From the moment we wake up in the morning we are inundated with the presence of media in different forms. The task for today was to keep a record of the media that are seen, heard and perceived within the time-frame of one day. This extremely worthwhile activity has raised my awareness of the forms that media take and the prevalence of media in modern life. It has also brought to my attention the reliance I have on various media, most notably the internet. As was discussed in the post, 'Media Ecology', the invisible and unobtrusive nature of media allows us to live our day to day lives without consciously focusing on its presence. That is, until we are prompted to consider and question the various media and its effects on our lives.
In an effort to highlight the significant presence that media has in my life, I have formulated an inventory that provides an accurate recount of media encountered in a single day. On an average day, I am woken by the alarm on my mobile telephone; I then proceed to the lounge to turn on the television. The bombardment of advertising, news stories and general early morning TV chatter ensue. Upon preparing breakfast for my daughter my attention is again drawn to the print media on the cereal box and various food items. Whilst driving my daughter to school I encounter advertising billboards, radio advertising and songs, traffic signs, speed signs, shop signs, school signs... ugh, I am feeling tired just thinking about it! Yet, when encountering the menagerie of media I passively observe and absorb, I neither give thought nor validation to the sheer amount and variety of media witnessed.
Upon dropping my daughter at school, I decide to take a detour via the shops to get the groceries. The shopping centre PA is piping out music and advertisements, I see a man wearing a T-shirt with the words 'YouTube MySpace and I'll Google your Yahoo' - an appropriate sentiment to include in this post. The list is endless, sale signs, televisions enticing customers to buy products, food labels, clothing labels, the shopping centre is a mine field of media. When I return home I find that I have a telephone bill in my letter box, then I receive an SMS from a friend asking me to hurry up and check my email. So I do. I check my email, along with Facebook, the university website, my internet banking, ninemsn and, just for fun, I chat to a friend on Windows Live Messenger. The evening consists of more media bombardment in the form of television, reading my daughter a storybook, and downloading some music from the internet.
It really is mind blowing to think that we encounter such a degree of media that is so entwined in our lives we barely notice it at all.
'Paradoxically, the saturation of technology also leads to its invisibility. People are so immersed in the technology of communication that they forget it is there' (English-Lueck, 2002).
This statement perfectly describes exactly why the media, that is so much a part of our lives, can seem invisible.
English-Lueck, J. A. (2002). Cultures @ Silicon Valley. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Lecture 9 - The Ecology of Media
The term ecology is something I had previously only associated with biology and the physical environment. The term media ecology, however, is defined as:
'... the matter of how media of communication affect human perception, understanding, feeling, and value; and how our interaction with media facilitates or impedes our chances of survival. The word ecology implies the study of environments: their structure, content, and impact on people' (Media Ecology Association, 2009).
This new term has yet again opened my mind to unexplored concepts and theories associated with media and technology. Once familiar with the term and its meaning, it makes perfect sense to study the ecology of media in an effort to understand more about human interaction and our world. Over the course of studying New Communication Technology I have often asked myself, 'Why have I never considered the various content raised in lectures prior to studying the course?' Afterall technological advances are occurring every second of every day, our lives are intermeshed with technology and its uses. A valid point raised in today's lecture discussed the difference between the physical environment and the invisible environment, which includes the internet, social media, television, radio, magazines, signs, culture and language. The discussion concluded with the realisation that the invisible environment is only invisible until its structure, capability and underlying messages are exposed through questioning. The reason that I had never considered many of the points raised in the lectures is that I had never thought critically about technology. That is, until, I was prompted to throughout my lecture and tutorial classes.
Media Ecology Association. (2009). What is Media Ecology? (Neil Postman). Retrieved January 29, 2011, from http://www.media-ecology.org/media_ecology/index.html
'... the matter of how media of communication affect human perception, understanding, feeling, and value; and how our interaction with media facilitates or impedes our chances of survival. The word ecology implies the study of environments: their structure, content, and impact on people' (Media Ecology Association, 2009).
