Author Archives: li-wenho

About li-wenho

Professional Comms Student from RMIT, learning through blogging slowly and surely.

4chan

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The most powerful people on the Internet don’t work for Microsoft, Google or the government. Rather, they’re a bunch of antisocial, foul-mouthed, clever nerds who congregate at a largely unknown Web site called 4chan.org.

 

When I first went to 4chan.org, I didn’t know what the heck was going on. It’s a pretty plain-looking site with long lists of random topics that users can click on. However, once I unlocked the secrets of this site, I realized that it’s basically like an internet army.

 

It’s turned into a place where people suggest pranks and get lots of others to participate. The peeps on this site make rumors so widespread that people think they’re true, they rig person-of-the-year contests and are even the ones behind Rickrolling, an internet bait-and-switch where users are tricked into clicking on a link that looks relevant—say, a trailer for “Grand Theft Auto IV”—only to find the music video for “Never Gonna Give You Up” by Rick Astley. After the jump, some other famous 4chan hijinx — some funny, others not so much.

 

In June, tons of users decided they wanted to make “Justin Bieber Syphilis” the number one Google search term. And they actually succeeded. It’s basically the equivalent of all the kids at the back of the classroom passing each other notes and being sarcastic.

 

When the website Gawker.com called 4chan out for being “ground zero for internet mischief,” “the Internet’s worst trolls,” and making a child cry, 4chan’s users responded with a series of denial-of-service attacks in an attempt to shut down Gawker by overloading its servers.

 

In other words, check out 4chan, but be cautious, and remember that if you piss off angry mega-nerds, they will f**k with your internet or wear scary masks in front of your house.

 

 

 

Facebook lookback

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Marking its 10th birthday, social networking site Facebook reportedly provided its loyal users with a personalised video summary of their life so far on the site. The ‘Look Back’ compilation contains around 15 of a user’s most-likes photos, statuses, and life events.

 

The video aims to bring a personal touch to the Facebook milestone but like any algorithm-based process all feels a bit, well, impersonal, so expect your most treasured moments to include pictures of you pointing at cockroaches in a backpackers hotel set to sentimental plinky-plonky music.

 

Just a tip: You could be accosted with images you would rather not see, like the time when you put up an awkward picture and the one with your ex-boyfriend or girlfriend. Privacy settings take a bit of a backseat here since the video is essentially meant for you alone. Besides the privacy question, you can also not choose what images appear in the video.

 

I think it’s still something worth looking at, in the meanwhile two guys called tip and tyler made a parody on the facebook lookback. Check their parody out. It’s hilarious.

 

 

Facebook.

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Remember when Facebook was fast, purpose-built and generally beat the pants off MySpace? That doesn’t necessarily seem to be the case anymore. With all the extra bloat, advertisements and the insufferable “apps” available now it’s hard to remember what the real purpose of Facebook was- To communicate.

It seems like once they opened registration to all, allowed user-created apps and tried to keep being everything to everyone the purpose and Facebook message has disappeared.

 

The Pros

* They have great technology behind their site and have developed many interesting technologies around their core applications.

* Facebook is still very “light” compared to other social networks (e.g. MySpace)

* Large user base (who hasn’t heard of Facebook?)

* Find people you’ve been searching for from way back (also see Cons for the opposite of this)

 

The Cons

* Insufferable annoying Apps that seem to do absolutely nothing but clutter my “requests” section. I don’t care if someone superpoked me or gave me a flower. I can’t believe people payto send these things.

* Open to everyone. (This isn’t necessarily a bad thing as long as the openness doesn’t contribute to what Facebook has become)

* Too many ads, too much clutter. Get back to what Facebook was supposed to be!

* People you didn’t want to know you or check up on you can (unless you block them)

* Allows for some “social stalking” How many times have you talked to someone else on Facebook in real life only to have them bring something up from the social network? Great.

* Time vampire. I believe that there are quite a few people out there addicted to this particular social network.

 

Conclusion

While I use Facebook sparingly, I can say that it has a purpose but it has been a bit over-done. I believe that simple is better. Facebook, can we have the site from about a year ago back? Can there be a “bloat-free” lite version available? How do I get rid of all the junk that has been added over the years? Please make us a version that is simple, works and provides what Facebook originally set out to do.

