Human Issues In Human Issues In ComputingComputing

Social Networks: Social Networks:

MMORPGs and other cool stuffMMORPGs and other cool stuff

Albert Einstein once said, Albert Einstein once said, ""Computers are incredibly fast, Computers are incredibly fast, accurate and stupid; humans are accurate and stupid; humans are incredibly slow, inaccurate and incredibly slow, inaccurate and brilliant; together they are powerful brilliant; together they are powerful beyond imaginationbeyond imagination.“.“

~ Mechelle M. De Craene. “Special Needs, Social Computing & The Digital Divide”. <~ Mechelle M. De Craene. “Special Needs, Social Computing & The Digital Divide”. <http://www.techlearning.com/showArticle.php?articleID=196604274http://www.techlearning.com/showArticle.php?articleID=196604274>.>.

Cool Thing: Cool Thing: Nikon's UniverscaleNikon's Universcale

experience the sizes of various objectsexperience the sizes of various objects

Computers allow developers/creators to Computers allow developers/creators to construct construct dazzling,dazzling, new innovations, such new innovations, such as an ‘infinite’ yardstick.as an ‘infinite’ yardstick.

Cool Thing: Cool Thing: Nikon's UniverscaleNikon's Universcale

I know, it's on a corporate site, and you I know, it's on a corporate site, and you have to sit through some pretentious have to sit through some pretentious Japanglish while it loads, but being able Japanglish while it loads, but being able to use your mousewheel to scroll from to use your mousewheel to scroll from femtometers up to the 100 billion femtometers up to the 100 billion lightyear scale is dazzling... lightyear scale is dazzling... ~ ~ http://www.metafilter.com/59861/Universcalehttp://www.metafilter.com/59861/Universcale :: a blog response :: a blog response

The structure of the internet allows The structure of the internet allows observers to become participants instantly observers to become participants instantly reacting and recording their input on such reacting and recording their input on such creations.creations.

The Computer as a Communication DeviceThe Computer as a Communication Device

In a few years, men will be able to communicate more effectively through a machine than face to face.

~ J. C. R. Licklider, Robert W. Taylor “The Computer as a Communication Device”

Science and Technology, April 1968

A communication system should make a positive contribution to the discovery and arousal of interests.

The Computer as a Communication DeviceThe Computer as a Communication Device

The Computer as a Communication DeviceThe Computer as a Communication Device

Message BoardsMessage Boards Instant MessengersInstant Messengers WeblogsWeblogs E-mailE-mail HandheldsHandhelds Voice over IPVoice over IP

Cool Thing: The Internet?Cool Thing: The Internet?

MiniwattsMiniwatts Marketing Group: Internet usage stat Marketing Group: Internet usage statisticsistics

Parks Associates: Internet Finding FeParks Associates: Internet Finding Few Newcomers in 2006w Newcomers in 2006• Reuters: Many Americans see little pointReuters: Many Americans see little point

to Web to Web Stanford: The Internet StudyStanford: The Internet Study

Social Network Website: DefinitionSocial Network Website: Definition

Many2Many: Danah BoydMany2Many: Danah Boyd• A “social network site” is a category of A “social network site” is a category of

websites with profiles, semi-persistent websites with profiles, semi-persistent public commentary on the profile, and a public commentary on the profile, and a traversable publicly articulated social traversable publicly articulated social network displayed in relation to the network displayed in relation to the profile.profile.~ ~ Many2ManyMany2Many. November 12, 2006.. November 12, 2006.

Social Network Website: ProfileSocial Network Website: Profile

Includes:Includes: an identifiable handle an identifiable handle information about that person information about that person also may include a photograph and also may include a photograph and

information about last logininformation about last login have a unique URL that can be have a unique URL that can be

visited directlyvisited directly

Social Network Website: Social Network Website: Traversable and PublicTraversable and Public

Participants may list other profiles as Participants may list other profiles as “friends” or some equivalent. “friends” or some equivalent.

This articulated social network is This articulated social network is displayed on a profile for all other displayed on a profile for all other users to view. users to view.

Each node contains a link to other Each node contains a link to other profiles so individuals can traverse profiles so individuals can traverse the network through friends of the network through friends of friends of friends….friends of friends….

Social Network Website: Social Network Website: Semi-persistent Public CommentsSemi-persistent Public Comments

Participants can leave comments on Participants can leave comments on others’ profiles for everyone to see. others’ profiles for everyone to see. • Comments are semi-persistent as they Comments are semi-persistent as they

may disappear over some period of time may disappear over some period of time or upon removal. or upon removal.

