“Virtual Revolution” Pt. 1, 2 & 3

1. The web is celebrated as the revolutionary technology that is great leveling of humanity creating equal opportunity, equal access, and equal potential. However, there are only a quarter of people on the earth who can use it. How do you explain the controversial argument here?

Technology costs a lot to manufacture. The countries that cannot afford to make this technology are the countries that can't use it. Also, the internet services needed to use this technology is not available to all countries.

2. How is Wikipedia the best example to implement the leveling ideas of the Web rooted in the cultural revolution of 1960s, namely the Libertarianism in the counter culture? How does it explain some of the digital convergences?

Wikipedia is used by people all around the world , allowing different ideas and knowledge to be shared. Wikipedia explains the digital convergence  because it follows many ideas of communication established in the cultural revolution of the 1960s.

3. How does the Web make it possible for different kinds of digital convergence?

The Web makes digital convergence possible because it allows people to interact with others all around the world and share media through different platforms with people anywhere at any  time.

4. How can the Internet become a challenge for traditional authority? Use the political landscape changes in some counties to illustrate your answer.

Anything can be discussed on the Internet. In fact, everything is discussed on the Internet. These topics being discussed among parties include anti-government plots or ideas that challenge authority. In today's world, information is leaked and even confidential information is not kept private.

5. Do you believe that getting information free can set us free eventually? Why or Why not? Do you see any concerns of the complete freedom or self-expression without limit on the Internet? Why or why not?

Not all information should be freed. Some information should be withheld because there are some things that would cause controversy or panic among the public., whether or not the public has a right to know. There are some sensitive subjects that should be limited on the Internet. Although the Internet is uncensored and explicit, there are some matters that should not be taken lightly.

6. In traditional media communication, it has the “vertical” authority. In the Web communication, it becomes “horizontal?” How do you explain the change? How does this create the possibility for digital media convergence?

The change happened because the Web is full of information that can be controlled through all stages by anybody around the world.  This creates possibility for digital media convergence because without it, information would be nonsensical and most of what is on the Internet would not be shared across the world.

7. Why is that the Web is free critical for the success of the Web itself? How does that clash with the corporate business ideology? How does that pose challenges for copyright issues at the same time? What will happen if the Web is not free?

If the Web wasn't free, less people would use it, meaning less communication would take place between people and less information and knowledge would be shared. A lot of networking and business takes place through the Internet, so that would be an issue.  Copyright issues arise when information is plagiarized and manipulated into false information. If the Web wasn't free, people would not interact as frequently.

"Historical Development"

1. Why is broadband service the key for the success of online communication? What are the social effects of broadband service? How does the broadband service make digital convergence possible?

Internet users with broadband are more likely to create and distribute media content than dial-up users. This is because broadband service allows information to be sent in shorter periods of time. With broadband Internet, people can easily watch videos made by others in distant places and learn about global issues. Broadband connections make it possible to get large amounts of information from a variety of sources. In modern times, we have access to information through almost any medium.

2. Why does the use of World Wide Web open the door of the Internet communication to a much wider audience? In what way does the Web with graphical web browsers move the online communication to “acoustic world” discussed in the previous class?

The invention of the World Wide Web made the most fundamental shift in human communication possible. This hasn't happened since the advent of the printing press.  The WWW allowed easier many-to-many communications over distance and time.  Also, anybody can create and publish on the Web for very little cost and with little expertise. Graphical browsers appeal to the senses more than browsers with little to no text.

3. How might telecommunication change if the government supported the development of broadband Internet for everyone?

People would have to censor themselves or even refrain from expressing themselves because of the constant surveillance. The rise of cost of telecommunications might also change the usage rates of broadband Internet.

4. News organizations were changed by the telegraph, and a whole new business of news, that of the wire services, was created because of the telegraph. Discuss other industries that could benefit from rapid dissemination of information and how and why they would benefit from it.

The sales industry could benefit from rapid dissemination of information. A rapid distribution of information could lead to quicker advertisement and promotion, thus helping businesses' audiences grow and sales skyrocket.

5. Choose one of the common methods of online communication and think of how it could be improved in terms of facilitating communication between people, ensuring quality communication, and enabling the greatest number of users to distribute information.

Twitter is one of the most common methods of online communication. People can interact with one another in the blink of an eye, as well as stay up to date with news, discover new interests and follow current trends. This is an example of an excellent medium and it is the most modern form of communication in terms of speed and convenience.

"Digital McLuhan"

1. What are the differences between the pre-literate acoustic world and the alphabetical visual world? How does the media of television become a part of the acoustic world?

The pre-literate world is based on senses- sight and sound, as well as touch, taste, and smell. On the other hand, the alphabetical visual world allows people to express themselves by conveying abstraction through the use of words and ideas, thus making basic communication easier. TV has become a part of the acoustic world because basically all of our human senses are involved. The five basic senses, mainly visual and auditory, enhance the audience's television experience, helping them be more engaged in programming.

2. Why does the alphabet have the segregating tendencies? How exactly does the printing press reverse the segregating tendencies?

The alphabet has segregated tendencies because it was originally a solitary medium, usually readable by no more than one set of eyes at a time. The printing press allowed more than one copy of alphabetical texts to be available to more than one person at a time. This allowed for different interpretations and opinions of texts to be shared simultaneously.

3. How does the alphabetic communication in online communication make cyberspace acoustic? How is the online acoustic world different from the television, radio, or print acoustic world?

Cyberspace becomes acoustic because the alphabetic communication finds its purest alphabetic expression in the acoustic space it creates online. The acoustic world is transcribed into the alphabetic world in cyberspace. The online acoustic world is different from the TV, radio and print acoustic world because there is something to refer to with the online acoustic communication. The online acoustic world is a wider platform and can be shared with the world.

4. Not only do we invent media and media technologies but also we select their uses in different contexts. What are the two selection criteria? According to the selection criteria, please discuss what will happen to our online communication in 20 years.

Our selections are based on two criteria: we want media to extend our communications beyond the biological boundaries of naked seeing & hearing and we want media to recapture elements of that biological communication even as we exceed it in our extensions. In 20 years, online communication will continue to expand and basic reading, writing and communication will most likely be done online.