The thought of being able to make each and every inanimate object become living things or more exactly ‘digitally alive’ is on the one hand very exciting, but also very concerning. This is what’s often referred to as the internet of things and it is quickly being made into a reality. The internet of things…
Some open sourced enthusiasts predict that in the not too distant future closed sources of information and software will diminish and will not be able to compete with open sources. In the mobile world, many android enthusiasts voice their dislike towards the closed and rigid structure of closed systems such as the Apple iPhone with…
Some people have come to the conclusion that Twitter and Facebook led to the uprisings that have taken place in some North African states over the past few years and which are commonly referred to as the Arab Spring. Others claim that without these social media platforms, these revolutions may not have occurred. However, I…
For those who have not heard about Wikileaks, it is a non-profit organization whose aim is to inform the public of news and information. It provides an “innovative, secure and anonymous way for sources to leak information to our journalists.” Wikileaks’ founder, Julian Assange has claimed to be a journalist, but also acts as an…
The arrival of the internet has led to a decentralized flow of information. There is greater participation by the public in the flow of information. Citizen journalism is a product of the new internet environment. Axel Bruns (2009, p. 13) describes citizen journalism as “a continuing and necessarily unfinished coverage of topics and events inviting…
To be affronted by the fact that the work I’ve done writing this blog will most likely not realize to any monetary return is a sad thought. However, it is a fact that Clay Shirkey (2002) suggests I should come to terms with. The blogging platforms on the internet such as WordPress and Tumblr give everyone else…
Many people mistake convergence as being old technologies and media being replaced by an all-encompassing device of convenience that will fit your pocket. However, Jenkins opposes this idea and instead states that convergence is altering “the relationship between existing technologies” (p. 15) as new ones are introduced. It is the restructuring of old technologies and…
Two weeks ago I made a blogpost selling the usefulness and need for intellectual property and copyright. However after further digging into the issue I think my stance has started to waiver. I went and read into the license agreements of a few games and discovered that some corporations can exploit the use of copyright…
The information network; the mass of information communicated and placed in a space we call the internet has become a foundation of our current society. The creation of information networks have led to many things one of which is greater labour flexibility. Work can now be brought into the home and we now have the…
The web as we know it hasn’t just appeared, but has gone through a process, an evolution that has only been successful due to technological advancements.It began from Tim Berners-Lee who started the World Wide Web. His aim for the world wide web was so that he could allow for everyone to have access to…
Cyberspace; an intangible dimension full of possibilities that can empower not only virtual lives but also REAL lives. Lessig, L in his book “Four Puzzles From Cyberspace” delves into the concept where cyberspace allows people to exist in a different reality separate to the real that can provide a “richer experience” to life. On cyberspace…
As clearly noted in Manuel Castells “Why networks matter” networks are an integral part of all the dimensions in our society. Networks have existed since the existence of man, but today’s networks are far more interlinked and flexible than the pre-historic networks we might find in the Stone Age due to the advancements in technology.…
