Dear Ms.Boyd,

I agree with your article "Dear Voyer, meet Flaneur... Sincerley, Social Media" that watchers and watchees finally come together in the same space. Although they have different places, social media allows them both to get what they enjoy; the people that like to be watched can parade around knowing that someone is looking, and the people that like doing the watching have tons of subjects to catch their eye. This proves to be true as you state "Facebook enables is quite different than what is made possible by reality TV". Reality TV tickles the fancy of only the voyer, yet it leaves the flaneur with an unfulfilled desire and an empty void. Now with the increasingly use of social media, everyone gets their end of the deal, and no one is left with the short end of the stick. By far this is the best use of social media in my opinion because everyone is happy- well not those that don't watch nor want to be watched. 

Something else that you said really stuck out to me. Toward the end of your article you stated "participation in digital social media often means public-by-default, private-through-effort. Being watched is simply part and parcel with participating". I do agree with this for a couple of reasons. One reason why I agree with this is because online whatever one can see is public and you're no longer the sole controller of who sees it. Another reason why I agree with this is because whether or not you're a voyer or flaneur, you're partaking in the "festivities". And as creeping as this sounds, if you're not watching someone or something, someone or something is probably watching you. 

Ayesha Go. 

Dear Bloomfield,

I would like to start off by saying I, myself, had to spend a lot of time in Second Life for a class, however my outcome and your was different. Although I went into Second Life with the mindset that I thought it was weird and I wasn't going to enjoy it, the results of it, in my case, was the same; Second Life convinces people that it has something that they couldn't accomplish in reality. Although to a certain extent this is true, I feel as though people's insecurities and vulnerabilities are played up to use against them. I know you stated that your goal in writing your article was to create virtual worlds for studying real-world business. I'm not necessarily sure how an imagined, created world could prep us for the real world. Granted Second Life can create different scenarios so people can see how to respond and act in certain events-that I understand-however I feel the best way to learn about real-world business and life is to get out there and live/experience it. 

You mentioned something else that I found very interesting in the article. You stated serious games provide a better understanding of both forms of "study"; by students who acquire business knowledge and researchers in academia. I don't fully agree with that. I'm not sure if it's because I'm a hands on person that believes in going out and getting your hands dirty, or because I am a huge pessimist when it comes to focusing too much time on technology. I feel with this games and "study" behind the screen, society will get to comfortable with being behind the screen that we won't want to come from behind it. 

Ayesha Go. 

Using games such as Second LIfe isn't terrible and it isn't the worst way to do "research", however no one person has the ability to control or regulate technology and the Internet, which is partially the reason why it is so popular and why it works. However this lack of control and lack of a gatekeeper, which was the main reason why technology is so great, may in fact be the reason why it is possibly detrimental also. 

Dear Ms. Turkle,

After reading your article I think it helped to confirm my stance on technology and how we use it in society today. The first line of your article really jumped out at me as it said "technology proposes itself as the architect of our intimacies". Technology seems to package itself as something we "need" and "can't live without" making us use it more, when we actually don't need it at all. Technology kind of presents itself as the best friend we never had, but the question that comes to my mind is "why can't we be our own best friend?" You said something else in your article that stood out to me. In the first sentence of the second paragraph you said "technology is seductive when what it offers meets our human vulnerabilities". This quote really stands out to me because it seems as though technology is this product that was produced specifically to target this "void" that we feel as though we need to fulfill. 

These devices are created and manufactured to be what we need, and to be our friends, yet "Indeed, among the most talked about robotic designs are in the area of care and companionship". I think what amazes me the most about technology is the fact that we're told we're not happy, given something that supposedly will make us happy, use what is supposed to make us happy, yet we're still not happy or fully satisfied. What amazes me even more is that "we" still haven't figured out that our "best friend" isn't a friend at all, and is barely there. 

Ayesha Go. 

The last couple of sentences in your article summed up your main argument perfectly. You stated "our new objects don't so much 'fool us' into thinking they are communicating with us; robotics have learned those few triggers that help us fool ourselves. We don't need much. We are ready to enter the romance".  The robots have out smarted us by planting an idea in our heads that makes us think it was our idea, when in all actuality it isn't. It's inception with technology as the puppet master and us as the puppets. Ms.Turke you, myself and some others have figured this out, I'm just not sure when everyone else will. 

Dear Ms. Rosenbloom,

In your article "For the Plugged-In, Too Many Choices," I couldn't agree more with your position on social media and its affect on people. I myself am one of those people who doesn't partake in online activity as described in your article, however I have witnessed these acts first hand. I do agree with you when you stated that "social networking is now the most popular online activity, ahead of sending e-mails, searching the Internet and playing games". It seems as though people are so busy telling everyone about their lives and informing them of what they are doing, that they aren't actually going out and enjoying life. 

