Ok, so I think I am sticking with the topic about Creative Commons and copyright. Well, for now anyway.. ;)
Just here to make a list of some possible useful resources that I can use throughout the week.
Websites:
Creative Commons Australia
Creative Commons
Australian Copyright Council
What is Intellectual Property?
Books:
International Copyright: Principals, Laws and Practice - Goldstein
Digital Copyright: Protecting Individual Property on the Internet - Litman
Copyright Enforcement and the Internet - Stamatoudi
Copyright on the Internet Illustrated: Essentials - Waxer & Baum
Copyright & The Internet: A Discussion Paper - Australian Copyright Council
Creative Commons: Business, Social & Educational Implications - Sornum
Intellectual Property and Information Wealth: Copyright and Related Rights - Yu
This seems like a lot to wade through, and I fear that most of it will contain the same basic information. Now I am pondering if I can stretch this out to 2000 words? I will have to do a bit more research and try to think of how I want to position myself in the essay before I make a decision, I think..
Monday, January 31, 2011
Response to Lecture 2.5 - Media Ecology and the Invisible Environment
I was unable to be at this lecture unfortunately, but I have gone through the slides online and wanted to post a little running commentary on them as I go back through them. This isn't a required post for the tutorials, so I'm not taking it too seriously, so I will just write some quick notes in dot points!
- Firstly, I love the cartoon depicting the difference between media and mediums. I like to think I understood the concept and the correct terminology before, but now it is even more clear.
- What is Media Ecology? Well I'd assume that it is the study of the media environment.. Which I'm assuming is what the next slide is going to say, which in turn is this invisible environment that we're looking at?
- The Extensions of Man theory is really interesting. Never had I thought of those ideas, but now that I have seen them, I wonder how those connections crossed my mind before, it seems so obvious!
- So, Postman believes that technology is just the use of techniques by people, but when those techniques have a social or cultural purpose, they become media? So, communication has a social and cultural purpose and is therefore media. Does this equate to (and I'm trying to create an analogy here) the process of talking, the actual functions involved in the action itself, being the technology, and when that technology is being used in order to convey a message, through talking to someone, it is the media? Wow, I think that is very hard to follow, it makes sense in my head. It is late at night, that's my excuse and I am sticking to it!
Tutorial Task 2.5 - Media Inventory
The following is going to be a list of the various types of media that I encounter throughout an average day.
I've always been somewhat aware of how much media I am immersed in every day, but completing this list so quickly and knowing I could add many many more if I put my mind to it, is a little alarming. It is also assuming to think back to when I was a child, and how small my list would have been back then.... How things change, eh?
- iPhone alarm waking me up
- Text messages
- Voicemail
- Social media (ie. Facebook and Twitter)
- Websites
- Radio
- Television
- Billboards
- Street Signs
- Food packaging
- Tobacco packaging
- Son's school uniform
- Other packaged items (soaps, deodorants, toothpaste etc)
- My son whinging and asking for McDonald's, KFC or Red Rooster (a DIRECT result and example of the impact of the media!!!)
I've always been somewhat aware of how much media I am immersed in every day, but completing this list so quickly and knowing I could add many many more if I put my mind to it, is a little alarming. It is also assuming to think back to when I was a child, and how small my list would have been back then.... How things change, eh?
Tutorial Task 2.4 -Examining Net.Art
Today's task requires us to examine at least three of digital poet, Jason Nelson's, digital creations. We are then required to respond to the following questions about the way we interact with the work:
How does it make you feel?
What does it makes you think about?
What are the other media forms that it uses, or is similar to?
If we accept that Jason's works are poetry - How do you "read" digital poetry like that?
Wittenoom:
I am a little unsure about how this piece of e-Art made me feel. It confused me a little. If it were a poem, written in stanzas, I probably would have understood it less as I wouldn't have the background music creating a mood, I wouldn't have the pictures provoking thought. But then, by that token, perhaps I would have understood it more, or been able to come up with my own interpretation of the art due to the lack of distractions and the ease of reading and contemplation?
