Virtual Reality

Play Money by Julian Dibbell dives inside the economy and camaraderie within virtual worlds and takes readers along for the ride.  Chapters 1-21 focus largely on Ultima Online, one of the first successful massively multiplayer online games (MMOG or MMO) with a virtual economy.  Through the author’s experiences, we learn a few tricks of virtual economies that help us to increase our earning potential while in the virtual realm.  Overall, we learn that more often, people are getting paid while playing MMOs.  Dibbell shows readers that this is not an easy process.  At a minimum, achieving success requires collaboration with other players, the ability to predict how the economy will shift, and an understanding of business. 

Although the thought of making money is enticing, there are negative aspects of this distant and impersonal means of conducting business.  Gaining trust from business partners is one important, but difficult to achieve aspect while online.  In virtual worlds, people are able to portray whatever image they like, and because of this, you don’t really know who you’re talking to, as Dibbell found that he had been allowing a teenager to live in his virtual home and give him business advice.  In the popular virtual world, Second Life, I believe that conducting business is a little safer than it was during Ultima Online’s peak.  Just today, I found a blog explaining multiple ways of making money on Second Life, and because the site does not rely on eBay to buy and sell goods, it can prevent some of the theft and fraud that was common on Ultima Online.

I actually logged on to MTV’s Virtual Worlds site while trying to enter Ford Modeling Company’s First Virtual Model Contest, and I was able to get a glimpse of what everyone is talking about.  I was a little turned off at first when I saw that I had to use my credit card if I wanted buy anything or change my image, but after logging off and logging back in, I saw that I was given $1000 to get started.  I had some technical problems and didn’t see much I liked, so I have only bought a tank top and necklace so far, but because of my low status, I noticed that no one would acknowledge me.  I first felt the desire to upgrade myself when a guy in a Jeep pulled up beside me, looked at me for a few seconds and drove away.  I suppose we all want to be admired… or at least acknowledged, which is part of what keeps people coming back for more.  Once people are compelled to climb the social ladder, a world of opportunity opens up for entrepreneurs.  Together, these components drive the virtual economy. 

Socially, virtual worlds help users to fulfill an innate need to achieve regardless of whether they have been able to achieve that in the real world.  Cars, houses, clothes, and other virtual goods allow users to establish status and gain admiration from other players.  Shortly after his first login, Dibbell mentions how he wondered who the people were that lived in the big houses and how he wanted to become one of them so that people would wonder about him.  This book really made me question if there have been studies conducted that examine who is most susceptible to getting hooked on virtual lives.  If a person’s life is gratifying in the real world, are they less likely to spend excessive amounts of time and money in virtual worlds?  Of course virtual worlds are not only a means of being admired, many people also seek out virtual worlds to play games and act out things that aren’t possible in their everyday lives.  The Washington Post published an article October 6, 2007, that discusses how avatars in virtual worlds have been proven to help disabled individuals to fight and possibly recover from their diseases and disabilities.  As this article proves, virtual worlds can be therapeutic, but I am sure that there are negative repercussions from this interaction as well.  Many MMOs allow users to commit crimes against people that would have offenders incarcerated for years in the real world.  Studies show that children who play violent video games are more aggressive in their everyday lives.  Regardless of age, we should all be mindful of the activities that we participate in while visiting the virtual realm.  Obviously, virtual reality holds powers that can carry over into actual reality.

Times Change

Smart Mobs was very informative, but I was quite relieved transitioning to Wikinomics, which is far easier for a novice, like me, to follow. 

The second portion (chapter 7 through the end) of Smart Mobs discusses wireless access, more texting, surveillance, and what technological advances are doing to our society.  All of which are very important when trying to understand the driving force behind smart mobs and how they operate. 

Wireless access has been a huge leap for mankind.  Enabling people in remote areas to have just as much access to the web as people in the inner city is remarkable.  Initially, it was not considered cost effective to give people in these areas web access due to the price tag associated with running lines to these areas.  Now these areas are not only equipped, but the system has also helped secure faster Internet access for people within the outlying areas.  Coffeehouses usually facilitate wireless access, but public places like parks are also hopping on the bandwagon, which encourages people to visit these locations more often, even if it is only to access the Web.  This concept could definitely help build social capital especially if it is paired into devices that help match compatible partners and friends.  This of course leaves room to discuss the security of these tools, but I suppose they exist because it is the adult’s choice whether to use the device.  All of this ties back into last week’s post which discussed tools for the common good. Overall, they are all tools that help make our society a more functional and fulfilling place to live. 

Throughout the Smart Mobs, Rheingold frequently mentions texting explaining how this is yet another tool created to better our society.  In this second portion, he spend a little more time on the stronger, more aggressive side of texting—netwars.  Overall, a netwar is a campaign to organize a movement through electronic devices.  The Philippines is known for one of the most effective campaigns, which led to the collapse of the government under President Estrada.  Netwars are an example of the power that technology can embody which used effectively. 

Surveillance is a tool that also holds a lot of power.  Its biggest drawback is determining who will be able to gain access to that power.  Just the threat of surveillance has proven to be an effective means of gaining social control.  I hope that as surveillance increases we will see a decline in crime rates; however, as Sara mentioned in our class discussion this week, this may just encourage criminals to get smarter.  I suppose if the possible Do-Not-Track list  is established it would be that much easier for criminals to pass along trade secrets to avoid being caught by surveillance and other new technological advances.  It appears that everyone is collaborating nowdays.

