Epilogue: What have you had to “unlearn” (i.e. that only phones are for having conversations) in the past 10 years due to technological change?
I think the idea that you have to have a map to get from one place to another. Now, with GPS and sites like MapQuest (mapquest.com), you can find written directions for exactly how to get from point a to point b. You no longer need to have a city map or even a state map to find your way around. It is the norm now to mapquest where you're going and find step-by-step instructions or to punch your destination into a GPS and have it guide you there. The idea of following a visual map now seems outdated.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Rating systems of eBay and Amazon
Many online merchants today, such as eBay and Amazon, use rating systems empowered by its customers. Is this adequate for determining which products to buy, or which users to trust? Cite examples from these two merchants that support your opinion (whether it is good enough, or inadequate).
I think using a rating system for websites such as eBay and Amazon to aid customers is effect in the sense that it narrows down options for many people and provides some basis of accountability. For example, on eBay there is a Gucci watch selling for $225.00. The seller of the watch is labeled a "Top-rated seller" and has many comments about how well the transaction went when customers have bought their items. As people see the hundreds of comments, the green checks, and the "top-rated seller" badge, they are more comfortable doing business with this seller. When you're spending a lot of money like this buyer would be, you want to make sure you're not getting used. Ratings such as A+ and top seller allow buyers to trust the seller more.
On Amazon (amazon.com), a Canon PowerShot camera is being sold for $199.00. The camera has 4.5 (out of 5) stars and 233 customer reviews. The customer reviews allow for the buyer to actually read personal opinions about the product instead of just seeing a rated number. Customers wrote out information and I think this really helps potential buyers to feel comfortable with what they're getting. Since buying online can be ambigious, ratings like these and customer reviews really help to make it easier. People want to give their opinion if a product is good or bad. I think that makes these reviews reliable and helps customers decide on what is worth their money.
I think using a rating system for websites such as eBay and Amazon to aid customers is effect in the sense that it narrows down options for many people and provides some basis of accountability. For example, on eBay there is a Gucci watch selling for $225.00. The seller of the watch is labeled a "Top-rated seller" and has many comments about how well the transaction went when customers have bought their items. As people see the hundreds of comments, the green checks, and the "top-rated seller" badge, they are more comfortable doing business with this seller. When you're spending a lot of money like this buyer would be, you want to make sure you're not getting used. Ratings such as A+ and top seller allow buyers to trust the seller more.
On Amazon (amazon.com), a Canon PowerShot camera is being sold for $199.00. The camera has 4.5 (out of 5) stars and 233 customer reviews. The customer reviews allow for the buyer to actually read personal opinions about the product instead of just seeing a rated number. Customers wrote out information and I think this really helps potential buyers to feel comfortable with what they're getting. Since buying online can be ambigious, ratings like these and customer reviews really help to make it easier. People want to give their opinion if a product is good or bad. I think that makes these reviews reliable and helps customers decide on what is worth their money.
Cautions for using information on a socialized website
James Surowiecki’s book mentioned in this chapter outlines four elements to create a so-called “wise crowd,” one that can make decisions better than experts. These include “diversity of opinion” and “independence.” Since social groups online seem to form crowds of many like-minded people, what caution would you give someone using information they find from a socialized website or resource?
When using the internet it is very easy to find what you want to read and ignore what you don't want to read. As technology progresses, people have more options to find people with opinions, beliefs, attitudes etc. that reflect their own. While technology can become a "melting pot" for people to share thoughts, meet each other, share information, it can also become a way to shut out those that don't have those same thoughts. I would caution people to try to explore social groups and sites that they may not always agree with. Using information from one site may only give you one point of view. I think its just important to understand that all opinions have value. Even the opinions one disagrees with the very most helps shape your own opinion and your own knowledge on a subject.
When using the internet it is very easy to find what you want to read and ignore what you don't want to read. As technology progresses, people have more options to find people with opinions, beliefs, attitudes etc. that reflect their own. While technology can become a "melting pot" for people to share thoughts, meet each other, share information, it can also become a way to shut out those that don't have those same thoughts. I would caution people to try to explore social groups and sites that they may not always agree with. Using information from one site may only give you one point of view. I think its just important to understand that all opinions have value. Even the opinions one disagrees with the very most helps shape your own opinion and your own knowledge on a subject.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Opportunities to fail
Think back to your experiences in middle and high school. How many opportunities were you given to experiment and “fail” in solving a problem? How could a school work today where students were regularly offered such opportunities?
