Derek's Blogs

2004-03-10T17:56:00.000-08:00

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.

2004-03-05T12:44:00.000-08:00

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.

2004-03-05T12:43:00.000-08:00

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.

2004-03-04T13:11:00.000-08:00

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.

2004-03-04T12:51:00.000-08:00

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.

2004-02-23T20:03:00.000-08:00

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?

2004-02-20T21:53:00.000-08:00

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.

2004-02-18T13:19:00.000-08:00

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.

2004-02-17T00:34:00.000-08:00

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.

2004-02-03T14:10:00.000-08:00

Virtual Bodies - Again, we go off in many different directions when we have class discussions. One of the questions the panel raised was: is it wrong to try to replace real experiences with virtual ones? I really don't think so. For example, what if you could use virtual reality to play football? Why would people want to do this? Well, how many people actually have the ability to play in real life - very few. We invent different types of technology to allow people to feel what it is like to be in the situation of these star players. Like table football, Nintendo, and super Nintendo - virtual reality is an evolution of technology making the experience more realistic. We continue to search for new ways to trick our senses into creating believing what we want. It is like a magic show that keeps on getting better.

Another subject we talked about was the Matrix and the choice between the blue and red pill. What if we are living in "The Matrix" and one day someone came up to us and told us our whole life was a lie. If we had the choice to discover the truth and its positive or negative consequences, would we even want to? I think most people would. It is human nature to be curious and explore the unknown. For example, what if I grew up my whole life thinking I was being raised by my birth parents, but then I found out one day they were not. I could go on living the that I had been, or choose to go an search for my real parents and my real history. It is a choice that people have to make. It is more difficult because I have never been in that situation, but I think that I would want to know the truth, no matter how much pain it would bring me.

Finally, we talked about people and how they are influenced growing up. A child, from the time it is born, is subject to many different things. Our parents, environment, TV, friends, all help form the person we eventually become. Do we really have a choice by the time we can think for ourselves? In a way this is also like the Matrix. We grow up being influenced by things out of our control. Other people can control, to an extent, the people we become. Pawns in a chess game.

2004-02-01T17:23:00.000-08:00

I have to decided to start compiling a list of my favorite quotes. I thought I might share them with you:

"Risk comes from not knowing what you're doing." ~ Warren Buffett

"Rule No.1: Never lose money. Rule No.2: Never forget rule No.1." ~ Warren Buffett

"We have to change the way the government works. Let's make it smaller, less costly and smarter." ~ President Clinton, State of the Union 1995

History will be kind to me for I intend to write it. ~ Sir Winston Churchill

"Rarely is the questioned asked: Is our children learning?" ~ George W. Bush

That's all for now,

"It makes you wonder?" ~ Derek Eve

2004-01-31T21:52:00.000-08:00

On Thursday we talked about "Living in Cyberspace". It is interesting to learn about how some people are now spending the majority of their lives online. The internet has only been widespread for 10-15 years and it has already made an incredible difference in my life. I rely on it for e-mail, news, entertainment, correspondence, homework, and research. Basically, if an aspect of the internet offers a convenience or value, I use it. For people that live in Cyberspace, it must do the same, but for all parts of their lives. The internet helps you meet new people and learn new things. However, living in cyberspace is often given a negative view because it is breaking down our use of physical interaction. You can't smell or touch. Looking at pictures of the Grand Canyon online does not beat standing its edge, looking down in real life. The same can be said with communicating with another person. Just as I would rather talk with someone in person than on the phone, I would do the same given the choice of the internet. It is just too easy to miss-read written thoughts, and you miss out on the experience. Still, some people are choosing to ignore this and spend hours online playing games and exploring worlds like Everquest. I don't really understand it, because I haven't played the game. However, from what I know, it is pretty incredible to create your own person who can be or do anything you want it to. You don't have the same restraints of real life. This can be very appealing. Think of a person in a wheel-chair. In Everquest he or she could be someone who can walk and experience things not possible in real life.

We also talked about how someone can know what his or her's real life really is. Is Cyberspace an escape from reality, or the actual reality? The bar example came up a lot in class. If someone goes out and gets drunk a few times a week are they trying to escape from their regular life, or do they just like to be social and interact with other people they meet there? The difference may lie in excessiveness and abuse. If someone does anything too much, like getting drunk at bars, problems are created. While for the partier the problem may be their stomach or liver, for the person living in cyberspace, the problem may be missing out on the physical aspects of his or her life. Maybe moderation is the key. My mom always told me not to watch too much TV.