Smart Mobs generally discusses open-source collaborations, giving praise that many users are better than one great user (possibly sending a hint to Bill Gates), but Wikinomics provides an in-depth look at the “wiki” world.  “Wiki” meaning “quick” in Hawaiian, refers to that way people are becoming more interactive with online content.  Technology falling under this umbrella includes:  social networking sites, open-source operating systems, sites allowing users to post pictures and videos, blogs, of course, Wikipedia, and  any other site that allows users to interact with the site’s content.  This new onset of contributing and collaborating is helping companies to save money and develop products faster and helping individuals to voice their opinion and communicate with society in ways that were impossible not very long ago.  (Sometimes it is hard to remember a world before we could add our two cents.)  Tapscott and Williams call people born between 1977 and1996 the Net Generation, and credit them as the group that will restructure the business world.   

The days of keeping business ideas internal are gone.  It is now about sharing your information to encourage growth.  The concept is still confusing for some, since it seems crazy to advertise ideas to the public that could earn companies a substantial amount of money, but there is a formula for doing it right.  An example of one company with the know-how is IBM.  They managed to use Linux to their advantage—saving almost one billion dollars a year by outsourcing rather than creating their own operating system in-house.  (It’s not all about giving out secrets.)  If you are looking for talent to work on a project, I am sure there are contracts that can be established to ensure intellectual property rights are protected.  I am surprised that this hasn’t been mentioned much in Wikinomics so far.  A few very popular products have come from out sourcing including:  Olay Regenerist, the Swifter Duster, and the Crest Spinbrush.

Collaborating and contributing are not just for business use.  Everyone is able to participate, and judging by the rapidly increasing numbers of bloggers, members of social networking sites, personal media (videos and pictures), and Wikipedia users, a lot of people are taking advantage of this opportunity.  It is true that with so many contributors, the Net is being flooded with content that many would perceive as unnecessary, but the Web must adhere to our Constitutional right to freedom of speech.  As acceptable as it may be to publish information that only you may care about or agree with, it is still important that users only post accurate information on site viewable by the public.  I am not sure how other sites monitor posted content, but Tapscott and Williams explain there are instances when inaccurate information is posted on Wikipedia, but the content is usually corrected within minutes by its loyal users and moderators.  Because anyone can edit a page, many are unwilling to trust information posted on the site when it means writing papers or winning a bet, but most of my friends admit to using the page to verify questions they posed to themselves. 

Smart Mobs provides the best closing thought for this week—how is technology affecting us?  Rheingold examines this question by what it is doing to our liberty, quality of life, and humanity.  Surveillance technology is trampling on the liberties that we once took for granted.  Now when you’re walking and you hope no one saw you trip, you can pretty much assume that someone did!  Those vacations you once had when no one expected to be able to reach you are officially a thing of the past.  Just because you’re on vacation no longer means that you can’t respond to work e-mails.  Our loss of humanity is described well by Putnam’s Bowling Alone.  Our society has lost the social capital the existed before television and other technological advances.  As much as we’re evolving, we all have to ask ourselves if we’re really becoming a better society because of it.

The Takeover

Within the first five chapters, Smart Mobs provides an overview of various forms of technology—their history, their present state, and their future.  Rheingold’s writing style isn’t quite as enticing as Scoble and Israel or Battelle, but again, writing books on technical topics is not an easy task.  The tie that binds this book’s many topics together is the creation of technology for the betterment of the world. 

Mobile phones have become one of the greatest technological creations to date.  Rheingold even goes as far as to proclaim that it will one day be a remote control to our lives.  They already provide valuable services such as text messaging and web access and serve as mp3 players, cameras, and camcorders, and some phones have even more capabilities.  I am sure that they will continue to evolve like every other aspect of technology, which makes the notion of them becoming the remote control to our lives extremely likely.

It is impossible to mention the benefit of cell phones without discussing text messaging.  Text messaging or short messaging service (SMS) is an example of the applications created for the betterment of humankind.  It is a formation of short messages that can be sent between mobile devices.  There are many advantages to texting, but privacy is its biggest asset.  You are able to converse practically anywhere without disrupting those nearby.  As the author points out, it just hasn’t taken off here in the U.S. like it has in other parts of the world.  We’ve all seen the commercial were the daughter is talking to her mom using text language, but teens here still don’t use texting to say “good morning” or “goodnight” to each other like teens in Tokyo.  Smart Mobs gives part of the blame to the way texting was organized in the U.S., and I totally agree.  The initial inability to send texts to other phone company subscribers was one cog in the wheel, but one of the biggest reasons even now is the cost of text messages.  If you don’t have a text message package included in your plan, you’re typically paying about 10 cents per message, which can really add up if you’re texting like people in Tokyo, The Philippines, Finland, and Stockholm.  Our culture also allows people to be less dependent on texting for privacy.  Many people in the U.S. are able speak more openly on the phone since the living area in homes here is larger than homes in many other countries.  Texting is a great application, but the process must be improved before we catch up with other parts of the world.

