Assignment 1 Net102 - Q & A's

I mentioned in an earlier post, that when I'm gearing up for an assessment I search the internet for examples of previous work. I use these to get a feel for what has been submitted, often the questions are different to the ones I need to answer, but for me, I think it has helped me find my own style of writing.

So, here is my assignment 1, unedited. Three questions & my responses.  I received 7.5/10.  Please please do not copy my work, it is plagiarism to do so.


cheers
Sarah



How has the move from an analogue to digital medium changed the distribution and consumption of music?

From transistor radio to the iPod and other MP3 players, the music industry is again at a turning point. The move to the digital format is now supported by a plethora of easy to access web applications. Music of all genres, ages and languages can be tested, purchased and allocated to a personal 'mix tape' in minutes. Legal music download sites allow consumers to purchase single songs in an instant. Beer (2006) says a significant change in music culture has been the increase of music downloading. ITunes alone reached 10 billion downloads in February 2010 (apple.com), showing the shift in consumer behavior away from wanting to purchase a physical album.

Music is more portable than ever before. As access to the Internet has become more accessible, people are using the portability of music players to create a private space in public. Laughey (2007, p175) states ‘music can enable a feeling of occupancy and control in ‘public’ spaces’. From analogue to digital, the most significant change to the music industry is that speed and portability are now the keys to music distribution and consumption.



References

Apple iTunes (2010) “Tunes Store Tops 10 Billion Songs Sold”, February 25, http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2010/02/25iTunes-Store-Tops-10-Billion-Songs-Sold.html

Beer, David (2006). The Pop-Pickers Have Picked Decentralised Media: the Fall of Top of the Pops and the Rise of the Second Media Age. Social Research Online. http://www.socresonline.org.uk/11/3/beer.html

Laughey, D. (2007). Music Media in Young People's Everyday Lives. In Music, Sound and Multimedia: From the Live to the Virtual Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 172-187




Pascoe describes the use of technology by young adults as part of their romantic lives in a way that is integrated into their everyday lives. Do you think the use of online dating sites can also be considered a normal part of everyday life? Why/why not?

Young adults 'perform' their relationships via the online world, providing them a wider audience through more access to their existing ‘ties’ and opportunities to re-enforce ‘latent-ties’ (Haythornwaithe, 2005). People in the age group that learned to perform relationships prior to the emergence of the Internet ‘Digital Immigrants’ (Prensky, 2001) tend to think of these intimacy practices as private. In comparison, teen-dating behavior is often public and collaborative (Pascoe, 2009). Social Network Sites, instant messaging and mobile phone use further facilitates this public behavior.

For many, online dating is part of their everyday life formed through the opportunities presented by the convergence between globalization, the Internet and the emotional being. (Henry-Waring & Barraket) In the busy digital world of today, finding love and intimacy online is often the rational way. Through an online dating site’s profile page, one can enable filters that are not easily accessible in an offline setting, leading to a more streamlined approach to finding love. Henry-Waring & Barraket maintain that emotional online interactions are part of the real world, not separate from it (Stanley 2001). Therefore the intimacies formed and played out online are a real part of normal everyday life.



References

Haythornwaithe, C. (2002) Strong, Weak, and Latent Ties and the Impact of New Media The Information Society: An International Journal 18(5), 385-388

Pascoe, C.J. (2009) Intimacy in Mizuko, I et. al. Hanging Out, Messing Around, Geeking Out: Living and Learning with New Media. Massachusetts: The MIT Press, 117-148

Prensky, M. (2001) Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants From On the Horizon London: MCB University Press 9(5), 2-4

Henry-Waring, M., & Barraket, J. (2008) Dating & Intimacy in the 21st Century: The Use of Online Dating Sites in Australia International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Society 6(1), 14-3


How, if at all, has the relationship between Doctor and patient been affected by the rise in the use of the Internet, in relationship to peoples health, in everyday life?

The rise of the concept of Medicine 2.0 has empowered people to be more involved in their own healthcare. Doctor’s fees are increasingly expensive and time is always of the essence within a consultation and many people are reading up on their symptoms proactively. (Anderson, Rainey, and Eysenbach) This enables the system to cater to as many people as possible within a short time frame. One major problem with self-diagnosis is potential for misdiagnosis, which can lead to unnecessary stress on the patient or even inappropriate self-medicating.  The Internet has not replaced the need for a physical consultation with a medical professional; however, there is scope for more health services to take place online.

“The Internet has been a tool for users and citizens to get more involved and empowered” (Eysenbach 2008) aiding the shift over time from a patients one-way relationship with their doctor to more of a collaborative model. The availability of information online enables a patient to question their doctor, discuss possible alternative treatments and make informed choices. Support groups provide emotional and factual support online, point patients in the direction of alternative treatments and enable a person to be in control of their health, identifying them as an expert in the experience of their own health (Eysenbach 2008).



