week5-Topic1 The World Is Flat

The notion of a flat Earth refers to the idea that the inhabited surface of Earth is flat, rather than a curved spherical Earth. Belief in a flat Earth is found in mankind's oldest writings. In early Mesopotamian thought, the world was portrayed as a flat disk floating in the ocean, and this forms the premise for early Greek maps.

By classical times an alternative idea, that Earth was spherical, had appeared. This was espoused by Pythagoras, apparently on aesthetic grounds, as he also held all other celestial bodies spherical. Aristotle provided observational evidence for the spherical Earth, noting that travelers going south see southern constellations rise higher above the horizon. This is only possible if their horizon is at an angle to northerners' horizon. Thus the Earth's surface cannot be flat. Also, the border of the shadow of Earth on the Moon during the partial phase of a lunar eclipse is always circular, no matter how high the Moon is over the horizon. Only a sphere casts a circular shadow in every direction, whereas a circular disk casts an elliptical shadow in most directions.

The concept of a spherical Earth was espoused by Pythagoras apparently on aesthetic grounds, as he also held all other celestial bodies to be spherical. It replaced widespread belief in a flat Earth: In early Mesopotamian thought the world was portrayed as a flat disk floating in the ocean, and this forms the premise for early Greek maps like those of Anaximander and Hecataeus. Other speculations as to the shape of Earth include a seven-layered ziggurat or cosmic mountain, alluded to in the Avesta and ancient Persian writings. In fact, the Earth is an oblate spheroid.

Above is the process that how people’s thoughts changed. From the flat world to the spherical world, now we regain a flat world.

I think what Friedman meant by “the flat world” is the process people removing the obstacles in politics and economics, moreover, increasing people’s communications.

The metaphor of a flat world, used by Friedman to describe the next phase of globalization, is ingenious. It came to him after hearing an Indian software executive explain how the world's economic playing field was being leveled. For a variety of reasons, what economists call ''barriers to entry'' are being destroyed; today an individual or company anywhere can collaborate or compete globally. Bill Gates explains the meaning of this transformation best. Thirty years ago, he tells Friedman, if you had to choose between being born a genius in Mumbai or Shanghai and an average person in Poughkeepsie, you would have chosen Poughkeepsie because your chances of living a prosperous and fulfilled life were much greater there. ''Now,'' Gates says, ''I would rather be a genius born in China than an average guy born in Poughkeepsie.''

Wow~ So surprised. We always seek every chance we have in our lives. But in the flat world, it seems that globalization only push us to face more competitions. The third world is a broad and blooming market or a competitive and cruel battlefield? Who really get benefit during the process of globalization?

Here comes a new phenomenon in the coming future, so called “the M Society” which means the mid-class is dying out, while the amount of the rich and the poor is getting up. We face much more pressures in life. You used to think that you can win the battle easily, but now, you have to pay ten times attentions.

On the other hand, as an Asian person, do I really have enough ability to “knockdown” Americans? Or I am just a victim in the trend of flatten the world?

I think the best way to reconcile the crisis is to modify the divide between different cultures. We always could cooperate rather than compete. Trying to minify the digital or technology divide, thus most human beings can get benefits from new technology.

Who is here to lead? Neither western people nor Asian people, I think only people with proper abilities and learning aspirations could get victories in the battle.

week5-Links (The World Is Flat)

You can watch or listen to Thomas L. Friedman's words online.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4600258

http://info.worldbank.org/etools/bSPAN/PresentationView.asp?PID=1466&EID=732

week5-Neil Postman Ten Principles of Technology

10 principles of technology, Neil Postman

1. All technological change is a Faustian bargain. For every advantage a new technology offers, there is always a corresponding disadvantage.

2. The advantages and disadvantages of new technologies are never distributed evenly among the population. This means that every new technology benefits some and harms others.

3. Embedded in every technology there is a powerful idea, sometimes two or three powerful ideas. Like language itself, a technology predisposes us to favor and value certain perspectives and accomplishments and to subordinate others.

4. A new technology usually makes war against an old technology. It competes with it for time, attention, money, prestige and a "worldview".

5. Technological change is not additive; it is ecological. A new technology does not merely add something; it changes everything.

6. Because of the symbolic forms in which information is encoded, different technologies have different intellectual and emotional biases.

7. Because of the accessibility and speed in which information is encoded, different technologies have different political biases.