Before applications were incorporated in cell phones, there were only software applications on computers.  This week’s reading, “The Cathedral and the Bazaar”  and Smart Mobs, opened my eyes to the way computers were meant to be.  Like many people, I was afraid of open-source software like Linux and Firefox.  After becoming familiar with Microsoft, it just didn’t seem natural for everyone to be able to go in and change stuff, but in actuality, the originators of computer systems (also known as hackers) intended for people to work collaboratively to build more perfect applications.  However, along came people like Bill Gates, who showed the world the unimaginable income potential that the computers could provide, and naturally, the priorities changed.  Eric S. Raymond, author of “The Cathedral and the Bazaar” surprisingly mentions that he’s not opposed to “software hoarding,” but after reading Rheingold’s book, I can’t help but feel a little differently toward Microsoft.  I guess I can’t fault Bill Gates.  I would have made the same decision… play nice or become a billionaire?  Raymond discusses open-source versus closed-source software mainly in regard to his development of fetchmail.  Development of open-source software is obviously a labor of love project.  Contributors are typically volunteers who believe in the original software, but feel they can improve its ability to function.  Open-source software is dependent on their passion, which typically makes the application especially useful since it is created by genuinely interested developers/users versus developers who simply want a paycheck.  Of course the downside is if the developers lose interest, the application stops evolving.  The author believes that in the end open-source software will triumph, and I guess this depends on your personal definition of triumph.  If you are referring to making the better product, I totally agree, but if you are referring to becoming a billionaire, I would have to go with Microsoft’s blueprint.
 

After the development of computers came the Internet, which is arguably the most important aspect of modern-day technology.  The Internet evolved from computers linked together in one room to computers that communicated with nearby campuses to computers that connect to the each other all over the world.  Linking to other computers, which is referred to as peer-to-peer networking, first started to obtain additional power from computers that weren’t in use.  I am still not totally clear on how peer-to-peer networks operate, but after reading The Search last week, I assume they must carry some of the same principles as search engines.  This innovation played a key role in the development of Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI), climate change projects, and health research.  It also led to file-sharing networks, which continue to spark controversy.  Napster is of course the name that most often comes to mind when referring to file sharing, and although they were the mastermind behind an unbelievable amount of copyright violations, they have now accepted the terms set by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and are providing a legal file-sharing service to its users.  Peer-to-peer networks expose the Web’s biggest asset, which is the ability to share resources and information, and its biggest downfall, which is the inability to monitor the transmittal of information that for any number of reasons should not be shared.

Technological developments often fall into the category of information that comapnies chose not to share, but Smart Mobs provides a sneak peek at the innovations companies are working on that are soon to be part of our everyday existence.  Rheingold mentions that Gartner Consulting, tech industry analyst, predicts that wearable computers will be worn by 75% of teens by 2010….  I guess they’re on their way.  It’s a very cool idea, and I would be one of the first in line for a wristwatch that can search and whatever else developers have in mind.  CoolTown is another very cool idea brought to us by Hewlett Packard.  This is basically a sample version of what the world will be like once microchips have been placed in virtually everything.  We will be able to access all information on an object or place by simply using our cell phones.  We are already able to pay for items by waving our card, which is mentioned in the book.  I am sure the companies’ other ideas will be presenting themselves soon.

As important as technology may be, many believe that reputation and cooperation are actually the driving forces in our society.  It is only logical that they are closely tied into the way technology currently functions.  A prime example of these two forces coming together is eBay.  This Web site allows users to buy and sell goods, but requires cooperation from both parties in order for the system to work effectively.  Reputation plays a role in whether a person will even chose to do business with the other party.  If a person has a history of failing to ship or pay for items, more than likely people will be hesitant to trust that person.  Our decisions to trust and sacrifice for others is based on different factors, but what I found to be fascinating was the motivating factors for people who are willing to take big risks showing great acts of kindness or generosity.  All this time I assumed that they were just giving people, when they really just wanted a little extra acknowledgement.  Apparently, they are more motivated by the benefits that stem from their actions, including respect, “future political power, economic partnership, or sexual attention,” (Rheingold, 2002, p. 128) which are not so uncommon desires among all people.

Most people also share a passion for technology, even if it is just our attachment to our cell phones.  In a loose sense, I suppose we’re all part of Rheingold’s smart mob.  This movement has captured us all, and even those who don’t want to come along for the ride are being dragged right along with us.  Cell phones and especially the Internet are tools for life now.  Without them you’re limiting your employment opportunities, friendship and romantic possibilities, and access to other beneficial information.  It’s obvious that smart mobs are taking over, and like it or not we’re all forced to participate.

The Search is Over…

The Search does an excellent job of explaining the history of Google and a very good job of explaining the history of search engines as a whole.  Considering John Battelle’s purpose was to discuss Google, I’d say he completed is mission with flying colors.  I never thought I would say a book about search engines was a page-turner, but I guess I have joined the ranks of the geeks Battelle mentions throughout the book.

Contrary to popular belief, search engines go beyond allowing us to locate information.  Thanks to this application, our lives are very different.  We have become wiser consumers, better researchers, more informed parents, and so much more.  In addition to those great things, Battelle explains that as long as information posted on the Web is stored and retrieved, it gives immortality to the author and the content.  Although there is no permanent storage for modified or erased Web pages, knowing that as long as a page exists, that author and that information will live on should give at least some comfort to Web users concerned with the inevitable.

