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Week 1: Response to “Long Live the Web” and “A Network of Fragments” – Adam Chou

“Long Live The Web” Response:

In reaction to Tim Berners-Lee’s piece “Long Live the Web”, I feel conflicted as to his position. Although Tim is the one accredited with the invention of the web, I feel he does not understand the geopolitical implications of his invention to its fullest extent. As he highlights in the piece, his goals for the web was to levy a new medium of communications, where common rights were to be respected under this medium. The principle he speaks of, universalism, is one that I believe to be inherently flawed and a form of the decentralization that he has been seeking for his invention. This is seen in his commentary on monopoly restriction and open-sourced programs. His dream seems to mimic (to me) a similar socialist dream of shared resources.

The main components of his plan encourage creativity, while also simultaneously limiting the control of big companies. Essentially, because the web is ‘limitless’ in a sense, he believes that we will be able to expand and make room for all the appropriate users. By utilizing this environment, there will be ample space and time for everyone to create a semi-utopia. This means limited government involvement, self-regulation, Free Speech, Information.. etc. I would, however, argue that there are fundamental political issues stopping these goals from being achieved. First, we must consider current styles of business management in place, as well as the subjective sense of what might be ‘right’ in different areas. Although the web may be able to connect different areas of the world, it is not the web itself acting, but the user in the area that is connected. The web cannot fix many of the issues that we currently have. In an analogy, the web is not the one who brings over aid to a country. It is the people who communicate, who organize, and deliver aid supplies and volunteers to the country. Although the web presents itself as an almost instantaneous method, it works in tandem with many less efficient systems. Because of this, many of the methods of monopoly-style control can be utilized to pressure the dream that Tim Berner-Lee has. Therefore, although we can consider the benefits of such a system laid out, the rules that have been thus established in the trading and political economy will not allow for such a system to come about (at this moment). However, I will say that this world that he describes is an ideal that we can work towards.

“A Network of Fragments” Response:

Ingrid Burrington’s piece reminds me a lot about user interaction with the web. Although we interact with it, most of the actions we perform on the platform are very surface based – nonsubstantial. Many of those who use the web are unable to read or write code, unable to create – we are illiterate by today’s standards. And yet we are still able to perform basic functions like navigate sites, read directions, look up news, and all the other ways that we were able to before the internet – now in the palm of our hand. Most of us are oblivious to the functions of the internet, and therefore stand as passive users. In this case, we find the internet to be a cause of concern in some cases. Some parents take away cell phones in order to limit the ‘damage’ that it might cause children. They believe that being addicted to such an enormous databank of information is a detriment to their education. In some cases, they even believe that the information stored in a cell phone would replace the reality that we have in front of us.

To such an end, the internet seems to have qualities similar to that of a devil, or a succubus – a dangerous persona that would seek to take away our better qualities. However, it is interesting to take the time to understand it. When we think about it, it is simply many data – centers, microfiber cables, and people working to connect the world we live in. In that light, I can only see parents who shelter their kids from their phones as a makeshift boundary from entering the adult world unprepared.

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Week 1: Readings- Ashley Zhu

The WCS Information Sheets provided general background about some of the projects that the Wildlife Conservation Society in New York is working on. I think the sheet did a good job outlining the projects, and by creating an interactive version of it would be engaging.

On the other hand, the 2012 Tegner Report provides a lot of useful information. For creating the webpage, I think it would be better if the home page is more simple, otherwise, there would be too much information for the audience when they open the webpage. By categorizing the different data, it would be easier for the audience to navigate through the webpage and access the information. For example, by categorizing the different areas (such as Montauk, New York, to Cape May, New Jersey, to the coasts of New York and New Jersey, New York Harbor, the lower Hudson River, the East River, and Long Island Sound) by map. Also, by going through the resources and cutting down information and limiting it to only the most useful information would make the webpage neater as well.

“The Ainu: Beyond the Politics of Cultural Coexistence” was an interesting article that covered the historical background as well as the challenges they face as new reforms emerged. While reading the article, it was unfortunate to see the fight that the indigenous people had to put up, as the Japanese government attempts to assimilate them into modern Japanese society. This reminded me of a minority group that I worked with this past winter break. I volunteered in Chiang Rai, Thailand to work on a coffee entrepreneurship project. The coffee shop I worked for was located in the mountains and far away from downtown. The owner of the coffee shop is part of the indigenous Ahka group, who were not seen as Thai citizens. Due to their circumstances, a lot of the local Ahka people lived in poverty. Instead of speaking Thai, the Ahka people have their own language and are separated from the rest of the Thai community. It was interesting to see the parallels between the Ahka people and the Ainu people while reading the article. Minority groups often face challenges in embracing their own culture while assimilating into contemporary society with pressures from the government in an attempt to modernize. While in Thailand, I was able to create some videos along with my peers for the Ahka people. We filmed and interviewed them to help others better understand their culture and story. Therefore, I think that helping the Ainu produce content that will negate some of the stereotypes that they didn’t want would be impactful for them, by portraying who they really are.

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“Long Live The Web” and “The Internet Is Everywhere” – Bonnie Chan

“Long Live The Web”

I’ve spent some time thinking about open sourcing coding. The idea that everything coders do nowadays are shared worldwide and the idea that when I am creating code half of it comes from someone else. However, the reading reminded me that sharing on the Internet is more than just that. Individual privacy and freedom is often comprised as the Internet begins to grow larger and private companies take advantage. Its scary to think that the majority of the Web that is so vast and large is actually only managed by a few companies that control over everything. And to remind ourselves that everything that we do nowadays is online. Just thinking about my first week of China I’ve realized how much technology and the Internet has taken over our world. To think that we may have no control over all the information that we have shared with the world is terrifying. For individuals that are scared of where modern technology has taken us don’t even have a choice as to whether or not they would like to share their information. Our technology filled society has forced us to become immersed in the Web. Just think about the fact that some restaurants or stores only accept Alipay or WeChat Pay and have entirely eliminated the old fashioned use of cash. Not only that, but also how the Internet connects us to such a large network terrifies our society even more. Someone across the world could easily have access to your information with a click of a button. Something new and interesting to me was the thought that the Internet and the Web as separate entities. Since applications and web sites have required the use of the Internet for so long, all these factors have been mushed into one for me. However, to think that technology has evolved to the point where applications such as itunes is considered a separate entity has really surprised me. Separate private programs that are no possible means that the potential for technology has no limit – something that can be so powerful but also so malicious. 

“The Internet is Everywhere”

When I speak to my parents about web applications and the Internet, they simply scratch their head asking me if their photos were all backed up on the “Cloud” and how would it be possible to get them back. It was as if they saw technology as this god-like entity that had so much power over them. It made sense, something that was physically unseen, untouchable and yet could house all of the things they would ever need; they never would’ve imagined that was possible ten years ago and yet here we are. I’ve never took notice of the wires that line the roads or the large servers stored somewhere in the mystical world that powers everything that I use on a daily basis. But, for some reason technology didn’t seem as godly to me anymore. To think that a simple push of a button would be capable of turning off all the servers and websites online that I use every day is such a crazy thing to believe. Somehow, I suddenly feel like I still have power over the Internet (as Tim Berners-Lee has mentioned in his article the idea that the Internet is still very much under our control). As well as thinking back to when I would code and debug, I realized that technology is not as smart as we think. Instead, it is us – the creators – that make machines come to life.