Monday, November 9, 2015
TWIF Flattener #4 - Uploading
Use one of the current events sources linked at http://svhs-hwc-spring-2016.blogspot.com/2015/11/approved-sources-for-twif-current.html to find a recent news article that relates to, supports, or refutes Friedman's assertion that uploading was a "flattener." Your comment should include the title of the news article, a link to the article, and a summary of the article including an explanation of how the article relates to this point. Don't forget to check your rubric for evaluation criteria!
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Title: Facebook 'disappointed' by shutdown of free internet service in Egypt
ReplyDeleteAuthor: N/A
Source: The Guardian
Link: http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/dec/30/facebook-disappointed-shutdown-free-internet-service-egypt
Summary:
The article discusses how on December 30th, 2015, a free internet service was shut down in Egypt. This free service provided a basic internet connection to over a million people that previously did not have any internet connection. Facebook, a social media powerhouse, voiced their disapproval of the shutdown.
The article connects to the point Thomas Friedman makes about the free software movement. The free software movement was based on the idea that software should be uploaded and then distributed for free, making the software available to all. In other words, a price should not disable someone from using the same software as others. The article perfectly illustrates how free software enables millions of people to utilize software they previously would not be able to. The article also showcases how large technology companies, such as Facebook, believe in the free software movement.
ReplyDeleteTitle: Google+ gets yet another revamp as it tries to prove it’s not dead
Link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2015/11/17/google-gets-yet-another-revamp-as-it-tries-to-prove-its-not-dead/
Summary: This article talks about how Google is creating a network that “centers more on building online communities” by creating features on Google+ where users can post and let other people know about what they are doing, where they are, and other personal aspects like that. Google realizes that society enjoys posting updates of their status and understand that this new “online community” has the potential to become very successful because it brings people who have similar interests together. In The World is Flat, Thomas Friedman includes a section where he describes blogging as an uploading flattener. It goes on to say that society enjoys uploading and reading other people’s posts, so they continue to use blogs which is why he says that uploading is a flattener.. The article reinforces Friedman’s explanation about blogging because it says that despite Google’s struggle in the past, it knows that a blog-like network on Google+ can become successful and that they should keep working on making it true. That augments Friedman’s opinion because he says that blogs are increasingly getting popular, so if Google+ made a blog-like feature then it is likely it will become victorious.
Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/03/business/technology-in-competitive-move-ibm-puts-code-in-public-domain.html
ReplyDeleteTitle: TECHNOLOGY; In Competitive Move, I.B.M. Puts Code in Public Domain
Summary: I.B.M. Joined the open source software movement by adding $85 million worth of Cloudscape codes to the public in an effort to increase the ease of Java Script programming. This massive transfer of codes to the public domain also served to give the company a competitive edge against its main opponent, Microsoft. I.B.M.'s codes, also known as Derby, will be transferred to Apache, an online open source program, where hundreds of innovative programmers will be able to contribute. This movement will advance the Cloudscape software on a global platform.
This article relates to the ideas discussed in Friedman's "The World is Flat." The book describes the fourth flattener as, "Uploading- Harnessing the Power of Communities"(Friedman 93), which directly refers to open sourcing. Friedman introduces the numerous ways in which Apache has influenced the world. The book also suggests the practicality and global spread of open source software. This article describes how I.B.M. is utilizing the techniques that have made Apache so prosperous, and is even enlisting the services of the global company to accelerate its software programming. The news release essentially solidifies Friedman's explanation as to why open sourcing has flattened the world in such prevalent ways.
Title: Norway's National Library Discovers Rare Atlas - With a Little Help from Reddit
ReplyDeleteLink: http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/01/15/463209833/norways-national-library-discovers-rare-atlas-with-a-little-help-from-reddit
Summary:
A man working at the Norway National Library was helping people answer questions when a beautiful atlas caught his eye. He described himself as a map nerd and looked at old maps on Reddit. He decided to scan a few of the pages and upload them onto Reddit. He saw that someone else had posted a picture of a page of it which had information about it. He was not able to read the writing but the other person said the page they had was from the Cedid Atlas Tercumesi which was one of the first printed atlases from the Muslim world. It said that there were only 14 of the 50 originally printed known to still be intact but this man found out that he had the fifteenth. This relates to The World is Flat because it says that uploading is a world flattener. If it wasn’t for the other person uploading a picture of a page of the atlas and saying what it actually was, this fifteenth atlas may have never been found. Also, the library was digitalizing their inventory but the atlas was not on it which is why nobody knew it was there.