The PATRIOT Act was established to help the U.S. respond to terrorism after 9/11.  Since that time, it has allowed the Government access to very private information, including our Web habits.  Without our knowledge, the Government can request our search history, clickstreams, and visited IP addresses.  The illusion of privacy that users had in the early days of the Internet is slowly fading.  Reverse directories is another area that everyone should be wary of regardless of whether they have ever used the Web.  Search engines, phone companies, and other sites now have the ability to give out your address, name of the account holder, and even generate a map to your house with just your ten digit telephone number. I was also sent a link to a site allowing me to bring up Maryland court cases simply by entering a person’s name.  Battelle makes a good point.  This information was not necessarily impossible to attain prior to the Internet, but it sure was a lot more work!  Sitting in the privacy of your home scouring the Web for stories on your neighbor’s dog fighting rink is much easier than sitting in the local library for hours trying to find articles related to his arrest.  Plainly stated, search engines make it so much easier for us all to become private investigators.

Although some users are becoming more mindful of sites they visit, searches they conduct, and information they divulge to others, countries such as China, have chosen to take on the role of guardian.  I suppose this dramatically decreases the need for the government to attain your Web history.  If all the Web sites China discourages are banned, there is nothing for them to request.  It’s obvious that many people in the U.S. are still unaware of the Government’s ability to attain our search history and visited sites, or else far less people would conduct searches for questionable and illegal material like child pornography. (Am I the only one watching Law & Order: SVU?)  Although I believe the power should lie within the people to chose which Web sites they visit, I understand China’s policy.  I also understand Google’s decision to provide its service adhering to the country’s rules.  Schmidt was right, who is Google to waltz into a country telling them how to operate?  Providing China with some Google service is better than no Google service.  One of the company’s missions is to provide the best results possible.  In China, that means providing “safe” sites, but it is better nothing.  If Google put their foot down, more than likely the Chinese government would have gone about business as usual.  No tears would have been shed, and no policy of theirs would change.  The country simply would have relied on other search engines that already functioned within the country.  By Battelle’s account no one really seemed to make a fuss over the search engines already operating in China.  I guess this supports the theory that Google really is held to a higher standard.

 Considering Google started as a company that did not want to include advertisements, they sure have helped people generate a lot of business.  So much so that when Google has changed their algorithms or business practices in way that did not favor a business’ needs, companies have gotten quite angry.  American Blinds is one such company mentioned in The Search.  With the help of Google, the company brought in over $100 million each year.  The company advertised using Adwords, but noticed other related companies were also purchasing their keywords.  Google revoked other companies’ ability to use the keywords temporarily, but reinstated the function not long after.  I cannot blame Google one bit.  Yes, they’re making more money by allowing more advertisers, but it all goes back to Google’s mission—better results.  Battelle doesn’t seem to believe this at all, but I think Google is on the right track.  If I submit a query for American Blinds, I would appreciate being given links to Next Day Blinds and any other company that may be able to give me a deal.  I think Google would be doing the consumer a disservice by eliminating the competition.  They may be lining their pockets, but they also are keeping the promise (providing the best service) they made to their users. 

As a result of their excellent service, Google has grown remarkably fast.  Battelle mentions that Deloitte Touche, an accounting firm, named Google the fasted growing company ever.  To list Google’s achievements since its onset could take a day to explain, but one measurement of their success is the company’s earnings, which have continued to shock people.  From a stock that started at $85 and rose to $100 within the first day and is now worth over $400 only three years later, it obvious the company’s potential is limitless.  (Yes, I am very sorry I didn’t invest back in 2004.)  They may be growing, but I cannot say the company doesn’t have room for improvement.  I guess the company feels that if isn’t broke, no need to fix it, but I found Yahoo’s inclusion of a human in the search process as quite logical and useful.  There are certain topics that a person can grasp far better than a machine.  If it weren’t for Google’s variety of applications, it is quite possible that Yahoo could be leading the industry.  In order to grow, Google may want to take a closer look at what humans could add to the search process.

 The future of search is beyond our imagination.  The goal is to make searching perfect.  As the author mentions, search has only fulfilled about 5% of its potential.  I look forward to the day when tools like WebFountain are available to the general public.  Imagine being able to query, “I need articles from California local papers discussing 9/11 that do not mention the twin towers.”  Eventually, this will be reality, and we will even be able to pose questions and receive answers back in essay format.  (Universities will be much different then, I am sure.)  My favorite invention mentioned is the phone with product scanning capability.  Being able to scan a product and compare prices at local vendors will definitely change consumer behavior and vendor pricing.  So many products are discussed that could better our lives, but they brought to mind how search is already playing a role in our lives through Global Positioning Systems.  Already, cars and cell phones are coming equipped with locator devices, and you can even get them implanted in your pets.  The future as we imagined it is quickly approaching.  Who would have thought that the ability to search would mean so much to our society’s advancement?

Google’s Not Evil, But It’s A Common Misconception

 “I once was lost, but now I’m found!”  The Search by John Battle gives you everything you need to know about search engines—how they began, what they’re for, how they operate, who’s who in the search engine industry, etc.    

