Topic 7 - War..What is it good for?

Lecture – eXistenZ

The movie eXistenZ by director David Cronenberg touches on several key issues relating to the implementation of technology and differentiation of reality from virtual reality. In general, Cronenberg explores the idea of technologys impact on society and the way in which it shapes and manipulates our reality. In context the movie depicts an extreme view of this idea where humans are no longer able to differentiate between the virtual and real world. Parallels can be drawn between eXistenZ and the Matrix, in that both movies explore the idea of a virtual reality being perceived as actual reality or more accurately a merging (in perception) of both into a single existence. The over riding concept in both films asks the question “what if the lines between reality and virtual reality are blurred?”.

Readings – The Military-Entertainment Complex

One of the primary aspects seen in the article is the way in which technology and social change is reflected through methods of communications. An interesting point in the article is that entertainment has been used for generations in order to manipulate the social view of war which can be seen in the desensitization of the public through news and other communication mediums. As mentioned in the article, board games are a representation of a battle field, the simulation of war is predominant feature of a our society. Even in the digital realms, the most popular forms of entertainment are all based on some aspect of war whether it be video games like Call of Duty or action movies like Saving Private Ryan. Manipulation of information will always be a key issue in obtaining the truth, this specifically relates to the reporting of news in times of war. By editing and changing the flow of information, people can create completely new perspectives for better or worse. In many cases information is manipulated to achieve specific objectives.

Topic 6 - Old school

Lecture – History of computing

In the broadest terms, a computer is a device used for mathematical calculations. One can make the argument that the abacus was the first albeit crude ‘computer’. In the 19^th century Charles Babbage created the ‘Difference Engine’ which allowed engineers to calculate and print mathematical tables. Even though this ‘computer’ was mechanical rather than electrical it is considered to set out the logical structure for modern computers.

The most serious work on electronic computing was performed by Alan Turing during the development of the BOMBE, a computer used to decrypt Nazi ciphers during World War II. IBM began producing commercially available computers in the 1950s which were utilized primarily by government, military and corporate organizations.

A common misconception is the history of the computer is the creator of the mouse and graphical user interface (GUI). Apple was the first to implement the technology however it was initially created by Xerox.

Other critical points

• Xerox created the graphical user interface and mouse
• The first PC wasn’t released until 1975
• Bill Gates wrote the ‘Basic’ computer language for the Altair computer
• Basic allowed functions like word processing, accounting and games
• Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak created Apple Computers

Reading – New Media

The discussion of what is considered ‘new’ media has become convoluted and even more complex with the introduction of the internet. The evolution of media requires that we constantly reevaluate the current technological climate with emerging technologies in order to understand its implications in society. The question for new media is why it is required and what does it provide that previous iterations did not. The most predominant example of ‘new’ media is the internet which in itself has created new media streams when we consider the implications of the World Wide Web. In this instance we see an accelerated linear evolution through the internet to innovate old media technologies or standards. With world wide integration, the internet has created digitalized society where all information is data that travels around the world in seconds. The convergence brought with the internet has allowed telecommunications, computing and new media to merge into a single stream of ‘communication’.

Tute – Wikipert

Lancer Evolution

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lancer_Evolution

The article appears to be accurate with the majority of data cited from reputable and reliable sources. The page contains enough general and specific information about the lancer evolution range in order to gain a full understanding of the vehicle. The article was specific enough to list exact power and performance figures as specified by the manufacture from different countries as well as country specific models. Overall the article was correctly formatted and indexed to allow quick and easy browsing. Being that the article is based on facts there was no argument made by any side. In order to improve the article I would use pictures of each model as produced by the manufacturer rather than private vehicles. This creates a more accurate representation of the vehicle from the reader’s perspective.

Top Gear (TV Series)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_gear

The article appears to be accurate with the majority of data cited from reputable and reliable sources. The source of most of the information is directly taken from the series itself. The page contains a well documented history and current overview of the series and the presenters as well as an accurate representation of information taken from the show (eg. lap times & cool wall). The article provides readers with a very accurate overview of the show as well as detailed information about particular moments of interest. The article follows wikipedia guidelines and has several other wiki services associated such as wikiquote and wikicommons. The article is relatively fair with no major point of concern; however some information is represented as a view of the author for example most significant cars listed. In order to improve the article I would provide more episode details and provide links to episode overviews.

Topic 5 - You can't handle the truth

Lecture – Wiki-wam-wam-wozzel

As a resource, Wikipedia has become one of the leading online databases with over 2.3 millions articles online as of this post. Utilising the principle of ‘wisdom of the masses’, Wikipedia allows any user to add/remove/edit or modify an article. The premise of the Wiki project is to create an atmosphere that is open to ideas or debate and have it be accessible from all over the world. However, being user driven lends itself to a number of issues, most notably the accuracy and the lack accountability of its users. In perspective, this not only applies to Wikipedia but a variety of online sources. The main issue being discussed here is that users were taking information found on Wikipedia and presenting it as the truth, or their ‘perceived’ truth. This reflects on the larger argument of ‘what can we define as the truth’ and ‘what is deemed to be an authoritative source’. So in actual fact this argument doesn’t focus on Wikipedia but more so on how we define truth and what we perceive to be true may not always be. The credibility of information will always be a concern whether it is derived from an online or offline source. The nature of knowledge is that interpretation of information will be a perceived truth in that point of time. To put it simply…there is no spoon.

