Weekly Summaries

Week 1.
The first day is always the most nerve-wracking. This week we met Stephen Stockwell, the lecturer, who did an overview of the course. He explained to us what new communication technology is and showed us examples. While listening to his definition of communication, I could not believe how simple it was “the speaker produces a message that is heard by the listener.” Really? No way! Anyway, the rest of lecture talked about how the world uses technology to communicate. It made me wonder about my friends overseas and made me thankful we have the resources to keep in contact. Where would we be without if? Stephen also went on about technology and communication has broadened our knowledge and areas of study. Courses within the two fields range from communication to PR and journalism, and now to the more modern curriculums such as Cyberstudies and web studies. Communication opens the doors, Technology opens the windows.

Week 2.
Numero duo. So this week’s all about the history of the computer and the internet. While going through the lecture I couldn’t help but think “could this be easier?” Not in a sarcastic way but in a constructive way. Surely, a time line and some dot points wouldn’t go astray? Nevertheless the history lesson went on. The first sign of a computer appeared in the 19th century thanks to a man called Charles Babbage and his “sugar mumma” Ada Byron, Lady Lovelace. But when it comes down to it, without Alan Turing we wouldn’t know computers the way we do. Alan Turing is the father of computer science- creating the first computer in World War Two. An odd comment made in the lecture was that he was homosexual and ultimately killed himself due to that fact. Sad. In the 1950s IBM started to commercially make computers which were slow, huge and expensive. Gordon Moore also contributed to the progress of the computer- creating Moore’s Law: a microchips capacity doubles every two years. The lecture went on about the history of Apple, Xerox, IBM & Microsoft and GNU/ Linux. Stephen also defined some key terms such as, cyberspace, the internet, world wide web and email. I would go into more details around these topics however by the end of the lecture I was coming in and out of concentration. The stories of the companies triggered my imagination – I thought of miniature computers that would find information just by reading you thoughts and computerised shoes that made your feet walk when you didn’t want to. Ha! To think of the future and what crazy things that could be…

My links

Alissa Shevenko
Nelly Sckef
Serena Garjees
Tim Kitigan
Sarah Milne

3D worlds and socialising on the internet (Week 5)

Are these 3D worlds for real? Apparently they are. Up until a few days ago these 3D virtual universes seemed worlds away from me. In the tute, my tutor Daniel Hourigan described 3D worlds like ActiveWorlds, as a world inside a computer. But what kinds of people live in these worlds? IM programmes (instant messaging) are more familiar. I’ve used MSN and facebook chat to talk to friends and “socialise”. The difference about 3D worlds and IM programmes are qualitive. Both sorts of spaces are ultimately, identity based. Within virtual worlds, one has more means to change qualities about the/his/her character. Personalities, characteristics and complete self images can be completely different to their true-life selves. You can make people see whatever you want them to see in 3D worlds- there must be a great feeling of control. Identity changes between 3D and the real world. It makes you wonder if people use 3D universes to escape from reality or just to avoid boredom. IM programmes don’t have that flexibility or amount of abilities. Compared to 3D worlds IM sounds boring. Basically its real time communication based on text via the internet. The IM programmes I know allow friends or at least people who know each other to chat. I think IM is just like talking on the phone but in text and with no expression. With both 3D worlds and IM programmes there is a problem - privacy and who can get access to your spaces. One time when I was younger, my friend and I logged onto to my older sister’s msn and started chatting to random people, professing our love for them and sending them multiple x’s. When my sister found out she gave me a Chinese burn that lasted for a week. Not only is hacking a big problem for society, it’s dangerous for the hacker!

Scavenger Hunt! (Week 4)

uh oh..

1. What did Alan Turing wear while riding his bicycle around Bletchley Park?
A gas mask. -yahoo.com

2. On what date did two computers first communicate with each other? Where were they?
1988 but couldn't find where - "history of computers communicating"- answers.com -http://historyofcomputercommunications.info/

3. What is Bill Gates’ birthday and what age was he when he sold his first software?
28th October 1955 -ujiko.com & http://www.mahalo.com/bill-gates
1975 he first sold his software making him 20 years old ujiko.com & answers.com

4. Where was the World Wide Web invented?
Somewhere near Geneva, Switzerland- HotBot- ideafinder

5. How does the power of the computer you are working on now compare with the power of a personal computer from 30 years ago?