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for more than ten years, you’re familiar with search and the fact that it retrieves the information that you’re looking for.  If you’re like how I was last week, you are clueless about how they operate.  Battle explains that search engines are composed of three parts, including the crawl, the index, and the query processor.  The crawler is a software program that sends requests out to the Web in order to gather information to be indexed in its database.  The index keeps a file on all sites gathered by the crawler.  Lastly, the query processor takes the information entered into the search box (the query) and uses it to gather appropriate results from the database, finally returning indexed links (search results pages) to the user.

But how did it all start you ask?  People have been conducting searches since humans created a symbolic language, but it has surely evolved.  (I wonder if they still teach the Dewey Decimal System in school?)  Searching (also known as Information Retrieval) started around the time the printing press was established and has grown into the ever changing and growing force on which we have come to depend.  The very first search engine was established in 1990 by a McGill University student.  The system was named Archie after its ability to search archives.  It was structured fairly similar to today’s search engines—a crawler developed an indexed list and users were able to retrieve a listing of relevant material.  The difference was that the index didn’t connect you directly to the documents like today’s search engines.   

Over the life of Internet, many search engines have come and gone, and a few have managed to evolve and stay in the race.  Excite, Yahoo, and GoTo set the foundation for the tools that we use today.

Larry Page and Sergey Brin were the brains behind the monster known as Google.  The way I understand it, it initially started as the BackRub project.  Page developed a crawler with an equation that started at Stanford’s home page and was set free to ravage the rest of the Web; their theory being that all sites will eventually connect to each other.  (I see it a lot like the once popular game, Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.)  What made this engine different was its unique ability to determine the sites that were most relevant to the query.  Linking to other pages played a large role in sites that were deemed most popular or most relevant—sites with the most links directing to their site were among the top performers.  The site started as an internal Stanford site, but expanded extremely quickly.  After scrounging up resources, monetary and otherwise, the duo managed to get off the Stanford Web site in 1996 and announced their new name, Google, to the world.  Google was a play on the word googol, which is 1 followed by 100 zeros.  The logic behind this name was that as the Web grew, they knew that the tool would continue to grow as well and the search engine would be that much more useful.

Its growth has been one of the most astonishing factors in the company’s success.  Page and Brin’s first office space was in a recent graduate, Susan Wojcicki’s home, but the company now resides on Bayshore Parkway in Mountain View, CA on a campus that is envied by employees everywhere—free lunch prepared by chefs, dentists, childcare, scooters…. I don’t want to talk about it anymore.  Aside from my own envy, the company has been surrounded by so much animosity from potential employees that were upset about Google’s highly selective hiring process.  However, there is obviously something to the company’s selectiveness.  Their formula has enabled the company to transition from days of asking for $50,000 for start-up money (actually getting $100,000) to generating gross revenue of about $100 million! 

Speaking of money, it was recently announced that Google controls almost 40% of online advertising.  Obviously, whatever they’re doing, they’re doing right.  To help reassure everyone that they aren’t just some money-making giant Google makes it a point of giving back.  The company’s blog recently discussed one of their latest causes (one that Scoble and Israel would surely appreciate), DonorsChoose.org’s Blogger Challenge, which allows blog readers to contribute to projects at high-need public schools that the Blogger lists on their page.  Google will add an additional $500 to winners in each of the eight categories.  See, Google really does care.

So far, the book is a witty explanation and depiction of search engines.  Before reading, I was a little nervous that the book would provide a long technical definition of what search engines are and how they operate along with neat and clean details about its evolution.  Well, I was surprised in a very good way.  The technical aspects of search engines are explained in a way that you don’t need a computer science degree to understand, and I soon learned that the growth of search engines has not been neat and clean at all.  I’m still trying to get over Google’s adoption of GoTo’s advertisement model that the company once shunned.  The book also reminds us that it’s okay to dream.  With a lot of perseverance, they can come true.  Not only is this a great guide to search, it can also serve as encouragement to all who have encountered stumbling blocks trying to pursue a dream.

The Evolution of Blogging

The conclusion of Naked Conversations provided the clarity that I needed to create a compelling blog for personal, professional, or academic use.  (I sure wish I read this before my first post.)  This book is a comprehensive guide of blogging done right.

Being the good authors that they are, Scoble and Israel make sure to state that not everyone should blog.  For example, people who don’t have time, are boring, or may feel compelled to share confidential information should probably stay away from blogging.  Starting a blog and quitting it can be more detrimental than never having one at all.  A dull blog is basically a waste of time if no one wants to read what you have written.  And of course, sharing confidential information could get you fired or sued, which defeats the purpose of blogging.  It is also important to keep in mind that a blog should not be forced.  If you’re not in the mood to write, just wait.  Your lack of passion for your topic can come across in your writing, which will only turn off your audience.

Overall, the authors present a strong case that blogging is beneficial.  Plainly stated, dialogue beats monologue, and companies that continue to have open lines of communication will thrive.  If visitors post statements to a company blog that are exaggerated or untrue, quite often “evangelists” will come to the rescue, debating the issue without the company having to say a word.  Although this frequently happens, it is still important for companies to blog often to ensure they have the opportunity to personally respond to erroneous or exaggerated claims.