Title: Is Google's Free Software A Good Deal For Educators?
ReplyDeleteAuthor: Anya Kamenetz
Link: http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2014/08/26/341943780/is-googles-free-software-a-good-deal-for-educators
Summary/Reflection: Google has created free software for teachers and students to use in and out of the classroom. Google Classroom allows teachers to create a class and invite their students into the class. Once the students are in the class, the teacher can upload worksheets, grades, and virtually anything else, making the classroom soon to be “paperless”. When teachers assign homework, the students upload their work to Google Classroom, and the Teacher can see their work, and at what time the student uploaded it. This article relates to Friedman’s summary of how he first found out that IBM used “Apache” to run their business. He talked about how some random “geeks” created the software and put it out on the web for people to download and use for free. Google did the same exact things as Apache, by allowing teachers and students to use Google Classroom for free. Overall, the article about Google Classroom and Friedman’s remarks about Apache demonstrate the same idea about uploading.
Title: “The New York Library has just released a treasure trove of incredible archive images to the internet”
ReplyDeleteAuthor: Science Friday with Ira Flatow
Link http://www.pri.org/stories/2016-01-14/new-york-library-has-just-released-treasure-trove-incredible-archive-images
Summary:
This article is about the New York Library has just released a large amount of archive images to the internet, and thus made them available to the entire world. The uploading of this information has allowed the entire world the advantages that could come from the new information; be it help on a project, something fun to look at, or just a new tidbit. Part of the reason for the upload was to give everyone a solid base of resources to utilize. It then goes onto talk about NYPL labs which are essentially online libraries that are created by museums and the like in order to share information with the world. This connects to Friedman’s fourth flattener of uploading, in the way that it is about new information being put on the internet. This is definitely a flattener because it allows for information to be shared on a global scale, and it has been done in the past. In this article the New York Library is now entering into the global sharing market with its upload of old archive images that can give people an idea of the past. This helps to flatten the world in the way that it shares information with everyone on the planet, allowing them all to become equal in their knowledge and endeavors.
Title: Facebook gets flak for Beirut-Paris 'double standard’
ReplyDeleteLink: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/11/facebook-flak-reaction-paris-attacks-151115071745802.html
Summary:
Facebook has implemented a “safety check” after the terrorist attacks on Pars. However the company didn’t implement this feature after Beirut attacks just a day prior to the Paris attacks. Facebook is now facing criticism due to this error. “Critics of the site accused it of valuing the lives of Western victims more than those in the Middle East and other regions, a charge disputed by others, who said there are other factors at play” Another sites claims that terrorists used Facebook and other media sites to coordinate the attacks on Paris and Beirut. A picture on the article shows Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg change his profile picture to show his support and mourning for the victims of the Paris attacks. Friedman’s fourth flattener is like this in the respect that these sites may have been used to collaborate on a terror attack. These sites also allowed others to show their opinion on the terrible events that occurred on these days.
Author: Ivan Berger
ReplyDeleteTitle: Two Still Cameras Are Made With Uploading Videos in Mind
Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/19/technology/circuits/19camera.html
Summary: This article talks about how uploading to Youtube can be a hard task because the uploader must meet the requirements Youtube provides for them. Now uploading videos to Youtube is even easier with the improved modern technology of two new cameras that shoot videos that are compatible with Youtube's requirements. This camera gives a quicker and more simple way to create and upload videos to the Internet. This article relates to Friedman's arguments. In his book, he discusses how uploading to the Internet allows people to communicate and share their ideas. Now with this new camera uploading is even easier and can share their ideas with other people faster. He also states that since modern technology is always improving, things like uploading are becoming easier, so this new camera is just another example of technology improving.
