Assya Stravolemova in Wonderland of Cyberspace

Video Games, Wicked Games?

2011-12-06T22:41:00.001Z

„Tennis for two”- this is the name of the firstvideo game invented ever by William Highinbotham in 1958. The purpose then wasto make an open day at Brookhaven National Laboratory more interesting to thegeneral public. Video game number 2 “Spacewar” was created in 1961 by two youngprogrammers. In the beginning of the new millennium the total income from videogamesin the US,for example, was around 9.4 billion dollars and 15 billion on worldwide base.(Bell., D., 2004).

But let me go back to the “interesting” and “entertainingpart”. What do you think the “Clever Dick” and “On the Piste” are?

These are names of video games that have beeninstalled recently in an English pub. This revolution for the game industry isbased in the male’s toilet and doesn’t need an additional controller becausemen obviously have one. This system is considered to be the first of this typeand it is installed by Captive Media. Screens of 12 inches are the additionalequipment. One of the games installed in this special place is called “Skiing”and the success is in a player’s hands. Literary. According to Digital Trendssome of the pub’s customers are now thinking about strategies that can bringthem a higher score or more points. And what about games for women, howwe are going to measure the success?

References:

Bell, D., (2004) Cyberculture: The Key Concepts, London: Routledge
Technology news, product and app reviews: www.digitaltrends.com
www.kaldata.com

New Era of Internet?

2011-11-29T22:40:00.001Z

Almost everyone takes the Internet as granted.Even more, the United Nations Organization said this year that the access tothe Web is a fundamental human right (United Nations Organization, 2011).

But behind Facebook, the web browsing, e-mailchecking and the watching and uploading of videos on YouTube and all kind ofactivities done on the Web stays one combination of 4 numbers, for example 198.45.39.1.This is the unique address through which every device, laptop, smart-phone, PC,tablet “enters” the web. It is similar with the text of every web site behindwhich there is also a combination of numbers. These addresses are a key part ofthe protocol for internet connection – Internet protocol version 4, in factthese is the platform through which the communication in the web is made. Butthese addresses are getting over. Ipv4 was created in the 80s. Nobody hadexpected that so many people will use the web. Around 4,3 milliard – this isthe number of addresses that the protocol has. In the80s it seemed like a huge number, but now when the Web is used by approximately2 milliard users and much more connected devises, the numbers are about to beover.

According to RIPE/ the organization that dealswith the free addresses in the web/ there are less than 5% free addresses atthe moment and their number will be over by 2012.

What can we do? The decision is simple andwell-known – the new internet protocol ipv6. In the case of Ipv6 an address isa combination of numbers and letters. Although the protocol has been known foryears its usage has been slow down because a lot of companies try to deal withthe problem by “masking” addresses. By this one actual address can be used bymany users. The big Internet providers have a big issue with this way of “masking”because they have to deal with a big amount of addresses. Will the internet beover , we will see quite soon, because accrding to different opinions in 2012the capacity will be to its limit. But there is another issue as well connectedwith addresses, the common repeating of .com, .org, .gov, what is the decisionhere:

References:

Bell,D., (2004) Cyberculture: The Key Concepts, London: Routledge

RIPENetwork Coordination Centre – Official Web Site: www.ripe.net,visited on 27.11.2011

UnitedNations Organization – Official Web Site: www.un.org,visited on 27.11.2011

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-4YJtffgc8

Web Art and Thoughts in Pictures

2011-11-22T22:50:00.001Z

Out of the course-work I decided to put here some pectures that I 've been collecting for a while. Most of them in this case are by Alexandre Dubosc.These pictures, as a kind of manipulation, provide interesting messages.

Reference: HiComm Magazine: www.hicomm.bg

And finally, like the post if you think that this picture is moving:

Web 2.0

2011-11-21T00:53:00.001Z

I reallyhope that the teleportation will be possible … whenever. Since a Japaneseprofessor invented the kissing machine, I got really worried about the future ofinventions as a whole. But then I realized something… As far as you can countand forget, everything will be optimistic. New editions will be announced and announcedand announced and we will pretend that we’ve forgotten the old versions and theworld will be perfect.