Just as important as the decision to blog or not to blog, it is also important to keep in mind the proper way to blog.  Weblog authors have to tread a fine line between publishing an interesting blog and publishing information that could cost them their jobs.  Weblogs that are too safe are looked at as dull, but discussing topics like how drunk everyone gets at the office parties could get you a fired.  Scoble and Isreal advise everyone to “blog smart” and familiarize themselves with company rules on blogging.  If there aren’t any set in place, read other company’s policies like IBM or Harvard Law School.  To ensure that your blog adheres to company regulations, it’s safest to post to your company Web site.  When developing a company blog site, the authors advise employers to either post rules of company blogging to an intranet site or create a site where employees can create their own blog smart policies.  I think the authors hit the nail on the head by encouraging employers to allow employees to create their own policies.  It shows trust for the employees and incorporates the grassroots aspect on which blogging was built.

The Corporate Weblog Manifesto lists great rules for maintaining a successful blog, but I’m not entirely sure I understood “#10 Know your influencers.”  The authors feel that if you are not able to get in touch with the influential people in your organization during a crisis, then you shouldn’t blog.  I would like a more in-depth explanation behind this statement.  I think that an employee could still provide behind the scenes information that could benefit the company, even if they don’t have a PR professional or top executive on speed dial.  Blogs are described to be very important during a time of crisis to share and spread information, but even a corporate weblog with minimal information is better than no information posted on the topic at all.

As a NASA employee, naturally I found the section on NASA’s agency response toward accidents like Challenger and Columbia particularly interesting.  Although I came onboard after most of the listed incidents, after reading this section I also wondered if NASA could have done more to help public perception, and if so has anything been done to ensure that future incidents can be addressed in a timely manner?  The answers are yes and yes.  Like most government agencies, we don’t send out many messages to the public without first going through a series of concurrences, and of course, this timeframe is not acceptable in the eyes of the public.  Coincidentally, I spoke with NASA’s Chief of Staff last week, and he informed me that the Deputy Administrator started a blog over the summer that is addressing many of the issues that concern the public.  I would like to hope that in the event of another accident, the Deputy Administrator will be one of the first to make a statement on behalf of the agency.

In contrast to blogs maintained by agency and company leaders, surprising to me, character blogs were overwhelmingly deemed lame by bloggers.  I can see why, but I thought it was a fun PR technique, as long as the consumer is aware that it is for promotional purposes.  I do, however, agree that a character blog written by PR staff is far less convincing than a blog written by a real person.  After reading about Vichy’s experience with character blogs, I was compelled to check the status of Vichy’s weblog, but couldn’t locate the site.  Of course, I was able to learn a little more about Vichy’s products during my search, so it wasn’t all in vain.  Fortunately, the blogosphere is forgiving.  Mistakes such as character blogs can be forgiven with an apology paired with action, just as Vichy was forgiven after acknowledging the company’s lack of understanding.

Blogs are steadily evolving.  The growth process started with search engines that contained the ability to search blogs for information.  More recently, RSS has become a steadily growing phenomenon allowing people to access blogs of various topics for as long or short as the reader would like.  Advertisers are also posting ads that are RSS-enabled, which is great for people who are trying to gather information on a specific product for a certain amount of time.  Unlike with e-mail, once you unsubscribe the messages really stop.  The next level of blogs is podcasting, which is another way of saying an audio blog.  Podcasting is growing even faster than text blogging and forecasters predict that it will only get better.  NASA is now using podcasts to discuss agency news, developments in space, student opportunities, and much more.  As also mentioned in the book, it is difficult for the agency to see a definite return on investment, but if there is a chance that podcasts are encouraging people to take an interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, it is definitely worth a shot.

Scoble and Israel managed to write a book that relays true passion for blogging and encourages others to also find passion in the act.  This book does an excellent job of explaining just how important blogging has become to our society.  I am definitely looking forward to seeing how blogging continues to evolve.

What’s Underneath Can Really Lift You Up

Naked Conversations explains that blogging is all about showing the world who you are underneath it all—hence the title. 

Scoble and Israel discuss how many people assume that blogging is a fad due to its sudden popularity, but the way that it has transformed communication is undeniable, and will surely leave an impact on the way people communicate even if the system as we know it today evolves.  I think the premise that blogging is a fad is similar to one of this week’s hot blog topics, which discussed Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer’s comment that social networks will eventually go out of style.  His explanation was that anything that appeals to the younger generation typically lacks the longevity to sustain its popularity.  I believe that the key is to keep things interesting.  Very few people would continue to find enjoyment going to Myspace daily year after year to see the same features and applications just as very few people would continue to find enjoyment playing the same board game daily year after year.  You have to keep blogging interesting for it to succeed, just as you would with anything else.  Blogging, however, has another advantage over social networks in regard to its longevity and that is its influence.

It’s sporadically mentioned how the word of mouth concept has also proven to be incredibly influential; in fact it is presented as the most effective means of getting your message across.  ICQ is a major example of its power.  The instant messaging product started out between a few friends, but within two years, the service had spread to so many users that AOL purchased the company for $287 million dollars.  Blogging has taken instant messaging’s place as the “last great killer application,” but it is still an amazing application that has changed the way people communicate. 

