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February 07, 2007

Lecture: Why is infrastructure important?

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

Class Reader: Visions of Technology

Rhodes, Richard. (ed.) (1999). Visions of Technology: A Century Of Vital Debate About Machines, Systems and the Human World. New York: Simon & Schuster. (10 pages: portions of pp. 32-33, 66-68, 70-71, 83-84, 96, 106, 171-172, 216-219, 274-277.) Password Protected Online Full-Text (PDF) [Get Password Help]

Announcement: The blogs page now has "Instructor Faves"

Announcement: The third assignment is due 2/14

Assignment: BLOG POST: The Misguided Archaeologist

First, find a piece of old communication technology that you don't want. Good junk might come from the closet, the Goodwill store, or by asking friends. Choose something of little value (e.g., it is already broken) like an old cell phone or broken CD player. Feed free to be creative about what counts as a "communication technology" -- use the broad definition given in lecture.

Next, pretend you are a misguided archaeologist who has discovered a piece of technology from another civilization. You have only vague ideas about how it works or what it is used for. Carefully examine the technology and write up your notes in your blog entry. Include one or more pictures of your object. It may be useful for you to take your technology apart. Include one or more photographs in your entry to illustrate your investigation.

Finally, in your write up, make a misguided guess about what this device might do for the civilization that invented it. "Misguided" means: for fun, do not make the obvious (or correct) conclusion -- e.g., cell phones are for phoning. Refer to a course reading that explains the role of communication technology in societies to justify your misguided guess (include page number and source). You might get ideas from the Postman reading, the Ong reading, or pp. 45-48 of your textbook.

Post an answer of at least 250 words to your blog. DEADLINE: 11 a.m. -- one hour before class begins. Important notes:

• To receive full credit, demonstrate that you understand the functions that you mention from the readings -- be sure you include enough detail. (For instance, you might discuss two theories and then decide one is correct and explain why, or you could link things you see inside the device to the definition of one of the functions.)
• Your "misguided guess" only has to be based on your examination of the object, it does not have to be correct.
• This assignment is meant to be fun, but please use good judgment at all times.
• Do not take something owned by someone else without permission.
• In the past, some students have used bricks, rocks, or hammers to smash the technology open, but you may only do this if it can be done safely and you clean up the mess.