Enter World: exploring mediated cultures

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Just got out of the SNCR forum presentation by the creator of Pandora, Tim Westergren. I remember loving Pandora back in 2000-2001 when I worked in Tallahassee. Then it disappeared. Then it reappeared. I’m glad it’s back, even though it’s nowhere near as awesome in its new formation (can’t click through more than a certain number per hour, ads) ... at least they are able to keep it up and running.

The parallels between news media and music were touched on, and that got me thinking. The internet has definitely made a more (genuinely) democratic means of networking available, moving away from leaders and toward multiple centers rather than following one big talking head. That scares the shit out of the people who like working in the crumbling network structure based on figureheads and fraternities. But it excites the hell out of me. Why let one corporation take 90% of the insane profits of the 1% of musicians who make it, all the while keeping down 99% of the people with music (or art or news or whatever) in their souls when that insane profit can be split up amongst all of the people who want to work at making and sharing music—giving them all enough to live even if no one gets filthy rich? Fuck the man. Here’s to the many.

But, conversation kept meandering away from music and opportunities for independent musicians toward business models. It seems like a lot of the people at this conference are here to be told how to make money with XY&Z—even at the expense of attending a later presentation on Net Neutrality, which could make or break their ability to even use social networking.

I’m going to enjoy going to the smaller presentations on the two tracks that everyone else is missing. (I’m also thinking no one will show up to mine tomorrow, because not only am I not going to tell them how to make money but it’s the last session and it’s beautiful here, who wants to be inside?)

Monday, April 21, 2008

Yesterday I turned off my cell phone for almost half the day as a birthday gift to myself. I headed out to the big, downtown library to get some reading done. The research I’m presenting this week was done a year ago, so even though I have it all prepared, I wanted to read up on anything related from the past year.

Somehow I passed the library and figured I’d just go over that next hill to see what was there, it turned out to be a part of Schenley Park I hadn’t been to yet. When I pulled up to a pond with a fountain surrounded by trees dripping with magnolia blossoms, I knew I needed to be sitting at a picnic table in the 70-degree sunshine being scoped out by a squirrel instead of inside an air conditioned library.

Sunday, March 09, 2008

TrueCrypt is absolute horror.

The idea of encrypting files in a folder seemed practical and like something I should do before embarking on my cross-country drive. I researched some available Mac programs and settled with TrueCrypt. I installed it, set up a space, and copied over every file I deemed really truly special: my Very Important Files. The top of the top. Receipts, business licenses, applications, taxes, scholarship info, student loan info, scans of important documents, everything financial, everything with personal information.

I did not immediately trust the program, instead I shut it down, reopened it, refusing to make a new backup or delete the files from their original locations until I had thoroughly tested it. Over about a week I opened, accessed, read files, moved files, renamed folders, closed, shut down, remounted, accessed, etc. without troubles.

Finally, I trusted the program and removed the original files. Then I didn’t look at the files between February 28 and last night when I decided to whip out my business tax files and start preparing what is needed ... and the whole thing was blank.

No files. No folders. Nothing.

I can open it, the password works, but it says all 400MB allotted is free and there are 0 files, even though on February 28 there were 4 folders with files dating back to 2001 that took up 149MB. I spent most of last night trying to find them. They no longer exist. Even the backup of that file is empty (or corrupted?) now.

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

There is a definite progression of virtual interactions, which began as plain text and have evolved to multi-sensory experiences, from what appeared (to outsiders) to be an anti-social experience sustained wholly in the ether to technology available for use IRL. We count on each other, through this evolved technology, for directions, advice, entertainment, problem solving, stories, warnings, news, photos, games, recipes, help finding ingredients in the grocery store ...

Friday, September 21, 2007

Moving virtual worlds out of proprietary applications has the potential to open online community interaction beyond anything we have seen thus far.

Metaplace is aiming for just that.

“We have a vision: to let you build anything, and play everything, from anywhere.”

I signed up for Alpha testing this morning.

