Internet creators are moderate users?? (pt2)

Clifford Stoll in his book, Silicon Snake Oil, admitted that he used to be an internet addict.. he enjoyed keeping in touch with people around the world. THe WOrld is No Longer RounD..It is Flat! Internet  knows no boundaries. It  hooks everyone incuding him ( and Me!) People get connected in the virtual world..everyone seems so near , yet so far! It 'has cheapen the meaning of actual experince'. People need to wake up!  In the sixty- minutes time spent surfing the net for something that is not real, why not spend the time with real people outdoors.. it makes life more meaningful.  People are clamoring..'Safe the environment..safe the trees!!' and then comes along online post-cards, emails and.... People just need to have a computer ... and click. Out pop a colorful 'card' accompanied with music/ voice/ animation/garphics appear before them on the screen. It stays on the screen.. that's all! If you try to print it out, all the animation and sound are all gone. If you happen to have good quality paper... then at least you can get to decorate your locker or tack it up on the wall in front of your office table. But.. how many people out there in the world have access to computer and have good quality paper?? And worst of all, where's the human touch? Stoll contended that email is often 'undependable.. impersonal and boring... A handwritten letter is arguably cheaper, more reliable and far more expressive'(p.17) E-mail takes time to be read and this includes junk mails (p.30).

Well, what Stoll says brings in some sense there... No doubt,  in this rapid and busy time, who has time to decorate a letter and post it? For any work to run efficiently and punctually, email is the best mode... but work is work.. no need human touch... all people are concerned is $$$. People even work from home. You can't run away from emails. You'll be questioned if your emails are not replied as soon as possible. Even when one is sick or on leave..one can't live without checking the mails.. to ensure that work 'runs' as efficient as can be. (UrGGGhh!)

 I agree with Stoll to a larger extent. As for human touch,  I remembered the time when I received Teachers' Day card from my students.. Some created their own cards with their little creative hands while others used  the computer to produce a beautiful card with the keyboard.  I tend to appreciate the former than the latter.. I suppose its natural.. human likes human touch and not computer touch!

Mmm.. I have only started reading this book.. and I am beginning to reflect on my own internet 'obsession'. With I-phone in hand, internet is just one click away.. something has to be done. YEs, internet provides the channel to all sorts of information but what about the time taken to make the right choice = ^

Internet creators are moderate users?? (pt1)

The Internet creators are the know-how people. They create the internet, the search engines... , so they own the virtual world and know where the loopholes are... and that justifies their cautious moves. Also, being creators, they know the weaknesses and the strengths of their creations. They only  use the internet to serve their personal interest and economic purposes. 


On another perspective, they may not be considered as moderate users In fact they are more fervent as internet users as well. They will find every way to protect their rice bowl. Just look at what happen recently; (refer Straits Times Jan 21) both the Google (American) and Baidu( China) search engines are tussling with one another over issues like hacking, attracting online users, copyright and many more. All these, I believe, is because they want to protect their interest. BAidu, easier to say as compared to Google which is pronounced as 'Gu Ge" for instance claims to be  the 'more  Chinese search engine' and caters 'better to the China's legions of youthful online users.' It accused Google as an 'alien interloper'.  : ) 

 The internet users on the other hand, are so tempted to explore the virtual world..they are the pragmatics and they take risks.  As such they are more exposed to the idiosyncracies of internet...

I  am one of the internet avid users. I love to explore the net for information, entertainment and what not. Considering the amount of time that passed as  I surf the net...it seems as though the internet controls my life.. it affects my time management.. I got addicted to technology! When I went to Sim Lim Square, I felt myself at home. It was so nice to be with the 'technology'! So much money was spent on IT gadgets. Not only that, when I was given the role to look into IT matters at work, it grew worse! At that time, I felt so special cos' I had the first hand on IT gadget that my other colleagues might not know.. and guess what.. I still can't get over it! Online shopping is there to trap people like me : ^ 

INterneT ScAm

Have you come across internet scam like this? I have received quite a number of scams in my various emails; especially trying to anchor human sympathy.. Only someone who is digitally literate will be able to deliver this and only one who is digitally literate will be able to recognise its authenticity. As according to Gilster (1997),  digital literacy involves acquiring the skills to find 'things' in the net and the ablity to use these 'things' in your life. So, a person who is able to dive into the network and identify the sources of information displayed in the net and also, use this ability to manipulate others HAS acquired digital literacy... whether for good or bad, these skills certainly help to fulfill a range of interests!

What is digital literacy?

Exactly... what is digital literacy? I know.. we have digital camera, digital video, digital watch.. and now digital literacy?? Does DL have to do with technology and  digital revolution? Must a digitally literate person be IT literate as well? How IT literate can a person be in order to be digitally literate??  Confused.

I suppose digital literacy refers to the ability to read, understand, interpret, infer and produce something that has to do with technology... or may be there's more to it? Being a digital imigrant, I shouldn't  be comfortable with the skills that I have at present. The younger ones or rather.. the digital natives are keeping up with the advancing technology. They are born in the age of technology and immersed in a period which exposes them to a spectrum of media. The fear of just being receptive to whatever that is shown before them is lurking in the air. They need to learn to be more critical and be cautious of messages that are hidden in the heads of the media authors.. that's where our role as educators should enter. We, ourselves, have to be IT literate or digitally literate in order to play an effective role!