Talking about the new media is essential tounderstand the concept of Web 2.0 – a term first used in 2003 and followed by abig air, road and thought traffic because in this period of time a lot ofscientific conferences were organized to give opportunity to wise, wiser andwisest people to share their thoughts about the concept. (Flew, T., 2008, p.16)

Terry Flew (2008) concludes the main principlesof Web 2.0: ‘many in many to their connectivity; decentralized in terms ofcontrol; user-focused and easy to new users to use; open in terms of theirtechnology standards and their Applications Programming Interface; relativelysimple in their design, expecting to evolve and change over time”.

So, what is the reason of using the term “Web2.0”, is there any sense in it or it’s just the next commercial definition thatwill give the chance for many scientists to publish second, second, third,fourth … hundredth edition of their books and many more with predictions aboutWeb 3.0. Is it just a term that is supposed to scare some of the more addictedweb users? In my opinion, the system will fix it for itself or will spoil it foritself – the chances are equal. In fact all these expectations and predictionsstarted to bore me. It’s like the huge expectations of a keen facebook user:

The most important for Web 2.0, is the "user-generated content"( Flew, 2008) so I decided to give something from myself for the good ofthe web and the good of the music:

“You will still be here tomorrow but yourdreams may not”.

References:

Flew, T., (2008) New Media, Oxford: Oxford University Press
Bell, D., (2004) Cyberculture: The Key Concepts, London: Routledge
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIO6CAdR3uQ

To Learn From the Kids

2011-11-20T20:45:00.001Z

A good idea is not enough nowadays. You must beable to transform it into a digital interface, to make it easy to exploit orotherwise you should be able to put it into a different shape, for example aniPhone application

According to the Times Magazine annual list, the most used gameapplication for 2011 is the Angry Birds app. (Time Magazine, 2011). To beaddicted to this app is quite easy, because where else you will be able tocatch selfish green pigs./ don’t ask me anymore/.

In the entertainment section number one thisyear is the Netflix app. which gives the opportunity for immediate live streamand in fact is a good tool for traveling parents who want to keep theirchildren entertained. (TIME magazine, 2011).

In the social section number one in the list isthe Facebook app for iPhone which in fact is not a surprise. 150 million usersaround the world have installed a Facebook application for some kind of smartphonesince October 2010. (Hicomm Magazine, 2011).

Three years ago in March 2011, Apple’s CEOSteve Jobs announced a free platform with all needed tools and technologies forself-development of iPhone and iPad applications. “We’re excited aboutcreating a vibrant third-party developer community with potentially thousandsof native applications for iPhone and iPod touch,” said Apple CEO Steve Jobs. (MacWorld, 2008). The freeplatform became a real inspiration for the 6^th grade ThomasSuarez, who has beendeveloping applications since then with the support of his parents, classmatesand even the people from one of the Apple shops in Los Angeles. He even came up with an idea ofa club /which is working at the moment/ where he could share his ideas andknowledge in the field of new technologies and programming. What about an owncompany at the age of ten, what about creating one of the most popularapplications “Bustin Jieber"/ an anti-Justin Bieber game/ and what about being one of theinspiring TED speakers? All of this is already achieved by Thomas Suarez. His speech and story you can watchhere:

References:

Time Magazine Official Web site: http://www.time.com/time/, visited on 15.11.2011
HiComm Magazine Official Web Site: http://www.hicomm.bg/, visited on 15.11.2011
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehDAP1OQ9Zw&feature=share, visited on 15.11.2011
TED Official website: http://www.ted.com/, visited on 15.11.2011
The MacWorld Magazine Official WebSite: http://www.macworld.com/article/132400/2008/03/iphonesdk.html, visited on 15.11.2011

Are we technology? Or something about cyberspace, something about cyborgs and something about kissing.

2011-11-10T21:54:00.001Z

The popular culture has now a new ingredientthat takes an essential part in it. And this new fundamental is the cyberspace.One of the things that this cyberspace does is to “stimulate environment withinwhich humans can interact” (Featherstone et al, 1996, p. 6) and more “TheVirtual Reality, then, is a medium which stimulates a sense of presence throughthe use of technology”.