Friday, July 06, 2007

Just Letters

Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Even though I knew we were getting ripped off in Juneau, I wasn’t aware of the scale until I started pricing internet options in Oregon. Here’s a shocker ... I read recently that Korea does not even offer Internet service as slow as Verizon’s lowest DSL option. That plans is $14.99/month for 768kbps/128kbps. ACS Alaska’s basic DSL option for the home is $49.99/month for 320kbps/240kbps. Less than half of the download speed that’s too slow to even be considered in Korea.

Monday, May 14, 2007

Everything Bad is Good for You, by Steven Johnson

Overall the concept is a breath of fresh air, someone finally looked at media impact from a new angle.

As one example, he discusses TV shows with complex narratives and social webs that encourage audience interaction with the stories. Johnson points to cognitive challenges in modern dramas, and states that the good ones don’t “talk down” to audiences (referring both to the removal of blatant hints and the inclusion of technical jargon). However, he also refers to some of this language as above the audience when he discusses the “willingness to immerse the audience in information that most viewers won’t understand” (p.80). It is precisely this information that interests me. While Johnson covers social and technical skills honed by complex media environments, he overlooks the potential for learning specific information. That was an intentional separation for the purpose of this book, but something I’d like to see explored further in relation to the concepts Johnson presents.

These same shows that subject the audience to new information could be aiding the audience in understanding professional and academic fields as well as in developing their cognitive skills. All of the major networks seem to have more shows with problem solving by professionals or academics than sitcoms. Forensics, forensic anthropology, psychology, medicine, mathematics ... these are all fields that have played the background role of nerd or geek in past shows and are now the key roles. (Excepting computer science, which seems to still be represented by an off-beat character kept within the confines of the office to solve those truly complex technical issues.) By following these characters as they solve complex puzzles, the audience is introduced to the scientific process as well as specific terminology.

I read a wire story a while back that said Americans are more science literate now than ever before. It accredited improved understanding to the requirement of basic science classes in universities. But I would argue that the interest in science, and the willingness to read science news, also lies in the popularization of these fields through characters in television shows and the transformation of research from rigorous academic reading into hip, colorful, and fun formats such as Wired, Seed, and boingboing. Science information has become more accessible to the public through these popular media formats. And while hearing fictional doctors spout out medical terminology on TV is no substitute for studying anatomy or pharmacology, it does open interest in the field and make more people comfortable with the jargon.

Maybe Johnson’s assumption that it’s all in the way we think still holds true: it’s not so much which words the audience remembers or that they will be able to mimic the actions presented, but that they can wrap their minds around it and find it interesting. Just don’t throw out the message completely.

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

An article today claims email is dying. And even though I use it daily, I say a hearty hooray.

One point I must argue against is the final question about whether millenials (yet another annoying generational term) will be forced to use email once they start working ... hell no. I see so many reasons we should move away from email in business, even as I use email to create this post.

IMs and SMSes are perfect for instant short info and I tend to use emails for cataloging longer pieces of information ... like organizing information so that I have access to it later from anywhere and my business partner receives a copy. But email is not ideal for that, I end up sending 5 emails on one topic with rewrites in later ones. My reliance stems from current lack of a better option.

So what is replacing email? That’s something that goes beyond IMs and text messages, beyond social networks like Twitter, MySpace, FaceBook, and SecondLife. (Beyond company names someday I hope, but that’s another post for another time.) And most likely the things that do replace email will interact with email. Tasks programs are still developing, they tend to be clunky and slow. But something like journal entry software would be ideal. Backpackit.com has a Mac widget that comes close, but it still only allows updating of existing pages rather than full feature control.

The point is, I don’t want to linger in email dependency. I don’t like spam, I don’t like getting sidetracked with listservs and personal notes when I have a mission to accomplish. I know there is another way. I also don’t want to open up a site and wait for all that loading, I’d rather just type directly into a program that syncs with a site. It needs to allow for full creation, editing, and notification controls. And yes, some of the notices may be through email—but take a note from Twitter here and let the receiver choose the medium.

So I may not be a “millenial,” or any of those other cutsie terms, but I’m all for living beyond email.

Wednesday, September 20, 2006

Amazon Feed Generator