Derek's Blogs

Well, its getting close to the end. I have to say that I enjoyed this blogging experience. I haven't had the chance in many classes to freely talk about my ideas and thoughts. Most of the classes I have been in I have been tailoring things to fit an answer the teacher was looking for. We had a couple intense presentations on Tuesday. It was interesting to hear how mobile phones work. Brian's Halo page was pretty cool as well. I play Halo sometimes as well, but I don't take it as far as some of the people he mentioned. The books, tv series, and massive followings seem a bit obsessive.

The form with the credit card application was really creative. It is scary to think that we sometimes just type our credit card numbers into website forms with little thought about the consequence of it getting into the wrong hands. I had never heard of the pop up pages that mimic real sites before either. I have a broadband connection and this could happen very easily without me even knowing it.

For the paper I have decided to write on topic number 1. It looks like the most interesting out of the choices. Human and machine intelligence are beginning to merge and it is something that we need to recognize the impacts. I will write more tomorrow.

Yesterday I missed class because I came down with a pretty bad cold. My blogging today will have to be based soley off of the websites that I look at. As I am typing here, the Martha Stewart trial just came to a close. She is guilty on all four counts. She saved $50,000 in stock for the Imclone and now she has lost over $700,000 million in the fall of her stock price. Additionally, she can go to jail now for up to 20 years. Back to the presentations. It doesn't look as though all of the presentations are up yet. However, I checked out the Virtual World site and it looks interesting. There are many different ways to communicate and meet other people on the web. I don't personally use chat rooms, but I have friends that do. The web cams I saw didn't work very well. It wasn't exactly, TV quality. There was a lot of pages on this website, but there didn't seem to be much personal content. Mostly links and information from other sites.

The Human-Computer Interface website was quite different than the virtual world site. The transition between pages was unique and the black background and red text gave it a eerie feel. Using technology to enhance ourselves seems more relevant today than ever. We already have technologies like Lasic for vision. How far are we away from mechanical eyes or telescopic vision? Should these enhancements be limited? Well, it is a difficult question. I think enhancements for physical malfunctions like eyes or hearing is good for people and our society. However if we get to the point were we can create unfair advantages and people can use these abilities to cause harm then there is a problem.

On Tuesday, we saw the first of our website presenters. My group went first and I think things went really well. Its too bad that the link for the movie didn't work out though. I thought the Online Gambling website was pretty interesting. I have a friend who plays party poker all of the time. He enters games at $50-75 down. One time I saw him play two games like this at once. This seems pretty risky. However, he was playing Texas Holdem against other human opponents. But who is to say, one of those other "human" opponents is not part of the program. There has to be laws or reprocussions for online sites like these who cheat the people who use them. I would never put money on a site to gamble if I didn't know it could be held liable if it cheated me. On the other hand, I am willing to bet money on a company or in the stock market. There may be repercussions for companies that cheat the investors, but that does not always work. Look at Enron, how many people were left with nothing after the scandal was made public. It is a weird situation to be in.

The other site that was pretty interesting was the mp3 and file sharing site. A lot of my friends, including myself have downloaded music of the internet. The situation has gotten a lot more serious now that the music companies are starting to crack down. Still, people can download music for free through programs like Ares. Just like motion pictures, people continue to bypass the law. I guess just as young people tend to feel invincible, so to downloaders of illegal material. We will have to see how the story ends up.

On Thursday, we talked about smart mobs and mobile computing. The topic came up about camera phones and the ability to capture news where ever you are. For example, people could take pictures of what is going on in Iraq and post them online with their own interpretations. What are the implications of this? Well, for one, most of the news we get today from Iraq is controlled by the government. The military dictates where the reporters can go. No one is really sure, how much say they have in what comes out of the country. Hopefully we get the whole story. A civilian using a camera phone would get the action up close. However, because it is from a civilian and not a credible news source we will still have to be skeptic. It seems that on both sides there are positives and negatives. It must to be up each individual to decide what news story to believe.

Another interesting aspect of camera phones is security. Because digital cameras are getting so small, companies must now be worried about the confidentiality of their documents. It is very easy for a person to take a picture of the information they see at work with his or her camera phone. This information could be immediately e-mailed to another source or posted on the web. Corporations will have to install more and more internal controls to safeguard their assets. This security issue could also be applied to tests. Students could use their cameras to take pictures of the tests and distribute them online. What if someone took a picture of the SAT's or GMAT's? That would create a big problem.

Taking all sides into account, I think mobile computing is good for our society. Even though there are negative aspects, mobile computing allows us to do so much more in less time. I can get online at many places other than my house through checking my e-mail or sports scores on my phone. Mobile computing has already changed so many of our lives. It will be interesting to see what happens next.

Last week we talked about computer games. I thought it was an interesting topic because I like to play computer games when I have time. So far video games have been divided by consoles and online computer games. However, this is beginning to change with systems like Xbox which have developed online capabilities. These capabilities add much more dimension to games. For example, a lot of console games are single player. Personally, I like to play games with other people. However, you don't always have someone to play with. Or if you do, they may not be at the same skill level that you are. Playing online adds a whole new world of friends to play with. Whether you want to play at 2 AM or 2 PM you can find people to play with at a comparable skill level. Another benefit of online play, is the change in the design of games. Developers are now creating massive multiplayer games in which you can communicate with others and use strategy and tactics, which was not possible before on the consoles (only 2-4 people).

