week 5 Against the law--intelectual property and content control

We have talk about intellectual property and content control this week in the lecture. Copyright as basic guarantee for creators to creative and produce knowledge. Indeed, the purpose of copyright is to protect intellectual property right to prove the ‘knowledge’ is belongs to someone. Scramble for intellectual property right cases happen frequently in recent years; it is important to creators to possess their ownership. Whereas does it is necessary spend much money on sue someone because the idea has been ‘stolen’ or ‘borrowed’ by someone? Or does it is that important for users to know who create this idea?

Personally, I think the reason why people scramble for the intellectual property right is because it relate to profit, in some degree intellectual property means money.

I am very interested in the reading of this week. I agree with their opinions. Boldrin states that “intellectual monopoly is a double-edged sword”. Indeed, intellectual property is necessary to be protected to show the respect of knowledge production, on the other hand it could destroy the creative industry. As Ted mentioned that information wants to be free, I doubt whether the rules could destroy inspiration of producers. “Intellectual property is an unnecessary evil” sail by Boldrin

I am also very interested in Lessing’s example which is there are 40 percent of publications are comics and 20 percent of publication revenue derives from comics, this kind of illegal market exists and indeed flourishes in Japan. We can see that more creativity rather than protect in Japanese publication market.

“it is a creativity that we should remember and celebrate. There are some who would say that there is no creativity except this kind we do not need to go that far to recognize its importance”.

In my opinion, intellectual celebrate is not necessary, but over-protect leads to industry tends to negative and stagnancy. 

week 4: global media business and immaterial production

We talk about global media business and immaterial production this week. And we focus on the question of how did the advent of information networks effect organisation and new forms labour in the lecture. Basically, the internet is not only benefit for users; it brings lots of opportunities to businessman as well. Tangible and intangible goods have been served on the internet. Companies offer package information or service on the internet. For instance, customers purchase and download music from the internet, such as apple store. It quite convenient for consumers to purchases goods online. Also, unnecessary cost of corporations has been decreased trough online transaction. Above all, intangible products which alleged service instead of physical goods have been provided on the internet.  Specifically, as Ted mentioned that how did information networks effect organisation and labour is form industrial to knowledge production.  

I am very interested in the reading of this week. Peter Bradwell states the role of network citizens and the responsibility at work. He also mentioned that technology revolution is benefit for companies. Service and knowledge-based work substitute physical industrial work has been engaged in modern society.

“Knowledge-base services grew 177 per cent between 1995 and 2005, compared with 52 per cent for non-knowledge-based service. Between 1996 and 2006 employment in knowledge-intensive services in the UK increased from 37 per cent of all jobs to 43 per cent” (Bradwell, 2008)

I am impressed on those data; it also shows that technology boost development of society. At the same time, information network change the behaviour and ideology of labourer. Online transaction also tends to worldwide popularity.

week 1 Information: engaging global networks

Actually, I missed the first tutorial. Then, I started to do some reading so that I can catch up. This subject is involved in terms of global communication, global network, cyberspace and online activities. We are looking for the history of internet and how internet interactive with people’s life. Obviously, people are in the cyberspace rather than just on the internet.  The reading of this week which wrote by Manuel Castells illustrates the power of networks. He point out that network could structure our society.

“Networks matter because they are the underlying structure of our lives.”

Indeed, networks influence on people’s life deeply on different aspects. For instance, we can pay our fees, rent accommodation and book hotel through the internet. Honestly, I did not pay much attention to the power of network; it is just a usual tool for me. However, I can not image if I live without internet and computers. Internet already infiltrates in people’s normal life, it is a part of people’s life and people can not feel it.

I found some good points which mentioned by Ted within lecture notes,he states that cyberculture is composed with internet and culture. He also said that impact of cyberculture on contemporary culture and social practices. Although the internet pervade worldwide, it still has many branches caused by culture variation.

week 3 the network society: narratives of global communication

The relationship between history of internet and human was discussed in lecture. Ted mentioned that computer more seems like a data processing units rather than a communication tool when it was first appeared in the world. And multiple terminals have to connect to the central mainframe at that time. What is the biggest change on computer today? Obviously, computers are not only used to deal data, and multiple terminals do not need have to connect to the central mainframe. Today, all nudes are created in equal way, as Ted said that each individual nude can broadcast on entire network. End users are not controlled by central mainframe any more; they have more choices to collect their information.

I am also very interested in Ted’s the other point which is global communication system is global nervous system. Indeed, internet is not limited by geography, time and space that means online communication are increasingly tends to globalization. Global communication system is like nervous pervade everywhere in the world and every single nerve could influence on the other. Internet not only contributes to people’s leisure life, but also social experience.

The readings of this week are quite interesting. John Perry Barlow create a ideal and surreal space where are not controlled by real government. Cyberspace is the other community without prejudice accorded by race, authority and military force, or station of birth. Personally, I do not agree with it. Cyberspace is a community where correlated and established upon to the realistic society rather than a fictional world. All the information is drew upon to the real social experience instead of a ideal perspective. Controversy, Kevin Kelly portrays a new economy system which established on the realistic situation. He states that high technology already infiltrate in human’s life. Media and high technology not only a sector of the economy, he states that communication is the economy.

In a sense, I do not agree with them either. Indeed, cyberspace is too powerful to shape people’s ideology and concisions. On the other hand, ideology is constructed by cultures. The central idea is culture construct people’s concisions rather than high technology.

week2-global connection:from the telegraph to cyberspace

This week we talk about global communication history from the telegraph to cyberspace. It has big change since 1837 when telegraph appeared in the world, it changed the way how people communicate. The other revolution has been started with the advent of computer and the internet which developed in later hundred years. Media is a powerful tool which could shape people’s conscious and ideology, and also it has long-term impact on society. Media including telegraphy, telephony, television, satellite broadcasting and the internet, not only the way how people communicate has been changed,   it already embed people’s life deeply. For instance, internet has been used for work, entertainment and study. How media especially internet could impact people’s life so much?

Cyberspace is not only an important physical tool to communicate, in the other words it becomes a part of people’s perception which people can not isolate it with normal life. Cyberspace also likes a huge data base where people could get any information from it. According to the reading ‘Information Ecology’ state that “people are becoming virtual but virtually all human actions rely, in varying degrees, on digital information networks.” (Stalder, 2005) It obvious that cyberspace could offer worldwide information, also it makes people’s life more efficient and colourful.

Conversely, cyberspace brings a lot of problems to realistic life. The “Four Puzzles From Cyberspace” state four problems caused by cyberspace. Personally, I am very interested in the gambling story; it shows that life on the net is less regulable than life off the net. (Lessing, 2006) Cyberspace is a community which could cross nations and does not limited by a nation of law.

In brief, people rely on networks because it offers a bit of information to the users. Indeed, cyberspace brings lots of advantages to us; but it caused some problems which are very serious among society. We argue that whether cyberspace community would threat to government to administrate.