jordan

The topic of open access typically carries ideas of the subversion of paywalls and expensive journal subscriptions to make content obtainable by anyone. In Who controls your computer? I investigate what open access means to the software industry and the decisions that must be made by software developers when it comes to product distribution. I found that in the field of computer software the usage of the words free and open source diverges from the commonly assumed gratis connotations. Continue reading →

Computers are rapidly encapsulating our lives [1] [2] [3]. With a global industry worth $407.3 billion it is hard to understate the effect that software has on society [4]. But who controls your computer? A computer performs almost any task by processing a set of instructions known as software. If you control the software, you control the computer. By using proprietary software, the software vendor controls your computing and imposes limits on what you, the user, can do. Continue reading →

In my latest post, ‘Promoting What?!‘, I decided to take a more journalistic approach by exploring the ethical issues of advertising on social media. I focused on how Youtube has been put in under the spotlight for placing commercials on inappropriate videos. Watch it soar This post for topic 4 saw a huge spike in traffic compared to the rest of my blog. Typically, my posts for UOSM2008 get approximately 20 unique visitors a day. Continue reading →

In my latest post, ‘Promoting What?!‘, I decided to take a more journalistic approach by exploring the ethical issues of advertising on social media. I focused on how Youtube has been put in under the spotlight for placing commercials on inappropriate videos. Watch it soar This post for topic 4 saw a huge spike in traffic compared to the rest of my blog. Typically, my posts for UOSM2008 get approximately 20 unique visitors a day. Continue reading →

Commercials are everywhere on the Web and the use of social media as an advertising platform has become an integral to marketing strategies. However, late last week Google has seen a boycott by some of the largest corporations and governmental organizations as they pull their ads off of its networks in response to association with controversial content. Continue reading →

In my post ‘Working offline is no longer an option’ I explored how an authentic identity is becoming integral to the success of one’s professional career. From my original research, I found that developing a professional identity yields much more than just recruitability benefits. It has become apparent that to convey an authentic identity, a certain level of consistency is required [1], [2]. Madeleine offered many tips on how to achieve this consistency. Continue reading →

Last week I mentioned how recruiters are much more likely to engage in the practice of online profile screening [1], [2]. However, the utility of an online professional identity beyond the hiring process can be easily overlooked. Maintaining an active professional profile can yield many benefits. In a self-conducted interview, Barney Green of Higher Safety discusses what an online professional profile means to him and the effect it has on his business. Continue reading →

In my latest post ‘Anonymity is Endangered’ I evaluate the concept of multiple online identities and, in particular, how the iconic anonymous identity of the Internet is being eroded by a new wave of identity centric Web 2.0 services. After reading Harriet’s post, I took a liking to the infographic that she used and have decided create one myself to clearly summarize the main types of online identity I call ‘The Big Three’. Continue reading →

Gradually the ability to use the Internet anonymously is being eroded away, every website you use seems to require you to setup some kind of account to participate often requiring part of your real identity to continue despite it not being strictly necessary for operation [1]. This trend towards full disclosure has raised concerns about the future of anonymity on the net. An identity is the collection of attributes and behaviors that describe an agent, typically a human or computer [2]. Continue reading →

In my post ‘Why digital visitors and residents still misses the point’ I explain the concepts of the visitor resident continuum. However, I also challenge it’s practical applications and suggest why the idiosyncratic focus does not bring benefit to the digital community as a whole. Although not everybody agreed such as Wei, I did find strong support from others like Louise and Andrei. Continue reading →

Digital residents surfing the net. Internet (A First Discovery Book), Scholastic The terms digital visitor and digital resident have been used to describe engagement in a digital environment [1],[2]. However, the power of this model is misunderstood leading to a wasted potential. The idea of digital residents and visitors stems from the work of Prensky [3] with the concept of the digital native and immigrant. Continue reading →