Judgement Day. Essay, Is E-mail Dead?

E-mail is short for electronic mail and is the transmission of messages over communication networks. E-mail is considered fast, reliable and flexible. Companies make extensive use of email because of the latter factor. E-mails can be sent to more than one user at the same time. This is called broadcasting. However my argument is focusing on whether or not E-mail is dead. In regards to companies I disagree and think it is not dead to companies. However some theorists are suggesting that Instant Messaging is more reliable in the work place as it reaches people who are available to communicate, instantly. In Doug Beizer’s article Is Email Dead? Beizer states, “The [IM] system is a convenient way to initiate dialogue because it includes information about who is available at their desk and offers the benefits of real-time communication.” (1997) With E-mail, communication cannot happen instantly as you could be waiting over a day for a reply. So it is questionable whether or not E-mail will soon become dead in companies. When it comes to socialising I agree and believe E-mail has been dead for a number of years. Myspace, MSN and Facebook have replaced the E-mail phenomenon. These social networks allow Internet users to socialise with their friends and family in a quick and entertaining way as you can view recent photos and remain up to date without the inconvenience of numerous attachments. According to comScore, Facebook are the number one photo sharing application on the web.

It is important to understand the history of e-mail and how it originated when questioning is e-mail dead? E-mail was a crucial tool in creating in the Internet. Once the Internet had accelerated, social networks among many other sites were created.

World Topix article on the History of E-mail states “Email is much older than the Internet. It was never invented; it evolved from very simple beginnings. Early email was just a small advance on what we know these days as a file directory.” The first ever e-mail was created through APRANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network). APRANET was created originally for military and education centres to communicate. In 1971 Ray Tomlinson sent the world’s first electronic message. By 1972 Tomlinson made the modern day format of the e-mail address. Through time, e-mail has now become more advanced and user friendly. E-mail has also worked out cheaper than other forms of communication such as the telephone. Richard T. Griffiths states “as long as the costs of keeping computer links open were carried by the computing centre, it is a much cheaper medium than the telephone.” (2002)When comparing e-mail to social networking trends such as Myspace and MSN, I believe that the social networks outweigh e-mail. After interviewing a group of teenage Internet users, Stefanie Olsen from CNET News agrees and states “It may be that social networks are the most potent new rival to e-mail, one of the Internet's oldest forms of communication.” (2007)

Burdens which have led to the demise of e-mail are issues such as spam which is the equivalent of junk mail or a prank phone call. Spam can simply be defined as all unsolicited electronic mail sent out in bulk to individuals/organisations that have not consented to receive it. Spam creates a number of issues for e-mail users as legitimate e-mails can be lost amongst all the unwanted spam. Spam is a major factor to why e-mail is considered dead to most people and why social networks are the preferred form of communicating between friends and family. Admittedly e-mail has one main use in most young people’s lives. This is to purely communicate on a professional level with tutors or work colleagues. Stefanie Olsen states “e-mail has hung on to its utility in office environments and at home, even if it's given up some ground to new challengers.” (2007) E-mail is a nuisance when jokes and chain letters are forwarded in mass groups. With social networks such as blogging and Myspace you can choose whether or not you want to read the material on your page and can choose to ignore it as it will be replaced by other member’s articles, bulletins or comments. David Tebbutt states that “Rebirth of email depends on changing social attitudes” and that blogs are “more of a foghorn for the individual who has information to share, but it can lead into discussions through direct comments and trackback links to other blogs where the conversation has been taken up. It's better than emails because the reader is in control of what they look at, and when.” (2006)

Not everybody agrees that e-mail is dead and that social networks are taking over; however the argument that e-mail is not dead is quite weak. Matt Hamblen of Computerworld argues that e-mail is “hardly” dead. The only line of argument Hamblen has is that of the student. Hamblen interviewed three University students who claim they use the Internet and e-mail everyday for studying purposes. However, Hamblen does point out that the students do tend to use their mobile phones rather than IM (instant messaging) and e-mailing. Hamblen states “The messaging habits of those three college students might contrast with younger Internet users, but they also support the premise that e-mail is not dead at all.” (2007) Yes, University students use e-mail, but this is because they have to. Due to privacy issues and the age demographic, it is highly likely that a student’s tutor would have Myspace or Facebook or for a tutor to give a student their personal e-mail address so they could have a discussion over MSN. E-mail is dead to young people and is an activity that is rapidly fading out, being replaced by exciting new gossip social networks like Myspace. Stefanie Olsen backs this argument up by stating that young people are“the first and early adopters of new trends. Things they are doing are what everyone will be doing in five years. To hear the teen panelists tell it, that means e-mail will be strictly the domain of business dealings.” (2007)