We also talked about the reasons behind playing video games. The presenters mentioned the statistic between gamers and salary levels. It is as if gamers are viewed as lazy or worthless. I don't really agree with this assumption. I play games because they are fun and can replace a passive activity like watching TV. Games improve my hand and eye coordination and thinking ability. Still, I do agree that video games are addicting like many other things in life. However, it is up to people to balance their recreation with their obligations.

Throughout history it is interesting to look at the progression of art. People used to attempt to create the most realistic impressions of real life. Paintings incorporated every detail of the landscape. However, with the invention of the camera art has definitely changed course. The camera was able to capture the exact moment and the ability to recreate lost its luster. Many artists turned to modern art, where they used more abstract and imaginative images. Today, with the introduction of the digital camera, things have changed again. People have the ability to take pictures of anything they see, and post it for the world. The distribution chain of art has gotten very short and anyone can express themselves for others.

Natacha Merritt through her digital diaries shared her experiences and feelings through the camera. However, she didn't think of it as art. Navigating her website may lead to a different conclusion. It is very innovative, interesting, disturbing, and revealing. Is this not art? Well, if not, what is then? Is art something that involves a deeper level of understanding? Is art something that an individual can relate to? Is art merely an expression of ourselves? Is art a cry for help? Is art really that important of a word? So what if Natacha has created this risque website which we can go and view, interpret, and react to. It stimulates conversation, debate, and feelings, so why not leave it at that? How important is a 3 letter word compared to insight into another individuals life......immaterial?

Almost caught up on all of my postings. On Tuesday we talked about Hypertext and Digital Aesthetics. The internet has changed the way we view information. Before, in the days of books, we were limited to the information of the passage we were reading. Obviously, we could learn more about something in the passage that interested us. However, that would involve going to the library or using a dictionary or encyclopedia. The internet has changed all this. Now and incredible vast amount of information is at our fingertips every time we are online. If I am reading a newspaper article online about a football game, I can click on hyperlinks which lead to new information. I can use google to search about any player I want or I can go to nfl.com and look up stats. I am not limited to the extent of the article. This is a very nice thing to have. If I have questions I can get answers.

Bringing things back to the Medium and the Massage, we should ask does the internet change the message or is it still the same? In the literal sense, it is. An article online will have the same print as it does in the newspaper. However, the internet is a different experience, because it is a portal to so much more. Stories can become deeper and I can look up other sides to an argument. It is a vast array of possibilities.

Last week we talked about privacy, property, and hacking. It was interesting to look at viruses in both the biological and computer sense, because we often use virus as a metaphor when talking about computers. When I think about viruses I normally think of a cold, which takes over your immune system and replicates itself. Basically it is a high-jacking of your body. In the technical world viruses act in a very similar way. A computer virus can enter your computer through the internet and take it over. Viruses have different intentions and effects, much like different strands of colds. Many viruses today, take over your computer and use it to replicate itself to take over other computers. Many of these viruses are so new that they can't be prevented, or can't be stopped until damage has already been done.

Of course we can takes steps to prevent getting a viruses, like giving our computer lots of sleep, daily exercise, a healthy diet including vitamins, and the proper protection against colds. However, we cannot make security absolute. For this reason, we are always susceptible to attack and must take whatever action we can to mimics the threat. It is much like preventing your house from getting robbed. I can have a security system which will deter most thieves, but if someone really wanted to get in they could. If I made my house like Fort Knox, I could deter even more people, but that takes a lot money and resources, which many of us don't have. Therefore, the best solution for security may be using the resources you have and educating yourself. Or maybe go straight to the source? Repercussions for people who create viruses. Why good is it doing them? Destructive satisfaction? I am not amused.

Well, it has been a little while since the last blog. I went to New York last week and just got back today. I thought I would have access there, but the internet at the apartment I was staying at in was down. It is funny how helpless you feel without internet. I didn't have it for almost a week and the first thing I did when I got back was get online and check my e-mail. It was almost as bad as not having my cell phone. On the plane as I walked by this guy on the way to the coach section. Of course he was in first class, comfortable, already having a drink, and going to get food that he wouldn't have to pay for. (this is my first flight since they started making people pay for meals on flights and I can tell you 6 hours from JFK to Seattle without food isn't great). Anyway, the guy was holding a Blackberry. Those things are sweet. Full e-mail access, web-browsing on the run, and phone capabilities. I wanted to grab it out of his hand, but thought it would make a too big of a scene. The point of this story is that technology, specifically the internet, has evolved so quickly that it has become a cornerstone of our lives. Just as the car changed the world, the internet has a well. Its funny because I don't even have a car anymore. I rely more on the internet than a vehicle.

The other thing I wanted to talk about tonight was the first paper. I haven't gotten it back yet because I wasn't in class on Thursday and have been meaning to post something about it since we turned it in. I wrote on the third topic about the relationship between machines and humans. How real can machines become? Will they ever have the ability to understand and express emotions and feelings? Through my analysis, I came to the conclusion that machines like humans will one day have the ability to understand and express emotions. Just has we are taught to show remorse when something bad happens, so can a machine. This will all have to be programmed, similar to our experience growing up as children. From the moment we are born we are placed into situations which shape our actions and reactions. With machines this may not happen for some time and to be able understand facial expressions, tones of voice, hand motions, etc will take an incredible advancement of technology. However, it is possible. So what is impossible then? Well, although we may be able to program a computer to express and understand emotions in different situations, I feel machines will never be able to experience feelings. If a machine tells me it is sorry about a bad day I told it about, it won't actually be sorry. Machines can't get a gut wrenching feeling in their stomachs, goosebumps, or a pounding heart in a tense situation. No matter how we disguise them, they are still metal. This is the limit.