Reading - Tlon, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius

The short story written originally in Spanish by author Jorge Luis Borges (1940) is an expression of how perceived truth is easily manipulated and made material. One of the central themes explored is the natural progression of information to be interpreted as fact.
As in the story, people are susceptible to false information which manifests itself into its own existence. Creating dimensions where information can influence human perception provides an atmosphere which breads false truths. Borges conveys the issue of reflection, replication and reproduction which create a perfect and imperfect world. In this light, we can draw parallels between Borges work and Wikipedia in that infusing information into perceived truth is enabled through human conditions.

Tute – More Walter Benjamin

How do the ideas from Walter Benjamin's "Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction" apply to contemporary digital media?

With the advent of digital media Benjamin’s theories on the reproduction of art holds many of the same truths. Global digitisation allows a greater number of people to replicate art which parallels Benajamin’s perspective on mechanical reproduction. So the idea of technology enabling or reducing ‘barriers’ to replication is maintained. Another key aspect is the interpretation of ‘art’ where digital media allows us to experience a contrast to old art forms which may be referred to as more traditional.

There was a time when "Art" was made by artists who were skilled professionals. Now that anyone with a computer can create things digitally (music, images, videos, etc), what does that mean for "art"?

Technology in the past, as shown in Benjamin’s article, has often been portrayed in a negative light due to its inherent transformation of all things traditional. This application can be seen in many aspects of life where technology changes social, political and economical facets. The critical point here is that detractors of technology will always argue that the remodelling of a traditional art form is not a benefit. With the emergence of technology in art, the definition of ‘art’ has had to adapt. What is considered art is merely an individual’s interpretation.

Is a photoshopped image "authentic"?

In context, from traditional (Benjamin-esque) perspective, any image which has been modified won’t be seen as authentic. Even by definition, authentic would refer to a form that is real or genuine. Thus, modifying or editing said image would nullify that meaning. However, in a newer, more technology focused context, a modified image would no longer be compared to its original form but rather assessed as a new entity. In that situation the new image would be ‘authentic’.

Do digital "things" have an "aura" (in Benjamin's terms)?

If digital work was taken in the same traditional context as art then by Benjamin’s discussion it possess an aura. But, as described by Benajmin, the process of reproduction would still hold the same properties and remove the aura.

Topic 4 - Old Communication

Lecture – Old Communication Technology

In its simplest form, communication can be defined as a process in which information is passed between two points of contact. The term ‘communication’ lends itself to a wide range processes which sustain flow of information. As a field of study, old communication processes have provided the basis for future direction and progression. Thus, in order to gain an understanding of future communication direction, one must understand the origins of communication.

As a classification, old communication encompasses the most basic methods of communication and its evolution into society’s current processes and standards. The development of communication from primitive stages of rock art to the development of the alphabet offer perspective into the evolution of the most basic communication principles. Another major communication factor discussed was the involvement of semiotics in the development and evolution of communication. Semiotics largely involves the study of signs and symbols which even today is studied to aid in the development of interface design.

Discussion also included more familiar forms of communication such as print, telegraph, phonograph, telephone, television and cinema.

Reading – Walter Benjamin

The 1936 article “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction” written by Walter Benjamin discusses the reproduction and manipulation of art in a time before technology allowed perfect reproduction. As described in his article, the replication of art has always been a reality however in a time before mechanical reproduction quantities of replicas were minimal. This still allowed a certain degree of uniqueness or individualism between art works which in turn allowed them to be more easily identified.

A critical area of analyses posed by the author was that mechanical reproduction changed social and political perspective on art and its experience. In the article Benjamin uses the term ‘aura’ to describe the presence or experienced offered by a piece of art and the lack of ‘aura’ experienced on reproduced works. In a sense Benjamin is trying to convey the lack of feeling or ‘soul’ reflected in the copied work. While Benjamin maintains that reproduction allows a greater number of people to experience art, the ‘tradition’ or ‘fabric’ of the original is never truly captured in any reproduction.

Tutorial – Information Hunt

1.Who was the creator of the infamous "lovebug" computer virus?
Created by Michael Buens – Link

2. Who invented the paper clip?
Samuel B. Fay, United States in 1867 - link

3. How did the Ebola virus get its name?
The virus gets its name from a river in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where it was first recognized.- link

4. What country had the largest recorded earthquake?
Chile - 9.5 on the Riktorscale.- link

5. In computer memory/storage terms, how many kilobytes in a terabyte?
1,073,741,824 - link

6. Who is the creator of email?
Ray Tomlinson - link

7. What is the storm worm, and how many computers are infected by it?
The Storm botnet or Storm worm botnet is a remotely-controlled network of "zombie" computers that has been linked by the Storm Worm, a Trojan horse spread through e-mail spam. Infected Upward of 1.5 million PCs - link

8. If you wanted to contact the prime minister of australia directly,
what is the most efficient way?
Mail –
The Hon Kevin Rudd MP
Prime Minister
Parliament House
CANBERRA ACT 2600
- link

9. Which Brisbane-based punk band is Stephen Stockwell (Head of the School
of Arts) a member of?
Black Assassins - link

10. What does the term "Web 2.0" mean in your own words?
Web 2.0 refers to the second generation of online communication technology largely developed after the 2001 online market crash. Web 2.0 allows a more free flowing form of information exchange and services. - link

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Search engines such as Google rank pages by how frequently external sites link to you. By using bots to analyze the information on the site Google determines the relevance to your search. The rankings therefore are based on true popularity for that data.

The greater number of links to a page for a particular set of information will give a page higher ranking. Therefore the search engine is trying to determine which site contains the data most relevant to your search.

Google is the only search engine I use; it has the quickest load times, the fastest searching, the most accurate searching and is highly customisable for searching.