Age demographic is a major factor in determining who uses social networks such as Myspace, Facebook and MSN to keep in contact with family and friends as well as to meet new people. With E-mail you cannot meet new people, it is a way to communicate purely for business or in the case of the older demographic, to communicate with relatives and friends. The majority of youth starting from age thirteen to twenty five either have a Myspace or Facebook account. It can safely be said that the majority of youth, private message through these social networks, rather than use their e-mail only account. With the consistent creation of new technologies, e-mail will continue to demise and be shadowed by social networks. Social networks are able to adapt easier to new trends and are more convenient as they are not swamped with spam. Private messages sent via Myspace/Facebook are easier to maintain and keep up to date compared to e-mail. E-mail is definitely dead when it comes to this day and age and the social networks that accompany it.

References

Beizer, Doug (1997), Is Email Dead? http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/117/next-tech-email-is-dead.html (accessed 15 May 2008)
Kolberg, Vanessa (2004), History of E-mail http://blogs.setonhill.edu/VanessaKolberg/004403.html (accessed 15 May 2008)
Griffiths, Richard T. History of Electronic Mail http://www.let.leidenuniv.nl/history/ivh/chap3.htm (accessed 17 May 2008)
http://www.worldtopix.com/email_history.html (accessed 15 May 2008) no author or date.
Olsen, Stefanie (2007), Kids say email, is like, soooo dead http://news.cnet.com/Kids-say-e-mail-is,-like,-soooo-dead/2009-1032_3-6197242.html (accessed 13 May 2008)
Tebbutt, David (2006). Rebirth of email depends on changing social attitudes. Information World Review, (224), 13. Retrieved May 29, 2008, from ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 1041499351). http://proquest.umi.com.libraryproxy.griffith.edu.au/pqdweb?index=5&did=1041499351&SrchMode=1&sid=2&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1210260834&clientId=13713 Hamblen, Matt (2007), Is E-mail Dead? Hardly http://www.infoworld.com/article/07/11/21/Is-e-mail-dead_1.html
http://www.comscore.com/

Bladerunner. Directors Cut. Boring as hell!

MY GOSH! This was the most boring movie I have ever seen in my life. Because I missed the lecture I hired this movie out with fellow class mate Charlie, and we watched it on my couch munching on salad sandwiches. I can not even keep count on how many times I nodded off. I had to practically hold my eye lids open with my fingers so I could watch that pathetic movie, as I have said a couple of times though out my blogs for the sake of marks! (This is apparently going to be in our exam,cringe!) For those of you unlucky people who have actually seen Bladerunner, all I could think of when the Replicant Roy Batty came on screen was of David Bowie's character in Labyrinth? However Bladerunner sadly came out in 1982 and Labyrinth came out in 1986, (argh just 1 year off the greatest year ever...1987!) so I could not criticise the movie and say Bladerunner copied Jareth the goblin kings character.

Bladerunner, in my opinion, was a waste of money and definitely didn't deserve the funds and time for a freaking directors cut.

Photo 1 - Roy Batty - Bladerunner 1982

Photo 2 - Jareth the Goblin King - Labyrinth 1986

I CAN'T READ!!!

This morning I nearly had a heart attack! All because I can not read properly. I thought that our essay was due this afternoon at 5pm, however it is not due until Friday at 5pm so that gives me an extra 4 days to get my essay marvelous or started I should say!
So this tutorials blogging time can be used on our essays or on whatever our hearts desire. I should be going through my essay but I feel the pull of Myspace tugging at me and I may just stay on there all lesson. BUT... Myspace is in fact relevant to my essay topic, Is E-mail dead? Well indeed it is, because if it wasnt dead to me I would be procrastinating my essay by emailing a bunch of people. However I am going to tour around Myspace and my lovely friend's profiles and leave them with some Myspace 'goodies' ha ha. Uni, the Internet and cheap cask wine (also known as goon) has slowly invaded my life.
I am off to Myspace to do some 'research' and then possibly search the Internet for some more reliable sources for my essay, other than Wikipedia...