Blogging has proven to be an effective business communication tool, and a company that has benefited significantly from its onset is Microsoft.  Not long ago, the company and its leaders were despised by many, but the adoption of blogs by employees helped to prove that the company was not the “evil empire” that everyone claimed.  I have to question the objectivity of the section of the book discussing Microsoft considering one of co-authors was brought on to save the company’s image by heading up their blog, but regardless, I am sure the fundamentals of the lessons to be learned remain the same.   

One reason why blogging to save the company’s image was effective was that blogs are generally perceived as being straight-forward and personal, and when you compare this against a company that sends out press releases to improve their image, there is no real comparison as to who the public will place the most trust.  Reading information written by real people versus PR staff is more effective for gaining the public’s trust.   

The perks of blogging are of course used for more than just fixing an image, it’s also used to build them.  The authors discuss how companies like Stonyfield Farm used blogging to enhance their image and gain loyalty from customers.  The company developed blogs written by the owner, parents, a farmer, and a professional writer in order to facilitate communication between the company and the consumers to which they cater their products.   Blogs are also useful because executives are able to speak directly to people, telling their story or explaining their side of a story that has already been presented to the public by other outlets.  Afterward, they are able to receive immediate feedback from readers.  Many readers also appreciate the immediate feedback feature with blogging.  Before, when people were limited to responding to print organizations, their only option was to write a letter to the editor, which could take weeks to be printed, and even then it could be edited, so your true thoughts were not necessarily conveyed, and if they were, they did not always reach your audience, since not everyone reads these letters consistently.  Blogging is an efficient way of ensuring that readers hear exactly how you feel on a topic. 

Top executives are now able to speak directly to company employees, and vice versa, allowing for a better flow of agency communication and better understanding and reverence throughout the various levels of the organization.  Companies are also able to reach new audiences due to blogs.  The tool helps people to establish a reputation for themselves and in turn, their product.  People first develop trust for the blog writer, and trust for the product soon follows once people trust you and your expertise.  

Blogs are undoubtedly beneficial, but I question exactly how effective they are for targeting mainstream America considering the book discusses how different bloggers are from the rest of society.  When discussing how Microsoft’s image has improved due to blogging, the authors quote Wall Street Journal’s Mossberg as saying, “the security crisis has undone much of the good Microsoft did in improving it’s image—at least in the mainstream community, where most people don’t read technology oriented blogs or attend technology conferences or post their feelings on web pages that Google can search.”  Does this imply that blogs exclude this segment of the population?  Chapters 1-8 do not discuss how or if the effectiveness blogs have on readers will trickle down to the general population, but I hope there is a section in the remainder of the book that addresses this issue.

Reading and writing blogs is dependent on a person’s background and present situation.  The amount a person blogs is explained to be dependent a few aspects including a country’s cultural beliefs toward open communication, (if the blog is work-related) their work environment, and Internet accessibility.  For example, the Chinese are typically more reserved in regard to discussing personal maters, which explains why the country lags behind in blogging. 

On top of the previous reasons listed, blogging is still a relatively new concept, and because of this, additional time is needed in order to gain the attention and respect that it deserves from the general population.  Regardless of what the current limitations are, I believe blogging will continue to grow; however, I predict that the application will evolve to meet the needs of a larger audience.

Digital Media: Its Pros And Cons

The second section of  We the Media:  Grassroots Journalism by the People for the People focused a little more on the advantages and disadvantages of the growth of digital technology.  To be honest, I barely knew what a blog was when I entered this class, but now I’m explaining the concept to everyone I know—thanks Gilmor! 

 

 

I’ve learned that blogs give first-hand accounts of events that the so-called objective reports written by journalists cannot provide.  Citizens are now able to provide stories to the population that formerly may have been kept private without the press in attendance.  This has made people far more conscious of what they say not only around the press, but colleagues and associates.  People are also using blogs as tools to inform the public of issues that matter, as seen by Gilmor’s explanation of Pamela Jones’ blog, Groklaw, which became a source of information for those interested in a legal battle between the SCO Group and the free software community.  She used her blog to inform people of issues relevant to the case, just as many bloggers were doing last week during the Jena 6 demonstrations.  Another advantage of blogs is that the site’s author is also able to report stories that Big Media declines.  The Jena 6 situation also provides an example of how blogs and digital media helped to promote the upcoming demonstrations that Big Media gave little attention.  Dan Rather’s lawsuit against CBS is also lacking media coverage from Big Media.  Although the story has recieved some attention from Big Media, bloggers seem to be giving the story much more attention that networks– CBS especially.

 

 

We’re fortunate to have freedom of speech because many other countries do not have the luxury of voicing their opinions or even stating the facts without serious repercussions, which is explained to be the case in Iran, Saudi Arabia, and China.  Many other countries also lack the ready access to computers that we often take for granted in the U.S.  Because of this, television and radio still dominate when it comes to transmitting information.