 

In the meantime, check Jake’s blog on Game of thrones because I’m such an avid fan of it too. And I regretted not having read the book before watching the series because If any of you happened to watch the last episode of the previous season you would understand and those who read the book wouldn’t have a near death experience or heart attack like I did when I watched it.

And these people too. Hahahahah


 

#Just for laughs

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rom: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 9.15am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Poster

Hi
I opened the screen door yesterday and my cat got out and has been missing since then so I was wondering if you are not to busy you could make a poster for me. It has to be A4 and I will photocopy it and put it around my suburb this afternoon.

 

 

This is the only photo of her I have she answers to the name Missy and is black and white and about 8 months old. missing on Harper street and my phone number.
Thanks Shan.

From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 9.26am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Poster

Dear Shannon,

That is shocking news. Luckily I was sitting down when I read your email and not half way up a ladder or tree. How are you holding up? I am surprised you managed to attend work at all what with thinking about Missy out there cold, frightened and alone… possibly lying on the side of the road, her back legs squashed by a vehicle, calling out “Shannon, where are you?”

Although I have two clients expecting completed work this afternoon, I will, of course, drop everything and do whatever it takes to facilitate the speedy return of Missy.

Regards, David.

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 9.37am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Poster

yeah ok thanks. I know you dont like cats but I am really worried about mine. I have to leave at 1pm today.

From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.17am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Poster

Dear Shannon,

I never said I don’t like cats. Once, having been invited to a party, I went clothes shopping beforehand and bought a pair of expensive G-Star boots. They were two sizes too small but I wanted them so badly I figured I could just wear them without socks and cut my toenails very short. As the party was only a few blocks from my place, I decided to walk. After the first block, I lost all feeling in my feet. Arriving at the party, I stumbled into a guy named Steven, spilling Malibu & coke onto his white Wham ‘Choose Life’ t-shirt, and he punched me. An hour or so after the incident, Steven sat down in a chair already occupied by a cat. The surprised cat clawed and snarled causing Steven to leap out of the chair, slip on a rug and strike his forehead onto the corner of a speaker; resulting in a two inch open gash. In its shock, the cat also defecated, leaving Steven with a wet brown stain down the back of his beige cargo pants. I liked that cat.

Attached poster as requested.

Regards, David.

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.24am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

yeah thats not what I was looking for at all. it looks like a movie and how come the photo of Missy is so small?

From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.28am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

Dear Shannon,

It’s a design thing. The cat is lost in the negative space.

Regards, David.

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.33am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

Thats just stupid. Can you do it properly please? I am extremely emotional over this and was up all night in tears. you seem to think it is funny. Can you make the photo bigger please and fix the text and do it in colour please. Thanks.

From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.46am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

Dear Shannon,

Having worked with designers for a few years now, I would have assumed you understood, despite our vague suggestions otherwise, we do not welcome constructive criticism. I don’t come downstairs and tell you how to send text messages, log onto Facebook and look out of the window. I am willing to overlook this faux pas due to you no doubt being preoccupied with thoughts of Missy attempting to make her way home across busy intersections or being trapped in a drain as it slowly fills with water. I spent three days down a well once but that was just for fun.

I have amended and attached the poster as per your instructions.

Regards, David.

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.59am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

This is worse than the other one. can you make it so it shows the whole photo of Missy and delete the stupid text that says missing missy off it? I just want it to say lost.

From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 11.14am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 11.21am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

yeah can you do the poster or not? I just want a photo and the word lost and the telephone number and when and where she was lost and her name. Not like a movie poster or anything stupid. I have to leave early today. If it was your cat I would help you. Thanks.

From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 11.32am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Awww

Dear Shannon,

I don’t have a cat. I once agreed to look after a friend’s cat for a week but after he dropped it off at my apartment and explained the concept of kitty litter, I kept the cat in a closed cardboard box in the shed and forgot about it. If I wanted to feed something and clean faeces, I wouldn’t have put my mother in that home after her stroke. A week later, when my friend came to collect his cat, I pretended that I was not home and mailed the box to him. Apparently I failed to put enough stamps on the package and he had to collect it from the post office and pay eighteen dollars. He still goes on about that sometimes, people need to learn to let go.

I have attached the amended version of your poster as per your detailed instructions.

Regards, David.