6. What is the weight of the largest parsnip ever grown?
8 lb 6 oz grown by Norman Craven answers.com-http://www.vintageassessments.com/vd/rawf_2003.html

7. When did Queensland become a state and why is the Tweed River in New South Wales?
1851 - Queensland government site. I couldn't find the answer to why the tweed river is in NSW.

8. What was the weather like in south-east Queensland on 17 November 1954
My Grandpa says it was a fine day.


9. Why is Lord Byron still remembered in Venice?
He is named after a well known hotel in Rome ujiko.com

10. What band did Sirhan Chapman play in and what is his real name?
Altavista gave me the name THE BLACK ASSASSINS to investigate. So I entered THE BLACK ASSASSINS into altavista again and came across the band's website. While looking over the images I recognised the new communication technologies lecturer- Stephen Stockwell and his alter ego Sirhan Chapman.

First thing's first- google is the best search engine around. Finding the answers to the scavenger hunt was pretty tricky. For the answers I did find, I used some of the websites suggested – yahoo, altavista, ujiko, hotbot; and some I already knew, answers.com and the Queensland government website. Some of the websites were confusing and tough to use like alltheweb.com, the internet archive and A9. After I finished my homework, I did a vanity search on myself in google and was a little bit surprised to find “27 results”. Turns out its all a load of facebook and name database garbage. Phew- no nude photos.

"The truth will set you free." (Week 3)

The internet is the best example of new communication technology. It links people from all corners of the world to talk and share information. I started using the internet to socialise in my early teens. All my friends and classmates would jump on msn the minute we got home to tell each other about the bus ride home and to discuss what’s going to happen on Neighbours that night. There's a sense of community within the internet that links together anyone with a computer. I even hear of people –friends of friends- making virtual pals over the internet and falling in love in chat rooms. Personally – that’s not my style. Sure I’ve got facebook and hotmail but I only talk to people I’ve already met and like. I use the internet to keep in touch and up to date.
Privacy is not an issue for me. I see people, boys and girls, revealing all their worth to the world via the internet. I make a point not to exhibit too much of myself on the internet: not to send my bank details through facebook, not to answer emails from refugees looking from husbands and definitely not posting semi nude pictures on myspace. You got to be act smart when using the internet- once it’s out there, it’s out there forever.

This "internet" thingy will never catch on. (Week 3)

It's funny to look back and think how much a phenomenon the internet was (and still is) to our society. This video is a short clip of how “amazing” and “liberating” the internet seemed when it was being introduced into our lives. Today, we take the internet for granted. It’s quick, colourful and just at our fingertips; yet it's “old news”. The internet has changed our lives: in way we shop, find information, and even communicate with one another. It makes you wonder- where would we be without it? And what’s next?

Piña coladas and getting caught in the rain. (Week 2)

I go by the name of Anna. It’s a shortened down version of my real name that’s only used by my parents if I’m in trouble; it’s too long to even type. My favourite colour is gold and I like music. Summer is my favourite time of the year- I love to swim and it’s the only season when my nose isn’t running. I started a bachelor of communications this year after some years of travel and work. It’s difficult to get used to “putting your head down” and studying. Fingers crossed I get the hang of it sometime. New Communications Technology is a prerequisite subject for the course I’m doing but let me tell you- it is no chore. I don’t want to sound like a suck up or anything but its one of my favourite subjects this semester. That’s not saying a lot about my other subjects (just kidding).

Nevertheless – Welcome to my blogspot.

Cocaine Jesus

Not your average Jesus.

This is Steve Wozniak, Apple Computer Co-Founder . Before him and Steve Jobs started Apple, they were in the Homebrew Computer Club. Personally, I think they should have stuck with the original name- it has more spunk.