One of my favorite parts of DMS 101 was the small section we did on coding. I really enjoyed getting to learn a bit of the basics of coding. Our assignment was pretty simple. We were required to create a HTML page with color and different size text. I struggled with it at first, but after spending some time with it, I am pretty sure I got it mostly figured out. I haven’t made a decision yet, but I am considering making computer science one of my focuses in my general DMS degree. I am taking the required computer science class, CSCI 203, in the fall. I am hoping I will enjoy that class as well. If it goes well, I will most definitely be doing computer science as one of my emphases.
Another part of DMS that I enjoyed was working with digital imaging. We got to use a few different software programs, like Gimp and Inkscape. Our assignment related to this topic included creating a vector image out of a gimp file. I quite enjoy the creativity that goes into designing digital art. I am also taking an art class in the fall that focuses on digital design. I am hoping that the combination of that with CSCI 203 will help me discover what my two emphases will be.
In my opinion, access to the internet is absolutely a human right. While not guaranteed by any laws or constitution, the internet has become such an enormous part of human life that I feel it has become common sense that everyone alive today needs access to the internet. I am not saying that every person on Earth needs lightning fast speeds in order to play video games or stream videos. I believe that some sort of internet connection should be given to all people so that they can have communication with other people as well as access to information. The internet has such an enormous amount of information available. If access to the internet were a basic human right, people would have easy access to any information out there. This would lead to a much more intelligent and educated populace, which is required to have a functioning democracy. The other added benefit of universal internet access would be the ability to communicate. If people in third world countries had quicker ways to communicate with outside markets, they could more easily access resources that their communities need. Having internet in these places would also help bring educators to the area so that more people could learn about the world.
When looking up information on the internet, especially specific information, one can easily become overwhelmed. I believe most people’s first instinct is to use google search engine to find an answer. But that isn’t always the best route to go. For example, say I am looking to find information about a specific piece of literature that isn’t very popular and was written a long time ago. Instead of google, which would probably be filled with other peoples comments on the source, I should use something like a university library database. Library Databases allow you to narrow down your search in order to find primary sources as opposed to people’s opinions about a primary source. Another example would be if you’re looking for a specific video. Instead of googling the description of the video, you may be better off going to youtube first in order to narrow down the possible list of results. If you just google a video, and sort by videos, you’re going to see videos from a variety of different websites not just youtube. This may be a good thing if youtube doesn’t have what you’re looking for, but it may be a bad thing if the other websites don’t host videos well or if the videos are locked behind some kind of add or pay wall.
What is the “internet of things” or IoT for short? According to wikipedia, the internet of things “is the network of physical devices, vehicles, home appliances, and other electronic items embedded with electronics, software, sensors, actuators, and connectivity which enables these objects to connect and exchange data.” This vast web of electronics is used daily by most people. We use it for a multitude of things, such as communication and creativity. However, one of the most common ways people use the internet is to spend/transfer money. I know I do almost all of my shopping online, aside from running to the store for little one-off things. I believe the reason I and many others use the internet so much more frequently than regular shopping is simply the convenience. It is so much more simple to order, say, a video game online and have it delivered or directly downloaded than it is to run to Game Stop and buy one in person. Social media, too, plays a large part in how we as people spend our money on the internet. Social media is an advertising agencies dream come true. The platform is designed to constantly supply fresh information to the user, which in turn leads to more and more adds. I do my best to avoid impulse buys of things I see on facebook or reddit, but I know there have been times where I saw an item on social media and immediately impulse purchased it. I think it really all boils down to how much easier it is to communicate now than it ever has been. Corporations, politicians, musicians, etc. all have the ability to share their product/service so easily. This leads to a rise in consumer culture.
Before I discuss the benefits of blockchain, I think it is important to explain what blockchain is. In essence, blockchain is a virtual public ledger that records everything in a secure and transparent manner. Blockchain allows for the free transfer of cryptocurrency through a decentralized medium. All data stored through blockchain is held in an interlinked network of computers owned and run by the owners/users of the computers. So now that we know what block chain is, let’s discuss some of the possible uses for it. Firstly, it will help supply chain management. A blockchain could be used to track the movement of goods, their origin, the quantity, as well as delivery status of goods. This helps provide a level of transparency in the process. Blockchain could also help with quality assurance. A blockchain could help make it easier for a business to carry out an investigation into why there is an imperfection in a product. Blockchain could also help with voting. Blockchain could help, especially in local elections, to eliminate any voter fraud. Finally, energy supply is a field that could benefit from the implementation of blockchain. I hope that block chain technology will become more prevalent in our society. It provides a transparent and reliable way to create networks to share and send/receive information.