This new term has yet again opened my mind to unexplored concepts and theories associated with media and technology. Once familiar with the term and its meaning, it makes perfect sense to study the ecology of media in an effort to understand more about human interaction and our world. Over the course of studying New Communication Technology I have often asked myself, 'Why have I never considered the various content raised in lectures prior to studying the course?' Afterall technological advances are occurring every second of every day, our lives are intermeshed with technology and its uses. A valid point raised in today's lecture discussed the difference between the physical environment and the invisible environment, which includes the internet, social media, television, radio, magazines, signs, culture and language. The discussion concluded with the realisation that the invisible environment is only invisible until its structure, capability and underlying messages are exposed through questioning. The reason that I had never considered many of the points raised in the lectures is that I had never thought critically about technology. That is, until, I was prompted to throughout my lecture and tutorial classes.
Media Ecology Association. (2009). What is Media Ecology? (Neil Postman). Retrieved January 29, 2011, from http://www.media-ecology.org/media_ecology/index.html
Tutorial Task 8 - Response to e-Art
To complete today's tutorial task I viewed the Jason Nelson e-Art titled 'Birds Still Warm From Flying', 'I made this. You play this. We are enemies' and 'Wittenoom' on Secret Technology. The first thing that struck me about the e-Art was the interactive nature of each of the poetic artworks. Each of the pieces I viewed were interactive in different ways. 'Birds Still Warm From Flying' exhibited more subtle elements of interaction in comparison to the poetic game art of 'I made this. You play this. We are enemies', which, in a simplified description, the viewer plays a 'game' to unlock various poetic statements. I was fascinated by the interactive nature of the e-Art and found myself being drawn into the experience as I tried to comprehend the underlying message of the art.
Charles I. Glicksberg, 1970, wrote 'the purpose of art is to arouse emotions which are then transferred to the concerns of practical life'. So too is the purpose of e-Art. The 3 separate poetic artworks each convey their own message about life. To be honest, I feel that this artwork, as with any other, can be interpreted differently depending on the mindset and experiences of the person viewing it. For me, each of the artworks evoke an air of conspiracy and politics. As I interacted with the artwork and read the poetry I felt as though I were reading statements relating to political conspiracies which made me feel a little apprehensive and critical of the corporations or themes depicted in the e-Art. This was particularly so in 'Wittenoom'. The brief description of the artwork, which was about an asbestos mining town in Western Australia and its downfall, gave some insight into the statements' meanings being released on the falling cards.
'Birds Still Warm From Flying' and 'I made this. You play this. We are enemies' each contain video within the e-Art and each of the 3 artworks contain audio and sound effects that seem to me to emulate the sounds of 'technology' or what I would imagine it to sound like. Of particular interest to me was the depiction of the Disney page in 'I made this. You play this. We are enemies'. I felt as though the combination of the statements, images and audio were 'discussing' the hollowness and materialistic consumerism of the Disney brand. The statement, 'Now you're dead by Dalmatian', seemed to embody these feelings.
To read the digital poetry I have viewed, I found I read from no particular starting point and took in each statement as it presented itself. 'Birds Still Warm From Flying' consisted of numbered statements which could be read in numerical order, although each side and orientation of the cube had the potential to throw the reader, so perhaps it is easier to read as each section is presented. In comparison to traditional poetry, this e-Art has a very different structure and requires the viewer/reader to adopt an open-mind and to 'think outside the square' when searching for structure and order. I enjoyed interacting with, and viewing the e-Art. Having never been exposed to such art it took a lot of contemplation and persistence to explore the layers of the artwork and to gain an understanding of the meaning behind it, but it was well worth the effort!
Glicksberg, C. I. (1970). Poetry and science. In W. Skinkle Knickerbocker, Twentieth century English (pp. 33-44). U.S.A.: Philosophical Library, Inc.
Nelson, J. (nd). Secret Technology: Net Art/Digital Poetry/Video Oddities. Retrieved January 28, 2011, from http://www.secrettechnology.com/
Charles I. Glicksberg, 1970, wrote 'the purpose of art is to arouse emotions which are then transferred to the concerns of practical life'. So too is the purpose of e-Art. The 3 separate poetic artworks each convey their own message about life. To be honest, I feel that this artwork, as with any other, can be interpreted differently depending on the mindset and experiences of the person viewing it. For me, each of the artworks evoke an air of conspiracy and politics. As I interacted with the artwork and read the poetry I felt as though I were reading statements relating to political conspiracies which made me feel a little apprehensive and critical of the corporations or themes depicted in the e-Art. This was particularly so in 'Wittenoom'. The brief description of the artwork, which was about an asbestos mining town in Western Australia and its downfall, gave some insight into the statements' meanings being released on the falling cards.
