Chat-part 2

I have now been monitoring ICQ since 18 March and I have noticed something fascinating. Most of the participants 'speak in tongues' or some derivative of an ancient dialect from a remote part of the world. It reminds me of the South African movie The Gods Must Be Crazy where the main character, a bushman, speaks in clicks and other phonetic sounds.

I appreciate it's just a shorten version of the English language which has been abbreviated to save key stokes, but I wonder with kids being so tech savvy and essentially knowing how to code the written word, how will the spoken word evolve over the next few generations.



Getting past this, I have been aware of ICQ and IRC for some years now but have never used the service. I believed it to be just a waste of time or a playground for troubled people but this form of synchronistic communication has developed into a very useful tool. I'm connected with ICQ using the meebo service which is incredibly easy to use especially if you use Firefox add-ons. Meebo runs in the background of the browser, so if your connected to the web your live and ready to communicate. This type of chat would suite a more informal method of communication than email and would appear to have adequate security if you engage encryption of the traffic at the socket level. So yes I will probably continue to use the service if I can get someone to chat to. I have posted my number on the Yahoo group and on the BB asking if any will chat but I haven't received any responses to the request—maybe no one like me after my rants :(
I did pick up a copy of The weblog handbook by Rececca Blood so I hope to learn some netiquette soon.

Now talking about netiquette and getting back the chat rooms there appears to be no rules within this type of society. The language used as state above is abbreviated and difficult to follow unless your experienced (I wonder if there is netiquette siting inside the code like CSS) and if your not accepted into the discussion they others simply ignore you. It's like being in New York City without the muggers. This tactic of ignoring others is probably a survival practice of the tech savvy kids.

Just as I was finishing this entry I was luck to have a chat with a couple of NET11ers students in ICQ. It was great to catch up out of Uni in the cyberpub.

rethink-part 2

My point is, people who use the internet should be by now very aware of the security issues we face with online fraud. However, there is a broader issue of personal security. In brief we do not want to face another 9/11 or see repeated stories in the news where children have sexually abused or worse through the use of web dating. I know most kids are aware that chat rooms are potentially unsafe environments, but there will always be someone who is more vulnerable than others. Chat rooms in particular need to be mediated for content because parents can't have 24 hour control over their children nor should they. As responsible web uses we have a care of duty to provide a safe learning experience for all who wish to use it. I don't hate these types of communication, I think they need special attention from the authorities to clean it up but I guess this would be problematic given the current economic problems, climate change ....................

The list is endless so usually the innocent will suffer.

rethink

After the tutors comments on the Discussion board about relating the exercisers to the concepts, it may appear that all my rants have been a waste of time.

I will need to refocus and rethink why I'm attempting to do a BA in Internet Communication.

For the time being I will put aside my prejudice and use the time as a discovery process.

I still think there's too much crap on the web so you will have to forgive me if I regress into a rant.

Chat part 1

OK, I can see now I may have been an bit too harsh on "Lists", the real deviant is the chat room.

more soon

Newsgroups-part 1

I fear I may start ranting again.

It maybe that I'm not passionate enough on any particular topic to be involved in a newsgroup and I find the whole arena of this type entertainment extremely boring. After viewing some groups the conversation appears to transcend into mindless banter—have you every seen a group of budgies, there all talking at the same time but saying nothing. If I want this type of puerile recreation I'll go down to the pub and converse with my mates. At least its face to face and I can judge whether they're just crapping on.

I have no doubt there are newsgroups on the web that provide a valuable service, but looking through some of Google Groups it's difficult locate one without wasting an enormous amount of time. Maybe the key to this type of communication is perseverance or having someone invite you to join the group. Having a mole on the inside saves time.

OK, I have no desire to get a zero mark for this so I better say something constructive.

more soon

List part 1—a deviants playground

What are the pros and cons of email lists versus discussion boards?

Ok, so maybe I'm a cynic but I think most "Lists" are for degenerates with empty lives praying on vulnerable and naive souls. I hope it's a matter of misfortune or just bad luck in coming across inappropriate Lists.