References

Anderson, J. G., Rainey M.R., & Eysenbach G. (2003) The Impact of CyberHealthcare on the Physician-Patient Relationship. Journal of Medical Systems 27(1) 67-84
Eysenbach, G. (2008). Medicine 2.0: Social Networking, Collaboration, Participation, Apomediation, and Openness. Journal of Medical Internet Research. 10(3).

Health online

Learning Portfolio task.

A good friends young son has recently been diagnosed with high functioning autism. There is a lot of press about Autism, but personally I do not understand the different types and what it means to be autistic.

Johnny is 5, and is completing his second year of kinder and will go to a mainstream primary school next year.

Interestingly, because I am not the parent I disregarded sites that operate like forums. I am more attracted to sites that appear factual and not first person based. I think that if I was closer to the person with Autism then I would be more interested in hearing direct personal stories.

First up, I googled ‘Autism in Children’.  I was very excited to find the first site that came up is the Australian site www.raisingchildren.net.au. Checking that the information was relevant to our country was going to be my next step! A large portion of self-diagnosis can be incorrect as the information comes from overseas, particularly in the case of illness that have a direct relationship with the environment like hayfever, sinusitis etc.

Raising Children offers parent forums, more information around Autism, signs and how a diagnosis is made. The information is clear ad concise giving the impression of truth. Being also a government supported site adds to the feeling of ‘real’ information.

www.autismspectrum.org.au - was the next site that I grabbed.  Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect) is a not for profit organisation providing support and services to people with Autism and their families. Aspect appears to be a great organisiation that offers parental support, in-school support and also special camps for autistic children. 

cheers

Sarah

...at work nobody knows I'm a wizard

What are the differences that Brooks observes between gaming in Korea and the United States? How does this compare to your experience of gaming?


One of the main points that Brooks (1:2012) makes is the cultural acceptance of gaming in Korea. PC Bangs remain popular in Korea whilst there are almost non existent in the US.  Brooks observes that Korea is one of the most 'wired' countries in the world. the population is primarily densely populated making is easier for a functioning broadband network to operate. Making the internet easy and faster to use, therefore gaming is a much more pleasant experience. The speed and ease of access, has helped encourage social acceptance of gaming as a mainstream form of entertainment.

Alternatively, the US population (much like Australia) is much more widely dispersed making fast and consistent Internet access difficult to guarantee. .  Therefore, according to the article, US gamers prefer game consoles such as the PS3 and x-box that use gaming discs as these do not rely on the internet.  In the US there is a stigma of gaming being seen as an activity for 'gamers', singling them out as non-mainstream similar to other cultural sub groups, like 'goths'.  As internet access becomes more of a political topic I am certain that the US will start to spend more money on ensuring good internet access across the board, not unlike our NBN. Perhaps, has Korea and the US are no cultural different in the first instance, their online gaming habits will never truly match up. However, as the gaming community grows worldwide it will be interesting to see if gamers are more accepted having a mainstream pastime.


The U.S is a large country, and people generally have more space around them to live their lives than in a small densely populated country like Korea. Does this inherently encourage more outdoor, perhaps, sports related activities' to be the norm as opposed to gaming?

I have never played a massive multiplayer online game. I have had a little go at casual games like bejewelled, dabbled in owning a farm in farmville. I did set up an account on Second Life, but I really didn't know what to do with it. Growing up, there wasn't too much focus on using the family computer for games at all. My sister had a console, the one that you play Alex Kidd on, but even that didn't last too long. I wonder if there was a lack of interest because I am female and have two sisters?


Brooks, G. (n.d.). Counting Rupees: Korea bangs | Joystiq. Retrieved June 10, 2012, from http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/08/counting-rupees-korea-bangs/

Music: Analogue to Digital - The Change

From the moment music became more readily available its value has been on the rise. With the advent of portable music systems i.e gramophones, music became a consumerable for the people who set the trends primarily the youth . The progression from Vinyl single to album, to cassette, then CD and finally MP3 has been rapid. Each change has held resistance from recording companies and in some instances the artists. Recording companies concerned about controlling their income, artists concerned about intellectual property. The industry is again at a turning point, the move to digital now has the supporting web applications to reach all web users. Music of all genres, ages, languages can be tested, purchases and allocated to a personal 'mix tape' in minutes. It does seem like the shift to digital, through being so available has diluted the cultural segregations that once were so clear when it came to music choices. 

I will do some more reading on this....I think that music has traditionally been a major driver in many of the ways trends of kinds shift. Now that music consumption and distribution has changed, I'm interested in discovering how artists & their publicity machines convey the concept of what their music holds. For example, do young people watch video hits anymore? Does a film clip to a music track create the same excitement as it did?

'the intertwining between the private and public'. In particular young peoples bedrooms are spaces where public resources are utilised to help the teen create and play with their sense of self, identity and creativity. (Laughey D 2009)