responses

My responses will be posted right here.

comments:

Repsonse 2: Perec pages 1-45 --mpearl, Mon, 16 Jan 2006 19:03:33 -0500 reply
What is the difference between an unused space and an unusable space?

Why did Perec start with “the page” and end with “the apartment building”?

How can a broom closet be equally as useful as a bedroom?

An unused space is a space that can be used for something, but it is not being used at the time. An unusable space is one that can never be used for anything. Perec says that it is impossible to find an unusable space in an apartment. People utilize all the space that they have. An unusable space would be worthless and wasteful, so a use can be found in every space. Usually it is obvious. A kitchen is meant for cooking and preparing food. A dining room is meant for eating, and a living room is meant for watching television or socializing with company. Perec uses an example that if he lived in a huge apartment where he doesn’t even know how many rooms there are, they would all still have a use. Even if one was meant, as Perec said, for just “cleaning my right big toe,” it would still have a use.

This brings up the question of whether or not one room is as useful as another. You would think that a bedroom is more useful than a broom closet, but Perec argues that in theory they have the same use. A vacuum cleaner rests in a broom closet, and when a person gets tired they rest in the bedroom. I disagree with this though because a bedroom has many more functions than for just sleeping. You can read or study in a bedroom whereas a broom closet is only good for storing a vacuum or broom. However I agree with him in the fact that every space has a purpose and that none is useless in an apartment.

Response to Matt --sbaldwin, Sun, 22 Jan 2006 22:56:21 -0500 reply
It's true that people utilize all the space they have; but isn't there more to saying there can not be an unusable space? An unusuable space would be one that wouldn't be possible to use, so even if we aren't making use of a space, the point is that we can't imagine not being able to do so. All spaces are defined by their usability, their potential for use. We can always find a use for a room. So, perhaps whether one room is more useful than another is beside the point; more interesting is the fact that we can always invent uses. We could imagine an architecturally bare room, or even an architecturally resistant room - i.e. one that was difficult to use because of its layout or something like that. But it would still be usable.

Response 3 --mpearl, Tue, 24 Jan 2006 11:36:29 -0500 reply
Why does it matter how a library is organized?

What can you tell from someone’s room?

What is psychogeography and psychogeodyanmic objects?

Georges Perec writes about many different ways to organize books in a library. They can be organized by genre, language, author, format, series, etc… Sometimes books can be organized in more than one of these ways at the same time. For example, you can have all your mystery books placed in alphabetical order, and all your love stories organized by date of publication.

In some cases it may be better to not have books completely organized. Perec talks about times when he is looking for a book that he can’t find, he find multiple other books that he wants to read. However, if you really need that one specific book, it may be better to have everything neatly organized.

Books don’t only need to be organized in a library. People can have books in their office, bedroom, or even bathroom. Perec says that usually you do not see people with books in their bathroom, even though it is sometimes a favorite place to read.

Some books are easier to arrange than others. Hardback novels or multiple book series’ are pretty easy to arrange. Single articles, journals, or one book of a large series are generally harder to arrange.

Personally, I think the best way to arrange is alphabetical order by author. If you have a large collection of books it may be best to split it between fiction and non-fiction first. If you have even more books, it may be easier to split into genres such as love stories, mysteries, reference books, etc…

Books that have no use anymore or that probably won’t be read again can be stored in a trunk or somewhere other than out on a bookshelf. Cookbooks should not be in a library; they should be in a kitchen. Just because it is a book doesn’t mean it should be in a library.

Space --mpearl, Tue, 24 Jan 2006 15:35:06 -0500 reply
I am going to write about my car. It is a light blue 1991 Toyota Camry. The interior is a darker blue. I want to talk about many of the objects in the front seat, back seat, and trunk.

I also want to mention the scratches and dings on the outside and how they occured. One occured from taking a bad angle at my garage, and the other was because my roomate parked to far over in the driveway which made me really angry.

Inside the car I usually have trash from fast food restaurants, or at least cups from those places in my cup holder. My middle console is filled with unpaid parking tickets, and I want to talk about what is in my glove compartment.

In addition to the front seat, I should talk about the dashboard, including my newly bought cd player and an un realisitic speedomiter that goes up to 130. There is a dummy light that always stays on telling me my ights are broken.

My backseat usually has a sweatshirt or some other clothing in it if I sleep somewhere or it gets cold.

My trunk has a subwoofer that doesn't hit and golf clubs.

If I still need to write more I can go into how I use my car and how I need it.

Response 3 --sbaldwin, Mon, 30 Jan 2006 20:51:46 -0500 reply
Matt: I like the idea that there might be an advantage to not organizing the books. Firstly, it might still be organized in an utterly subjective way - an organization that makes some sense to me. Secondly, it might be that even if there's absolutely no organization, the books must necessarily fall together in some way, i.e. they end up having an organization, one that might even be interesting or useful. Now, you've told the ways you like to organize your books - why are these the prefered way? What's the advantage of the fiction/non-fiction split, for example? Or, why might be lost from that split, i.e. what might the advantage be of mixing them together? Notice that these organization methods do not pertain to your individual needs or interests but are abstract systems...

Response 4 --mpearl, Tue, 31 Jan 2006 23:27:25 -0500 reply
What is the use of a memex? What is the main point of this essay? Why is it important for scientists to find better uses of technology?

This essay by Vannevar Bush talks about technology, progress, and better ways to store knowledge. The main point of this essay though is one of research and progress. Bush thinks that scientists need to make inventions that will advance the mind and not just something physical. He says that all recent inventions have helped man in a material way. What should be happening now that scientists are done with the war, is that they make inventions like a super organized library system.