'Birds Still Warm From Flying' and 'I made this. You play this. We are enemies' each contain video within the e-Art and each of the 3 artworks contain audio and sound effects that seem to me to emulate the sounds of 'technology' or what I would imagine it to sound like. Of particular interest to me was the depiction of the Disney page in 'I made this. You play this. We are enemies'. I felt as though the combination of the statements, images and audio were 'discussing' the hollowness and materialistic consumerism of the Disney brand. The statement, 'Now you're dead by Dalmatian', seemed to embody these feelings.
To read the digital poetry I have viewed, I found I read from no particular starting point and took in each statement as it presented itself. 'Birds Still Warm From Flying' consisted of numbered statements which could be read in numerical order, although each side and orientation of the cube had the potential to throw the reader, so perhaps it is easier to read as each section is presented. In comparison to traditional poetry, this e-Art has a very different structure and requires the viewer/reader to adopt an open-mind and to 'think outside the square' when searching for structure and order. I enjoyed interacting with, and viewing the e-Art. Having never been exposed to such art it took a lot of contemplation and persistence to explore the layers of the artwork and to gain an understanding of the meaning behind it, but it was well worth the effort!
Glicksberg, C. I. (1970). Poetry and science. In W. Skinkle Knickerbocker, Twentieth century English (pp. 33-44). U.S.A.: Philosophical Library, Inc.
Nelson, J. (nd). Secret Technology: Net Art/Digital Poetry/Video Oddities. Retrieved January 28, 2011, from http://www.secrettechnology.com/
Lecture 8 - e-Art and e-Poetry
Internet art, 'net' art, or e-Art, as it is known, is a form of digital artwork that uses the internet as a medium. When I first viewed the net art on Jason Nelson's site SecretTechnology.com, I was very impressed by the interactive nature and eccentric designs of each of the artworks. What I did not acknowledge, nor even appreciate was the depth of technology comprehension needed to create the artwork. The artwork gives the impression of being 'simple' to create, however, to create net art the artist must understand the function, programming, strengths and limitations of the programs they choose to use, in addition to their creativity and artistic skills.
The use of the internet as a medium provides the opportunity to utilise and apply different techniques, methods and materials in comparison to traditional forms of artwork, such as painting, sketching and sculpting. As with traditional forms of artwork, net art expresses the artists' point of view, interpretation, thoughts and emotions. The artwork by Jason Nelson on SecretTechnology.com is no exception. Although I found it difficult to interpret the meaning behind the art, it prompted me to think about the message being conveyed and what it meant to me, which personally, I think, is the purpose of art.
As was mentioned in the previous paragraph, there are many advantages in utilising digital media to create net art. Apart from different design capabilities in comparison to traditional art, net art involves an interactive element, drawing the viewer into, and engaging them in the artwork and its meaning. Net art also provides the viewer with new and engaging ways of experiencing literacy and digital capabilities. In addition to these positive attributes, e-art can simply be emailed, allowing galleries to forego shipping expenses and the possibility of damage. Despite its numerous advantages, e-art does have some draw-backs. In relation to materials used to create traditional artwork, paint, canvas, pencils and the like have been in existence for literally thousands of years. Digital technology is relatively new, on the other hand. The fast paced technological revolution has created a climate in which what is new today is outdated tomorrow and overrun with a new product or capability. This impact ensures a relatively short life for the e-art of today, as tomorrow the programs or features used to support the e-art may be obsolete. This change in technology also has the possible effect of reducing the viewing nature and popularity of current e-art.