Birds Still Warm From Flying:
Again, I am a little confused. Perhaps I am just poetically illiterate? Or so uncultured that I don't understand anything? Perhaps I shouldn't be admitting that in a public place? I found this one hard to follow, which perhaps was the point. The music was distracting, and the text hard to read as it overlapped each other, or was too small. Perhaps I just have a silly computer? Either way, I got irritated with it and moved onto...
Evidence of Everything Exploding This:
Now this one looks interesting, I am still waiting for it to load, but there is a blurb on the front page which I completely comprehend and I actually have a basis of thought for what I am looking at. Let's see if I change my views once it is loaded.. Woah, freaked out by the prophecies created in this piece of e-Art. Whilst, again, this was a little busy, I think that was the point. This would have to be my favourite piece of work so far, possibly due to the aforementioned blurb that, which made it what I was looking at more clear.
By the way, Adam, maybe you should tell Jason that in the blurb for this game he used the wrong form of its!! (that's the teacher in me.. and I have probably made a fool of myself, as his misuse, knowing my luck, is probably some sort of form of irony!)
Stunningly Harmful Songs:
This is a collection of videos with a song being sung in the background, and bordered by an animated scene and title. The work that I enjoyed the most was titled Super Heaven and was a video of the contents of one's fridge, with the lyrics repeating the words super heaven. Perhaps to some people, the contents of the fridge really is a super version of heaven? Perhaps they are referring to supermarket heaven.. All of the products bought and consumed from these grocery chains is obviously their main goal, right?
Ok, so it was clear here that most of these works confused me a little, mostly due to the overuse of media (audio, written words, videos etc), which tended to cloud the message a little for me. In all though, I do consider these works as art, and more specificially, poetry.
As Griffith (2006) noted, authors created their literature in order to express ideas for us, as the readers, to enjoy, interpret and analyse (if one wishes). In these works, Jason Nelson, has indeed intended to pass upon a message, and while it is in a somewhat non-conventional format, it is still poetry. How do we read digital poetry such as this, you ask? Well, my answer is that you read it the same way as you read any poetry. Griffith (2006) believes that to interpret literature, and in this case, poetry, one needs to use their imagination to relate the work to their experiences and to actively theorise about the meaning behind the literature as one is reading. Won't this mean that each person's interpretation may be different, just as with 'normal', traditional poetry? The fact that it is e-Art and in digital form doesn't change what it is, it just makes the experience that more involved and, possibly, thought provoking.
How does it make you feel?
What does it makes you think about?
What are the other media forms that it uses, or is similar to?
If we accept that Jason's works are poetry - How do you "read" digital poetry like that?
Wittenoom:
I am a little unsure about how this piece of e-Art made me feel. It confused me a little. If it were a poem, written in stanzas, I probably would have understood it less as I wouldn't have the background music creating a mood, I wouldn't have the pictures provoking thought. But then, by that token, perhaps I would have understood it more, or been able to come up with my own interpretation of the art due to the lack of distractions and the ease of reading and contemplation?
Birds Still Warm From Flying:
Again, I am a little confused. Perhaps I am just poetically illiterate? Or so uncultured that I don't understand anything? Perhaps I shouldn't be admitting that in a public place? I found this one hard to follow, which perhaps was the point. The music was distracting, and the text hard to read as it overlapped each other, or was too small. Perhaps I just have a silly computer? Either way, I got irritated with it and moved onto...
Evidence of Everything Exploding This:
Now this one looks interesting, I am still waiting for it to load, but there is a blurb on the front page which I completely comprehend and I actually have a basis of thought for what I am looking at. Let's see if I change my views once it is loaded.. Woah, freaked out by the prophecies created in this piece of e-Art. Whilst, again, this was a little busy, I think that was the point. This would have to be my favourite piece of work so far, possibly due to the aforementioned blurb that, which made it what I was looking at more clear.
By the way, Adam, maybe you should tell Jason that in the blurb for this game he used the wrong form of its!! (that's the teacher in me.. and I have probably made a fool of myself, as his misuse, knowing my luck, is probably some sort of form of irony!)