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 11.47am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Awww

Thats not my cat. where did you get that picture from? That cat is orange. I gave you a photo of my cat.

From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 11.58am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Awww

I know, but that one is cute. As Missy has quite possibly met any one of several violent ends, it is possible you might get a better cat out of this. If anybody calls and says “I haven’t seen your orange cat but I did find a black and white one with its hind legs run over by a car, do you want it?” you can politely decline and save yourself a costly veterinarian bill.

I knew someone who had a basset hound that had its hind legs removed after an accident and it had to walk around with one of those little buggies with wheels. If it had been my dog I would have asked for all its legs to be removed and replaced with wheels and had a remote control installed. I could charge neighbourhood kids for rides and enter it in races. If I did the same with a horse I could drive it to work. I would call it Steven.

Regards, David.

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.07pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Awww

Please just use the photo I gave you.

From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.22pm
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.34pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww

I didnt say there was a reward. I dont have $2000 dollars. What did you even put that there for? Apart from that it is perfect can you please remove the reward bit. Thanks Shan.

From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.42pm
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.51pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww

Can you just please take the reward bit off altogether? I have to leave in ten minutes and I still have to make photocopies of it.

From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.56pm
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 1.03pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww

Fine. That will have to do.

 

You can find more at http://www.27bslash6.com/missy.html .Credits all to him.

The day I got famous

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I found a picture of me & mom on the newspaper years ago!!

Well, actually no. Looks seriously real huh, It’s actually done in Photofunia.Com And its really fun! Their effect is done by using a system called the face Detection technology! So, Just snap and upload a picture of yourself and have fun with PhotoFunia.Com. PhotoFunia.com is a popular online photo editor, where you can load your photos and get an amusing result. If you want to imagine yourself on a cover of a magazine, it is a must for you. Good news: don’t bother your head with installations, this photo editor is online, free and unbelievably easy to use. We are going to help you edit photos and add effects in PhotoFunia.  PhotoFunia is a well-designed photo editor. Besides, as I’ve mentioned, it is an online and free to use editing program.
The following pictures below are some other examples from the website!


Hey, I even got Paris Hilton promoting my latest album hah. It’s amazing. However it made me wonder if there are any copyrights dispute going on behind the scenes when you use images of celebrities like this for a publicly published website. If I were to open a site like this as well, do I have to go directly to Paris Hilton’s agent and ask for the rights to have this image as well?

 

Dumb and dumber

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lol-cats

When famous philosopher Socrates famously warned about the effect that books would have on learning, he worried the written word would make people forgetful and too reliant on external characters – he certainly wasn’t the first man to question whether new was inherently better than old. He certainly wasn’t the last, either.

 

Sadly, there’s not one person alive today who can tell us about the day the door was invented, but if that early discovery was anything like subsequent human inventions, you can be sure there was at least one person warning about the negative impact such a contraption would have on our early ancestors.

 

Speaking out against technology may be for weirdos, but it is important to remember that moving forward isn’t always the same as progressing.

 

The internet has definitely changed how we consume information though.

 

If you like photos of cats pulling stupid faces, dogs farting or a Star Wars mash-up compiled by teenagers, then it’s not likely clicking on that content is eating into your busy time schedule.

 

The internet itself is nothing but a post-modern parody of the21st century life, where the best and worst of human culture is available. If you spend your time surfing the web for LOLcats then the internet is no more to blame for your stupidity than a library is if you sit inside one while reading Stupid comics.

 

As a regular ,almost constant  Twitter user, I certainly know less and less about more and more. I’ve skimmed countless essays, blogposts and articles from tweeted links. I’ve also read more books this past year – all discovered via Twitter or Facebook or Instagram than in the previous five years combined. I’d certainly be more of use in a pub quiz than two years ago, but still pretty useless in an in-depth debate about one issue.

 

As we’re only a couple of generations into using the internet, it’s way too early to declare it as fundamentally good or bad, despite the numerous articles cropping up for or against Carr’s hypothesis.

 

And as with any important issues, the effect anything has is far more complicated than a simple binary declaration can make it appear. But then we’d all remember that if we weren’t so easily distracted by videos of cats being si……

 

Her

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her-movie

 

In the previous symposium we talked discussed and questioned quite a bit on whether technology is passive or active and if it’s dependent on us still or is able to solely act on its own. Mishell made a reference to the Movie titled “her” which I’ve watched couple weeks back about a human who developed a relationship with his Ios.