Is E-mail dead? - Essay Draft

Introduction

· Introduce and define e-mail
· Discuss my argument and how I believe that e-mail is in fact, dead
· Quote one of my references who believe the same thing.
· Link with 2nd paragraph

Paragraph 1
· Talk about the history of e-mail, who created e-mail and when it originated
· Briefly discuss my experience with e-mail and reinforce my argument on how e-mail is dead to me because I do not use it and find it a nuisance.

Paragraph 2
· Talk about The Internet and spam; discuss how spam kills e-mail, reference web site.
· State the positive things about e-mail but compare e-mail to Myspace and Facebook and the novelty of them and how they are more appealing than e-mail.
· Discuss new technologies and how they have killed e-mail.

Paragraph 3
· Talk about e-mail and how it is less convenient these days, go more in depth about new technologies such as RSS and MSN and how they have replaced e-mail.
· Argue the age demographic on who uses e-mail and how young people are most likely to use MSN, Facebook and Myspace. Back up with statistics off website. Explain the phenomenon of Myspace and the convenient qualities of it compared to e-mail.

Conclusion
Conclude with my point view on e-mail, reinforce e-mail is dead by backing up with a reference.

References

Websites:
http://www.360east.com/?p=196

http://email.about.com/cs/spamgeneral/a/email_is_dead.htm

http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2008/05/01/i-email-dead/

Journals:

Rebirth of email depends on changing social attitudes

Spammers

Nerd Alert. Microsoft Worddd!!

Well, today's tutorial task is not the greatest but for the sake of marks, I did it and felt like a dork whilst doing it ha ha. We had to open a new Microsoft word document, numerous times and muck around with formatting and all the rest of it. But now I am analysing the following:

Tutorial Task: Complete the Exercises below, and then write a report in your blog about your experience doing the exercises; were there any problems? What were your solutions? Did you find it too simple, or was it confusing? Can you see how this software might be useful to you?

OK well there are always problems when it comes to computers so naturally I had one issue arise. This problem was due to the old instructions posted by the tutor..tut tut! Therefore I could not successfully complete the task without raising my arm and asking for help.That simple act of raising my arm is my solution for any problem. God bless Adam, he helped me battle through this issue with a few simple words and bingo! Problem solved. The tasks were pretty simple, but who doesn't like simple and uncomplicated things?

This software is very useful to me. Because I am not exactly the most reliable employee I am constantly updating my resume and cover letters in search of the next best job (that hopefully does not require early starts on the weekends). Mail Merge will help me get a job and save me a lot of time by posting all potential employers addresses straight into my word document, where I can print it off straight away. Technology does not frustrate me all of the time. Thank god for spell check also.

Microsoft Excel..sucks!
I did not do this second task as I hate Microsoft Excel with a passion. I have tried to use it before and it sucks. So to answer the questions above: There are problems, there are no solutions, I do not find it simple, I find it highly confusing and I do not see how it would be useful to me. That's all!

ACTIVE WORLD. A WHOLE NEW WORLD!!!
This task is much more interesting and I really enjoyed it, even though cyber chatting over a game site is something I consider as boring and a bit on the goober side.

We took an Internet field trip today, to Active Worlds. Active Worlds is a 3D chat world environment which looks like a cross between a computer game, and a regular chat room. You can fly around, do the Macarena, kick strangers in the head and fly Aladdin's magic carpet whilst chatting absolute rubbish to some stranger from the other side of the world. Check it out. http://www.activeworlds.com/ Here is what we have to consider after visiting Active Worlds.

Presuming that you are a user of MSN, or other IM programs (or have used it before, or at least know about it)... Besides the obvious differences (such as Active Worlds is 3D and MSN isn't, etc) what are the qualitative differences between the regular IM program and a 3D environment?
What is different about the kinds of socialising that happens in these spaces? Does the 3D aspect make much difference?