• Comments are typically reverse-Comments are typically reverse-chronological in display. chronological in display.

• Profiles are a combination of an Profiles are a combination of an individuals’ self-expression and what individuals’ self-expression and what others say about that individual.others say about that individual.

Social Software: DefinitionSocial Software: Definition

Life with AlacrityLife with Alacrity• The term 'social software', which is now used The term 'social software', which is now used

to define software that supports group to define software that supports group interaction, has only become relatively popular interaction, has only become relatively popular within the last two or more years. However, the within the last two or more years. However, the core ideas of social software itself enjoy a core ideas of social software itself enjoy a much longer history, running back to Vannevar much longer history, running back to Vannevar Bush's ideas about 'memex' in 1945, and Bush's ideas about 'memex' in 1945, and traveling through terms such as Augmentation, traveling through terms such as Augmentation, Groupware, and CSCW in the 1960s, 70s, 80s, Groupware, and CSCW in the 1960s, 70s, 80s, and 90s.and 90s.~ ~ Life with alacrityLife with alacrity. October 13, 2004.. October 13, 2004.

Social Software: DefinitionSocial Software: Definition

WikipediaWikipedia enables people to rendezvous, connect or enables people to rendezvous, connect or

collaborate through computer-mediated collaborate through computer-mediated communication. communication.

using these tools may create actual communityusing these tools may create actual community collaborative software applies to cooperative collaborative software applies to cooperative

work systems and is usually narrowly applied to work systems and is usually narrowly applied to software that enables work functions. software that enables work functions. • distinctions between usage of the terms "social" and distinctions between usage of the terms "social" and

"collaborative" is in the applications not the tools, "collaborative" is in the applications not the tools, although there are some tools that are only rarely used although there are some tools that are only rarely used for work collaboration.for work collaboration.

Types of ServicesTypes of Services Social communicationSocial communication

• FriendsterFriendster, myspace, virb, Xanga, meebo, ventrilo, IRC, myspace, virb, Xanga, meebo, ventrilo, IRC Social network servicesSocial network services

• RyzeRyze Social network search enginesSocial network search engines

• eurekstereurekster Social guidesSocial guides

• chowhoundchowhound, , Restaurant GuideRestaurant Guide Social bookmarkingSocial bookmarking

• diggdigg, , del.icio.usdel.icio.us, , redditreddit Social citationsSocial citations

• citeulikeciteulike, , BibsonomyBibsonomy Social librariesSocial libraries

• lib.rario.uslib.rario.us Virtual worlds/MMOGsVirtual worlds/MMOGs

• World of Warcraft, Counterstrike, Maple StoryWorld of Warcraft, Counterstrike, Maple Story

MMORPG: DefinitionMMORPG: Definition

WikipediaWikipedia A genre of online computer role-A genre of online computer role-

playing games (RPGs) in which a playing games (RPGs) in which a large number of players interact with large number of players interact with one another in a virtual world.one another in a virtual world.

MMORPG: OverviewMMORPG: Overview

WikipediaWikipedia Though MMORPGs have evolved Though MMORPGs have evolved

considerably, many of them share considerably, many of them share some basic characteristics. Most some basic characteristics. Most MMORPGs are based on traditional MMORPGs are based on traditional Dungeons & DragonsDungeons & Dragons gameplay, gameplay, including quests, monsters, and loot.including quests, monsters, and loot.

MMORPG: World of WarcraftMMORPG: World of Warcraft

With such a rapid growth of the network, we With such a rapid growth of the network, we started to see several bottlenecks in the started to see several bottlenecks in the infrastructure that exposed themselves very infrastructure that exposed themselves very quickly when the expanded hardware quickly when the expanded hardware immediately took on massive load. These immediately took on massive load. These bottlenecks were solvable, but they required bottlenecks were solvable, but they required additional upgrades to the backend systems to additional upgrades to the backend systems to accommodate the load--which, again, we hadn’t accommodate the load--which, again, we hadn’t planned to see, even with the extreme estimates, planned to see, even with the extreme estimates, until later in the year.until later in the year.

Blizzard Interview by: TychoBlizzard Interview by: TychoMon, January 24 2005 - 04:35 AMMon, January 24 2005 - 04:35 AMhttp://www.penny-arcade.com/2005/01/24 http://www.penny-arcade.com/2005/01/24