I did like how you added positive aspects to the idea of working/dealing with largely dealing with technology. I can understand what Mr.Kaufman said in your article stating that he can say hi to someone that is far away, however the "water cooler effect" couldn't possibly be effective on an online community. The purpose and premise of the "water cooler effect" is to provide a leisure, informal experience in a formal setting. The "water cooler effect" provides a stressless, lax feeling after dealing with long, hard days at work. You can't have that if you're already in an informal, stressless setting. 

It seems as though society is trying to put their life online and then say that they're showing everyone how they are living life, when they're not living at all (I hope that made sense). Things seem to be more complicated then they have to. Opposed to posting, tweeting and showing people that you're living life why not go out and live and let them it is on their own? 

Ayesha Go. 

Hackers

Dear Ms Richmond and Mr. Bilton,

Your article in the New York Times about hackers was enlightening and educating. I did not know about these hacker groups or that we were at such high risk for hacking to occur. It is scary that there are people in the world who want to get together and attack websites. In recent months during the whole SOPA thing occurred hackers shut down the CIA website. When this happened I was in shock. Even though some hackers are hacking for what they think is a good reason, it is still very scary knowing that people are capable of doing such a outrageous thing to make a statement. Not only that but it causes more problems in the long run then it is worth. The even scarier part is that now they are forming groups to commit these acts which makes them much more powerful then if they were acting alone.

I have an iphone 4 and I jail broke my phone. In a way I have to admit that is giving into the hackers and like I said, some hackers hack for what they think is a good reason. I am not going to get into if jai breaking is good or not but this is just an example of what hackers do. In your article you wrote, “On Monday, the Department of Homeland Security plans to introduce a system to help institutions eliminate common programming errors that allow hackers to easily infiltrate databases and steal user names and passwords.” I feel like even with this program hackers will find a way to get around it. Going back to my iphone example, apple makes frequent updates to their software to avoid the hackers from getting to nifty with the jailbreaks and so that they will have to keep working to create a new one each time in hopes that they will someday just give up. But hackers never give up and that is was scares me about this situation. Even if they are trying to eliminate the LulzSec group hackers will move along and make another. You stated, “The official said that even though it was possible that LulzSec had disbanded, hackers tended to operate in a world of shifting alliances and it would be easy for a new group copying LulzSec’s techniques to appear in the future.” And I completely agree with you.

Sincerely,

Deanna Dimino

HACKERS WILL HACK--

Week 13 - Online gaming

Dear Mr. Tanz,

Online gaming is rapidly growing throughout the world. Whether we want to admit it or not, we all play online video games in some way. Now with the release of the iPhone to other mobile carriers, gaming apps are more popular then ever. I think that online gaming is something that has been adapted into our daily lives, especially in this generation. There are so many reasons to play online games but one of the most popular reasons is because you can play on the go. In your article you said, “The year, though only two months old, was already shaping up to be a bad one for makers of traditional videogames. Console sales dropped 8 percent in 2009 and were destined to fall 12 percent more over the course of 2010; console games were suffering a similar slide.” This is because they are not available to people on the go, and the handheld ones that are, its just an extra thing to carry around that isn’t necessary if you have a smart phone. It’s so easy to just download a gaming app and start playing. 

People can get sucked in without even realizing it. One of the most popular online games is Angry Birds. Ask anyone about it and I am sure they have either played it or at least heard of it. Online play is used to pass time, for fun, and just because some people want to see what all the hype is about. Whatever the reason doesn’t matter because people are playing an more and more games are being released every day. In my opinion, I think its okay for people to play online games as long as they are not getting sucked in to the point where it starts to take over their lives. Its just another part of our daily routine.

Sincerely,
Deanna Dimino

Week 11

Dear Baym,

            Nowadays, people are creating more and more relationships online than through face-to-face meetings.  I think it’s easier, and detrimental, due to the environment you are presenting yourself in. You are able to get away with more, elevating yourself to something you are really not. One would think if you are looking for a loved one online you would present yourself as honestly as possible, but people are afraid to get turned down and feel the need to make themselves better.

            Ellison’s article “Managing Impressions Online:  Self-Presentation Processes in the Online Dating Environment” brings up a fact that 86% of people feel that their online dating profiles give off the wrong impression. I feel in general, people have to remember a profile is there to advertise you and your world. Think about what kind of person and world makes up you and then advertise that world to the kind of person you want. Will this happen overnight? No, but it is a good guideline to follow. People just feel a sense of safety by presenting themselves as false versions of themselves to perhaps feel more confident. This feeling could last a while, until the eventual meeting in real life that would just be awkward for everyone involved. I see online dating just filled with problems. For example in a situation like that, as humans we use our faces and vocal patterns to apologize to, console, and appease those nearby who are uneasy. That element's missing online, and combined with the anonymity provided by the Internet makes for something bad.