I feel like I wasn't offered many opportunities where failing was acceptable in school. Many times, if you failed the task at hand, you would receive an appropriate grade. I remember in my physics course in high school, we were allowed to experiment and build things such as race cars. We were not graded on the project until the very last day. This way, we were able to build the car, test it, and see if it needed improvement. I thought this was a great way to teach students the importance of trial and error. I think if courses in school offered more opportunities like this (trial and error) without being so quickly to grade the students, they would have a chance to grow. There is a lot of pressure that comes with a grade and if students understood they were allowed to make mistakes and re-do things, they may be more likely to try new ideas.
I feel like I wasn't offered many opportunities where failing was acceptable in school. Many times, if you failed the task at hand, you would receive an appropriate grade. I remember in my physics course in high school, we were allowed to experiment and build things such as race cars. We were not graded on the project until the very last day. This way, we were able to build the car, test it, and see if it needed improvement. I thought this was a great way to teach students the importance of trial and error. I think if courses in school offered more opportunities like this (trial and error) without being so quickly to grade the students, they would have a chance to grow. There is a lot of pressure that comes with a grade and if students understood they were allowed to make mistakes and re-do things, they may be more likely to try new ideas.
FOAF-style network
What professional benefits do you see by investing time into a FOAF-style network?
This friend of a friend network is designed to connect people in a networking forum. These friends of friends are connected through common interests and similarities. As you gather more friends, you will gain more opportunities in the professional world. More than half of the available jobs in the market are not advertised. By creating the FOAF-style network, you are reaching out to more people that may have job opportunities for you. The more people you are networking with, the greater the chance you'll have to hear about job openings (since so many are never even posted). You can advertise you are looking for a job, you know of a job, you need a favor, or anything related to your professional life and more people will know about your concern. Since networking is a crucial tool to professional success, utilizing the FOAF-style of networking can only be beneficial. Allowing others to get to know you and allowing yourself to be open to others creates avenues of communication and opens up opportunities.
This friend of a friend network is designed to connect people in a networking forum. These friends of friends are connected through common interests and similarities. As you gather more friends, you will gain more opportunities in the professional world. More than half of the available jobs in the market are not advertised. By creating the FOAF-style network, you are reaching out to more people that may have job opportunities for you. The more people you are networking with, the greater the chance you'll have to hear about job openings (since so many are never even posted). You can advertise you are looking for a job, you know of a job, you need a favor, or anything related to your professional life and more people will know about your concern. Since networking is a crucial tool to professional success, utilizing the FOAF-style of networking can only be beneficial. Allowing others to get to know you and allowing yourself to be open to others creates avenues of communication and opens up opportunities.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Online vs. Print Media
While younger people today may not make distinctions between online and real-world friends according to Shirky, do you make distinctions between online vs. print media? Why or why not? Is there an advantage to one or the other?
I think I make a distinction between print and online media. I understand that things are the internet are easily altered and changes as oppose to print media is more permanent. News websites that provide print media in addition to online media are more credible to me than just solely online media. If an online source also has print media the stories are more likely to correlate between the two. The advantage to online media is obviously its most likely free and more convenient. However, I like to read magazines and newspapers and actually have a copy, so thats definitely an advantage for me. I think as technology becomes more prominent in everybody's life, online media is going to start becoming more and more credible and used. I think it's harder for me to rely on something I've read on a website than something I've read in a hard-copy newspaper.
Prisoner's Dilemma on eBay
Considering the Prisoner’s Dilemma in this chapter, provide your own insight on how sites such as eBay “work” for most participants of this popular online auction site. Do they really work? Or is there too much risk?
I think sites such as eBay provide a fair ground for auctioning off items. I think auctions are one of the fairest ways to sell things since you set a base price & then have bidders bid on what they are willing to pay for an item. Instead of being forced to pay a price thats too high, you have the chance to get an item for a bargain. This allows competing bidders to compare and rely on each other to make the final bid. This also helps to weigh the value of an item based upon others who have a similar interest. If bidders are willing to bid really high on an item, it is going to gain value. If bidders aren't willing to bid high on an item, the item significantly loses value. This allows for a competition to emerge and play out throughout the selling process.
Since there is a set time for selling the item, bidders are restricted to make bids within that time limitation. This limitation makes it fair because the bidder knows exactly how long their bid will last on eBay before they would win the item. I think the main risk that comes with these sites is that sometimes people bid assuming somebody will outbid them and then that doesn't happen. When you're locked into your bidding amount, you run a risk of actually having to pay when you are under the assumption you probably won't.
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