Traceroute to Curtin University:
30 August 2008
Module 3
Blinklist v HTML:
BLINKLIST: - is a specialized web based application for creating a personalized bookmarking site. It has intuitive features designed to file and manage bookmarks according to personal preference and other variables such as favorites, popularity, recently visited and a most used “cloud” which graphically enhances the font, type and color of each bookmarked site in the “cloud” to give a visual overview of the sites that have been visited the most.
The bookmark “tag” that the user attaches to a site enables the link to be filed with other links with the same tag. The intuitive bit happens when Blinklist starts suggesting “tags” based on those you have already used. This provides some consistency in the filing method and should make it easier to maintain lists of references that are managed with an element of personal preference. Multiple “tags” means that the reference link has the potential to relate to any number of related topic enquiries.
Blinklist automates the task of creating and managing a personalized reference library that will become more advantageous as the list expands. This is an end-user application that can be integrated with other applications such as blogs and other Web 2.0 applications.
At first glance, the Blinklist has all the preferred format features such as scannability, easy to navigate and a simple and ordered appearance that make it easy to read and experiment with.
HTML: - reference list has, up to a point, provided the same results as Blinklist and any time difference taken in the initial construction of both lists was probably negligible. However, the html source code would have been very labour intensive and the process would require manual updating each time a new link/reference was added.
The absence of a cross reference link or tag would mean the individual references were isolated from each other and links to other related sites would require separate browser software. This highlights the dependency of this html list version on a server rather than the web (as in Blinklist).
The appearance of the html document is functional and ordered in headings but not graphically enhanced as Blinklist.
My Preference: - would be Blinklist as it is a tailored application that contains a package of features that focus on executing its function. It combines automation to handle large amounts of data and establish relationships within the data, with an ability for the user to include personal preferences e.g. tag names. There are several ways that the data can be stored and accessed and the tags give it access to other related data.
Html is a functional format but would be cumbersome if used to manage large amounts of data manually. It requires other server functions to perform similar tasks that are all contained in Blinklist.
If the web is going to be filled with these types of “Web 2.0” products then using “mashable” applications like Blinklist to expand the potential of other applications like Blogs would be preferable.
Module 3
A “BLOG” is short for Web-Log or Bulletin-Log. The Wikipedia gives it a pretty good description as a personal website with links. Blogs are published with an expectation or at least a hope it will be read and while the structure allows exclusive access to the author, the links give it the power to be disseminated throughout the Web.
This course is the first opportunity I have had to use a Blog and I’m still coming to terms with its potential. I have seen a variety of Blogs with varying quality and impact on the Web. Some have terrific writing quality but no graphics or links and others appear to be a demonstration of the authors’ artistic ability using graphics in every format possible. I cannot be too definitive about the formats used because I don’t claim to understand them all. However, a program called “Flickr” is being used extensively for photo management and probably “Java” as well.
Having the tools and motivation to publish a personal Website is a powerful thing if there is a story to tell and everyone has a story they want to tell and a Blog lets it happen. Creating and using my Blog has been exciting from the first day I published. With this in mind I was encouraged to “form relationships” on my Blog that would connect me with the community that had similar ideas using links and “key words” in the content.
The content has been devoted to the tasks of school and therefore my main interest is completing the tasks and maybe interacting with the other students who have posted their own Blogs. However, the reason I have chosen the name “Age-Smarter” is to remind me that one of the reasons I have taken this course is to find out if there are any features that the internet can offer to help the elderly (i.e. 75+) or whether there are some enhancements that will help create or maintain their social interaction in an environment where face to face communication isn’t necessary and removes physical barriers imposed by immobility.
Many of the Blogs I have seen have been personal diaries or travel logs, technical information, commentaries on social and Web development issues. Even businesses have published Blogs offering a critique of my Blog and how to improve it. I might visit that site again later.
I have checked out a site that has compiled the best 100 Blogs in
The real value of a Blog is the access to a global population without the immediate need for technical know-how on creating and posting a Webpage using html or Webpage editors. It’s the reverse of Webpage creation in that the content can be posted on a very simple Blog and the enhancements and links can be added later.