2004-01-31T21:03:00.000-08:00

Somehow the week keeps on going by too fast and I find myself having to catch up on blogging during the weekend. I will try to prevent this in the future. Today, I want to go back to Tuesday, Jan. 27th when we talked about communities, virtual and "real". In class we defined a community as a group connected together by shared interests, responsibilities, desires, geography, hobbies, and commonalities. I am not sure if this fits my experience with communities. I grew up in the Napa Valley. We lived in a densely populated neighborhood, with houses built only 10-15 feet apart. I would define that community geographically, by the surrounding houses and neighborhoods, and my school. However, I have a different take on defining it as a group connected together by shared interests, responsibilities, desires, hobbies and commonalities. We were similar in that we all wanted order, a safe place to live, and people to obey the laws. On the other hand, my family was very different than most of the people who lived within a close proximity of us. We even had neighbors we didn't get along with. My dad and my neighbor wouldn't speak to each other because of a dispute they had over the property line and a fence. Additionally, most of the families had different aspirations, morals, and habits. Most people were cordial, but geography was the only thing in common.

I think the internet changes the sense of community that I have known. The internet allows millions of people to connect with each other. It erases all the restraints of geography, and allows people that have similar interested, desires, and hobbies to come together. As we see more and more online communities forming, it really shows the power of the internet. Now the definition described in class makes more sense. Also, the creation of internet communities is helping create an avenue for change. People are being thrown into a large pool of ideology versus being from one geographical location and growing up with a one-thought process. This will help educate many more people on different cultures, beliefs, and opportunities.

2004-01-25T16:49:00.000-08:00

Well, a little later turned into a day later. However, I'm back and ready to talk about Globalization and the Networking Society. When I think of a network I think of a computer network. We have one in my house. There is a central pipeline of information flowing in and out of the house upon which all of the computers are wirelessly connected to. We can freely share information between any of the computers connected to the network or the outside world. This setup is convenient and efficient. However, historically, this is not how corporations and armies have been structured. They have used hierarchies, where there is a chain of command. For example, lets say I am a finance guy working for Intel. If I wanted to make a change to a project I would have to tell my superior who would then tell his or hers until we got high enough to transfer the information over to the engineering department. From there, the info would works its way back down to the bottom level engineer who would analyze the change. He would probably say no, and the whole process would start up again. It doesn't make much sense. So why have armies and corporations been structured this way for hundreds of years. One reason may be liability. If something goes wrong in a hierarchy there will always be someone to blame and take the fall. Still, the advancement of technology has made networking ever more prominent and impossible to ignore. For this reason, modern day armies and corporations are beginning to change. Now armies can create small groups of mobile and stealthily soldiers. A commander can sit back at headquarters and look at a map and see the positions of all of his men, down to the individual soldier, in real time. He can make strategic decisions that he could never make before. Basically, networking is changing all aspects of our life's, creating efficiencies and an incredible flow of information.

We also talked about Globalization in class. We came upon many definitions in class, but I think the best one is how different markets and cultures are brought together from all sides of the globe. We are truly becoming more and more globalized every day at an increasing rate. Think about the tribe in the Amazon from "Keep the River on your right". They had a primitive lifestyle for thousands of years. However, in the last 50 years they have gone under a life altering transformation. Without technology this would probably never of happened. It is becoming more and more difficult to resist the effects of globalization. Even that tribe is now influenced by the rest of the world through their satellite dish. I don't know if it is appropriate to say that this is a bad thing. In one way, their simple way of life is no longer possible leaving somewhat of a sour taste. On the other hand, people, since the beginning of time have been trying to learn about the unknown. We have explored every end of the earth and are now moving to space. This tribe is now able to explore as well. They are not confined to the remoteness of the jungle, but to the boundaries of our global network.

2004-01-24T10:26:00.000-08:00

Alright, I'm back. I would first like to apologize for the time lapse from my last Blog. I've had a pretty busy week. I participated in this IKEA case competition, the reason why I wasn't in class on Thursday, and we didn't win. We made it to the finals though. I thought we had a solid and detailed argument, but I guess the Judges didn't.

