cct 300: critical analysis of media class 9: enter the internet
TRANSCRIPT
CCT 300: Critical Analysis of MediaCCT 300: Critical Analysis of Media
Class 9: Enter the InternetClass 9: Enter the Internet
Internet SurveyInternet Survey• Daily, how much do you use the
Internet?• What three Internet services do you
use most? • According to you, what is the most
valuable service the Internet provides?• What’s the biggest problem with the
Internet as a medium?
• Daily, how much do you use the Internet?
• What three Internet services do you use most?
• According to you, what is the most valuable service the Internet provides?
• What’s the biggest problem with the Internet as a medium?
What is the Internet?What is the Internet?
• It’s not a truck: it’s a series of tubes!
• It’s not a truck: it’s a series of tubes!
What is the Internet used for?
What is the Internet used for?
• No, not just that, Trekkie Monster.
• No, not just that, Trekkie Monster.
A more sane definitionA more sane definition
• Decentralized network of computing services
• Connected by…well…a series of tubes (but analogy doesn’t work well…why?)
• Has grown to accommodate a series of potential uses
• Decentralized network of computing services
• Connected by…well…a series of tubes (but analogy doesn’t work well…why?)
• Has grown to accommodate a series of potential uses
Early conceptualization Early conceptualization • Vannevar Bush (1945) -
conceptualization of a vast information store (“memex”) to harness world’s knowledge
• Also realized power of computing in storage and processing, leaving us available to do what we do best - association, linking, pattern creation
• Web as Memex - and limitations there
• Vannevar Bush (1945) - conceptualization of a vast information store (“memex”) to harness world’s knowledge
• Also realized power of computing in storage and processing, leaving us available to do what we do best - association, linking, pattern creation
• Web as Memex - and limitations there
ARPANetARPANet
• Theory put into practice initially by American military-industrial complex
• ARPANet - private information network to coordinate research
• Decentralized why?
• Theory put into practice initially by American military-industrial complex
• ARPANet - private information network to coordinate research
• Decentralized why?
Evolution…Evolution…
• BITNET - educational institutions• X.25 - European networking - open
also to individuals, commercial• BBS’s as parallel public networks• ARPA - not a service org, dumps
ARPANet to NSF, who eventually privatized service
• BITNET - educational institutions• X.25 - European networking - open
also to individuals, commercial• BBS’s as parallel public networks• ARPA - not a service org, dumps
ARPANet to NSF, who eventually privatized service
Critical MassCritical Mass• Public, commercial access - a very
new thing (Ontario - 1992)• Mosaic as interface to WWW -
1994• Mass popularity of AOL - hardly
the first, but the first to market to neophyte users effectively, and in this new environment
• Public, commercial access - a very new thing (Ontario - 1992)
• Mosaic as interface to WWW - 1994
• Mass popularity of AOL - hardly the first, but the first to market to neophyte users effectively, and in this new environment
ReactionReaction• Sudden transition to commercial
medium - new opportunities, but also a lot of garbage
• Previously active spaces (e.g., UseNet) effectively destroyed with spam and the great unwashed masses from AOL and similar - although they just moved elsewhere (private forums)
• Sudden transition to commercial medium - new opportunities, but also a lot of garbage
• Previously active spaces (e.g., UseNet) effectively destroyed with spam and the great unwashed masses from AOL and similar - although they just moved elsewhere (private forums)
Public Medium and Voice
Public Medium and Voice
• Internet can increase public voice - e.g., consumer forums, political discussion
• Discussion can also become more base, ridiculous (e.g., Wikispaces discussion forum…)
• Signal/noise issues
• Internet can increase public voice - e.g., consumer forums, political discussion
• Discussion can also become more base, ridiculous (e.g., Wikispaces discussion forum…)
• Signal/noise issues
Elitist Return? Net Neutrality
Elitist Return? Net Neutrality
• Is some information more important? Should it get priority access to “the tubes?”
