This will be my last blog entry regarding my Informational Studies class on Social Issues in a Networked Society, but it won't be my last blog entry. I know I haven't really been posting as often as I would like, but I will be changing that in the near future. Recent times have been hectic with school and all, but I am adjusting. Either way when something interesting comes along, you'll be the first to hear about it.
Cheers!
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Craiglist is Cool!
Okay, so I'm sure most of you have heard of Craigslist. In my honest opinion, one of the greatest websites and free services ever!! I mean, sometimes it's fun just to browse regardless of what city you're living in. Especially the rant & rave part of it. Holy Shit some of those can be funny as hell, take for instance this rant and rave that got nominated into the "best-of" portion of craigslist:
Hey CRACKHEAD!!!
Hey CRACKHEAD!!!
Let me just say that if you ever need something random and/or need or want to sell anything or get rid of anything or just bitch about something, go. to. Craigslist.
Second Life Revisited...
Alright, so I have taken a second look at Second Life. After all, I did kinda judge the book...well you know the rest of it. Anyway, I am still not that impressed with it but it isn't as bad as I made it out to be at first. I know it's free, so don't start with that, but it still isn't all that.
Actually the class through which I heard about the game met in Second Life rather than the physical class room. I must say, it was a weird experience. Of course it was nothing like meeting in real life and discussing topics was a little difficult. However, our instructor did show us around and took us to some very interesting places. One of them being the Virginia Tech memorial (my sympathy to you and yours), which was honestly a very odd experience. Everywhere else we went I was flying around testing the game, but in here it was morbid and quiet, as if being compelled to show respect for the departed.
I have to admit, I have a new found respect for Second Life and maybe one day I will devote enough time to really appreciate the game, but in the end it's still just a game and have to attend to my first life for the time being.
Peace.
Actually the class through which I heard about the game met in Second Life rather than the physical class room. I must say, it was a weird experience. Of course it was nothing like meeting in real life and discussing topics was a little difficult. However, our instructor did show us around and took us to some very interesting places. One of them being the Virginia Tech memorial (my sympathy to you and yours), which was honestly a very odd experience. Everywhere else we went I was flying around testing the game, but in here it was morbid and quiet, as if being compelled to show respect for the departed.
I have to admit, I have a new found respect for Second Life and maybe one day I will devote enough time to really appreciate the game, but in the end it's still just a game and have to attend to my first life for the time being.
Peace.
Second Life?
So Gabe Greggan is now a newly birthed citizen in the virtual world of Second Life. To be honest, I don't think I had ever heard of Second Life until we discussed it in my Informational Studies class. Shit, even for a while, since I had missed a few classes, I almost thought they were talking about a literal second life considering the hype they were building around it.
But I digress... Second Life is a cool concept and it is quite amazing the things that one can accomplish there, but not really my type of game. Although I did play World of Warcraft (WoW) for about a year and half since its last beta, I never was one to fall into games like SIMS. It was just too realistic and not enough fantasy, but then again, that's just what I like. Fantasy games where you can look like an animal or go and ring someone's neck without consequence is more my cup of tea. Not to mention the engine that runs the game. I'd like to think that my computer is fairly up to date and can run most games out there whether they be online or not, but second life has got too much goin' on for it to run smoothly. I know, I know... you're sittin there with raised brow sayin', "Whatta y'expect? It's FREE!" I realize that and the great, just not for me. I am patient guy when it comes to real life situations, but when it comes to bandwidth my road rage gets the better of me. So suck it, I'm out.
Monday, April 02, 2007
Are we moving towards cybernetics faster that we should?
I recently saw a special on pbs called "22nd Century."
You can watch the video here:
http://www.pbs.org/22ndcentury/
So I guess I am on the fence about this subject. It's kinda hard to draw a conclusion when both sides have valid points.
Do we really want the "I, Robot" society? I mean, how lazy do we need to get before we have robots doing all of our work for us. I realize there a select few of us that will be fortunate enough to have the occupation of designing these things and creating prototypes before a machine is built to mass produce them.
My biggest beef with the idea and humans as a whole is that we are no longer creatures of moderation and I am guilty of this too. Everything has to be done to the extent of it being too big, too much, too loud, too quiet, too much!!! Anyone with an iota of common sense knows that too much of anything is bad. Yet, we persist on the acquisition of "more."
When it comes to machines or computers, I love them and I believe they are some of the bes things we have ever conceived, but as Benjamin Franklin would put it, "Tis easier to see, than to foresee." Think about the consequences, people.
You can watch the video here:
http://www.pbs.org/22ndcentury/
So I guess I am on the fence about this subject. It's kinda hard to draw a conclusion when both sides have valid points.
Do we really want the "I, Robot" society? I mean, how lazy do we need to get before we have robots doing all of our work for us. I realize there a select few of us that will be fortunate enough to have the occupation of designing these things and creating prototypes before a machine is built to mass produce them.
My biggest beef with the idea and humans as a whole is that we are no longer creatures of moderation and I am guilty of this too. Everything has to be done to the extent of it being too big, too much, too loud, too quiet, too much!!! Anyone with an iota of common sense knows that too much of anything is bad. Yet, we persist on the acquisition of "more."
When it comes to machines or computers, I love them and I believe they are some of the bes things we have ever conceived, but as Benjamin Franklin would put it, "Tis easier to see, than to foresee." Think about the consequences, people.
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