Questions for Geert Lovink

Christopher Diaz-Mihell

David Cox, DAI227

March 24, 2011

"The colonization of real-time and other trends in Web 2.0"

1) In his introduction, Lovink quotes G.H. Mead who describes "Sociality" as what?

           

­- As “the capacity of being several things at once.”

2) Where did Silicon Valley find inspiration in the post 9/11 reconstruction period? (two things)

           

- “During the post-9/11 reconstruction period, Silicon Valley found renewed inspiration in two projects: the vital energy of the search start-up Google (which successfully managed to postpone its IPO for years), and the rapidly emerging blog scene, which gathered around self-publishing platforms such as blogger.com, Blogspot and LiveJournal.”

3) With tools to oversee national IP range, it is possible for countries to do two things with these technologies. What are they?

           

- “To block users outside the country from viewing, for example, national television online, or visiting public libraries (such as in Norway and Australia, in the case of new ABC online services). They can also prevent citizens from visiting foreign sites (mainland Chinese residents are not able to visit YouTube, Facebook, etc.).”

           

4) Lovink argues top-down considerations with Web 2.0 are less interesting than 'bottom-up' ones. What does he mean by this?

            - “Top-down considerations” with Web 2.0 simply refers to simple knowledge regarding web demographics, such as usability requirements and what application to use in what context. Lovink mentions it is less interesting than “bottom-up ones” for it lacks the excitement of people or activists beginning to utilize their own Web 2.0 tools.

5) What is the function of profiles abstracted from 'user generated content' - how is it then used?

            - They are then sold to advertisers as direct marketing data, in turn users don’t experience the parasitic nature of Web 2.0 immediately.

6) What is 'massification'

            - The phenomenal and sheer number of users and the intensity with which people engage with the Internet.

7) Geert Lovink describes the Internet as an 'indifferent bystander' as a revolutionary tool in the global recession. What does he mean by this?

            - The Internet “does not lend itself easily as a revolutionary tool. It is part of the Green New Deal, but it is not driving these reforms.”

8) Lovink says that power these days is not absolute but ________ ?

            - “dynamic”

9) "Managing complexity" is the aim of authoritarian uses of the Internet such as the Great Chinese _______________?

            - “Firewall”

10) What are "organized networks"?

            - Lovink offers the idea of “organized networks” as the only way to challenge the administrative approach. He notes that “social change is no longer techno warfare between filters and anti-filters, but a question of “organized networks” that are able to set events in motion.”

Week 7 Lecture Questions

Christopher Diaz-Mihell

DAI 227, David Cox

March 16, 2011

Week 7 Lecture Questions

1) Who invented the first computer game on the PDP1?

            - Steve Russell

2) What was the name of the game?

            - “Spacewar”

 3) What was the name of Morton Helig's amusement device that let you smell, hear and see in 3D filmed experiences?

            - Sensorama

 4) What early 1970s movie does an arcade console machine of Spacewar appear?

            - None, but the coin-op video game “Computer Space” appeared in the 1973 release of the film “Soylent Green.”

 5) What was the name of the man who developed the first TV tennis game?

            - Ralph Baer

 6) Who was the man whose company Atari commercialized the idea of the arcade computer tennis game?

            - Nolan Bushnell

 7) What was the name of this version of the game?

            - “Pong”

 8) What are vector graphics?

             - Lines made on a plane through coordinates of a computer.

9) What types of games do vector graphics lend themselves to?

            - Space (Lunar Lander, Asteroids), FPS 3D (Battlezone)

 10) When home computers were first made available, how did owners load games into them?

            - Cassette tapes

 11) What is the name of the 1985 film in which a young Matthew Broderick starts World War III with his home computer and modem?

            - War Games

 12) From what sources did the designer of the Space Invaders aliens draw inspiration?

            - From the octopus like aliens from H.G. Wells’ “The War of the Worlds” and from see creatures such as squids and crabs.

 13) What is the name given to the contemporary subculture of 8 bit music made with gameboys and other 80s game technology

            - Chiptunes

 14) "Escape from Woomera" was a videogame which was used to draw attention to the plight of inmates at a remote detention center in desert town in what country?

            - Australia

Week 6 Lecture Questions

Chris Diaz-Mihell

March 10, 2011

DAI227, David Cox

QUESTIONS FOR DAI227 WEEK 6 LECTURE

1) Steve Mann describes his wearable computer invention as a form of clothing or surveillance (cyborg blogging) for one person (fill in the blank)

(see youtube link to Mann interview in web resource page)

2) Steve Mann's concept of opposing camera surveillance with "Sousveillance" is described as a form of “reflectionism”. What is meant by this?

(in ReadingsF)

            “Reflectionism” is a term invented by Mann in 1988 for a philosophy and procedures of using technology to mirror and confront bureaucratic organizations. Reflectionism holds up the mirror and asks the question: “Do you like what you see?”