The "qualitative" differences between MSN and Active Worlds is clearly the 3D aspect but MSN has more gadgets such as emoticons and nudges and all of that annoying stuff, however on Active Worlds you can do the Macarena (I know, right!) and walk through trees and more importantly, people. I actually got into bit of a cyber verbal fight because I kept on walking back and forth through another girl who was using the site. Yes I get small kicks. One thing annoyed me about Active Worlds, it is the same thing that annoys me when your at a concert. People pay to go to concerts and people pay to use Active Worlds yet they just stand there and do nothing and have the hide to whinge. For example on Active Worlds, this girl that I was amusingly walking through got upset because I was walking through her 'cyber body'. What annoyed me about this was that people pay to use this site and don't play on it, if you don't want to play and just have a nice conversation go on MSN for f**k sake. This example from Active Worlds, reminded me of a few incidents that have occurred at concerts. This one time my friends and I were at The Wombats concert dancing, singing and doing what normal drunk people do at a concert, and got yelled at because we were standing on her toes (ha ha, whoops) and that she couldn't see. What do you expect at a concert? This girl paid $50 to go to a concert and stand there and expected not to get crushed and have a prime position at the front. So there you have it.. My analogy of Active Worlds, compared to a concert.
The difference between the 3D world chatting and MSN instant messaging is the fact that you have a body(cyber body) on Active Worlds and you can roam this world and see the characters you are chatting to. On MSN you are talking to your friends and family mostly, where as on Active Worlds you can talk to foreigners and discuss things about the Internet (boring) or even help each other work Active Worlds controls etc but even better get in arguments with a complete stranger. The 3D aspect makes a huge difference because it distracted me big time. I hardly even had a conversation, just the argument, and the rest of the time I was flying around on magic carpets, sitting on top of a clock and kicking some chick in the head. Surprisingly I liked Active Worlds but not enough to download it at home and pay for an account.

Week 7 already!

Just a quick little blog today as we do not have tutorial tasks due to Anzac Day. Thank gosh we do not have Uni and that we do not have to do a complex blog like Walter Benjamin. Today we are discussing past lectures and our dear little friend, the essay. Yuk! As if we don't have enough essays already. As I do not have to ramble on about some strange topic today,I will kindly leave you a picture that depicts my mood at the moment. I love this photo. Somewhere in the world, can't be sure where.

Wikipedia. Fact or Rubbish?

I think this is my favourite tutorial blogging task, so far. We have been asked to go onto Wikipedia and find two articles/entries that we are "experts" on and judge whether or not the articles are reliable or if in fact they are complete rubbish. We have to write a blog on these articles and to consider the following things in our lovely blog.

* Is this an accurate article?
* Does it cover all the basic facts that you'd need to understand this topic?

* Does this article follow the Wikipedia guidelines for useful articles?

* Is this article fair and balanced, or is it biased towards a particular side or argument?

* What changes would you make to this article to improve it and make it useful for the wider Wikipedia community?

The first article I reviewed on Wikipedia was an article about Robert Smith, the lead singer and instrumentalist of The Cure. I only found a few minor things that I believe are incorrect and would be misleading to somebody wanting to know more about the formation of The Cure and Robert Smith' s role in this. Other than these few mistakes I found the article pretty accurate and rather interesting. I also noticed that it does cover all basic facts in helping somebody understand Robert Smith.

Oh my gosh! The incorrect 'facts' and the things I would change to make this article on Robert James Smith superb!

The Wikipedia article on Robert Smith states that The Cure founded in 1976. Wrong! The Easy Cure formed in 1976, they did not drop 'Easy' from their name until 1978. So to all you Wikipedia and Robert Smith fans, The Cure did not technically form until 1978 when they also became a trio by dropping Porl Thompson. The Cure originally started as a trio, which Wikipedia editors failed to mention as well, it wasn't until 1984 that Porl Thompson rejoined the band. I thought that it would've helped adding in the following information to the article on Robert Smith to somewhat understand Smith's changing styles of music and an insight to his personality and attitude with his fellow band members.

