TINST - 207 Blog Post #3: Erik Hanberg

Erik Hanberg gave some time to speak to our class last week. Erik has a long history of finding opportunities from the advent of the internet and telecommunications. He’s published several novels, including the “Arthur Beautyman mysteries” along with involvement in film and theater. Erik’s resume of works and awards are impressive, to say the least. During his presentation he discussed how the connectivity of the modern age has opened many doors, but also introduced many new concerns. In this instance, media sites like Facebook and Twitter allow Erik to keep a strong presence online to interact with fellow readers and followers, as he mentioned “that if it’s not online, it doesn’t exist.” Other websites such as Linkedin have helped him keep a strong professional appearance with being able to advertise his professional experience and skills. Alongside these exciting opportunities, he discussed how the advent of the internet has tarnished the reputation of some individuals from online attacks and creating controversial online posts.

I’ve always been careful of my presence in the online realm. In part, I’m very selective in what online services I participate in. My presence only extends to Facebook and a single message board (I guess this blog also counts, too.) I’m not really interested in websites such as twitter and tumblr, mostly because I can’t imagine making much use of them. However, I am interested in Linkedin, as it may be very helpful in a professional career. Though, it may be a few more years until I’m ready for that.

TINST - 207 Blog Post #2: "The machine is us/ing us"

            Perhaps the most shining quality of Michael Welsh’s “The machine is us/ing us” is how relevant it still remains seven years later. The video presents how information on the web, such as text, images, and video, all which are being viewed and uploaded millions of times each day, in turn, is teaching “the machine”, and how “the machine is using us.” What “the machine” is exactly isn’t explained. To my understanding, “the machine” is up to interpretation from the viewer. My approach is more literal, where “the machine” is the actual device that connects us to the web.

            This reminds me of an instance from when I moved back here to Washington last year. During the summer I went camping with my best friends, but during the entire trip, a particular friend wouldn’t stop starting at her phone. She was desperately hoping for phone signal a dozen miles away from civilization. Instead of enjoying her time camping, she spent most of her time trying to connect online. In essence, it definitely seemed like “the machine” was using her, as she became addicted to being connected online. Instead of taking the chance to enjoy the “real” world, she instead chose to waste her time trying to connect to the virtual world.

            During the time since Michael’s video had been published, we’ve encountered numerous controversies mentioned in his video. Near the end of the video it reads “We’ll need to rethink…” followed by several topics such as “copyrights”, “identity”, and “ethics”. Over recent years the internet has been the battle ground for many controversies and discussion surrounding these topics. These kinds of issues may never go away, but they may be necessary for the evolving virtual world.

TINST - 207 Blog Post #1: "What do you want out of this class?"

“What do you want out of this class?”

Telecommunications has been a rapidly growing and evolving realm of technology over the past several decades. In my lifetime, I’ve witnessed the evolution of the telephone, with it being a connect device inside your home strictly built for just calling other telephone users. These days, phones don’t just reside within our pockets now, but also reside as a central component in how we communicate. Instead of being restricted to simple phone calls, we now communicate via text messages, connecting to social media servers, or even through live video footage, all wirelessly. It’s been an amazing evolution to witness, and as someone who’s lived in many places, I’m glad I have the technology that allows me to easily stay connected with friends and family.

From this course, I want to explore all the aspects of the internet and networking. This includes how and what data moves between servers and machines, online threats, legal information and copyrights, and much more. I’ve been adamant on taking all the available computer related courses I’ve had available since middle school. I have over two years of web-design experience. I’ve taken numerous courses in computer hardware, such as A+ certification, along with software based courses such as digital media, word processing, and web-page development. From taking this course, I want to extend my knowledge of telecommunications and the internet.