Copyright and Trademarks: - http://www.google.com/blogger_dmca.html
The concept of a site for personal and original content should be an important factor when publishing on a Blog. There are many opportunities to use images, and work that should be attributed and or not posted without permission. An author who creates a Blog, while hoping it will be a shared experience should expect some acknowledgement that they own the content and it would not be copied indiscriminately by others.
Censorship: - http://www.blogger.com/content.g
Types of censorship include, obscene and/or types of pornographic language or images. These are perhaps the obvious types of content that censorship used to address. However, in most cases the “content policy” of “blogger” can only place safeguards such as an interstitial (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstitial_webpage ), which is a page between the offending pages, warning of the contents so it doesn’t take the reader unaware.
Other types of censorship that are addressed by blogger cover a multitude of other items such as religion, age, gender, disability etc. The level of tolerance accepted by blogger is decided by the law and a threat to report any “illegal” material. Some countries will impose political censorship which block content with key words.
Spam and viruses are not permitted, obviously.
Entering a global electronic environment will mean interaction with people of different countries, religion, morals and standards of communication. Perhaps to make the Blog work in this environment the system has to rely on the “Blog Community” to be socially responsible and impose self censorship.
Evolution:
“Myspace” is a communication room between users; it can create a Blog and has email and chat-room facilities. It has been promoted as a “place” to locate friends and relatives who have lost touch.
“Facebook” is a variation on blogs that enables social interaction within and across networks. My wife uses facebook to post photos and talk to friends within her network which includes people in the local geographical region and overseas.
Each development of a blog demonstrates a significant feature/ utility that differentiates it from other formats. Myspace appears to be an integration of several communication features included in a blog and Facebook is a communication site that allows the uploading of an unlimited number of photos. The user friendly techniques to operate these programs is a key feature of their popularity and can get the user “up and running” in a matter of minutes. Enhancements can then be added once the user is comfortable with the program.
These methods of communication have become an accepted way to communicate using the internet and I can only presume that this generation will continue to adopt future software as it is developed. Therefore, examining how features can meet all generations from young to old will eventually be an expectation of this generation in the near future rather than an optional extra now.
Module 3
COPYRIGHT:
Copyright protects “artistic works”, provided they are:
• not copied from something else; and
• recorded in “material form” (that is, in a form from which they could be reproduced: for example, by making a craft item, painting a picture, taking a photograph or making an artwork in digital form).
A wide range of things are included in the category of “artistic works”, including:
• drawings
• paintings
• sculptures
• photographs and
• craftworks (such as mosaics, tapestries, jewellery and woven art).
There is no registration procedure for copyright protection in Australia but the Copyright Act 1968 applies. Registration of original work is not required. An original artistic work is automatically protected as soon as it is created.
Permission:
If I want to reproduce, communicate or publish an artwork and I am not the copyright owner, I need permission UNLESS:
• copyright has expired and the item has entered the Public Domain
• one of the special exceptions to infringement applies.
Items have entered the “Public Domain” if:
• Works published prior to 1978 did not contain a valid copyright notice.
• Non-renewed copyright on work prior to 1968.
• Federal documents.
Exceptions: - Fair use:
It could be argued that reproduction of images on my Blog would be allowed by the Copyright Act under the Fair Use provision. There are three factors that are taken into account to determine fair use:
• Commercial nature or non-profit educational purposes.
• Preamble purposes
o Critism
o Coment
o News reports
o Teaching
o Scholarship
o Research
• Degree of Transformation:
Images on my Blog:
It could be argued that downloading of images are for non-profit and educational purposes and may also fall into one of the Preamble purposes (e.g. Research). However, the provisions only allow for one copy to be downloaded and posting to a Blog may be seen as making multiple copies therefore requires permission from the owner before posting.
In looking at the images I have reproduced on my Blog, some were obtained exclusively via the WebCT site and it may be presumed that copyright permission has been obtained via the University as it was implied that these images should be posted to our Blog, although this should be checked.
If I have reproduced any original images that are not in the public domain and published them on a Blog or Website then it would be prudent to ascertain whether they are protected by Copyright and seek permission to publish them. The permission may attract a fee or an acknowledgement of the image’s origin.
