The network is a disruptive technology. It challenges and threatens how we go about doing things.

In today’s symposium we discussed neutral technologies. Adrian was of the very, and I mean VERY, strong opinion that no technology can be neutral. Jason and Elliot argued that some technologies can be ‘more’ neutral than others. Adrian said that technologies have affordances and are better suited to doing some things than other things. He used the analogy of a hammer. Now, if I had a dollar for every time Adrian mentioned the word ‘hammer’ throughout this symposium, I would be eating a steak dinner tonight (Or at least a steak sandwich from Grill’d.)

Moving on we spoke about the difference between plot and story. Plot does not equal story. Plot is the order in which something is narrated, how it’s told. The story is what actually happens. Adrian said the plot is so much more important than the actual story. I don’t 100% agree. If the story is bad, it doesn’t matter how it’s told (aka. the plot), the whole thing is going to suck. True a well organised and thought out plot can enhance a story, but you need that initial basis to be solid in order to make the whole thing great.

I wasn’t in class last week because I was sick, so I wasn’t assigned any blogs to look at. So I’m just going to go with a few of my friends.

Tilly’s post about the reading was thought provoking but what mainly caught my attention was her newfound fascination with the television series ‘Masters of Sex’. I’m looking for a new series to divulge in, seeing as Suits is on hiatus until next year, so I may have to check it out.

Rachel analysed the reading also, bringing to light the idea that writing is a technology. Writing shortcuts and abbreviations have changed the way we speak and communicate with one another. Who isn’t guilty of a few spoken LOL’s in everyday conversation. Her blog’s background is also pretty kick ass. You go Rach.

Caitlin’s blog had incorporated many images, videos and GIFs which made it great to read. I particularly enjoyed the GIFs explaining her various emotions during the HTML test. Very funny stuff.

Something that jumped out at me from this week’s reading was the notion that technological change is autonomous, removed from social pressures, following a logic or imperative of it’s own. This is questionable. Technological change in my opinion continues to evolve as a direct result of human desire, wants and needs, as well as their collective determination to improve and build the world around us. This is a type of social pressure is it not?

 
Stephen Hill later in the reading disagrees, “technological change… is not, by itself, productive of social change.” Whatever you say Stephen. He puts it down to the alignment between the technological possibilities and the society and culture that exists, which I think is kind of a given. Of course technological change depends on the possibilities the society have to create such a change. Not everything is possible in the present. We have to work towards such things – technology is just one of many examples.

Another Tuesday, another symposium.

I’ll admit, I was a little naughty in this symposium, I was on my laptop discovering Seek.com for the first time. I’m looking for a job in Melbourne over the summer. But I digress. This is Networked Media we’re discussing after all.

So I was somewhat distracted.  However, the question of whether internet users have lost a sense of privacy was posed. And of course, they have. No doubt about it. For instance, RMIT could easily track each and every single one of us based on our wifi signals coming from our computer when we’re connected to their network. Creepy hey. I noticed this myself earlier today when I was in the IT guy’s office at college where I live. I’m having problems connecting to the student wifi. Anyway on his screen there was a massive list of every laptop, iPad or mobile phone that was currently connected and which ‘portal’ (or whatever you call it) they were connected to. There are many depending on what corridor you’re sitting in etc. Bit creepy.

Clearly we have lost a sense of privacy due to the internet; your computer can be hacked, files taken, passwords and money stolen, the works. This is why it is even more imperative we become network literate in this new digital age, to avoid such problems from occurring.

Until next time, stay safe amigos.

Last semester in Writing Media Texts we had the task of creating a single shot video about the theme ‘consequences’. My group made the video sTrain.

It was so much fun to make and took many attempts (we had a few issues with nearby pedestrian’s phones ringing or them actually speaking to the actor during our takes!) It was a really great experience and I’d love to do a lot more of it in the future.

Reading Paige’s blog and her discussion of validity on the internet, I learnt something! About the internet! You can drag an image into the search bar to google similar images. I never knew that. What century am I living in? Cheers Paige!

Kenton, thank you for the hours (okay minutes) of entertainment whilst reading your blog. It is pretty funny, I particularly liked his most recent post on sleeping at RMIT. Shame on you, sleepers. The picture of himself at the top of the blog is also a nice touch.

Claudia spoke about the developments in photography and cameras. She made the comment, “Digital cameras and the progress in photography may always be advancing, but film cameras will never die.” I’m not so sure. About the film cameras. I feel like there might become a stage where digital photography is so far advanced that there becomes no need for film cameras. People of the future may not be so patient, and want their photos instantly. Who knows. I guess we’ll wait and see.

I have spent the afternoon attempting to do this week’s Networked Media reading, but to no avail. I am sick as a dog, and cannot help but simply rolling over and dozing off every 15 minutes. Why is this happening to me amidst one of the busiest uni week’s of the year? I had to miss my tour of parliament this morning because I could not physically get out of bed. I didn’t even have the strength to get up and take a Codral cold and flu tablet!! Anyway, I’m getting up now and going to sit my HTML test. Ohhhhh joy….