Anyway, I believe the last time I blogged about Marshall McLuhan and Media Theory. On January 15th we talked about Cyberspace. We came up with a definition of cyberspace to be another realm different from our physical existence. However, as technology has continued to improve and is an increasingly larger part of our lives, this definition is beginning to change. Cyberspace is now woven into our existence. It is so pervasive in our lives today that we even take it for granted - like the air we breathe or how a "A fish couldn't find water". But I guess the real meaty part of the story is the impact cyberspace is having on our lives and culture as physical reality and virtual (internet) reality converge. Every year since the internet was created there have been more and more chat rooms, journals, and interactive experiences for people to be involved in. At first it was merely communicated through text, but now people can share pictures, text, sounds, and even live video. This is really changing our lives. Before, if I wanted to speak with someone I had to meet them in person or talk on the phone. Now I instant message like its going out of style. Some people even take it to the extent of massive online video games like Everquest. The realness is incredible. To be able create so many real life experiences with a high level of interaction is revolutionary. How long before we will be able to create environments where we can't physically tell the difference between reality and cyberspace? This reminds me of two movies: First, the Matrix and second the one with Arnold Schwarzenegger where he has this memory of a vacation to mars implanted in his brain. Both of these movies are negative results of the advancement of technology. Whether we will able to extend cyberspace to this extent still remains to be told.

The other thing that is interesting to me is the ability to be who ever you want in cyberspace. In person, you have much less ability to create an illusion, especially with people you know. Online people can be what ever they want. People can build relationships with people over an extended period of time based off of pure fabrication. Take the Rebecca Mead example. That is pretty messed up. But on the other hand, what about the ability to be someone in cyberspace that you don't have the ability to be in real life? A person in a wheel chair, can be a walking and battling hero in Everquest. The extent of the imagination is endless. Virtual and interactive day dreaming. No that's a concept. Well, I still have more blogging to do. I will be back a little later today to do my next installment.

2004-01-17T00:33:00.000-08:00

I had to read through Marshall McLuhan's "the medium is the Massage" twice before it made much sense. After hosting the lecture on Tuesday I still don't know if I understand the full picture. Starting with the title, I interpreted the medium as more important than the content broadcasted through it. We are more affected by a change in medium. I don't know how much McLuhan delves into this, but I am interested in the positive and negative effects of a change of medium. We have progressed from speaking, to writing, to radio, to TV, and now to internet. How has this changed society? McLuhan talks how media has brought people together breaking political and cultural backgrounds. If we continue to move in this direction will we lose our individuality? As more and more people are influenced by the same television shows and websites it is as if we all are being brought up by the same parents. What are the repercussions?

McLuhan also talks a little about jobs. He raises the question of whether the circuit is smarter than the person? When he wrote this he had a lot less information than we do today. However, every day the answer is becoming more and more a reality. The other day Sony unveiled some new little robots. I saw the video of the demonstration on the web. The robots danced and interacted with the most human like resemblance I had ever seen. Check it out: The possibilities are endless. Think of the jobs life size robots could perform - Personal assistant, hard labor, assembly lines work..........Soldiers? It is incredible and scary to think where technology is going. I think I went of course there in relation to McLuhan's book, but it is interesting to think about. Enjoy the movies, will write more tomorrow.

2004-01-11T20:19:00.000-08:00

I just read the articles about blogging. They were pretty interesting, but I found myself more interested in the actual blogs than the articles themselves. I kept clicking away to look at various blogs including megnut.com, http://www.eatonweb.com/ , http://www.evhead.com/ , and http://catless.ncl.ac.uk/lindsay/weblog/latest.html . The later, Bifurcated Rivets, included links to random articles and quotes. The link to www.globalrichlist.com is suprising. In America, we truly are on a different scale than the rest of the world. The level of personal detail in blogs is pretty high. I have never had a diary or journal, let along having it published on the web for anyone to see. Some of these people are really exposing themselves. Is this a good thing? Where should the line be drawn between your public and private thoughts? I guess it is left up to each person to decide........and then discover the consequences later. I have also started reading Marshall McLuhan which, so far, is pretty strange. I would characterize myself more of a left brain person (or whichever side is more number and scientifically oriented). We'll see how it goes. More later.

2004-01-10T14:24:00.000-08:00

This is my first try with Blogging. Hope it works.