 

 

 

Many blogs and Web sites on the Internet are useful tools, but if readers are not careful, they can also be deceived into believing misinformation.  (Freedom of speech is great, but is also easily abused.)  Wikis fall into the category of information to be wary of.  These sites are controlled and monitored by everyone, operating on an honor system of sorts.  Fortunately, on sites such as Wikipedia, people typically correct the malicious or inaccurate information before many people notice.  Also, most people can be considered professionals when it comes to copying and pasting, but Gilmor explains how this can lead to many misunderstandings.  Words can be misconstrued, especially when sentences are spliced, headlines removed, or preceding and subsequent sentences are not included.  Photos can also be doctored, causing people to believe inaccurate information.  The author used the John Kerry example, which showed him and Jane Fonda at an anti-war rally.  Until reading this chapter, I had no idea that this was a doctored photo.  It just goes to show you that sometimes Internet rumors go on for years, if not longer.

 

 

 

It is easy for anyone to get their hands on documents and photos, like Kerry’s, that they can manipulate.  Plagiarism, copyright infringement, and online theft are becoming more rampant due to digital media.  Students stealing papers and people everywhere stealing music has caused many organizations to take actions.  Many people have assumed that it was impossible to trace their actions, but that may soon change.  Anonymity is increasingly disappearing, especially since the development of “cookies.”  Hollywood now wishes to use “cookies” to find users that violate property rights.  Their goal is to ensure that people will eventually lose the ability to make copies of movies and share files.  Of course, this possible method of “cyber stalking” has created controversy regarding online privacy.  Companies such as Microsoft and Apple implemented Digital Rights Management in much of their equipment to ensure that people were only able to manipulate data of which they approved.

 

 

 

To protect yourself from falling victim to biased or inaccurate information, choose sources carefully and use common sense.  It’s also good to keep in mind that anonymity allows people to sabotage information without consequences.  Gilmor made a profound statement by saying that credibility is not only gained by making strong arguments, but also by having the willingness to own up to those statements.  Fortunately, more citizen journalists are fact-checking information that is distributed online, which also helps to ensure that the public is receiving accurate information.

 

 

 

Bloggers aren’t really held accountable to the same standards of defamation, libel, and other slanderous statements as journalists; however, countries are making laws that are affecting the way we communicate here in the U.S.  This is forcing more bloggers, who originally were able to say virtually anything, to be more careful of the information they divulge or the opinion that they voice.  Regardless of whether the Web sites are based in the U.S., citizens are being held accountable to the laws that have been set in other countries.  (Freedom of speech here is in jeopardy due to laws in other countries.)  

 

 

Gilmor provides the novice user with a great tool for navigating through the Web as it is today, and great foundation as to how the information is best applied.  A few things have developed since this book was printed, but the fundamentals still remain. 

 

Journalism’s Past, Present, and Future

 

In the first six chapters of We the Media:  Grassroots Journalism by the People for the People, Dan Gillmor explains how journalism has evolved since the 1800’s and has changed since the inception of the digital age. 

After a brief history lesson explaining how the world arrived at our present state of technology, thankfully, the author begins by defining the most commonly used technological terms like RSS, SMS, and Wiki. Even novice readers are able to follow the subsequent information, which pay special attention to the influence of weblogs.

Blogging has allowed the average citizen to take on a powerful role in journalism.  September 11 brought the importance of citizen journalism to a mainstream audience.  Much of the televised footage and sound-bites were from a variety of people outside of the journalism field.  As people continue to carry camera phones as if they were a new appendage, I am certain that we will continue to see more citizen-produced videos making their way into mainstream journalism or at least to a broad audience through sites such as YouTube.

The new concept of a citizen journalist could be somewhat intimidating for professional journalists, but Gillmor explains that this is not a threat; instead, it is a method of transmitting an array of accurate information and diverse opinions to readers.  Regardless of how a company may feel about blogging, it is important to allow readers to participate in the news process and interact with the professionals that post this information.  Citizens can contribute information to blogs that the journalist did not have access to or may not have been able to include (for bureaucratic reasons).  The information posted by the citizen journalist could enable a news organization or other company to get a scoop on a certain aspect of the blog topic or could allow facets of story to be told without the organization being held liable.

Each citizen’s right to the freedom of speech is a very important facet of the First Amendment, but as explained by Doctorow, Powers, Johnson, Dornfest, and Trott in Essential Blogging, journalists’ messages are often edited several times before reaching its audience, altering the story that was to be conveyed.  Blogs have allowed journalists to ensure that the public has access to uncensored information that they wish to share. Weblogs are proving to be especially useful during political campaigns. 

Allowing people to voice their opinion and give and receive information is explained by Gillmor to be beneficial, although both the Howard Dean and Sue Grubb campaign were not able to declare a victory after its implementation.  Being able to address people’s concerns and read about the issues that voters would like addressed will surely prove to be important in the 2008 election.  I believe the candidates that utilize the Web to its maximum potential have the best chance of gaining new supporters.

Along with blogging, SMS and television advertising are explained to be persuasive methods for transmitting political messages, making it important for more agencies and organizations to incorporate new technology into its operation.  Top executives and officials are becoming more active in blogging to better understand the public and ensure that their company’s message is being properly received.  This hand-on approach from top executives and officials makes many readers skeptical considering it’s rare that many execs get there own coffee much less write their own blogs, but all we as blog readers can do is simply hope that regardless of the author, the true sentiment that the executive intended is presented in the blog.

This week’s reading demonstrates just how far digital technology has become, where it is going, and why it is so important that we embrace all of the emergences that are to come.