As suggested in Module 2 notes I visited http://lists.topica.com/ with an open mind to join in on a "List". I then clicked on one of the subjects, Art & Design, then I proceeded to Digital Art Solutions which was described as Tips, news, and info for graphic professionals. So what did I find listed out of the 5 possible groups I could make a valued contribution, 5 pron sites. My first instincts were proven correct. Now I'm all for free speech, but, the web needs to be cleaned up, there's way too much crap about. If I was an alien with superior technology scanning the universe to find intelligent life and I came across the web from the planet Earth, I really would think it was Planet of the Apes -20%.

However, I must not paint all Lists with the same broad brush.

So I tried again, this time I selected the Astronomy Digest, written in its description was a length list of vulgarity, porn sites again.

The third go was a little better, I joined a photography List and I will report back soon.

However, I refuse the believe all Lists are as narcissistic or hedonistic as the people who contribute at http://lists.topica.com/. This site is a spawning ground for the devils work. Why would you waste time on people you just can't trust and where everything comes into question over the information that's being broadcast. If the academics say you can't trust Wikipedia, why the hell would you be bothered with an unmediated service. So if the very nature of truth comes into question and deception is an everyday occurrence for this site, how can this be a worthy experience.

In the end cyber-relation creeps into normal life, very slowly but surely. Sites like http://lists.topica.com/ are the asshole of the web.

Sterile list of Pros:

1. communicate with a broad group of people inexpensively
2. efficient method of dispersing information to members
3. still waiting to find another
   

Sterile list of Cons:

1. not good for communicating on an individual to individual basis
2. mishandled email list can be sold to spammers
3. unmediated content can quickly go bush (go off track) and be a complete waste of time
4. poorly run group will just become a pain in the ass and clutter your Inbox when in content degrades into rambling conversations.

Creative list of Cons: a very apt word for this type of Lists

1. lists are like the Catholic church, one way communication. Dictating their doctrine views without listening to the followers. see ABC Compass
   
2. breading ground depravity (like a very nasty rash or venereal disease)
   
3. easy to broadcast your thoughts to similar pervert and create a community of would-be sex offenders
4. induce misconceptions and deceit
5. powerful tool to incite hatred and racist groups KKK, http://www.christianconcepts.net/informat.htm or the Nazi Party, http://www.americannaziparty.com/index.php. Call me paranoid but I have not directly linked these sites as I have no wish for these types of people to have a look at their referral list and see my details. So if you would like to view these sites then copy the address and past it into your browser.
   

In saying all this I am a member of a few lists groups, not the kind I describe above educational
groups. These can work in a very powerful way when used to better ones self.

Are there certain kinds of communication or purposes more suited to one than the other?

I find the Listserv that I subscribe to predominatly tend to be one-way communications, receiving newsletters and information for use in hobbies, finance or sport. The information that I read from a list I may like to act on but I will very rarely contribute to.

Discussion boards are used for more of a two-way communication, listening and contributing to the posts and threads. There is usually a mediator to oversee the content and by their very nature tend to be more respectful, considerate and stay targeted to the purpose it was created for.

OK, maybe not all List are bad, I think I will need to investigate further.

To "folder structure" or not to "folder structure" that is the question

5. How have you organised the folder structure of your email and why?

I wish I could have the control that I have in Adobe Bridge managing files incorporated into emails—within Bridge I have access to a fantastic array of options but in the email software it's basic. The screen shot below is not the actual email folder, it's just a sample of the type of structure I employ managing emails. I can't show you the real information, you know how the saying goes "if I show you, I'd have to kill you". I don't know who said that so I can't quote it.

I know I have already answered this question below but folder structure is closely connected to filters and they have a symbiotic relationship. I employ this process to presort the emails into folders, this saves time by having the computer do the mindless monkey work and leaving my ape brain + 2% to work on the creative tasks. (The chimpanzee is only 2% different from humans genetically, (Jane Goodall, Hope for Harvest, 2005). Scary, it should be called Planet of the Apes +2%.)

email structure


Adobe Bridge structure