Stunningly Harmful Songs:
This is a collection of videos with a song being sung in the background, and bordered by an animated scene and title. The work that I enjoyed the most was titled Super Heaven and was a video of the contents of one's fridge, with the lyrics repeating the words super heaven. Perhaps to some people, the contents of the fridge really is a super version of heaven? Perhaps they are referring to supermarket heaven.. All of the products bought and consumed from these grocery chains is obviously their main goal, right?
Ok, so it was clear here that most of these works confused me a little, mostly due to the overuse of media (audio, written words, videos etc), which tended to cloud the message a little for me. In all though, I do consider these works as art, and more specificially, poetry.
As Griffith (2006) noted, authors created their literature in order to express ideas for us, as the readers, to enjoy, interpret and analyse (if one wishes). In these works, Jason Nelson, has indeed intended to pass upon a message, and while it is in a somewhat non-conventional format, it is still poetry. How do we read digital poetry such as this, you ask? Well, my answer is that you read it the same way as you read any poetry. Griffith (2006) believes that to interpret literature, and in this case, poetry, one needs to use their imagination to relate the work to their experiences and to actively theorise about the meaning behind the literature as one is reading. Won't this mean that each person's interpretation may be different, just as with 'normal', traditional poetry? The fact that it is e-Art and in digital form doesn't change what it is, it just makes the experience that more involved and, possibly, thought provoking.
References
Griffith, K. (2006). Writing essays about literature: A guide and style sheet. Boston, MA: Thomson Wadsworth.
Nelson, J. (n.d.). Secret technology: Net art: Digital poetry: Video oddities. Retrieved January 31, 2011, from http://secrettechnology.com/
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Response to Reading 2.2 - The Military Entertainment Complex
I found this article to be very interesting, enlightening and alarming.
First, I found it amusing the facts that were brought up about how the White House was, in a sense, big noting itself and basically telling the country to keep their eyes peeled for the action to come, and forgetting that the power of the media and complaining about the war being different to what they had planned for. It's not always wise to create such a big hype, particularly to make yourself look good, and warn the opposition of your game plan, I'm not some experienced strategist, but even I see the lack of sense in that.
The most alarming point of the reading, and one which made me feel quite naive, was that regarding Private Jessica . Exploiting a story and stretching the facts to gain audience approval, and in this case, approval of the nation in regard to their involvement in the war, including special effects to add 'dazzle', and to be entertaining and 'gamelike', in order to win much needed support.
Interesting was the discussion about propaganda, and the use of entertainment to convey and manipulate audiences with a message that suits the requirements of their own regime. The underlying messages in Casablanca is remarkable. I for one have never seen the movie, but I know it is a great romance, little did I know it was passing on such a message. I guess I need to look at movies a little more critically now? Otherwise I won't fall in love and live happily ever after unless I support the war in Iraq, right?! Where do I finds me a soldier?!
First, I found it amusing the facts that were brought up about how the White House was, in a sense, big noting itself and basically telling the country to keep their eyes peeled for the action to come, and forgetting that the power of the media and complaining about the war being different to what they had planned for. It's not always wise to create such a big hype, particularly to make yourself look good, and warn the opposition of your game plan, I'm not some experienced strategist, but even I see the lack of sense in that.
The most alarming point of the reading, and one which made me feel quite naive, was that regarding Private Jessica . Exploiting a story and stretching the facts to gain audience approval, and in this case, approval of the nation in regard to their involvement in the war, including special effects to add 'dazzle', and to be entertaining and 'gamelike', in order to win much needed support.
Interesting was the discussion about propaganda, and the use of entertainment to convey and manipulate audiences with a message that suits the requirements of their own regime. The underlying messages in Casablanca is remarkable. I for one have never seen the movie, but I know it is a great romance, little did I know it was passing on such a message. I guess I need to look at movies a little more critically now? Otherwise I won't fall in love and live happily ever after unless I support the war in Iraq, right?! Where do I finds me a soldier?!