8. Because of their physical form, different technologies have different sensory biases.

9. Because of the conditions in which we attend them, different technologies have different social biases.

10. Because of their technical and economic structure, different technologies have different content biases.

week4-Topic1 Forecast 2050

What can we imagine to the future? What will the blueprint be looked like? We human beings always love to dream, and because of the dream, we could keep going.

According to article “As We May Think” which was first published in The Atlantic Monthly in July 1945, argued that as humans turned from war, scientific efforts should shift from increasing physical abilities to making all previous collected human knowledge more accessible.

Vannevar Bush’s view is awesome even in today! He predicted many kinds of technology invented after its publication, including hypertext, personal computers, the Internet, the World Wide Web, speech recognition, and online encyclopedias. Many of pictures in his mind came true today.

In my opinion, of course I have only limited view to predict digital trend in the coming 50 years. However, as Dr. Lau’s words “We are here to lead,” we should have some images in our minds.

Nowadays there are four main parts in home digital industry. May I mention in the beginning, I think the next main market in digital industry should be the digital at home. The four aspects might be entertainment, learning, communication, and life management. They can also extent into multimedia home video, learning online, in-time messenger and VOIP, and digital censorship and digital household appliances. Cable will no more only use in TV but the most important resource in every household.

What kind of ability should we qualify to face the rapid future? I think it would be “the ability to solve problems,” “the ability to join the group,” and “the ability to speak the tech-future language.” Let’s make the words simpler. People in the future should prepare more abilities of having interactions with other people and learning individual concepts rather than routine manipulations.

Then, what is the “tech-future language?” This is a language including everything “technology” and “future.” Between “Professional high-tech language” and “daily language,” it describes the whole timeline among the past, now and the future.

Take Japan as an example, as a “Robot Kingdom,” this country worked oout with many experts in robot industry through several decades. Citizens in Japan take the robots as a kind of common sense, but not mention the series famous comics that spread broadly in the world. In their high-tech policy, they even announce their goal to make robot industry a foundational industry, like automobile industry nowadays, in 2020.

Here in US, we also have great development in space adventures. NASA, NCC-1701, Apollo 11, Armstrong landed the moon… every single word contain a high level development and lead scientists a great dream.

As Bush mentioned in his article, we live in “a spider web of mental,” we involve into the high-tech, we try hard to keep up with them, and we should never forget the dream of progressing.

week3-Topic3 U&G Theory

Uses and gratifications, also known as usage and gratifications or needs and gratifications, is not a single approach but a body of approaches to media analysis that developed out of many varied empirical studies, beginning in the mid 20th century.

The basic theme of uses and gratifications is the idea that people use the media to get specific gratifications.

The basic tenet of uses and gratifications (called UG for short) is that people are not helpless victims of all powerful media, but use media to fulfil their various needs. These needs serve as motivations (gratifications sought) for using media. Gratifications obtained should correspond with gratifications sought for the media to be able to meet the needs of the users.

Jay G. Blumle and Elihu Katz devised their uses and gratifications model to highlight four areas of gratification in media texts for audiences. These include:
1. Personal identity - for example, characters in soap operas experiencing something the audience once did.
2. Personal relationships - a media text provides information for 'water-cooler talk' at work with colleagues, what's happening in the latest reality TV show?
3. Surveillance - lets the audience know what is happening in the world, for example print and broadcast news.
4. Diversion - a media text which provides escapism for the audience, for example a holiday programme.

Text above is the traditional theory. In the article “Determing Uses and Gratifications for the Internet,” we can see that the author mentioned three different aspects of the U&G theory. There are: content gratification, process gratification and social gratification. The last one is mostly about the social network in the Internet.

In my research this quarter, I will use U&G theory to find out why people like to use digital cameras and how the behavior changed after using digital cameras. Moreover, I planned to figure out the different between original users and new adopters. Do the albums online increase the amount of digital camera users? What are the hot albums in this area, and why people like them? With the assisted of other theories, like Innovation Communication, I think I can come out more frameworks about digital camera using.

week3-Topic2 Unintended Consequences

According to Rob Norton, the law of unintended consequences, often cited but rarely defined, is that actions of people—and especially of government—always have effects that are unanticipated or "unintended." Economists and other social scientists have heeded its power for centuries; for just as long, politicians and popular opinion have largely ignored it.