But in fact, people have always been afraid oftechnology as well as being excited by it.. Let me take some movies forexample: what about “Frankenstein” and the result of the game with genes andcreation, the failed experiment to produce a monster? What about “Robocop” whena really powerful cybprg-cup is followed by immersed memories? What about “TheTerminator” when a cyborg that in theory cannot be stopped is sent to thefuture to kill people? And a recent exam – what about “The Matrix” and theparanoia that you cannot escape from your controllers or even the cartoon movie“The Cars” when in contrast some fast cars are trying to find the real meaningof friendship and family? (The International Movie Database, 2011)

Let me go back to the stimulation again. Forhow long can you be stimulated? Is "stimulated" equal to "simulated" and "pretended"?Is the meaning of the word “pain” considered in this situation? Can you reallybe hurt by a technology – emotionally, physically? Can this unavoidable humansignifier be considered when we talk about technology? We were askedin Media and cyberculture class: “If your computerhad feelings would you be allowed to turn it off” and I decided to ask myfriends about this. Here are some answers that I received on my facebookprofile: Lubitsa Lukanova: “What a question! IfHitler had won the II WR... Are you kiddin?”, Tedi Hristova: “Haaaaha, sometimes I even wish i could turn sm people"off" ....... of course its a moral issue, but guess what - i would.... (wouldnt u ?! ;-)”; Cynthia Amiri: “No, it would take control of all my electronic devices and plan to takeover the world!!”; LailaMora: “Yes I wud...coz my computerwud want to sleep n rest aswell...I love my computer n I need to take care ofits health... Lols...according to me switching off d computer is nt mudering it.” and Vaso Tzoyvara: “What kind of a person, would do something like that????????give me abreak!!!!!!!” J

And ok this is about the pain, andwhat about the happiness in life, what about kissing? I should mention herethat when we are talking about kissing especially, I am calm recently. Do youknow that a Japanese professor invented some months ago a devise that “canproduce” the feeling of kissing and this can be done by a computer, “at leastthe tongue part". But do you think it can be the same see and decide foryourself:

References:

Fetherstone, M., Burrows, R., (1996) Cyberspace/Cyberbodies/Cyberpunk, London: Sage Publication

The International Movie Database: http://www.imdb.com/, visited on 08.11.2011

New York Daily News Official Web Site: http://www.nydailynews.com/, visited on08.11.2011

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PspagsTFvlg

Will there always be “new media”?

2011-10-29T23:14:00.000+01:00

What’s “new” and when this new becomesold-fashioned? Why and how some media is considered as “new”? Technologicaldiversification and changes of form and shape made it easier for many researchersto pronounce well-known communication channels and media as new. Although, inmy opinion, there is a huge paradox while using the term “new”. Because in fact “new media” is our “current media”. Thecommunication channels that we use in all their forms and with all theopportunities they give us. So why do we call it “new media” but not “presentmedia?”

The important task for me here is to have a basefor comparing. Facebook is newer than MySpace but Twitter is newer thanFacebook and Google + is newer than Twitter. Which of them is new media?And the answer is all of them. Because they are used actively in thisparticular moment. If you listen to a radio in your IPad and consider the factthat IPad is a new technology does this mean that the radio from your Ipad is a new media? Here is the thin moment whenwe should think about the difference between technological extent and the way howparticular medium operates.

Terry Flew gives an interesting example: “Theability to download music, films and television programs from the Internet hasbeen an instance of qualitatively “new” media not so much because it changesthe form , but because it changes the means of distribution and storage, andthe associated models of this media”. Sonew media can shortly be defined as existing content spread, shown, used,shaped in a different form.

But something else started to interest me whenthinking about the technological development. If technology is moving forwardand forward how the future will look like? Are there going to be any people inaddition to all robots that use and serve these technologies? And the answer came todayfrom Microsoft. Here is a video that the company broadcasted on You Tube.According to this video in some years time we are going to have screens even inour desks and car windows and we will be able to have access to any kind ofinformation from there. Our phones will be almost as thinner as glass and wewill be surrounded almost everywhere by holograms. :

After watching this 3 times in a row I started readingthe comments below. And here is one that I like, published on September 29^thby someone called BrunoAntunesO: “Something is missing in this videofrom Microsoft.I know, the blue screen of death.”