Thompson was a Cure from June 1977 to May 1978 and from April 1984 to December 1992. Thompson originally played guitar for The Cure however he was dropped from the band as his style was at odds with Robert Smith's growing preference for minimalist songwriting. Porl rejoined The Cure in 1983 on saxophone and occasionally played keyboard.

The article on Wikipedia about Robert Smith is fair and unbiased. When the person who created this article spoke of Smith's style concerning music and fashion, they did not put him down they created interest and also backed Smith up by adding a quote from Smith in an interview he did for The Holy Hour, to add credibility to the fact that Smith's public persona of a 'depressed' image does not reflect in his songs. "At the time we wrote Disintegration...it's just about what I was doing really, how I felt. But I'm not like that all the time. That's the difficulty of writing songs that are a bit depressing. People think you're like that all the time, but I don't think that. I just usually write when I'm depressed." http://imaginaryboys.altervista.org/english/cure/articles/tib_holyhour.htm.

Robert Smith is extremely talented among many other things. I believe this article about him on Wikipedia demonstrates this well. I now think it is love.

If I could come back as one person in my second life, it would be Harry Potter!

OK, the second article I searched on Wikipedia was Harry Potter because I am pretty sure that reading the series 3 times and watching the DVDs about 4 times over, would make anybody an expert. I am beginning to think Wikipedia is reliable because this article on Harry Potter, or as some people like to call him 'Harry Pothead', is credible. I also learnt some things I didn't know myself. I thought I knew everything when it comes to Harry Potter.

This article is accurate, fair and unbiased, the only thing that I would change about the article is add way more photos, because who doesn't like looking at pictures?

Walter Benjamin eat your heart out!

Write a post that considers...How do the ideas from Walter Benjamin's "Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction" apply to contemporary digital media?There was a time when "Art" was made by artists who were skilled professionals. Now that anyone with a computer can create things digitally (music, images, videos, etc), what does that mean for "art"? Is a photo shopped image "authentic"? Do digital "things" have an "aura" (in Benjamin's terms)?

Whoa, heavy! I know, I thought the exact same thing. This is a pretty complex and difficult task so I hope my blog is not too mind numbingly boring and that it is a tad more coherent and exciting than Benjamin Walter's article.I highly doubt the excitement part. Sorry! Whoever it was who complained saying our tutorials were "too easy" should wake up to themselves, because it didn't get a little harder it got a heck of a lot harder. I hope they don't get top marks, yes I am cruel.

Benjamin Walter believed that modern technologies destroyed the uniqueness of art work, this applies to contemporary digital media, as art can be reproduced and duplicated with the click of a mouse and a push of a button. Walter thought that these technologies wrecked the historical concepts of art work, so to answer the question about digital things having an "aura", Benjamin Walter would say no. Walter states art works that are reproduced, lack presence in time and space because it it fails to be there at that unique time, where the art work originated and existed. It is similar as my refusal to burn Cd's off friends because I like to have the original CD with the front and back sleeves and the oh so pretty band name and their artwork on the actual CD. CD'S are just not the same if they are burnt.

I believe that contemporary digital media can have a very negative and painful outcome when it comes to singing as an art because any half wit actress or actor that came straight off the Neighbours or Home and Away set can digitally enhance their voice and make a career out of it, even if it is a short lived one. Take Bec Cartwright for example, her voice is as plain as the girl next door, but due to her acting role on Home and Away and her connections she got her hands on a pitch corrector and Ta-Da, she recorded an album by singing line by line and over lapping those lines to make her voice sound stronger. Marvelous you may think but not for those who listen to mainstream radio.

The standards of technology today can make anybody an artist so to speak. Benjamin questions the authenticity of reproduced art work. Walter Benjamin states "mechanical reproduction emancipates the work of art from its parasitical dependence on ritual." This meaning that reproduced art work loses its ritual, where it orginated. He believes that the moment where the art work was created is stripped and it is no longer contemporary to the person who is viewing it. Walter states that reproductions made by magazines and newsreels of art works do not portray the true essence of the art work to the "unarmed eye." Benjamin also questions and compares performances of a stage actor to a screen actor, the former being presented to an audience in person and the latter being presented through a camera, stating that "The camera that presents the performance of the film actor to the public need not respect the performance as an integral whole." Meaning that the camera person and special effects comprise certain aspects of the actor's movement, whereas a stage actor adjusts to thier audience during the performance relating with the audience on a deeper and more pesonal level. When the audience is replaced by a camera the viewers of the screen play become more like critics. Benjamin believes that by filming performances the values of cult can not be "exposed."