The concept of unintended consequences is one of the building blocks of economics. Adam Smith's "invisible hand," the most famous metaphor in social science, is an example of a positive unintended consequence. Smith maintained that each individual, seeking only his own gain, "is led by an invisible hand to promote an end which was no part of his intention," that end being the public interest. "It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, or the baker, that we expect our dinner," Smith wrote, "but from regard to their own self interest."

Take high-tech for example, we can also find many unintended consequences. By the diffusion of Internet, people love to spend lots time suffering on the websites, therefore, Internet addiction disorder (IAD) became an unexpected disease.

Searching from Wikipedia, there is the definition of IAD. IAD is a maladaptive pattern of Internet use, leading to clinically significant impairment or distress as manifested by three (or more) of the following, occurring at any time in the same 12-month period:
Tolerance, as defined by either of the following: A need for markedly increased amounts of time on Internet to achieve satisfaction. Markedly diminished effect with continued use of the same amount of time on Internet.

Withdrawal, as manifested by either A or B below:
(A) the characteristic withdrawal syndrome: cessation of (or reduction in) Internet use that has been heavy and prolonged.
Two (or more) of the following, developing within several days to a month after Criterion:
(a) psychomotor agitation
(b) anxiety
(c) obsessive thinking about what is happening on the Internet
(d) fantasies or dreams about the Internet
(e) voluntary or involuntary typing movements of the fingers
The symptoms in Criterion
cause distress or impairment in social, occupational or another important area of functioning

(B) Use of Internet or a similar on-line service is engaged in to relieve or avoid withdrawal symptoms.
Internet is often accessed more often or for longer periods of time than was intended. There is a persistent desire or unsuccessful efforts to cut down or control Internet use.
A great deal of time is spent in activities related to Internet use (for example, buying Internet books, trying out new WWW browsers, researching Internet vendors, organizing files of downloaded materials).
Frequent talks about the Internet in daily life.
Important family, social, occupational, or recreational activities are given up or reduced in duration and/or frequency because of Internet use.
Internet use is continued despite knowledge of having a persistent or recurrent physical, family, social, occupational, or psychological problem that is likely to have been caused or exacerbated by Internet use (for example, sleep deprivation, marital difficulties, lateness for early morning appointments, neglect of occupational duties, or feelings of abandonment in significant others).

Try to think that if you or your friends have these symptoms. Too much would never be good. Like the lecture “Informing Ourselves to Death” announced by Neil Postman, we should never forget the other think point of every phenomenon.

week3-Topic1 Supervening Necessity

"…supervening social necessity now works on these prototypes to move them out of the laboratory into the world at large." (Winston)

As I want do a little research in digital photography, I found a good example which talks about the supervening necessity of photography from French to US.

The effects of the French Revolution and the Industrial revolution (1789-1914) reverberated throughout Europe for many decades. Massive economic and social changes were taking place in Europe. As a cultural trend, the spread of science ran through the entire continent. In France, the existing monarchy was dethroned and supplanted by the rising bourgeoisie. The intellectual bourgeoisie were the most forward thinking representatives of the government and open to new possibilities. They had an abiding faith in human potential and were receptive to not only scientific innovations, but also new business ventures. Through Daguerre's persistence, the daguerreotype process soon came to their attention. Francois Arago, leader of the government's left-wing democratic party, stood by his party's platform of encouraging anything that might lead to progress. He saw the daguerreotype as an immensely important scientific achievement. Arago is successful in convincing the government to buy the new process for the state and introduce it to the public.

Daguerre, himself, can also be seen as an agent of supervening social necessity. He was an ambitious and clever entrepreneur and his persistence in making his daguerreotype system known and acknowledged in bourgeoisie society contributed to his prototype being accepted.

Once photography was introduced publicly and taken, by Daguerrre, to the United States, the US contributed as an agent of supervening social necessity. The social structure of the US was critical in the photograph's success in America. In the mid-1800s, America did not have a rigidly stratified society like Europe. Success was supposedly possible through initiative, hard work and an entrepreneurial drive. America was also rapidly shifting from an agricultural to industry by embracing many new technical advances from refrigeration to mass production. This new nation had a proud, pioneering spirit and photography soon caught on as not only an exciting business opportunity, but also as a way to preserve and promote its achievements. 'Daguerrean Parlours' proliferated across America in the mid 1800s.