3) In the section of "Sousveillance" called "Performance Two" Steve Mann describes how wearing his concealed device becomes more complex when used in what type of spaces?

            In spaces that are more highly surveilled such as shopping malls that are semi-public rather than fully public.

4) The final paragraph sums up what Mann considers the benefits of "sousveillance" and "coveillance". What are they?

(ReadingsF)

            “People are more likely to want sousveillance and coveillance, for they lack the protection of the village/community or hierarchical organization. Newly developed technology allows them to surveil the surveillers.”

5) In William J Mitchell's 1995 book "City of Bits" in the chapter "Cyborg Citizens", he puts forth the idea that electronic organs as they shrink and become more part of the body will eventually resemble what types of familiar items?

(ReadingsF)

            “They will become more like items of clothing- soft wearable that conform to the contours of your body; you will have them fitted like shoes, gloves, contact lenses, or hearing aids.”

6) From the same book/chapter, list two of the things that a vehicle that 'knows where it is' might afford the driver & passengers.

(ReadingsF)

            For example, “directing you to the nearest gas station or to the closest inexpensive Chinese restaurant,” or assist in locating a bed for the night. A vehicle that knows where it is could even “tell you what’s on and what open in your immediate neighborhood.”

7) Mitchell tells the story of Samuel Morse's first Washington-to-Baltimore telegraph message. What was it?

(ReadingsF)

            Samuel Morse’s first Washington to Baltimore telegraph message read, “What hath God wrought.”

8) Donna Harroway in "A Cyborg Manifesto" argues that women should take the "battle to the border". What does she say are the stakes in this border war?

(in ReadingsF)

            In “A Cyborg Manifesto”, Donna Harroway says the stakes in this border war are, “the territiories of production, reproduction, and imagination.”

9) Harroway posits the notion that:

"We require regeneration, not rebirth, and the possibilities for our reconstitution include the utopian dream"

What is this dream?

(in ReadingsF)

            Horroway’s utopian dream is of a, “world without gender, which is perhaps a world without genesis, but maybe also a world without end”.

10) Many have argued that 'we are already cyborgs' as we use devices such as glasses to improve our vision, bikes to extend the mobility function of our legs/bodies etc, computers and networks to extend the nervous system etc. What do you think? Are we cyborgs?

(one paragraph)

           

            I find it fairly easy to come up with a legitimate argument when determining whether or not a human being can be classified as a cyborg. Today we define cyborgs as a being with both biological and artificial parts. In that case I like to think that people who have lost limbs and use mechanical parts to live a better life could be considered cyborgs. Even more qualified, as pertaining to the definition would be those beings that operate with mechanical valves or any other artificial part that helps one live or survive.

            

Vintage Gameplay Activity

Christopher Diaz-Mihell

March 3, 2011

Asteroids

1979

Atari Inc.

Lyle Rains

1. What is the game genre (e.g. shoot-em-up, racing, sports, puzzle, MMORPG, ‘sandbox’, music sequence following game (e.g. DDR, guitar hero)

            Multi-directional shooter

2. What is the type of game ‘world’ or environment (e.g. flat environment, puzzle/maze space, 3D world?)

           

            Space

3. What is the perspective taken by player (e.g first person, third person perspective, top down, isometric) in relation to main player controlled character?

            Third person play with a two-dimensional view.

4. What is the actual gameplay – what does the player have to do?

            The player has to control a spaceship in an asteroid field. The object of the game is to shoot and destroy asteroids and saucers while not colliding with either, or being hit by the saucers’ counter-fire.

5. Is the gameplay intuitive? (i.e. is it easy to understand what to do without instructions?) describe.

            It is very easy to grasp the gameplay. Upon loading the game I was able to figure out what I had to do to score points. The graphics are very simple which make the gameplay especially easy.

6. Is the gameplay patterned (game does the same thing over & over) or is it random (happens differently every time?)

            The classic version of Asteroids that I played was patterned.

7. What does the type of graphic approach used as well as the audio tell you about the limits of the technology at the time the game was published?

            For starters the display is two-dimensional. Every object in the game is just a simple drawn figure that moves about the screen. For example the ship that the gamer controls is a simple triangle. Other obvious features of a lack of technology arise in the display. The display features only two colors, black and white. The simplicity of the game

8. Describe your views about the game from the point of view of

a. Ease of play

            - Very easy to play even when using a keyboard. Simple instructions and graphics made for a easily understood objective.

b. Enjoyability

            - I found the game to be very enjoyable. I feel that the simplicity of the game made for a more enjoyable experience.

c. Level of engagement/immersion

            - Though the game is simple with not many features, the games system of simply trying to beat your personal high score keeps the gamer involved in the game.

9. Had you played this game prior to this time? If so, when?

            - I have played this game many times before but ultimately the last time I played this game was probably freshman year in high school.

10. What does playing the game remind you of in terms of other games/media?

            The game reminds me of another classic game called Galaga, which is a fixed shooter game that was developed by Namco.