Sunday, January 11, 2009

Lecture 1: Introduction to Digital Cultures

Welcome to the first session of the Digital Cultures module on the IOCT Masters. I hope everyone enjoyed a good break and are ready for 2009.


Following our discussion in class, I'd like you to adress the following issues in regards to analogue/digital devices/objects here in the comments.

Remember to include:

  • a list of features
  • an overview of what the device is and how it works
  • why it is important
  • why people use or don't use it

Assignment for next week:

Read "Pierre Menard, Author of the Quixote" by Jorge Luis Borges (1899-1986) (this was handed out in class).



Please write a reflective blog post on your reading. I have added you all as an author to this module blog so please sign in and choose to "create" a new post. Be sure to include your name and "Lecture 1" in the title of the blog post.

Some things to consider:

  • role of representation of identity
  • trickery of language
  • authenticity
  • dissemination
  • production
  • readership
  • authorship
try to contextualise this alongside what we discussed today about digital culture.





If you like Borges do check out some of his fiction including the very well know "Garden of Forking Paths" included in this collection.




3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Group: Mandy, Paul, and Andy

digital tools:

1.analog friend vs digital friend

features:
analog friend -- is actually friend, you know them 'in person' and you go places with them, talk to them face to face. You can tell from their face expression, how they interact with you a lot more information than just someone you're chatting with online. the problem can exist with both, that is appearing as a friend when they're not.

digital friend-- someone who is possibly not your friend (lol) because You are kind of avoiding being social, at least in the analog sense, by not meeting them in person, face to face, go have a beer with, help you bury a body (you know what they say, a friend will lend you a tenner and a REAL friend will help you bury a body :)

how do each work:
analog -- they work by being in person. This adds depth to the relationship that can't be had with someone not present.

digital -- they are good to talk to , but can't help you steal a traffic light. Possibly easier to mislead you.

Importance of both tools
analog-- there's nothing like a good in-person friend to go down to the pub with and talk about your week with. And they can give you hugs :)

digital-- you can get in touch with a lot of people very easily, bit like ringing. Depends on how you use it. Takes a lot less effort to contact/talk with them vs in-person interaction.

Anonymous said...

Abacus Vs Calculator

Abacus-
Balls on stick
Difficult to learn
Move balls to represent numbers/calculations
Use Hand to opperate
Had status symbol
Better visual representation

Calculator-
Buttons
Battery Opperated
Speedy return of results
Easy to learn
More widespread due to ease of use
Portable
Numeric Character representation

Maps VS Sat Nav
Maps-
Visual graphical Information
Modicum of information
Knowledge of reading
Self defined route
Only subject to human error
(deemed as)Old Fashioned

Sat Nav-
Visual and audio Information
Additional information given such as traffic black spots
Battery operated
It dictates
Subject to software and human error
Requires sat triangulation
Lazy or Time restricted

Anonymous said...

Analog TV and Digital/Internet TV
Features
Analog

Analog cartography and SatNav


Encyclopedia and wikipedia
features
An encyclopedia is a repository in physical form (a book) of information of many different on many different subjects in alphabetical order, according to the academic/editor who produced the encyclopedia.
Wikipedia is an electronic encyclopedic database held on the internet. It is based on open-source ethics and each entry can be edited by multiple users.

How people use the tool
An encyclopedia is usually located in a library and is used by those who need information either by looking at the contents book (a list of entries in alphabetical order i.e a, apple, a-book, page x). After they found the topic they are after, they retrieve the right book and read the information. In order to make changes, recommendations for topics, you would have to contact the editor of the book with the recommendations for the next edition of the encyclopedia.
Encyclopedias are important in the fact that they are aknowledged as being factual (agreed by academia)

Wikipedia is an internet database of information. It is interacted with by a user via a search function using search paramiters such as names, topics, dates etc.

Wikipedias advantage/disadvantage is that its emediate access to a wide audiance allows for collaborative editing and its peer review capabilities. The problem is that anyone can edit anything, vandalizing topic based on anything.

Kieren Boddy and Amanda Moffat