Benjamin uses the analogy of a painter and a cameraman, the painter being a "magician" and the cameraman being a "surgeon." He states that a painter maintains his distance from reality while the camerman delves straight into realities web and that there is a noticable difference between the pictures they attain, saying that the painters picture is complete where as the cameraman's picture's are fragments which are assembled under a complete different "law." Benjamin concludes "Thus, for contemporary man the representation of reality by the film is incomparably more significant than that of the painter, since it offers, precisely because of the thoroughgoing permeation of reality with mechanical equipment, an aspect of reality which is free of all equipment. And that is what one is entitled to ask from a work of art." Meaning that because the cameraman has access to so much evidence they are able to portray reality with more conviction with the use of contemporary mechanical equipment such as the camera and editoring material.

Personally I believe that only sometimes a photoshopped image can be authentic in an individual way, as you are creating a new element or meaning to the art work, however it can be unauthentic as it was not your work to begin with and you are reproducing the art work and stripping away its original aura and history. Digital things can have an aura, especially a movie like Sweeney Todd with the hunk Johnny Depp as the main character (had to add that fact), this movie had a massive impact on me as it's atmospshere became apart of you and made you feel the emotions the characters felt which tended to make you brood. Comtemporary digital media and the mechinical reproduction of art definately has many positivie aspects when it comes to creating art but it can also have a negative impact on art work when it is mass produced and when its history and cult are lost.

Readers, I hope I did not loose you in the first paragraph and hopefully you learnt something new, because I sure did. Whoever thought movies and acting were so complex and indepth? I can not say I know too many people that would sit down to watch a movie and ponder if the art work is being ruined because of a certain camera angle.I'm pretty sure that the only thing they would be pondering is how the hell can you open a stupid bag of maltesers with out spilling them all over the hygenic carpet at the cinema?

S S S Searching....

Answer these questions without using google or wikipedia! Try some different sources. Write a post in your blog with the answers, and include the source of the information. How do you know that the place you got the answer is accurate?

1. Who was the creator of the infamous "lovebug" computer virus?

Onel De Guzman

Yahoo Answers - http://computerbytesman.com/lovebug/index.htm

2. Who invented the paper clip?

Johan Vaaler

Dogpile Search - http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blpaperclip.htm

3. How did the Ebola virus get its name?

It was named after a river in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire) in Africa, where it was first recognized
Dogpile Search engine -http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/spb/mnpages/dispages/ebola/qa.htm
4. What country had the largest recorded earthquake?
Chile, 1960

Ask Jeeves - http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/world/10_largest_world.php

5. In computer memory/storage terms, how many kilobytes in a terabyte?
1073741824

Dogpile Search - http://www.t1shopper.com/tools/calculate/

6. Who is the creator of email?

1971,Ray Tomlinson
Live Search-http://au.encarta.msn.com/media_461532659/Important_Inventions_and_Discoveries.html

7. What is the storm worm, and how many computers are infected by it?

The Storm worm is a backdoor, Trojan horse that affects computers using Microsoft operating systems as many as 250, 000 and 10 million computers as of September 2007.

Yahoo Answers - http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Asz9CdYgvLIAmc9re4Ajv0QjzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20071201163655AA8cWhV

8. If you wanted to contact the prime minister of australia directly, what is the most efficient way?

By letter. Whats the point you'll never get a reply! Not in a million years

Dogpile Search - http://www.pm.gov.au/contact/index.cfm

9. Which Brisbane based punk band is Stephen Stockwell (Head of the School of Arts) a member of?

Stephen played keyboard for Brisbane punk band, the Black Assassins! I now think of him so much differently.