Title: SoundCloud inks licensing deal with Universal Music
ReplyDeleteLink: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-universalmusic-soundcloud-idUSKCN0UR26R20160113
Summary:
This article announces the new deal that will allow SoundCloud to continue playing music owned by Universal Music Group. This is important, because artists under this record label will still be able to upload and share music, and SoundCloud will still be able to play it. Also, last year, Twitter Inc. signed a deal with SoundCloud to allow its users to play SoundClouds audio clips direct from their timelines or message feeds.
This article provides an excellent example of uploading in the modern world. Friedman states that uploading is a major flattener because the "flat-world platform" allows individuals to collaborate on software, source codes, online resources, and any content they author. This includes music, as people use SoundCloud to upload and globalize their music so that they can participate in the online global community. This desire to voice opinions and participate also help to make uploading a major force that has flattened, and still flattens, the world.
Title: Apple Pay Is Set to Arrive in China
ReplyDeleteLink: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/21/technology/personaltech/posting-animated-gifs-on-facebook.html
Summary: This article discusses how Apple is going to introduce Apple Pay in China at the beginning of this year. Apple Pay is a mobile payment system for Apple devices that allows a person to pay with their phone in the place of a credit, debit, store or loyalty cards. A person would have to upload their card information to Apple devices in order to use this service. This article relates to Friedman’s arguments in that he mentions that more and more applications and softwares are using digital files that are uploaded. People in China will be able to upload their card information to their phone in order to use Apple Pay. Friedman also states that modern technology is constantly improving which allows processes like uploading to become more common and easier to complete. This is the case because people are able to easily upload files and data through their mobile device.
Title: Wikipedia at 15: The Struggle to Attract Non-Techy Geeks
ReplyDeleteLink: http://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2016/01/15/463059593/wikipedia-at-15-the-struggle-to-attract-non-techy-geeks
Summary: The well known online encyclopedia - Wikipedia, has recently turned 15 years old. Over the past 15 years, Wikipedia cites about 80,000 volunteers around the world as editors, and currently has about 35 million articles that are view-able by the public. Furthermore, Wikipedia has been able to develop a much more diverse group of editors, as the website offers hundreds of different languages and women have been making a push to make a stance. When Wikipedia was first developed, the common editor was some "male geek" who was single, in his twenties. However, more and more women are beginning to volunteer as editors - only making the renowned online encyclopedia much more diverse. In most cases, these volunteers are just everyday people that are knowledgeable on a certain subject, and want to share their knowledge via Wikipedia. Most people believe that practically anyone can change an article, and while this is somewhat true - there are many precautions that exist. Most articles are commonly written and edited by a group of people, rather than just a single editor. This, in retrospect, makes the community much more diverse by sharing a plethora of different ideas throughout the website.
Explanation: Wikipedia is a prime example of the "uploading" flattner simply because it's a source of information where people can share their knowledge with the click of a button. This would certainly flatten the world especially because of its diversity, and the colossal amount of languages that the website offers. Moreover, as Wikipedia is getting older, the more diverse it is becoming.
Title: Can Wikipedia Survive?
ReplyDeleteLink: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/21/opinion/can-wikipedia-survive.html?_r=0
This article discusses how Wikipedia has advanced since it started in 2001, however it is starting to face the issue of smartphones getting in the way of editing and adding new pages. Wikipedia depends on contributors editing and adding a new pages to the website, however, since the mobile number of users keeps growing it is hard for the mobile users to navigate Wikipedia to their fullest abilities. The newfound problems Wikipedia is facing is not within the fundraising, it is within the company itself in maintaining its reliability. I chose this article because it supports Friedman's statement that Wikipedia, although used regularly, has to be based off of accurate user contributed information.
Title: PayPal, as a spinoff, is worth way more than eBay, its former parent company
ReplyDeleteLink: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2015/07/20/paypal-as-a-spinoff-is-worth-way-more-than-ebay-its-former-parent-company/
Summary: This article talks about how PayPal has spun off from its parent company eBay and is now larger than twitter and is valued at about the same size as Netflix. PayPal is a way for people to pay online for certain things in a safe way. It then talks about how PayPal is continuing to look for ways to continue to grow so that competitors do not catch up. It is a fairly short article but supports Flattener #4. This supports Friedman when he says that people will upload things to the internet. With PayPal people all over the world can upload their credit card information so that they can pay for things safely online.