After reading various articles concerning Wikipedia, I decided to browse through the website typing in various searches that interested me. I read through articles concerning the Giants, various American authors and some favorite TV shows. I realized, I know nothing of importance. In the about section on Wikipedia, it says "Visitors do not need specialized qualifications to contribute" okay, well I don't, and still can't. I don't even feel like I have anything worthwhile to say or even if I thought something was interesting or could slightly expand on something already written, should I?
So now I wonder, how does Wikipedia even work? If everyone can post and edit whenever they chose, (except Scientologists, that is) how doesn't it become so muddled with useless information? However, since it is such a highly trafficked sight, any wrong information is cleared up seemingly within moments.
But what I don't get is why people spend so much time updating and adding to entries. It's almost like writing a research paper, for fun, in your spare time. I'll pass.
As far as Wikipedia being a reliable source, I would say it is. Although I never cite Wikipedia as a primary source, I do do my preliminary research on the site. I find it to be written in layman's terms and it gets right to the point. I would rather read short article and feel mildly informed than do tons of research and get the same out of it. Maybe I'm just lazy,
Monday, October 26, 2009
Friday, October 23, 2009
dear diary
After reading this article, I began to wonder what the future will look like if the continued rise of the dotted line actually does represent EVERYONE. Will we all update our status hourly and claim ourselves to be publish authors? In the literal sense, I guess we are. We write and post, making our thoughts, whether large or small, public knowledge. Will we one day receive an e-mail, a comment on our blog post, or a tweet saying we won the Nobel Prize for literature? Or a Newbery Medal? Will Oprah be texting to ask us to be in her book club?
In a way, the ability we all have to share our thoughts and information with the world is amazing. However, is the accessibility and easiness of doing so, making us stupider? If we find posting our breakfast choice next to articles about world events just as important and common, what does that say about us as intellects? Where will it end?
In a way, the ability we all have to share our thoughts and information with the world is amazing. However, is the accessibility and easiness of doing so, making us stupider? If we find posting our breakfast choice next to articles about world events just as important and common, what does that say about us as intellects? Where will it end?
Monday, October 19, 2009
text 466453
Do you need to know a phone number for a business? Wonder what their hours are? What their address is? Want to know the weather? Stock quotes? Movie times? Don't have the internet on your phone?
Don't fear. Text GOOGLE and ask it. It texts you back within seconds with all their information.
Don't fear. Text GOOGLE and ask it. It texts you back within seconds with all their information.
Google, your #1 newsource
Father of the year, Jon Gosselin, from TLC's Jon and Kate Plus Eight, first learned about his lawsuit from Google Alerts.
Google knew about his breach of contract and lawsuit before he even did.
Google knew about his breach of contract and lawsuit before he even did.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
state of play
I just finished watching State of Play.
The main theme was a political coverup that a local newspaper was trying to uncover. There were a lot of references to newspapers becoming a dying art and how hard it is to compete with real time blog blasts. Throughout the movie, the two main characters, Russell Crowe and Rachel McAdams, fought about how best to report news. Crowe had been a journalist for twenty years while McAdams was a twenty-something blogger.
However, when the story finally broke, both characters put down their guns and decided that when the public reads an important article, something that carries weight and meaning, they better get some ink on their fingers.
It made me think if newspaper ever completely go away, will we one day, turn around, and wish them back?
The main theme was a political coverup that a local newspaper was trying to uncover. There were a lot of references to newspapers becoming a dying art and how hard it is to compete with real time blog blasts. Throughout the movie, the two main characters, Russell Crowe and Rachel McAdams, fought about how best to report news. Crowe had been a journalist for twenty years while McAdams was a twenty-something blogger.
However, when the story finally broke, both characters put down their guns and decided that when the public reads an important article, something that carries weight and meaning, they better get some ink on their fingers.
It made me think if newspaper ever completely go away, will we one day, turn around, and wish them back?
"uhh, I don't know, I've never thought about it"
Before reading these articles I never once thought about what Google knew about me, or even if they knew anything at all. I guess I just figured it remembered certain words I type or things I am into. I like to imagine my computer as a brain that has magical powers. But now, after researching and thinking about all that Google does, I realized that it has too much power.
I used to think it was pretty cool how I would type something in the search box and it would auto complete it for me. I'd welcome the extra .5 seconds it allowed me by not having to finish typing the last three letters in a word. But now, Google, back off and give me my space.
I asked two people what they thought about Google. One said, "it solves all my problems," the other, "it rocks." When I asked them to please be a little more descriptive, they didn't have anything else to say. I realized that other people thought like me too. When I told them about privacy issues and made them really look at those handy features Google has, they stopped, looked, and said, "wow, creepy."
My roommate said it auto completes her home address when she searches for directions, and it seems to know what she's thinking before she thinks it.
A few hours after my conversation ended, I get an instant message:
Apparently, what I said carried weight and shone a light on an otherwise undiscussed topic. So now I wonder, does it really need to remember all these things? Are we really that lazy that we welcome the auto-complete feature, and instead of typing "Dentist, Litchfield CT," we feel the need to just type "Dentist" and expect it to know? It makes me wonder what the word privacy even means. What is really ours alone to keep secret?