Anzwers Seach engine - http://www.griffith.edu.au/school/art/staff/stockwell.htm

10. What does the term "Web 2.0" mean in your own words?

To put it shortly.Sharing information over the Internet.

http:// courtneysbraintrust.com

Technology..is technical

Do you have friends whom you only know from the Internet and have never met in person? Is this different to people that you know in person? Describe the difference.
How long have you been using these communication technologies?
What influenced you to start using these particular technologies?
Is privacy an issue for you when using new technologies? (How do you deal with issues around privacy?)

Interesting, you may think? All I can think about at the moment is when I will be able to eat something and have a power nap, but for the purpose of grades I will stop thinking about my belly!



To start, privacy on the Internet is clearly not an issue for me, because I wouldn't have posted a story about my life in a blog for everybody to read, the only way I deal with privacy issues is I don't put my address or phone number ANYWHERE. Why do young girls always post their mobile numbers in comments on a strangers page on Myspace? I've come to the conclusion that they must have no life and enjoy prank phone calls.

Myspace is pretty much a place for stalkers not friends! When you see your profile views jump considerably after uploading new photos and don't have 1 single damn comment you know that people are being nosy. So if I had an issue with this I would not have Myspace, its far too amusing!



New communication technologies never cease to amaze me and I mostly use these technologies to keep in contact with friends and family and to study. I still have no idea how to do most things on the Internet (like a template for my blog because clearly this current one is putrid, and that is why I enrolled in this class.)The Internet has never been a place for me to talk to complete strangers who I am never going to meet because I think that is such a waste of time and energy unless you are learning something new from this stranger. However I have made a really lovely friend who I adore, and I'll admit it, it was purely through the Internet. Mon was moving to my hometown and saw me on a mutual friends page and emailed me on Myspace, we met up and fell in love haha not in love but we got along heaps well.Now I talk to her every week and miss her with all of my insides.



I use the Internet everyday just about and have been using a computer and the net since about year 7 so since 2000. I think what influenced me to use these technologies was to progress with the world and to keep in touch with everyone, but what I really used it for when I was younger was to chat on MSN because that was how you initiated a date back in the younger days but...when mobile phones became popular and your parents actually supplied the funds for you to buy a mobile phone, MSN was ditched for SMS as a way to overcome your shyness and lack of confidence and you were actually able to talk to a boy without going bright red. Well that was my tips and hints for dates, not really but if it wasn't for new communication technologies I'm pretty sure I couldn't get through Uni and I would not be able to keep in touch with my family who live 7 hours away. So I thank the new communication technologies and hope that after this subject I will be more in touch with the world and its forever changing technology. Amen!

Courtneys brief life story

Greetings!

My name is Courtney and I'm 20 and I'm an alcoholic. Not Really!

Welcome to my first ever blog. First year in uni, I was a bit daunted to start with but I am beginning to realise I might actually have some fun studying again(Shock Horror).I moved to Queensland from Port Macquarie, a beautiful little coastal town and I miss it so much. Queensland is over rated! I can't wait to move already, but I'll stop talking negative and tell you the more brighter things about me.

I'm a lover not a fighter ha ha that should be the new token Supre shirt (vomit) not a fan of Supre at all. (It doesn't even deserve a capital). Pretty much a bookworm I'm always reading and listening to music, I don't like sleeping much, I can't sleep in or fall to sleep easy. I like to give blood every 3 months I see it as my good deed and that I will be rewarded one day! I am a bit of a procrastinator and I have trouble making decisions like what packet of lollies I want to buy, generally to do with food choices. On that note I am always hungry and I cant cook which makes it hard and makes me appreciate my mother very very much.

I just recently bought a harmonica which I am starting to practice, Bob Dylan is my inspiration and David Bowie is my idol.I love my friends and family to death,I get nervous when it comes to public speaking but what baffles me is that I am completely comfortable when it comes to performing in front of large audiences. Can't find the logic in that.

Meeting new people and making new friends comes pretty easy for me and I am so very affectionate when it comes to the people I love and also when I've had a few glasses of wine.

I find it difficult to sum myself up in a blog box so this is only a little chunk about me and my life. Keep reading and you may find more clues on who Courtney is.