Nelson, J. (nd). Secret Technology: Net Art/Digital Poetry/Video Oddities. Retrieved January 28, 2011, from http://www.secrettechnology.com/
The use of the internet as a medium provides the opportunity to utilise and apply different techniques, methods and materials in comparison to traditional forms of artwork, such as painting, sketching and sculpting. As with traditional forms of artwork, net art expresses the artists' point of view, interpretation, thoughts and emotions. The artwork by Jason Nelson on SecretTechnology.com is no exception. Although I found it difficult to interpret the meaning behind the art, it prompted me to think about the message being conveyed and what it meant to me, which personally, I think, is the purpose of art.
As was mentioned in the previous paragraph, there are many advantages in utilising digital media to create net art. Apart from different design capabilities in comparison to traditional art, net art involves an interactive element, drawing the viewer into, and engaging them in the artwork and its meaning. Net art also provides the viewer with new and engaging ways of experiencing literacy and digital capabilities. In addition to these positive attributes, e-art can simply be emailed, allowing galleries to forego shipping expenses and the possibility of damage. Despite its numerous advantages, e-art does have some draw-backs. In relation to materials used to create traditional artwork, paint, canvas, pencils and the like have been in existence for literally thousands of years. Digital technology is relatively new, on the other hand. The fast paced technological revolution has created a climate in which what is new today is outdated tomorrow and overrun with a new product or capability. This impact ensures a relatively short life for the e-art of today, as tomorrow the programs or features used to support the e-art may be obsolete. This change in technology also has the possible effect of reducing the viewing nature and popularity of current e-art.
Nelson, J. (nd). Secret Technology: Net Art/Digital Poetry/Video Oddities. Retrieved January 28, 2011, from http://www.secrettechnology.com/
Tutorial Task 7
1. Sign an e-petition.
I signed the e-petition 'Save The Net' about internet censorship. The link is http://www.getup.org.au/campaign/SaveTheNet&id=443&msg=Thank+you+for+taking+action+-+a+record+has+been+sent+to+your+email+address.
2. Respond to a professional blogger.
I commented on the blog post 'Sorry, Gina Ford and Robin Barker - I don’t need you anymore', by Alison Godfrey at News.com.au
3. What is Barack Obama up to today?
Barack Obama delivered the State of the Union Address at the U.S. Capitol on the 25/01/11. http://www.whatisbarackdoing.com/
4. Find out who your local, state and federal representatives are.
The local representative is Cr Karen Williams.
The state representative is Peter Dowling
The federal representative is Peter Dowling
http://www.ourcommunity.com.au/advocacy/advocacy_article.jsp?articleId=2386#QLD
5. Look up the Queensland or Australian hansard to find the last time your local member spoke in parliament.
The last time the Capalaba local member, Michael Choi spoke in parliament was Wednesday, November 24, 2010. This is the link to his speech http://parlinfo.parliament.qld.gov.au/isysquery/42829332-b5cd-49c1-8701-d35131f29eba/31/doc/
6. Let your local member know what you think about their last speech.
I did not feel I had anything valuable to contribute about the agriculture industry and the coal seam gas industry.
*What do you think of the Australian Government's plans to censor the internet (the so-called "Clean Feed")?
My personal opinion relating to censorship of the internet is that people should have the freedom to choose what they view on the internet and what they do not. Censoring the internet is essentially retracting that freedom and dictating what can and cannot be viewed. As the mother of a small child, I would like to be the one to decide what is suitable for my child to have access to and to be the one to restrict access to particular sites and content. In relation to children accessing inappropriate content:
'The proposed category of censored sites will not be wide enough to provide assurances to parents. Parents will be much better served by installing one of the many voluntary filters that are currently available and ensuring that their children are adequately supervised and aware of risks they may face online' (No Clean Feed, nd).
I wholeheartedly agree that the most effective and safest way of monitoring and restricting child internet access is to closely supervise, teach children about internet use and install filters that can be controlled by the parent.
No Clean Feed: Stop Internet Censorship in Australia. (nd). What is the 'Clean Feed'. Retrieved January 28, 2011, from http://nocleanfeed.com/
*What place does censorship have in a democracy?
To me, the word 'democracy' refers to freedom, equality and the upholding of rights. The word 'censorship', on the other hand, refers to taking away the freedom of choice and expression. 'Censorship is contrary to the spirit of freedom and democracy' (Luft, 2007). I believe that it is a basic right to have the freedom of choice and I feel that censorship impedes that right. However, I am also aware that there is a large amount of illegal content that does need to be restricted, and without censorship that illegal content would run rife. What I do not agree with is censoring legal content, in which adults should have the right to choose whether to engage with the content or ignore it.
