and your body becomes the character in the game.
What I took away from this article is the fact that we merge virtual and physical space not as a necessity but as technological over load. We are constantly bombarded with new technology, new programs, system updates, which open up our consciousness to new possibilities in the virtual/physical lifestyle we have been accustomed to for a while. The idea of man vs. Machine and robots will become accepted just like a cell phone sooner than you think. With the growth and understanding of the technology we harbor comes the need to grow interconnectivity between our community and others around us.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Captains Log #2. From Noob to Pro.
Ahoy, Ship mates!
Ah, blog number two. Our relationship is going so well and our community will begin to flourish for the next few months. But should I even call this a “community” or should I name it a chat room? In our last class we discussed the true meaning of a virtual community and how it (a non-physical experience) can substitute for actual face-to-face interaction. We decided that a community, in essence, is a group of people with common interests. Talking about this in terms of virtual communities we began to draw conclusions on what the rules of an on-line, self-governing community actually needs to be successfully. Going back to the question of: “is our blogging community an actual community?”, I would say no.Why? Simply because this blog will end at a certain time. And because it ends at a certain time we cant class it as a growing community. This is merely an experience but one that I think is essential for better understanding of a virtual community. Thinking about the virtual communities I am apart of I decided to pick XBOX Live (yes, I am a closet gamer). It continues to grow in a non-physical environment as well as an outside one, formed with in cyber space and serves to please a common interest to its users. It is a perfect example of what small communities can eventually achieve.
Before I start here is a quick look at what XBOX Live is.
Xbox Live gives you the opportunity to meet, talk and play games with people from around the world. It is set up exactly like Facebook or Myspace but its even more. MUCH more. Not only can you communicate via text but also talk to them using a head set, web cam, internet or phone applications. For example, I often call one of my friends and tell him to “get on-line and play a game”. There’s no need for me to ask him “how his day went” or “whatchu you doin man” because I know it will be discussed in the virtual realm. We’re not just playing a game. We are communicating with a virtual tool that creates a greater interconnectivity between people even if we are not physical in the presence of each other. Just like Face Book or Myspace, Xbox Live continues to grow with the many cell phone applications sprouting up. This also shows the dripping of a virtual world into our ever day lives. The Extension of computer to man.
Xbox live, as much as I love possesses some digital divide questions. You can use Xbox Live for free from a computer, an Xbox or your phone but if you want to play games online you have to pay a yearly subscription fee of fifty dollars. This is where their community marketing and rules come into effect. People who don’t pay the fee can still talk to people via text or with a head set, create their page, build an avatar, gain friends and play SOME of the games but without the subscription you don’t have 100% access. The stuff that Xbox still gives you with out the subscription is still awesome and would give somebody the opportunity to gain the experience. There will always be a digital divide but the divide is small here. People who get involved with Xbox Live, at first classed as what our generation has coined “NOOBIES” but will quickly pick up the lingo and become Xbox live literate.
Xbox live is an amazing example of what communities can achieve with time, marketing and a great appeal. With this virtual community individuals are able to choose the level or degree of interaction. They can choose when to participate; they can choose their degree of involvement with others, create a virtual alias, incorporate their interests through various ways of communication and build a greater global connection. There are only a few other examples like Xbox Live but in my opinion is the most versatile multi-virtual communication tool we have.
Sincerely,
Capt. Jimmy Dangle
Ah, blog number two. Our relationship is going so well and our community will begin to flourish for the next few months. But should I even call this a “community” or should I name it a chat room? In our last class we discussed the true meaning of a virtual community and how it (a non-physical experience) can substitute for actual face-to-face interaction. We decided that a community, in essence, is a group of people with common interests. Talking about this in terms of virtual communities we began to draw conclusions on what the rules of an on-line, self-governing community actually needs to be successfully. Going back to the question of: “is our blogging community an actual community?”, I would say no.Why? Simply because this blog will end at a certain time. And because it ends at a certain time we cant class it as a growing community. This is merely an experience but one that I think is essential for better understanding of a virtual community. Thinking about the virtual communities I am apart of I decided to pick XBOX Live (yes, I am a closet gamer). It continues to grow in a non-physical environment as well as an outside one, formed with in cyber space and serves to please a common interest to its users. It is a perfect example of what small communities can eventually achieve.
Before I start here is a quick look at what XBOX Live is.
