February 6, 2008

Lecture: Why is infrastructure important?

Key concepts: features of infrastructure (again)
Examples: content caching, multicasting, Internet radio stations, Al-Jazeera

Textbook: Handbook Ch. 15: Universal Access to Infrastructure

Assignment: BLOG POST: Infrastructure Treasure Hunt

Part I: Sign-Up for an item from the Password Protected treasure hunt sign-up sheet [Get Password Help]. Include the text of the item at the beginning of your blog post (e.g., copy and paste it). Part II: After you find the item, briefly describe what you did and what you found, including a photograph or picture (as indicated by the item you chose). Part III: Tell a one-paragraph story about your infrastructure that is either in the form of a technological determinist account or in the form of a cultural determinist account. (State which approach you chose.) Some important notes:

• Use good judgement during this assignment and behave in a professional manner.
• Only one or two students can choose each topic on the sign-up sheet.
• The write-up must be your own work. However, it is OK to work together with other class members or non-members to find the item.
• This assignment usually requires calling people on the phone or going somewhere
• Anticipate that the assignment will take time to complete and don't wait until the last minute
• This assignment requires a digital camera (or cell phone camera). If you don't have one, these are available from the Undergraduate Library.
• If your topic turns out to be impossible, switch topics!
• Extra credit will be given for successfully completing a topic that turns out to be very difficult, if you document the difficulty.
• You don't have to do historical research to complete Part III -- just tell a plausible story about the infrastructure that fits the perspective of a technological determinist or a cultural determinist.