Curtin University Logo:
A logo is usually held to fall under Copyright protection if the artwork is consistently associated with, and regarded as being identified with a particular product or organization. Any “close” imitations with some changes may be a breach of the original artwork copyright if there is substantial association with the original.
Ownership of the Curtin University Logo Copyright License would be held by the creator unless the License was assigned as part of the commissioning agreement, to the University.
The University has the right to:
• Copy or reproduce the logo (including digital copies)
• Publish the work
• Communicate the work to the public (electronically, broadcast, email or fax, posting to its website).
The exceptions that may apply to reproducing artwork would not apply to the Curtin University Logo unless it was directed by the University as research or study in which case the appropriate permission would have been granted.
Passing Off:
If the Curtin University Logo is reproduced on my Blog, I may be regarded as benefiting from the established reputation of the University and using the logo to elevate the value of the material in the Blog or implying that the University endorses the content of the Blog. This is said to be “passing off” and is a breach of the Trade Practices Act 1974 or Sections of the fair trading laws.
Trademark:
The logo may also be a registered trade mark in which case an infringement will breach Copyright and Trade Mark rights Trade Marks Act 1995). It would be reasonable to assume that the logo could be a registered trademark as it is “inherently capable of distinguishing the traders’ goods or services”.
The Curtin University Logo would be protected by Copyright and it would be an infringement to reproduce the logo without the University’s permission.
Copyright protects “artistic works”, provided they are:
• not copied from something else; and
• recorded in “material form” (that is, in a form from which they could be reproduced: for example, by making a craft item, painting a picture, taking a photograph or making an artwork in digital form).
A wide range of things are included in the category of “artistic works”, including:
• drawings
• paintings
• sculptures
• photographs and
• craftworks (such as mosaics, tapestries, jewellery and woven art).
There is no registration procedure for copyright protection in Australia but the Copyright Act 1968 applies. Registration of original work is not required. An original artistic work is automatically protected as soon as it is created.
Permission:
If I want to reproduce, communicate or publish an artwork and I am not the copyright owner, I need permission UNLESS:
• copyright has expired and the item has entered the Public Domain
• one of the special exceptions to infringement applies.
Items have entered the “Public Domain” if:
• Works published prior to 1978 did not contain a valid copyright notice.
• Non-renewed copyright on work prior to 1968.
• Federal documents.
Exceptions: - Fair use:
It could be argued that reproduction of images on my Blog would be allowed by the Copyright Act under the Fair Use provision. There are three factors that are taken into account to determine fair use:
• Commercial nature or non-profit educational purposes.
• Preamble purposes
o Critism
o Coment
o News reports
o Teaching
o Scholarship
o Research
• Degree of Transformation:
Images on my Blog:
It could be argued that downloading of images are for non-profit and educational purposes and may also fall into one of the Preamble purposes (e.g. Research). However, the provisions only allow for one copy to be downloaded and posting to a Blog may be seen as making multiple copies therefore requires permission from the owner before posting.
In looking at the images I have reproduced on my Blog, some were obtained exclusively via the WebCT site and it may be presumed that copyright permission has been obtained via the University as it was implied that these images should be posted to our Blog, although this should be checked.
If I have reproduced any original images that are not in the public domain and published them on a Blog or Website then it would be prudent to ascertain whether they are protected by Copyright and seek permission to publish them. The permission may attract a fee or an acknowledgement of the image’s origin.
Curtin University Logo:
A logo is usually held to fall under Copyright protection if the artwork is consistently associated with, and regarded as being identified with a particular product or organization. Any “close” imitations with some changes may be a breach of the original artwork copyright if there is substantial association with the original.
Ownership of the Curtin University Logo Copyright License would be held by the creator unless the License was assigned as part of the commissioning agreement, to the University.
The University has the right to:
• Copy or reproduce the logo (including digital copies)
• Publish the work
• Communicate the work to the public (electronically, broadcast, email or fax, posting to its website).
The exceptions that may apply to reproducing artwork would not apply to the Curtin University Logo unless it was directed by the University as research or study in which case the appropriate permission would have been granted.