Luft, E. v.d. (2007). A socialist manifesto. Maryland, U.S.A.: United Book Press.
I signed the e-petition 'Save The Net' about internet censorship. The link is http://www.getup.org.au/campaign/SaveTheNet&id=443&msg=Thank+you+for+taking+action+-+a+record+has+been+sent+to+your+email+address.
2. Respond to a professional blogger.
I commented on the blog post 'Sorry, Gina Ford and Robin Barker - I don’t need you anymore', by Alison Godfrey at News.com.au
3. What is Barack Obama up to today?
Barack Obama delivered the State of the Union Address at the U.S. Capitol on the 25/01/11. http://www.whatisbarackdoing.com/
4. Find out who your local, state and federal representatives are.
The local representative is Cr Karen Williams.
The state representative is Peter Dowling
The federal representative is Peter Dowling
http://www.ourcommunity.com.au/advocacy/advocacy_article.jsp?articleId=2386#QLD
5. Look up the Queensland or Australian hansard to find the last time your local member spoke in parliament.
The last time the Capalaba local member, Michael Choi spoke in parliament was Wednesday, November 24, 2010. This is the link to his speech http://parlinfo.parliament.qld.gov.au/isysquery/42829332-b5cd-49c1-8701-d35131f29eba/31/doc/
6. Let your local member know what you think about their last speech.
I did not feel I had anything valuable to contribute about the agriculture industry and the coal seam gas industry.
*What do you think of the Australian Government's plans to censor the internet (the so-called "Clean Feed")?
My personal opinion relating to censorship of the internet is that people should have the freedom to choose what they view on the internet and what they do not. Censoring the internet is essentially retracting that freedom and dictating what can and cannot be viewed. As the mother of a small child, I would like to be the one to decide what is suitable for my child to have access to and to be the one to restrict access to particular sites and content. In relation to children accessing inappropriate content:
'The proposed category of censored sites will not be wide enough to provide assurances to parents. Parents will be much better served by installing one of the many voluntary filters that are currently available and ensuring that their children are adequately supervised and aware of risks they may face online' (No Clean Feed, nd).
I wholeheartedly agree that the most effective and safest way of monitoring and restricting child internet access is to closely supervise, teach children about internet use and install filters that can be controlled by the parent.
No Clean Feed: Stop Internet Censorship in Australia. (nd). What is the 'Clean Feed'. Retrieved January 28, 2011, from http://nocleanfeed.com/
*What place does censorship have in a democracy?
To me, the word 'democracy' refers to freedom, equality and the upholding of rights. The word 'censorship', on the other hand, refers to taking away the freedom of choice and expression. 'Censorship is contrary to the spirit of freedom and democracy' (Luft, 2007). I believe that it is a basic right to have the freedom of choice and I feel that censorship impedes that right. However, I am also aware that there is a large amount of illegal content that does need to be restricted, and without censorship that illegal content would run rife. What I do not agree with is censoring legal content, in which adults should have the right to choose whether to engage with the content or ignore it.
Luft, E. v.d. (2007). A socialist manifesto. Maryland, U.S.A.: United Book Press.
Lecture 7 - Politics and Censorship: The Political Mine Field
Politics of the internet is something which, in the past, would not have even occurred to me to think about. Until the recent media frenzy concerning Julian Assange and the Wikileaks hype, the political aspects concerning the internet and its use were not something to which I had paid close attention. To digress from the topic for a moment, throughout my study of 'New Communications Technology' I have been amazed at the sheer number of times that I have thought to myself, 'I have never thought of it like that', and the content of today's lecture was no exception. The mention of the word 'politics' is usually enough to switch my brain off before the discussion has even begun. Today, however, the lecture prompted me to think about the politics involving the internet in relation to democracy and freedom of expression.