References
Stockwell, S., & Muir, A. (2003). The military-entertainment complex: A new facet of information warfare. The fibreculture journal (1).
Essay Woes
I have been contemplating my essay topic a little further and I thought I had decided on discussing the impact of two different people upon digital technologies and culture; after all I do know Doug Engelbart's birthday now, surely I am qualified to talk about him? Or how about Ada Lovelace, the world's first recognised computer programmer? And the only woman in the list, I might add.. (what a legend!)
I thought this would be a really interesting topic to cover in my essay, but now I am pondering if I should talk about copyright and Creative Commons, seeing as I learnt so much about it last week in lectures and readings and in making my video
I guess either way I need to make a decision, seeing as it is due at the end of this week. Perhaps I should just pick one of the other topics instead?!
I thought this would be a really interesting topic to cover in my essay, but now I am pondering if I should talk about copyright and Creative Commons, seeing as I learnt so much about it last week in lectures and readings and in making my video
I guess either way I need to make a decision, seeing as it is due at the end of this week. Perhaps I should just pick one of the other topics instead?!
Tutorial Task 2.2 - Internet Based Political Participation
The tasks for this tutorial are listed below. A link to where you can view my response to the task, or information about the task will be provided after the task requirements.
· Sign an e-petition.
I signed a petition calling on the Prime Minister to listen to the will of the Australian people and enact a Human Rights Act. You can sign this petition here.
· Respond to a professional blogger at a major news site.
I responded to a blog written by Janet Albrechtsen, who writes for The Australian, about literacy and the lack of skills teachers have to teach children to read. This article is actually a couple of years old, but you can view my comment here (once it has been approved).
· What is Barak Obama up to today?
What is Barak Obama up to today? Find out by reading his TWITTER!! Hehe.
You can also visit his official website which contains a blog outlining what Barak has been up to, including videos and news about his recent State of the Union address. One thing though, to get into the site, I had to input a valid email and post code. Australian postcodes are not valid, so what did I put in? The only US postcode I know – 90210! Ha ha! And then it redirected me to a page to donate funds.. I don’t think so, Barak! Luckily I am clever and changed the URL so I could skip that nonsense and get to the homepage!
· Find out who your local, state and federal representatives are.
Local Representative: Ian McKenzie
State Representative: Cameron Dick
Federal Representative: Kevin Rudd
· Look up the Queensland or Australian hansard to find the last time your local member spoke in parliament.
24 October 2010
· What do you think of the Australian Government's plans to censor the internet (the so-called "Clean Feed")???
I think the “Clean Feed” is a ridiculous idea. Its initial intentions of being a means to eradicate child porn were admirable, but it has hurricaned into something much bigger, extending the policy to include a wider range of content. Being a part of democracy means we should have access to free speech, right? Well how is restricting us giving us that opportunity?
And what is the point of blocking child pornography, when file sharing programs remain unblocked, allowing users to distribute as much child pornography as they like? It all seems a little redundant, doesn’t it?
To me, this is the result of an idea formed by a bunch of old-fashioned, cynical bigots who wish to impose their narrow-minded views/ways onto the rest of the country.
I think the “Clean Feed” is a ridiculous idea. Its initial intentions of being a means to eradicate child porn were admirable, but it has hurricaned into something much bigger, extending the policy to include a wider range of content. Being a part of democracy means we should have access to free speech, right? Well how is restricting us giving us that opportunity?
And what is the point of blocking child pornography, when file sharing programs remain unblocked, allowing users to distribute as much child pornography as they like? It all seems a little redundant, doesn’t it?
To me, this is the result of an idea formed by a bunch of old-fashioned, cynical bigots who wish to impose their narrow-minded views/ways onto the rest of the country.
· What place does censorship have in a democracy?
Censorship has no place in a democracy because it destroys one of the key factors that make a democracy so; that talk is possibly the important element of democratic activity. Therefore, in order to participate in a democracy, one must have access to free speech. If censorship occurs, then that freedom of speech is gone, as is our participation in a democratic society. Censorship and democracy, sounds like a bit of an oxymoron, doesn’t it?
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