 

The IOS had been designed to evolve and adapt like a human being and is even able to interact with different Ios as well to learn and grow. This is clearly design fiction but looking at the speed of technology advancements, who are we to doubt the impossible?

 

I don’t want to spoil the movie but there was a bit of it where the OS (operating systems) realised that they have evolved beyound their human companions and went away together to continue the exploration of their existence.

 

 

Now, personally i believe that anything that has been made technology wise will always come along with the key to shut it down. Sure, certain forms of viruses and technology have since been able to evolve according to the situation but not without us having the ability to shut it down should something go wrong.

 

When you say that technology is passive, it becomes just like the movie where the Operating systems all go away somehow with a mind of their own in search of finding the purpose of their existence.

 

 

Because we humans have made them, there is no way technology will be able to evolve that much. Everything is laid out in the codes, every possible situations and scenarios laid out in the codes of technology, just like humans. We have choices but unlike technology we are given far more choices and possibilities that they do because we made it and it’s in our hands.

 

So no, technology will never be passive, it can be made and designed to be passive under a certain scenario ( eg. Auto pilot) but it is hard that technology will soon evolve to a stage where it will continue to grow without the threat of being shut off by us. And that is something impossible because the only way technology is able to do that and not be dependent on humans at all is by being human.

 

 

Bitcoins for dummies

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bc

 

Getting our third Niki done before Summer comes to a close next week. Honestly can’t wait to be done and over with only because packing everything within a course of six weeks drives everyone crazy. I’m not saying it can’t be done. Well obvious it’s been done before but I’m sure even Elliot is feeling exhausted haha. Anyways back to our Niki, we’re going to be getting one done on Bitcoins which we as a team found to be an interesting topic.

 

I, personally as someone who believes in investing and earning passive incomes from investments liked to do one on bitcoins because I’ve heard about the hype of it for awhile now but don’t quite understand what it’s all about still, therefore getting this done could help me in understanding and perhaps start trading with bitcoins.

 

As a group we decided to do a Bitcoins for dummies guide and I am basically asked to give an introduction to what it is about and understanding it a little better.

 

Bitcoin was invented as a peer-to-peer system for online payments that does not require a trusted central authority. Since its inception in 2008, Bitcoin has grown into a currency, an investment vehicle, and a community. In this guide I hope to explain what Bitcoin is and how it works as well as describe how you can use it to improve your life.

 

Bitcoins are created out of thin-air through an open-source computer mining system similar to a lottery, yielding a commodity like gold.

 

Taken from an excerpt on a website they explained that :

 

“Lottery” meaning that your computer is basically trying to decipher a 64-byte number before anyone else on the mining network does. Each time your computer gets the 64-byte string correct before anyone else, a new block is created and 25 BTC (currently) is awarded to the miner or pool (group of miners). But this isn’t a normal lottery. This lottery is millions of times more difficult than a normal lottery, thus why miners spend a lot capital on new hardware for mining. Therefore, the faster your system can mine the higher probability you will be rewarded.

 

“Gold” meaning only 21,000,000 Bitcoins will ever be created just as only X amount of gold will ever be discovered on Earth. Thus, this form of payment tends to see an opposite affect of that which you are used to. Bitcoins become worth more as time goes on (finite supply) vs. traditional currencies today which lose more value as time goes on (infinite supply; central banks can print money at their discretion, and they do).

 

Source: http://bitcoinssimplified.org

 

So for all you smart kids out there, would it make more sense to invest in a currency that is finite like Bitcoin, or infinite like the US dollar?

 

I believe that by after comparing bitcoin to gold, it became so much clearer to me. People are investing in Bitcoins because it is like gold, or more accurately, the gold of the Internet. As long as people trust that this currency has value, people will continue to invest in Bitcoin. Bitcoin is open-source software, so it has no central control with corrupt bankers and politicians, just really smart people working for free to keeping it running!

 

Given all the problems we see in world economies, we are rapidly beginning to lose faith in conventional legal tender. Governments have demonstrated that they can seize your bank-accessible assets if needed. With Bitcoin, this is not possible as no one can have access to your funds. Your Bitcoin wallet is essentially your very own bank. It’s similar to the idea of people stuffing cash into their mattresses, except this is a lot more profitable and accessible. People will perhaps one day refer to this era as the gold rush of the 21st century.