References:

Flew, T., (2008) New media: an introduction, Oxford: Oxford University Press
Bell, D., and Kennedy, B., The cybercultures reader, London and New York: Routledge
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6cNdhOKwi0

Privacy, Surveillance, Everyware and Ubiquitous Computing

2011-10-29T18:07:00.001+01:00

If you Google the word “privacy” you can get approximately 3 900 000 000 results. And this is for 0.23 seconds only… The first page that my browser opens is the Wikipedia’s explanation of privacy according to which: “Privacy (from Latin: privatus "separated from the rest, deprived of something, esp. office, participation in the government", from privo "to deprive") is the ability of an individual or group to seclude themselves or information about themselves and thereby reveal themselves selectively.” / See the link here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Privacy/.

Privacy as a whole, is an issue that deals with conflicting desires and needs – people that want information and others that want to “restrict the flow”.

But do people tend to keep their privacy recently? For example, by hiding with hands their bank account’s PIN codes? Or by being afraid of buying products online? These are the smallest concerns that we can think of. But there is something more – the illusion that by writing again and again your user name and password on different accounts, your gender, your date of birth, your relationship status, your food preferences etc. your life gets easier because you control everything by just some clicks… I think that in this way we just volunteer on filling the big database with more and more information.

And do you still think you live a private life? Maybe it’s a good idea to think again. I can give some personal examples from today – I withdrew money from an ATM, I purchased a book online, I found a street's location using Google Maps from my phone, I was on a walk in the town centre, I used a twitter app. to find a timetable of 3 trains and I bought a ticket for the national lottery. And all of these activities mean the same – data, data, data. But who cares? At this particular moment – Nobody. And Why? Because I am a Nobody. And I can continue thinking that technologies make my life easier and I am safe till I will do something important. And what about this - is the meaning of the word “private” similar to “not important, not interesting” or a “nobody”? How big is the desire to be a Somebody and an important person? And do we consciously help the Big Brother? Here is a video published on YouTube by Russia Today on September 17^th 2011. It’s titled “ Death of Privacy: “Your cell phone Big Brother’s Best Friend” : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGHU8btqrrU

So do you still think you live a private life?

References:

Bell, B., Loader, B., Pleace, N., Shuler, D., (2004) Cyberculture. The Key Concepts, London and New York: Routledge
Flew, T., (2008) New media: an introduction, Oxford: Oxford University Press
Gauntlett, A., (1999) Net Spies. Who’s watching you on the Web, London: The Bath Press
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGHU8btqrrU, visited on 28.10.2011
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Privacy”, visited on 28.10.2011

Relationship Status: “In a relationship, but it’s complicated”. My computer and me, are we sort of the same?

2011-10-21T02:26:00.009+01:00

There is a popular belief that pets /dogs especially/ look like their owners. I was browsing The Guardian’s web page the other day and found an article where Dr. Lance Workman from Bath Spa University was quoted and she says: "There is a little bit of truth in the theory that owners look like their dogs, but if you are of a robust build you will probably have a more robust dog so that you can get lots of exercise. If you are more slight you may want a poodle as you think it needs less exercise." /check the whole article here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/blog/2009/apr/03/dogs-look-like-owners /.

So, it came to me to start a little experiment and try to find out if there is or not another similarity: Do computers look like their owners? Is there any special relationship between a computer and its owner and what is the reason for being so freaked out when there is no internet connection or when your computer has been infected by a virus.

I chose 5 girls from 5 different countries, age 20-26, and asked them 5 questions. I should say here that I chose girls only absolutely consciously because I have this feeling that girls are more open when they talk about relationships. So, you and your computer, are you sort of the same?

I introduce you to Cynthia from Norway, Eva from United Kingdom, Vasiliki from Greece, Laila from India and Petia from Bulgaria.

Name: Cynthia Amiri;

Country: Norway;

Occupation: Student, Bsc Psychology and Criminal Behaviour

Q1 Assya: Is your computer a He/She/It?

Cynthia: If my mac had a gender, it would be a "he", I guess.

Q2 Assya: What’s his name?

Cynthia: His name would be Mr. Renegade.

Q3 Assya: If your PC was a human being how would it look like?

Cynthia: He would look like a gentleman, wearing a suit, leather shoes and a top hat. His hair would be jet black and short. His eyes would be a piercing blue, and he would always carry a suitcase with him wherever he went.

