Posts

Blog: Wiki So Far

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I have decided to work on the fashion topic for our class wiki. So far, I have just been researching information I could add to the wiki. It was difficult to pick a topic because most of the topics that were my preferred choice were already on the wiki. However, when I looked on the fashion section of our class wiki, I noticed that there is a lack of streetwear style of fashion. More specifically, the collaborations of high-end brands and everyday brands. The topic I will add is the Off-White and Nike collaborations. Off-White is a relatively new luxury brand when compared with superstars like Gucci and Louis Vuitton. The Off-White was founded by Virgil Abloh in 2012 and has propelled into great heights thanks to its unique style, becoming one of the pioneers of high-end streetwear, and their legendary collaborations with Nike. Their designs have been imitated but never duplicated. Many luxury brands have tried to copy Virgil's formula, but none have succeeded like Virgil has. Off
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Blog: P2P

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File sharing is the practice of distributing or providing access to digital media with others. Peer to Peer (P2P) filesharing or networking is the sharing of information from different "peers" which are computer systems that are connected to each other via the internet. People can share files instantaneously through the network because it is each "peer" is a file server as well as a client. This uncontrolled sharing of files and information can often lead to piracy which is the unauthorized use or reproduction of another person's work. One of the most successful P2P programs ever created is BitTorrent created by Bram Cohen. BitTorrent allowed people all over the world to upload huge data files and share them with others. People can illegally download television shows, movies, music, games, etc., completely for free. People can find different torrents on different sites. One very popular torrent site is The Pirate Bay. There have been many instances of peop
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Blog: Advice

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College students spend way too much money on textbooks alone. This semester, I've spent about $600 on textbooks so in two semesters I would spend about $1,200 on textbooks. It would not be a big issue if students are keeping their textbooks to learn from it, but usually they are used for only one class and then collect dust until they are either thrown out, donated, or sold for a huge loss. An open source textbook could be a solution to the financial situation for students. According to the article  Open source textbook program expanding in coming months , "Open source texts – whether on paper or in a digital format – are compiled using copyright-free materials from a wide variety of sources and can be edited and updated immediately." so they are information that can be collected and used through the internet. This can also give teachers a lot of freedom since they are not confined to teaching only topics from the textbook. They can be regularly updated by the greatest
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Blog: Privacy

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In the age of new media, there is an overwhelming concern for privacy and confidentiality. Privacy and confidentiality can mean many things when it comes to technology. It can vary from something trivial like the password to your phone to having your information collected unknowingly by companies for advertisements.  A person's phone is an extension of them self and contains a lot of personal information that should be private. That is why the passcode at the lock screen was created. To protect an individual's privacy from others. However, according to the article  Survey Reveals Generation Gap in Attitudes About Security and Privacy , "Nearly half of Gen-Xers also fail to protect their smartphone with a PIN or passcode of some sort, while only 37 percent of Millennials are that cavalier". It seems that older generations are less worried than younger generations about privacy. A possible reason for that is the difference in the utilization of new media between the
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HW Creativity

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New Media is a great resource for people because it can foster creativity. Companies can collaborate with people all over the world instantaneously through social media. These collaborations can lead to new ideas which can see the light if picked up by the right people. According to the article "Twitter Serves Up Ideas From Its Followers", an example of a company using adapting to their consumers is when Twitter saw that their users were using the @ symbol to refer to other people. They have adopted that action and used it as the official way to refer to another Twitter user. Twitter understood that their user experience would be a process of trial and error. If people were excited about a Twitter feature, they would react positively. If people did not like a Twitter feature, they would make Twitter aware that they did not like the feature. In addition to the @ symbol, Twitter users also popularized the # symbol to refer to things that users were refering to. In the beginning
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Creativity and New Media

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New media can bring out the creativity in almost anybody. If somebody like me can become inspired and enlightened by new media, anybody can. An example of using new media to foster creativity is Second Life. Second Life is a simulation game that can be played for free. It allows the player to create an avatar that is similar to the player or completely different from the player. A person can essentially have a "second life". They can get jobs, explore, communicate with other players, and much more. I downloaded and played for the first time and my experience was very positive. My Second Life character was a DJ with a wife and three kids. I lived in a house and even had a dog. It allowed me to simulate a different life with the ability to fly without any real repercussions. I can understand how simulation games like Second Life can foster imagination and creativity in young kids because of how vast the world is. Kids see the world much bigger than adults. They would have a muc
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Modeling Reality with Virtual Worlds

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We live in a digital world where almost everything exists through technology. The need for real life interaction has declined and it has been replaced with virtual reality. Virtual reality is exactly what you think it is. It is a reality within the virtual world where you can interact   with people all over the world and do many activities without ever leaving your room. Whether it be playing games with others or just hanging out with friends, there is a virtual world for almost everyone in the world. Just like any other technological advancement, there are always positives and negatives when it comes to virtual worlds.  Virtual worlds can have many applications in the real world. According to the article " After Second Life, Can Virtual Worlds Get a Reboot?", virtual worlds can be used in education, delivery services, or even healthcare through videoconferences. It can help people all over the world and would prevent people from being alone ever again. Whether it is a po
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