Web 2.0 :: SOCS300
What is the future of the web?
Looking back to its early beginnings in the mid-1960s, and in observing a variety of web-based tools and applications today, can we predict what will fade or survive versus what will evolve?
The internet has been highly under regulated, however is this changing? Will intellectual property become more relevant on the web, and international stage? Will internet censorship + restrictions expand beyond North Korea, China and Iran? Will cost/prices rise or fall?
Who decides?
Can anyone define where we are headed next? It is a growing bubble which expands and closes in different areas at different times, within its space that is the universe. Is it destined to be in a state of constant change?
What is in store for the future..
Tool? Trend? Business? Community? Culture? Connection? Robotics? Virtual Reality? Rise and fall?
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
What is your relationship to the internet?
Web 2.0 :: SOCS300
In the early years of the internet boom, around the turn of the century, I admit some doubt and frustrations.
There was a crash of internet company stocks, aka the dot-com companies, at the time the event was dubbed "dot-bomb". It was a lot to take in.. there were huge financial losses, in addition to a suddenly overwhelming amount of information at our fingertips, and the birth of spam e-mails. It seriously felt out of control for a while. The icing on the cake came with the issue of the "Y2K bug".. software programmers did not look beyond the 20th century when configuring dates, according to public reports.
The world overcame it. Programmers and tech support staff evolved into a strong industry, upon which businesses relied on heavily.. and I believe still do to this day.
But how much should we rely on the information found on the internet? How accurate is it? What is the source? Who is the originator? How do we authenticate content? This issue still causes me concern, and keeps me skeptical. No doubt there are things which we can generally rely on, such as a satellite image of a map (even though it's not a "live" image). But when it comes to research and resources, such a wikipedia, it is merely a starting point for me :: I dig deeper :: I tend to begin with the internet, because it is fast, quickly accessed and prompts thinking and direction. I interview people, from diverse backgrounds, ranks and fields. I sift through books, magazines, newspapers, national statistics and so on. Then there are always industry associations, focus groups and social/interest groups.
Today I use it daily to communicate. I keep in touch with friends overseas via video calls. Stay in the loop with email notifications. Organize plans with a group.. and more. Music, movies, videos are readily available, 24/7. And an unexpected but powerful benefit to the internet is its elaborate capacity for visual language + communication. Research of images, identifying faces, YouTube hits, finding certain charts and diagrams etc. I absolutely enjoy this aspect of the internet, and look forward to experimenting more with web 2.0 tools.
*to approach it with an open mind is key*
In the early years of the internet boom, around the turn of the century, I admit some doubt and frustrations.
There was a crash of internet company stocks, aka the dot-com companies, at the time the event was dubbed "dot-bomb". It was a lot to take in.. there were huge financial losses, in addition to a suddenly overwhelming amount of information at our fingertips, and the birth of spam e-mails. It seriously felt out of control for a while. The icing on the cake came with the issue of the "Y2K bug".. software programmers did not look beyond the 20th century when configuring dates, according to public reports.
The world overcame it. Programmers and tech support staff evolved into a strong industry, upon which businesses relied on heavily.. and I believe still do to this day.
But how much should we rely on the information found on the internet? How accurate is it? What is the source? Who is the originator? How do we authenticate content? This issue still causes me concern, and keeps me skeptical. No doubt there are things which we can generally rely on, such as a satellite image of a map (even though it's not a "live" image). But when it comes to research and resources, such a wikipedia, it is merely a starting point for me :: I dig deeper :: I tend to begin with the internet, because it is fast, quickly accessed and prompts thinking and direction. I interview people, from diverse backgrounds, ranks and fields. I sift through books, magazines, newspapers, national statistics and so on. Then there are always industry associations, focus groups and social/interest groups.
Today I use it daily to communicate. I keep in touch with friends overseas via video calls. Stay in the loop with email notifications. Organize plans with a group.. and more. Music, movies, videos are readily available, 24/7. And an unexpected but powerful benefit to the internet is its elaborate capacity for visual language + communication. Research of images, identifying faces, YouTube hits, finding certain charts and diagrams etc. I absolutely enjoy this aspect of the internet, and look forward to experimenting more with web 2.0 tools.