Q4 Assya: How do you look after him?

Cynthia: I am very careful with him - I keep him neat and tidy and I am gentle so as to not "hurt" him (hahaha).

Q5 Assya: Which is the first web site you open when you turn your PC on?

Cynthia: The first website I go on would be facebook/gmail (both, usually).

Name: Eva Toro;

Country: United Kingdom;

Occupation: Student, BSc Psychology

Q1 Assya: Is your computer a He/She/It?

Eva: My Pc is a She.

Q2 Assya: What’s her name?

Eva: DELLiziosa.

Q3 Assya: If your PC was a human being how would it look like?

Eva: She would have light blue/violete hair and emerald eyes!

Q4 Assya: How do you look after her?

Eva: I take her all over the place with me!

Q5 Assya: Which is the first web site you open when you turn your PC on?

Eva: Hotmail.com

Name: Vasiliki Tzoyvara

Country: Greece;

Occupation: Student, MSc Public Health

Q1 Assya: Is your computer a He/She/It?

Vasiliki: He, because I think that i have better relationships with men than with women and I need a men who cares for me!!!!

Q2 Assya: What’s his name?

Vasiliki: His name is Alexandros, because it is an ancient Greek name and I like it!!

Q3 Assya: If your PC was a human being how would it look like?

Vasiliki: Tall, brown eyes, nice body, kind, with very very very good manners, nice personality and social!

Q4 Assya: How do you look after him?

Vasiliki: With love, protection and profitability.

Q5 Assya: Which is the first web site you open when you turn your PC on?

Vasiliki: My e-mail at yahoo.gr.....

Name: Petia Koleva;

Country: Bulgaria;Occupation: Student, MSc International Business Management

Q1 Assya: Is your computer a He/She/It?

Petia : It’s a He.

Q2 Assya: What’s his name?

Petia: His name is 'The Beast!' :)

Q3 Assya: If your PC was a human being how would it look like?

Petia: Something between Jude Law and Colin Farraell :)

Q4 Assya: How do you look after him?

Petia: As if he is the most priceless thing in the world :)

Q5 Assya: Which is the first web site you open when you turn your PC on?

Petia: Viva Facebook! :) Cheers!

Name: Laila Aga;

Country: India;

Occupation: Student, MA Media Culture, Art and Technologies

Q1 Assya: Is your computer a He/She/It?

Laila: My computer is a He....

Q2 Assya: What’s his name?

Laila: His name is Vaio.

Q3 Assya: If your PC was a human being how would it look like?

Laila: He wud look like Brad Pitt if he was a human.

Q4 Assya: How do you look after him?

Laila: he is always wth me on my bed dats how much I love him n look after him

Q5 Assya: Which is the first web site you open when you turn your PC on?

Laila: first site I open is facebook...

As you can see: Love is in the air :) This reminds me of a discussion group created not long ago… I was even invited there… “Velentine’s day is near, what will you buy for your computer?”.

So, any ideas? :)

Facebook as a fridge?

2011-10-14T23:36:00.000+01:00

I keep on pushing the "refresh" button...

A friend of mine told me a joke yesterday and it was: "Facebook is like a fridge - you keep opening it although you know that there is nothing in it". But where is this "it"?

At this exact moment I have bananas, peppers, cheddar cheese, cokes, water and 2 jars of yoghurt in my fridge... Due to the recent status updates I have depressed, angry, snobbish, bubbling, unhealthy, indifferent and lost facebook "friends". What are the perspectives - if I eat all the food from the fridge at once I will probably have a stomachache... If I comment on all statuses I will probably have a headache and if I keep staring either at the fridge or the facebook my eyes are going to hurt... I can turn them off- it will be dangerous for the food and it will be impolite for the friends...

Both facebook and my fridge are technology. I consider even making a fan page of my fridge... I will call it "The place where there is something but not enough, anything but most of the time fake and frozen" and "like" it myself.

But there is a tricky thing in here. And the truth is that both facebook and my fridge are going to continue working. It doesn't matter if I decide to use them or not. I remember now a thought by John Ciardi: "The day will happen whether or not you get up". I will paraphrase it: "The day will happen whether or not you log in".

I keep on pushing the "refresh" button...