• Tiered access - who controls it? To what good purpose? How?
• Is some information more important? Should it get priority access to “the tubes?”
• Tiered access - who controls it? To what good purpose? How?
Tiered accessTiered access• Internet 2, Can*net 4, private internal
networks• Sheridan’s iChat server and other
university bandwidth issues• Commercial censorship - Telus vs.
union, Shaw vs. VoIP, AOL vs. consumer sites, US Military vs. liberal blogs (?), Google in China, RIAA/file trading - others?
• Internet 2, Can*net 4, private internal networks
• Sheridan’s iChat server and other university bandwidth issues
• Commercial censorship - Telus vs. union, Shaw vs. VoIP, AOL vs. consumer sites, US Military vs. liberal blogs (?), Google in China, RIAA/file trading - others?
A Critical TakeA Critical Take• Winner and mythinformation -
technology adherents take to near mythical descriptions of how technology will change the world
• See also Noble - Religion of Technology - designers themselves speak in terms of highly spiritual terms (creation, transcendence, inevitable utopia)
• Winner and mythinformation - technology adherents take to near mythical descriptions of how technology will change the world
• See also Noble - Religion of Technology - designers themselves speak in terms of highly spiritual terms (creation, transcendence, inevitable utopia)
Four MythsFour Myths
• People are lacking information• Information is knowledge• Knowledge is power• Information access = equitable
and democratic social power
• People are lacking information• Information is knowledge• Knowledge is power• Information access = equitable
and democratic social power
Do we really lack information?
Do we really lack information?
• Many argue opposite - we’re drowning, and we are losing the ability to make associations and connections as a result
• Ex: 500-channel universe, media sources - little common ground
• Many argue opposite - we’re drowning, and we are losing the ability to make associations and connections as a result
• Ex: 500-channel universe, media sources - little common ground
Information = Knowledge?
Information = Knowledge?
• Sheer quantity of information may lead to information overload and destruction of knowledge
• 9/11 example - information regarding terror cells existed but was scattered, uncoordinated - it didn’t make sense
• Sheer quantity of information may lead to information overload and destruction of knowledge
• 9/11 example - information regarding terror cells existed but was scattered, uncoordinated - it didn’t make sense
Knowledge = Power?Knowledge = Power?
• Knowledge available at the right time and context to people with the power and resources to act upon it might equal power
• Information or knowledge itself might still leave you powerless - and frustratingly so.
• Knowledge available at the right time and context to people with the power and resources to act upon it might equal power
• Information or knowledge itself might still leave you powerless - and frustratingly so.
Information = Democracy?
Information = Democracy?
• Capacity for self-governance isn’t just information-based
• Most people are simply not interested in all the relevant information
• Direct democracy can be dangerous, even asinine - e.g., Stockwell “Doris” Day
• Capacity for self-governance isn’t just information-based
• Most people are simply not interested in all the relevant information
• Direct democracy can be dangerous, even asinine - e.g., Stockwell “Doris” Day
RealityReality• Internet is transformative but
certainly not entirely as much as the mythology suggests - a bit more complex than that
• Tiered access will exist in special cases, but ideally demand, not political or economic censors, drive traffic flow
• Internet is transformative but certainly not entirely as much as the mythology suggests - a bit more complex than that
• Tiered access will exist in special cases, but ideally demand, not political or economic censors, drive traffic flow
Survey/Next WeekSurvey/Next Week• Student Survey• And/or, have your say here:
http://www.ratemyprofessors.com/ShowRatings.jsp?tid=732035
• A closer look at Web 2.0 services and their potential
• Two weeks to final project - have some draft work to show for feedback!
• Student Survey• And/or, have your say here:
http://www.ratemyprofessors.com/ShowRatings.jsp?tid=732035
• A closer look at Web 2.0 services and their potential
• Two weeks to final project - have some draft work to show for feedback!