*to approach it with an open mind is key*
Monday, January 18, 2010
Copenhagen Fashionista on Wheels
In the photographer's words:
" This shot sums up everything that is casual and chic and effortless about Copenhagen bike culture. Style over speed. Elegance over exertion.
I just love this pic, and what it represents :: so simple . practical . fashionable. This is how they do it.
Jan Gehl, an urban quality consultant and founder of "Gehl Architects", has set this movement in motion and made it his mission to "Copenhagenize" other cities around the world. His work has transformed such cities as Melbourne, Sydney, Amsterdam, Stockholm, London and NYC to name a few. It is worldwide, spanning cities within Europe, North America, Australia, Japan, Singapore and Saudi Arabia.
I had the pleasure of meeting Jan Gehl last summer, at the Design Exchange (formerly the TSE building) www.dx.org . . where he presented samples of his work and shared his methodology. This NYC publication describes it well: http://www.pps.org/info/placemakingtools/placemakers/jgehl
Design Culture (1)
My interest in the area of design has really grown over the last decade or so. It was initially inspired by friends and family who are involved in design, mostly in furniture and interior design. Also a few friends who are studying abroad, in industrial and textile design. The more I learn about it, the more I can see how it impacts our lives daily, and have experienced this over the years coming from Denmark, a country which has always had an interest and focus in the design industry.
My background involves a career in logistics and international trade, especially as a customs specialist. This has provided me with a lot of insight into a wide variety of products which are imported and exported from various countries. The customs perspective of product descriptions forces you to review and define the material composition of products, their origin and their value. It really helps in understanding the "who, what, when, where" + the "why and how" of a product's use and existence.
I was pleased to see a reference to Frog Design, in the Intro PDF, which appears to be a strong and diverse company with international presence. I read an article recently, which provided a copy of a chapter from a book by the founder of Frog Design, an interesting read. The strategy of Apple with their product design, has shown consistency over the years, and its interesting to read about Frog Design's involvement, and their approach of "strategic creativity + sustainable success". Business priorities are typically perceived to be about profits and relationships, however I really admire the approach of Frog Design's founder Hartmut Esslinger, his style and thoughtful processes. Here's a link, which gives a preview into his book entitled "a fine line". This chapter focuses on design-driven business strategy: very forward-thinking and pro-environment.
http://www.afinelinebook.com/media/A%20Fine%20Line%20-%20Chapter%201.pdf
He writes:
"Strategies based on creativity, insight, and cultural awareness are more environmentally responsible and sustainable than the age-old approach of winning through maximizing your use of resources, money, and people."
Also interesting to note that Esslinger founded frog design in his native Germany (note: [F]ederal [R]epublic [o]f [G]ermany), around the guiding principle “form follows emotion".
My background involves a career in logistics and international trade, especially as a customs specialist. This has provided me with a lot of insight into a wide variety of products which are imported and exported from various countries. The customs perspective of product descriptions forces you to review and define the material composition of products, their origin and their value. It really helps in understanding the "who, what, when, where" + the "why and how" of a product's use and existence.
I was pleased to see a reference to Frog Design, in the Intro PDF, which appears to be a strong and diverse company with international presence. I read an article recently, which provided a copy of a chapter from a book by the founder of Frog Design, an interesting read. The strategy of Apple with their product design, has shown consistency over the years, and its interesting to read about Frog Design's involvement, and their approach of "strategic creativity + sustainable success". Business priorities are typically perceived to be about profits and relationships, however I really admire the approach of Frog Design's founder Hartmut Esslinger, his style and thoughtful processes. Here's a link, which gives a preview into his book entitled "a fine line". This chapter focuses on design-driven business strategy: very forward-thinking and pro-environment.
http://www.afinelinebook.com/media/A%20Fine%20Line%20-%20Chapter%201.pdf
He writes:
"Strategies based on creativity, insight, and cultural awareness are more environmentally responsible and sustainable than the age-old approach of winning through maximizing your use of resources, money, and people."
Also interesting to note that Esslinger founded frog design in his native Germany (note: [F]ederal [R]epublic [o]f [G]ermany), around the guiding principle “form follows emotion".
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