Slow down Google, step back and reassess.
I used to think it was pretty cool how I would type something in the search box and it would auto complete it for me. I'd welcome the extra .5 seconds it allowed me by not having to finish typing the last three letters in a word. But now, Google, back off and give me my space.
I asked two people what they thought about Google. One said, "it solves all my problems," the other, "it rocks." When I asked them to please be a little more descriptive, they didn't have anything else to say. I realized that other people thought like me too. When I told them about privacy issues and made them really look at those handy features Google has, they stopped, looked, and said, "wow, creepy."
My roommate said it auto completes her home address when she searches for directions, and it seems to know what she's thinking before she thinks it.
A few hours after my conversation ended, I get an instant message:
"u know what else i think its weird about google?when u open the new tab and it shows the websites u go to the most. so like facebook is my second most visited site and sometimes it shows pictures ive looked at. soooo werid. it's like a snapshot of it. I don't like it."
Apparently, what I said carried weight and shone a light on an otherwise undiscussed topic. So now I wonder, does it really need to remember all these things? Are we really that lazy that we welcome the auto-complete feature, and instead of typing "Dentist, Litchfield CT," we feel the need to just type "Dentist" and expect it to know? It makes me wonder what the word privacy even means. What is really ours alone to keep secret?
Slow down Google, step back and reassess.
Friday, October 16, 2009
The only game in town
Today's New York Post ran an article titled, "Google profit soars 27% on $5.94B in sales," and quotes CEO Eric Schmidt signaling "better days ahead."
Google makes it money on advertisers, yet in a recession, normally one of the first areas to be cut back is advertising. So Google, how do you do it?
Google makes it money on advertisers, yet in a recession, normally one of the first areas to be cut back is advertising. So Google, how do you do it?
Just google it
Google is like my best friend. I rely on it for everything, when I don't know something I ask it questions, and when I want to online shop, it shows me all my favorite stores. I prefer its layout to yahoo, and even trust it more on its searches. Why? I have no clue. It's just there. I have a Google toolbar that just popped up one day, so now, I don't even have to waste my precious seconds by typing www.google.com, it's already there for me, like a really good friend. The creators of Google, Google Earth, Wave, Chrome, etc. should give themselves a good pat on the back. It has created such a monopoly over every other search engine and browser that they have become the reigning king of internet.
Google Earth made it possible for my sister to show me her new apartment in North Carolina and all the surrounding businesses from the bedroom of her Connecticut home. Chrome is my little genius as it keeps track of all my most frequented sites in neatly organized boxes, and the phrase, "just Google it" has become my answer for every question I don't know.
Just like that, Google has covered all the bases. It makes me wonder what people even did before it...
Google Earth made it possible for my sister to show me her new apartment in North Carolina and all the surrounding businesses from the bedroom of her Connecticut home. Chrome is my little genius as it keeps track of all my most frequented sites in neatly organized boxes, and the phrase, "just Google it" has become my answer for every question I don't know.
Just like that, Google has covered all the bases. It makes me wonder what people even did before it...
Friday, October 2, 2009
How do you know that? Facebook told me.
I really think Facebook depends on the person. For some, it is an endless social utility that allows people to connect with long lost friends, distant family members, or even a way to brag about their children. And for those reasons, I think Facebook is great.
For others, typically ages 16-21, FB is dramatically different. It's a popularity contest. Who has the most friends, the funnest weekend, and the best drunk pictures? It's a game played by girls everywhere. Personally, I find it highly annoying, and half the time, when I log on, my news feed alerts me to conversations, postings and pictures that I don't want to see and could care less about. So for me, FB is a useless utility that pounds on frustration and annoyance.
However, I can't help but find some crude irony when those same drunk, obsessive, picture posters are searched by possible employers and are caught red handed in their tactless game. All the security settings in the world aren't protecting you from losing shreds of dignity.
I think that FB applies to different age groups in drastically different ways. If it works for you and you enjoy it, great. But share the info, and explain it to me. And when it really comes down to it, isn't it sad how much we have to protect ourselves from people who are so ready to take advantage of trusting people?
For others, typically ages 16-21, FB is dramatically different. It's a popularity contest. Who has the most friends, the funnest weekend, and the best drunk pictures? It's a game played by girls everywhere. Personally, I find it highly annoying, and half the time, when I log on, my news feed alerts me to conversations, postings and pictures that I don't want to see and could care less about. So for me, FB is a useless utility that pounds on frustration and annoyance.
However, I can't help but find some crude irony when those same drunk, obsessive, picture posters are searched by possible employers and are caught red handed in their tactless game. All the security settings in the world aren't protecting you from losing shreds of dignity.
I think that FB applies to different age groups in drastically different ways. If it works for you and you enjoy it, great. But share the info, and explain it to me. And when it really comes down to it, isn't it sad how much we have to protect ourselves from people who are so ready to take advantage of trusting people?
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