Passing Off:
If the Curtin University Logo is reproduced on my Blog, I may be regarded as benefiting from the established reputation of the University and using the logo to elevate the value of the material in the Blog or implying that the University endorses the content of the Blog. This is said to be “passing off” and is a breach of the Trade Practices Act 1974 or Sections of the fair trading laws.
Trademark:
The logo may also be a registered trade mark in which case an infringement will breach Copyright and Trade Mark rights Trade Marks Act 1995). It would be reasonable to assume that the logo could be a registered trademark as it is “inherently capable of distinguishing the traders’ goods or services”.
The Curtin University Logo would be protected by Copyright and it would be an infringement to reproduce the logo without the University’s permission.
Module 5
Ecology of Information:
Ecology, or ecological science, is the scientific study of the distribution and abundance of living organisms and how the distribution and abundance are affected by interactions between the organisms and their environment. The environment of an organism includes both physical properties, which can be described as the sum of local abiotic factors such as solar insolation, climate and geology, as well as the other organisms that share its habitat
The two elements that seem to be important in describing an ecology are the behavior of a body within its environment and the influence or interaction it has on its external environment.
Behavior: The internet has evolved from a technological tool to communicate between academics into a huge interrelated network of computers that create the framework or environment in which other components i.e. software can be developed and distributed anywhere within the internet. The internal environment it has created has led to the development of the World Wide Web and other applications for any purpose or utility that we can think of (e.g. education, commercial profit, scientific research, leisure, astronomy etc.).
The other additional component that the internet incorporates is the user who, when “connected” to the functions of the internet, becomes part of its operation and influence. The user of the internet is not an identity in him/ herself but any individual, who at any time, interacts with the internet and flow of information within it.
Interaction: The second element of an ecology is its effect on the external environment in which it exists (its habitat). The internet exists in a society that thrives on accumulating and controlling information. There is almost a symbiotic relationship between the internet and society; the internet relies on the flow of information to sustain its existence and enable it to grow and we use the internet to maintain our society and make it grow.
In this broader definition of hardware and software and people then the internet has some of the characteristics of an organism that acts and reacts to the flow of information and communication between its different parts. The influence of the internet on the social and ethical behavior on its external environment is the issue debated by (Capurro, R.) who views information technology as an opportunity to change the inadequacies of society pre-information technology. The suggestion that society should reassess its motives for controlling the access of information to promote a greater balance of information flow, cultural diversity, moral values and share of wealth is a strong indication that the internet has a major influence on its external environment.
Reflection: When I connect to the internet, am I part of the internet’s external or internal environment? I used to think that the distance between the keyboard and me was the separation line. However, when my wife used “Facebook” recently I noticed that at the bottom of the screen that the counter said that over 10 million people were using that program at the same time she was. The participation and influence of that user community on the internet would not be regarded as part of the external environment but part of the internet.
This has changed my awareness of the society that exists at any given time within the internet environment and appreciate the potential influence it has on its external world.
How are the concepts ‘information’ and ‘communication’ understood within the framework of an ‘information ecology’?
The ecosystem concept:
A central principle of ecology is that each living organism has an ongoing and continual relationship with every other element that makes up its environment. The sum total of interacting living organisms (the biocoenosis) and their non-living environment (the biotope) in an area is termed an ecosystem. Studies of ecosystems usually focus on the movement of energy and matter through the system.
From the free encyclopedia Retrieved from Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecology, August 26th, 2008.
If we consider the aspect of relationships between elements within an ecology and note that the interaction between the elements focus on the “movement of energy and matter through the system” (Wikipedia) then we can associate the central elements in the information ecology of information and communication creating a synergy that is greater than there individual value. (Stadler) states that the elements of communication and information are interdependent: communication is the process which connects the pathways to carry the data. The interaction of this data with different bits of data and as it travels through the internet it is enriched through its combining with otherwise meaningless bits of data. The result of the combination between communication and information is the information ecology.
Why don’t we talk of a ‘communication ecology’?
The concept of a ‘communication ecology’ isn’t refuted as a concept but it would be superfluous to try and describe communication to the exclusion of knowledge when the two elements are combined to create information.