Xbox Live gives you the opportunity to meet, talk and play games with people from around the world. It is set up exactly like Facebook or Myspace but its even more. MUCH more. Not only can you communicate via text but also talk to them using a head set, web cam, internet or phone applications. For example, I often call one of my friends and tell him to “get on-line and play a game”. There’s no need for me to ask him “how his day went” or “whatchu you doin man” because I know it will be discussed in the virtual realm. We’re not just playing a game. We are communicating with a virtual tool that creates a greater interconnectivity between people even if we are not physical in the presence of each other. Just like Face Book or Myspace, Xbox Live continues to grow with the many cell phone applications sprouting up. This also shows the dripping of a virtual world into our ever day lives. The Extension of computer to man.
Xbox live, as much as I love possesses some digital divide questions. You can use Xbox Live for free from a computer, an Xbox or your phone but if you want to play games online you have to pay a yearly subscription fee of fifty dollars. This is where their community marketing and rules come into effect. People who don’t pay the fee can still talk to people via text or with a head set, create their page, build an avatar, gain friends and play SOME of the games but without the subscription you don’t have 100% access. The stuff that Xbox still gives you with out the subscription is still awesome and would give somebody the opportunity to gain the experience. There will always be a digital divide but the divide is small here. People who get involved with Xbox Live, at first classed as what our generation has coined “NOOBIES” but will quickly pick up the lingo and become Xbox live literate.
Xbox live is an amazing example of what communities can achieve with time, marketing and a great appeal. With this virtual community individuals are able to choose the level or degree of interaction. They can choose when to participate; they can choose their degree of involvement with others, create a virtual alias, incorporate their interests through various ways of communication and build a greater global connection. There are only a few other examples like Xbox Live but in my opinion is the most versatile multi-virtual communication tool we have.
Sincerely,
Capt. Jimmy Dangle
Friday, January 15, 2010
Captains Log #1. Phone for thought
Ahoy, matys!
What is Cyberspace to me? Well I can tell you one thing, its nothing to bloody Microsoft’s Word Processor because it keeps telling me I’m spelling it wrong. Moving on. I would most relate my ideas of Cyberspace to Benedikt’s first conception of the term. Our so-called “Google generation” as Tony Blair coined it, to me is (in a very simple idea) a massive cell phone that has unlimited constantly changing applications from millions of users and different books. In fact think of how the cell phone has evolved and what the term ‘being on the phone’ actually means now. Texting, emailing, news updates, twittering, watching movies, listening to music, heaven forbid we actually make phone calls. GPS, Flight tracking, fitness programs, our phones are not just phones, they have transformed into multifunctional communication devices morphing our hands into a tiny screen, modem and a keyboard. We have the chance to talk to millions of people all over the world creating a “universal community” or a “global village” as Mcluhan would say.
Even though cyberspace is classed a non-physical terrain the fact that people can choose their own experience in the cyber world is the beauty of it. You can be who you want to be, you can be perceived in the light you choose and we see this more with the evolution of avatars and role-playing games. Avatars and social networking themselves is a product of the multicultural explosion happening with in our Cybercultue.
In essence the “phone” or “pocket computer” as I’m going to start calling it is a perfect example of Cyberspace and is a true testament to the power of Cyberculture avalanching from a simple desktop computer in to our every day lives.
“Sights, sounds, presences never seen on the surface of the earth blossoming in a vast electronic night”
Its Friday people. We made it
Sincerely,
Capt. Jimmy Dangle
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Captians log. Welcome aboard
Born in Manchester UK in 1987 and moved here when I was 9 years old. For about 5 years after that I spent my summers in England and the school year in good old WARshington. CAUTION: Living here for 13 years I have developed an English/American twang that sometimes sounds funny and my accent will often come out stronger when bought free drinks or gargling with Guinness. I enjoy traveling, writing and listening to music, anything Roman polanski or Michel Gondry produce, Indian curry, Painting, video editing, web design, Radiohead, keeping fit, Flash, those little mints they give you after you pay for your meal, playing soccer and having a cold pint of Boddingtons on a Friday. I work at the FEQL (Food Environmental Quality Lab) an agricultural chemistry lab under WSU. I’ve worked there for over two years as a lab technician working on the method development for pesticide residue analysis in crops for grower groups all over the United States. In essence we make food safe. I am a senior majoring in the DTC (digital technology and culture) program, which, I know, has nothing to do with chemistry, but they pay well. I’m currently working on some of my first free-lance design jobs, which I’m pretty excited about and keeping my NEW website updated. Plug* www.hangarounddesigns.com .Other than that I’m excited to meet new people and look forward to reading all your blogs!
Stay Classy
Cpt.Jimmy Dangle
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