The particular issues that concern me are censorship of the internet and media blacklists. An article from The Age raises many valid points as to the effectiveness of internet censorship and the political mine field that is the combining of censorship and democracy. The article describes the chastising of Chinese authorities by the Australian government for enforcing internet censorship and blocking access to the internet for the assembled media prior to the Beijing Olympic Games (The Age, 2008). The Australian government appeared to have abandoned their stance with the proposed internet censorship campaign. Valid concerns about the proposed internet censorship involve the results of a closed trial in Tasmania which '... found that most filters could not identify illegal or inappropriate content' (The Age, 2008). A worrying factor is the high probability of filtering mistakes - either filtering out acceptable content or the lack of identification of harmful content linked to acceptable sites. Another stance that I am in agreement with is the censorship of sites that, under the guise of democracy, should be left up to the individual adult to decide whether to view certain content.
Media blacklists are another area for debate that I have previously not considered. Despite the fact that the media blacklist is supposed to be confidential government information, some of the information appears to have made its way into the publics' hands, through sites such as Wikileaks or similar. The concerning issue for me is the grey areas of the blacklist that include blacklisted internet sites, etc that have unexplained reasons for their blacklist. In my opinion, the withholding of information when there is no apparent need to withhold is not '... in the spirit of freedom and democracy' (Luft, 2007).
Loewenstein, A. (2008, November 10). Government uploads hypocrisy with internet censorship [Electronic version]. The Age. Retrieved January 25, 2011, from http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/government-uploads-hypocrisy-with-internet-censorship-20081109-5kuz.html
Luft, E. v.d. (2007). A socialist manifesto. Maryland, U.S.A.: United Book Press.
The particular issues that concern me are censorship of the internet and media blacklists. An article from The Age raises many valid points as to the effectiveness of internet censorship and the political mine field that is the combining of censorship and democracy. The article describes the chastising of Chinese authorities by the Australian government for enforcing internet censorship and blocking access to the internet for the assembled media prior to the Beijing Olympic Games (The Age, 2008). The Australian government appeared to have abandoned their stance with the proposed internet censorship campaign. Valid concerns about the proposed internet censorship involve the results of a closed trial in Tasmania which '... found that most filters could not identify illegal or inappropriate content' (The Age, 2008). A worrying factor is the high probability of filtering mistakes - either filtering out acceptable content or the lack of identification of harmful content linked to acceptable sites. Another stance that I am in agreement with is the censorship of sites that, under the guise of democracy, should be left up to the individual adult to decide whether to view certain content.
Media blacklists are another area for debate that I have previously not considered. Despite the fact that the media blacklist is supposed to be confidential government information, some of the information appears to have made its way into the publics' hands, through sites such as Wikileaks or similar. The concerning issue for me is the grey areas of the blacklist that include blacklisted internet sites, etc that have unexplained reasons for their blacklist. In my opinion, the withholding of information when there is no apparent need to withhold is not '... in the spirit of freedom and democracy' (Luft, 2007).
Loewenstein, A. (2008, November 10). Government uploads hypocrisy with internet censorship [Electronic version]. The Age. Retrieved January 25, 2011, from http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/government-uploads-hypocrisy-with-internet-censorship-20081109-5kuz.html
Luft, E. v.d. (2007). A socialist manifesto. Maryland, U.S.A.: United Book Press.
Tutorial Task 6 - Scavenger Hunt Questions!
1. What is the weight of the world’s biggest machine? How much did it cost to build?
The 'Knock Nevis' is the world's largest ship ever constructed. It weighs 564,763 tons. It cost $9 billion dollars to build. The link is http://www.knock-nevis.com/
2. Find a live webcam in Antarctica.
Webcam world is a site that displays webcams in Antarctica. This is a link for a South Pole live camera http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/obop/spo/livecamera.html
Can you find a place to stay in Antarctica?