Both accessibility and universal design are process or approaches to design that make it easier for everyone to use, especially those with disabilities or handicaps. This can range from a variety of different things, such as design of physical space, customer service problems, design of products, design of websites, how employees are trained, etc. Both of these approaches are extremely important to creating things that are accessible to all people. There are a few differences between the two though that help create an important distinction. Accessible design is a design process in which the needs of people with disabilities are specifically considered. This process is most known as requirements found under the Americans with Disabilities Act and Amendment Act. Universal Design is the design of products and environments to be usable by everyone, to the greatest extent possible, without need for adaptation or specialized design. There are many reasons why a company might decide to use one or both of these processes in their products. For example, it is useful and marketable to people with disabilities. Also, due to the nature of its design, products made with these guidelines are easy to understand regardless of experience with the technology. I believe it is important to keep these processes in mind when designing a product. It seems like a no-brainer to me; these processes make your products more usable by a wider range of people, which in turn will result in more profit.
Artificial intelligence is a relatively new field of technology. It is something that I find interesting, yet also terrifying. Currently, I do not interact much with AI technology, other than SIRI and other things that are automated processes. AI poses a threat to the future of the human work force. With many simple jobs being replaced by AI, the amount of unskilled jobs left is slowly dwindling. This will lead to increased separation of wealth and fewer wages for working people. Big Data, however, shows up in my life constantly. Big Data is especially pertinent in my life due to advertisements. Before I switched off a lot of the microphone permissions on my phone, I would constantly receive advertisements for things that I had never searched for and had no interest in. My phone was using its microphone to pick up on the things I talked about in every day situations. This felt like an invasion of privacy almost. It was very surreal knowing that we are all monitored like that. I hope that big data and AI technology improve to become beneficial and profitable endeavors for humanity. I also hope that as these technologies are developed that they be developed ethically and carefully.
Finale is a software program that I use regularly to compose music. Finale is an absolutely wonderful program. Without it, it would take me months to years to compose ten minutes of music. With this software I am able to create new music and hear it played back to me instantly. Finale removes the need for a live ensemble to read your music in order to listen and make edits. All of this to say, Finale could definitely use some improvements. Firstly, it is extremely expensive, thus limiting its already minuscule accessibility. One license to use finale is $600 for non student buyers. If the price were reduced, more people would have access to this software and be able to create more. Another issue with Finale is its huge learning curve. As someone who taught themselves to use the program, I can say with certainty that it takes multiple months or even years to fully understand what all the program is capable of, as well as how to access simple functions. For example. when a piece of music is loaded, the user sees a blank page with lines, a little note tool bar on the side, and a few symbols at the top. This is obviously intimidating to a new user. I believe a more comprehensive tutorial, as well as a list of all the most common short cuts, would greatly improve the beginner user experience with this program.
It is difficult for me to think of one singular piece of technology that has become obsolete. So many technologies that I grew up with have been thrown aside and forgotten. The first technology that popped into my head when I thought about obsolete technology was the VCR. I remember growing up and watching movies on VCRs. I remember having to rewind them when you were done, the gray static lines that would race across the screen when paused, and the slight mechanical hum that would come out through the VCR player. This technology became obsolete due to advancements in other technologies that displayed video, such as the DVD and Blu-Ray. I believe that improvement is inevitable and innovation and change will always be rampant in our society. This is not a bad thing. We as people love to cling to our nostalgia and the memory of how things were, but if it weren’t for advancements we’d still be watching movies in 240p. VCR couldn’t have survived in today’s culture. If VCR were the only option to watch videos at home, people would be streaming movies from computers or tablets or phones. The market simply would not support a sub par version of something else we have.
Digital media is monetized in many different ways, such as direct sponsorship (such as my example video), or product placement, or any other method in which a form of media can be used to generate ad revenue. In this video, a video game publishing company asked for the Slow Mo Guys channel to record a slowmo video in which they have an animal from the game crush a watermelon. This strategy causes the viewer to think about the animal and how it relates to the game. This could potentially increase a viewers interest in a product.