Aren’t we talking about the characteristics and dynamics of information? Using the internet as an example, communication technology exists to transmit data and the product, which is information, exists because of its ability to be channeled through communication technology. The particular outcome of this process requires the input of communication and data combining to produce information. This is the sum total of the interacting organisms within their ecosystem.
Stadler, Felix “information Technology” A position paper (version 1.0) McLuhan Program in Culture and Technology, FIS, UofT, 1997.
Ecology, or ecological science, is the scientific study of the distribution and abundance of living organisms and how the distribution and abundance are affected by interactions between the organisms and their environment. The environment of an organism includes both physical properties, which can be described as the sum of local abiotic factors such as solar insolation, climate and geology, as well as the other organisms that share its habitat
The two elements that seem to be important in describing an ecology are the behavior of a body within its environment and the influence or interaction it has on its external environment.
Behavior: The internet has evolved from a technological tool to communicate between academics into a huge interrelated network of computers that create the framework or environment in which other components i.e. software can be developed and distributed anywhere within the internet. The internal environment it has created has led to the development of the World Wide Web and other applications for any purpose or utility that we can think of (e.g. education, commercial profit, scientific research, leisure, astronomy etc.).
The other additional component that the internet incorporates is the user who, when “connected” to the functions of the internet, becomes part of its operation and influence. The user of the internet is not an identity in him/ herself but any individual, who at any time, interacts with the internet and flow of information within it.
Interaction: The second element of an ecology is its effect on the external environment in which it exists (its habitat). The internet exists in a society that thrives on accumulating and controlling information. There is almost a symbiotic relationship between the internet and society; the internet relies on the flow of information to sustain its existence and enable it to grow and we use the internet to maintain our society and make it grow.
In this broader definition of hardware and software and people then the internet has some of the characteristics of an organism that acts and reacts to the flow of information and communication between its different parts. The influence of the internet on the social and ethical behavior on its external environment is the issue debated by (Capurro, R.) who views information technology as an opportunity to change the inadequacies of society pre-information technology. The suggestion that society should reassess its motives for controlling the access of information to promote a greater balance of information flow, cultural diversity, moral values and share of wealth is a strong indication that the internet has a major influence on its external environment.
Reflection: When I connect to the internet, am I part of the internet’s external or internal environment? I used to think that the distance between the keyboard and me was the separation line. However, when my wife used “Facebook” recently I noticed that at the bottom of the screen that the counter said that over 10 million people were using that program at the same time she was. The participation and influence of that user community on the internet would not be regarded as part of the external environment but part of the internet.
This has changed my awareness of the society that exists at any given time within the internet environment and appreciate the potential influence it has on its external world.
How are the concepts ‘information’ and ‘communication’ understood within the framework of an ‘information ecology’?
The ecosystem concept:
A central principle of ecology is that each living organism has an ongoing and continual relationship with every other element that makes up its environment. The sum total of interacting living organisms (the biocoenosis) and their non-living environment (the biotope) in an area is termed an ecosystem. Studies of ecosystems usually focus on the movement of energy and matter through the system.
From the free encyclopedia Retrieved from Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecology, August 26th, 2008.
If we consider the aspect of relationships between elements within an ecology and note that the interaction between the elements focus on the “movement of energy and matter through the system” (Wikipedia) then we can associate the central elements in the information ecology of information and communication creating a synergy that is greater than there individual value. (Stadler) states that the elements of communication and information are interdependent: communication is the process which connects the pathways to carry the data. The interaction of this data with different bits of data and as it travels through the internet it is enriched through its combining with otherwise meaningless bits of data. The result of the combination between communication and information is the information ecology.
Why don’t we talk of a ‘communication ecology’?
The concept of a ‘communication ecology’ isn’t refuted as a concept but it would be superfluous to try and describe communication to the exclusion of knowledge when the two elements are combined to create information.
Aren’t we talking about the characteristics and dynamics of information? Using the internet as an example, communication technology exists to transmit data and the product, which is information, exists because of its ability to be channeled through communication technology. The particular outcome of this process requires the input of communication and data combining to produce information. This is the sum total of the interacting organisms within their ecosystem.
Stadler, Felix “information Technology” A position paper (version 1.0) McLuhan Program in Culture and Technology, FIS, UofT, 1997.
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