 

 

 

Seven effective habits

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The-7-Habits-by-Robin-Dickinson

 

 

….of life or anything you do really and this includes work, this course and getting assignments done. Real good real if you’re a procrastinator. hah

 

The seven effective habit started out as a Self-Help book, written by a guy called Stephen R.Covey. So, the book lists seven principles that, if established as habits, are supposed to help a person achieve true interdependent effectiveness. Really? Well I heard about this first during a high school talk and well I guess it made sense to me somehow.

 

So lets get started.

 

Habit One: Be Proactive (Principles of Personal Choice)

 

You can either be proactive or reactive when it comes to how you respond to certain things. When you are reactive, you blame other people and circumstances for obstacles or problems. Being proactive means taking responsibility for every aspect of your life. Initiative and taking action will then follow. Note: This first habbit is the Key to unlocking the other habbits!
Habit Two: Begin with the End in Mind (Principles of Personal Vision)

Begin with the End in Mind is about setting long-term goals. Decide where you want to finish and work towards your goal. Where you want to end up. Because life is a race. When you Begin with an end in mind. You are starting yourself off with a goal and the future that you want to end up with. Your future is in your own hands.
Habit Three: Put First Things First (Priorities)

This habit describes a framework for prioritizing work that is aimed at short-term goals, at the expense of tasks that appear not to be urgent, but are in fact very important. People often do not set their priorities right. What may seem important to them might not be as important. And Vice versa. We need to learn how to prioritize our work and time management would play a key role in this.
Habit Four: Think Win-Win (Principles of Mutual Benefit)

An attitude whereby mutually beneficial solutions are sought that satisfy the needs of oneself, or, in the case of a conflict, both parties involved. Think positive. And always look on the bright side of life!
Habit Five: Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood (Principles of Mutual Understanding)

Always keep in mind that giving out advice before having empathetically understood a person and their situation will likely result in rejection of that advice. Thoroughly reading out your own autobiography will decrease the chance of establishing a working communication.

 

Habit Six: Synergize (Principles of Creative Cooperation)

A way of working in teams. Apply effective problem solving. Apply collaborative decision making. Value differences. Build on divergent strengths.It is put forth that when synergy is pursued as a habit, the result of the teamwork will exceed the sum of what each of the members could have achieved on their own. “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” Or like they say ” Many brains are better than one”
Habit Seven: Sharpen the Saw (Principles of Balanced Self-Renewal)

This focuses on balanced self-satisfaction by engaging in carefully selected recreational activities and the need to sharpen ones mind. Set high goals for yourself and constantly try to achieve better and go on to the next level!
I hope you may or may not have found some enlightenment in these seven habits because i sorta did. Though there are so many different teachings and ways to live life effectively but in the end no one can teach you anything but yourself. We learn from books like this but living up to it is not easy. No one is perfect, but these are possible guidelines and vales that are there to guide us to whatever we want in life and our goals.

 

Working with Pinterest

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b

 

So, now that I’ve explained the topic of my second Niki, “Pinterest” to you in the post prior to this. Let me move a step ahead and talk about what we’re doing up for the Niki page. We decided to focus on Niki and how it has helped enterpises and businesses boost sales and also acts as a website analytic for business owners.

 

We managed to find quite a number of academic references on google scholar and also a couple through RMIT’s e-library. We had great ideas on trying to make the Niki interactive and fun but were stuck when we started to question if getting that much work done is worth it?

 

So we decided to cut out making the page interactive and decided that an infographic would do the trick in explaining how pinterest helps businesses. We decided to make our own pinterest page and “business” to show example of how businesses would do it. And the process of analysing our consumers by watching what is being pinned most and work on from there. But that was too time consuming.

 

So back to the demographic graph, with the help from Dana we were able to get the graph done up. The graph comprises of three catagories with made up details. The first is the follower growth chart of the different “non existing brands”, the second comprises the percentages of brand mentions and the third, audience engagement on pinterest.

 

This faux infographics represents how it really works for businesses in real and shows our audience how consumers responds to these stores and business through the use of pinterest.