From idea to product, there is a long long way for all inventers. After searching many examples, I think that create something workable and catch the trend is the most important task.

There is an old Chinese saying goes that “Only through the right timing, the right location and the right people can a person get succeed.” Maybe it exactly talks about the “supervening necessity.”

week2-Topic2

Mention to the applying in Skype, I have to take about the changing of high-tech using in my family. Due to everyone’s different careers, my family separate in different part of the world. My father works in Singapore, my mother works in Taichung, the city where I grew up, my sister studies in Taipei City, and I, I study here in Seattle.

All changes make magical differences. Since my family had faced the situation, especially when the telephone bill getting higher and higher, we finally figured out the solution—teach my parents use the Skype software. It’s an amazing process to let elder people accept new technology, especially if they have mental fear to use computers. Fortunately, After practicing several times, we can successfully talk via Skype.

Through the Skype system, the first advantage is that the cost of telephone reduced fatefully. Secondly, the function of “conference” overcame the obstacle of traditional telephone, and let my family can talk in the some time from four pats of the world. Even more, we could see each other face to face with webcams.

Back to the article we discuss this week, with all these advantages, will the free internet phone or VOIP service kill the traditional phone business? I think the answer is maybe, because they have to figure out the challenges they are facing now. As I talked about the magical learning process of my family, seeing the other side, we can find that there are some concerns in the up-growing communication industry.

For example, you can use the Skype service only through the internet, which means you must have a computer, a microphone, an earphone, the Skype software, sufficient electric power and a workable internet connection. But we all know that digital divide deeply affect the development of digital products. Not everyone in the world can reach a whole set of these PC apparatus. That’s why traditional telephone (even the cellular phone) could survive for a while.

Furthermore, connecting via internet, the security of users’ data and dialog should be concerned. And the quality of users’ dialog is also a great point. What people complained most is about the instable connecting of it. (the second complain is about the unfriendly user interface) The last one, since the capital societies broadly believe in “There is no free lunch,” Skype company (eBay) and other free internet phone operators consequentially will face the issue of charging sooner or later.

In the age of “We the Media,” the roles of sender and receiver were severely changed. We can talk in our own language or know strangers in some networks. However, we have to back to the interpersonal communication ultimately.

The birth of a new media consequentially represents the rise of a new media industry. As a blooming industry, where can VOIP service reach? And what kinds of function can VOIP have? We all wait and see.

Is Skype really a “Telecom Trouble Maker?” Maybe, depends on you are its customer or not.

week2-Topic1

Living in 21st century, people started to get used to the changes that new technologies brought to us, especially in entertainment, education and information products. Some people would be worried about that too many choices in media will let the capitalism getting overabundant, ever more, broaden the gap between the rich and the poor. On the other hand, some believe that life will gain more diversifications via high-tech communication products.

However, no matter which side of thinking you stand for, we have to face the truth. New technologies deeply affect our life. For example, the developments of “new community” in the internet obscure the side line of traditional communities, and accelerate the world become a “Global Village.” The unpredictable power that communication technology was enabled stimulated our imaginations to the future.

In these articles, the author started with a growing model. It describes the process how a science invention becomes a technological application. With brilliant brains, human beings can always create some innovative ideas. Unfortunately, some of these ideas are rejected because there was no “need” in the market, while some were useful and workable in that time would become accepted. Or there are some similar technology going on, which give people more choices and broaden the market. Last one, the most interesting one, is the technology will be rejected partially. The idea seemed no use in the old days when it was created, but the situation might change after few years. Then, the good-for-nothing invention will turn to a wonderful industry.

The author also discussed about an important concept, every invention will be crystallized when there are demands in the market, combining the media and the market is the constant topic of all managers.

Since our old antecessors, human beings live in the environment which uses broadcast network a lot. Lights, colors and voices are parts of the electromagnetic wave spectrum. People transfer codes through electromagnetic wave to make objects, sounds, graphics, and images could be perceived and understood. Thus, we can say that human beings had already lived in the broadcast network environment. Broadcast network is a kind of carrier, medium, also channel. Contact our message, contact our mind.

Only when we truly involve into a society can we realize its culture and the pattern it was commuted. In this class and the period I stay in US, I would like to know more about the how people in the network think and accelerate the media development.

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