The site, GeckoGo, contains lists of lodgings in Antarctica. This is the link http://www.geckogo.com/Guide/Antarctica/Explore/Lodging/
3. When and what was the first example of global digital communication?
In 1844 an effective version of the electromagnetic telegraph was constructed by Samuel Morse. This is the first example of global digital communication.
http://www.150.si.edu/150trav/remember/r819.htm
4. What is the cheapest form of travel from the Gold Coast to Melbourne?
Cheapest form of travel is Tiger Airways. Tickets start from $38.95.
http://www.tigerairways.com.au/au/en/real_deals.php
5. Who is Douglas Engelbart? What is he known for?
Douglas Engelbart was an computer scientist and inventor who pioneered what is now known as collaborative hypermedia. He was born in 1925, in Oregon, USA. He also invented the computer mouse. http://www.dougengelbart.org/about/dce-bio.html
6. What is the best way (quickest, most reliable) to contact Stephen Conroy? (who is this guy?)
Stephen Conroy is the Australian Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy. He can be telephoned on (03) 9408 0190 or emailed at minister@dbcde.gov.au
7. What song was top of the Australian pop charts this week in 1990?
'How am I supposed to live without you' by Michael Bolton. http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/1990/main.htm
8. How would you define the term 'ontology'? In your own words, what does it really mean?
The term 'ontology' refers to the study about what kinds of things exist, and what entities there are in the universe. It is a branch of metaphysics. http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/0,,sid9_gci212702,00.html#
9. What type of camera is used to make ‘Google Street View’?A camera created by the contractor, Immersive Media. http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-9724604-1.html
10. Name three computer operating systems (not for phones) that are NOT Apple OS or MS-Windows operating systems?
a) who created it and when? b) how can you get a copy of the operating system to use on your computer?
1a. BSDUnix (a sub-group of Unix).
1b. It can be downloaded from http://www.tech-faq.com/where-to-download-unix.html
2a. Linux, which was created in 1991 by Linus Torvalds.
2b. It can be downloaded from http://www.computerhope.com/unix.htm
3a. Inferno, which was created in 1995.
3b. It can be downloaded from http://www.vitanuova.com/inferno/downloads.html
The 'Knock Nevis' is the world's largest ship ever constructed. It weighs 564,763 tons. It cost $9 billion dollars to build. The link is http://www.knock-nevis.com/
2. Find a live webcam in Antarctica.
Webcam world is a site that displays webcams in Antarctica. This is a link for a South Pole live camera http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/obop/spo/livecamera.html
Can you find a place to stay in Antarctica?
The site, GeckoGo, contains lists of lodgings in Antarctica. This is the link http://www.geckogo.com/Guide/Antarctica/Explore/Lodging/
3. When and what was the first example of global digital communication?
In 1844 an effective version of the electromagnetic telegraph was constructed by Samuel Morse. This is the first example of global digital communication.
http://www.150.si.edu/150trav/remember/r819.htm
4. What is the cheapest form of travel from the Gold Coast to Melbourne?
Cheapest form of travel is Tiger Airways. Tickets start from $38.95.
http://www.tigerairways.com.au/au/en/real_deals.php
5. Who is Douglas Engelbart? What is he known for?
Douglas Engelbart was an computer scientist and inventor who pioneered what is now known as collaborative hypermedia. He was born in 1925, in Oregon, USA. He also invented the computer mouse. http://www.dougengelbart.org/about/dce-bio.html
6. What is the best way (quickest, most reliable) to contact Stephen Conroy? (who is this guy?)
Stephen Conroy is the Australian Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy. He can be telephoned on (03) 9408 0190 or emailed at minister@dbcde.gov.au
7. What song was top of the Australian pop charts this week in 1990?
'How am I supposed to live without you' by Michael Bolton. http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/1990/main.htm
8. How would you define the term 'ontology'? In your own words, what does it really mean?
The term 'ontology' refers to the study about what kinds of things exist, and what entities there are in the universe. It is a branch of metaphysics. http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/0,,sid9_gci212702,00.html#
9. What type of camera is used to make ‘Google Street View’?A camera created by the contractor, Immersive Media. http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-9724604-1.html
10. Name three computer operating systems (not for phones) that are NOT Apple OS or MS-Windows operating systems?
a) who created it and when? b) how can you get a copy of the operating system to use on your computer?
1a. BSDUnix (a sub-group of Unix).
1b. It can be downloaded from http://www.tech-faq.com/where-to-download-unix.html
2a. Linux, which was created in 1991 by Linus Torvalds.
2b. It can be downloaded from http://www.computerhope.com/unix.htm
3a. Inferno, which was created in 1995.
3b. It can be downloaded from http://www.vitanuova.com/inferno/downloads.html
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