Bush talks about the advancement of photography. The technology is improving constantly to make better pictures in a faster time. He mentions at one point that it would be convenient to see the picture right after you take it. We have that now with digital cameras. Bush ends the part about photography by talking about using that technology to put the Encyclopedia Britannica on microfilm. It would be no bigger than a matchbox, and then could be distributed for a very cheap price.

This article was done in 1945, and it sounds like he had the basic ideas for a computer. His ideas for this “memex” and things stored on a small microfilm are advanced thoughts. He wanted to advance knowledge though and not something physical.

response by sandy --sbaldwin, Tue, 07 Feb 2006 01:05:19 -0500 reply
Matt: It's interesting that you see the memex as the basic idea for a computer. It's really closer to the idea for hypertext or the web, isn't it? Rather than a computer, which is a device for computing numbers - but we seem to think of computers primarily in terms of the web today, as that's one of their main uses. I think you're right that he's focusing on technologies that will supplement the mind rather more than the body. I wish you could be a bit more specific in discussing these. He's identifies the need for a very specific kind of technological advancement, right? His focus seems to be on technologies that would let us sort and organize information.

Response 5 --mpearl, Tue, 07 Feb 2006 11:36:14 -0500 reply
What is the desktop metaphor? What effects did Xerox have on the technology? What are the differences between various desktop software packages?

The desktop metaphor is a metaphor referring to the ease and organization of a computer screen. With this new technology (it was new in 1984 when the article was written) different windows could be up at the same time on the computer screen, all with different information in them. It is supposed to be like a desktop, where you have many different pages or different things that you have access to. With all the windows you have access to them all instantly. For example one window can have a written document, another can be a calculator, and another can be a graph for organizing information. All of these things are accessible instantly.

The desktop metaphor changed the way computers are run. It made them very user friendly. At first it didn’t because they were so pricey and the average person could not buy one. However, today all computers are made with this desktop metaphor. For me personally, I always have four or five windows up. In fact right now I have this word document, my personal page, the article I just read, a word document I was working on earlier for my blog, my aim buddy list, and a an aim conversation box. That isn’t just like a desktop, it is like a messy desktop. It all stays neat and organized on the computer though. It is funny that in the end of the article they weren’t sure if the desktop metaphor would be successful. I think it has been because it is the easiest way to use a computer for the user.

Response 5 --mpearl, Tue, 07 Feb 2006 11:36:57 -0500 reply
What is the desktop metaphor? What effects did Xerox have on the technology? What are the differences between various desktop software packages?

The desktop metaphor is a metaphor referring to the ease and organization of a computer screen. With this new technology (it was new in 1984 when the article was written) different windows could be up at the same time on the computer screen, all with different information in them. It is supposed to be like a desktop, where you have many different pages or different things that you have access to. With all the windows you have access to them all instantly. For example one window can have a written document, another can be a calculator, and another can be a graph for organizing information. All of these things are accessible instantly.

The desktop metaphor changed the way computers are run. It made them very user friendly. At first it didn’t because they were so pricey and the average person could not buy one. However, today all computers are made with this desktop metaphor. For me personally, I always have four or five windows up. In fact right now I have this word document, my personal page, the article I just read, a word document I was working on earlier for my blog, my aim buddy list, and a an aim conversation box. That isn’t just like a desktop, it is like a messy desktop. It all stays neat and organized on the computer though. It is funny that in the end of the article they weren’t sure if the desktop metaphor would be successful. I think it has been because it is the easiest way to use a computer for the user.

Response 5 --sbaldwin, Wed, 15 Feb 2006 12:48:40 -0500 reply
Matt: Try to formulate complex questions! Your third is fine, the first is OK, the second is really not much of a question... Try to formulate questions that make you think and make evaluations rather than simply summarizing. To some degree you're doing this with the desktop metaphor. But you're also evaluating some in your last paragraph. The question might be: what is "user-friendly" and how does the desktop metaphor make the computer user friendly? Also, is this necessarily a good thing? I mean, is it always good for the computer to be friendly? When might it be userful to remember that the computer is not really this way - only metaphorically so??

Response 6 --mpearl, Tue, 21 Feb 2006 11:47:06 -0500 reply
What is augmented space? What are some new inventions that are currently being researched? What are the effects of augmented space?

Many new inventions and new use of augmented space are being thought up and researched around the country. Manovich gives many examples of additions to augmented space. First of all, augmented space is regular space that has a multimedia connection to the rest of the world. For example you can access the Internet from laptops, PDAs? and cell phones. In some countries entire walls of cities are covered with electronic screens and signs. New inventions are being thought up to create even more augmented space. Manovich mentions wearable computers as a new invention. That is computers in your clothes. I don’t quite understand how that would work, but the thought of it is very interesting. Intelligent spaces also sound interesting and could potentially be very useful. These spaces remember your use with multiple channels and then can assist you in the future with research and information. Smart objects are connected to the Internet and can display “smart” information and activity for the user. I have a PDA that can connect to the Internet wirelessly. It is amazing technology because it has a touch screen and I can access the Internet from almost anywhere. We can only wonder what kind of technological improvements will happen over the next few years that will make the Internet even more widespread and useful. All of this augmented space is connecting the world. We can get news and information instantly. For example, in Times Square in New York there are huge screens everywhere. If big breaking news happens everyone walking in the area will find out instantly. Not to long ago people had to wait to read the newspaper the next day. All of this new technology makes news travel fast, and connects the world.

Response From Tina :-) --tstinson, Tue, 21 Feb 2006 14:54:50 -0500 reply
I found that your ideas are much the same as mine. I noticed that you mentioned "wearable computers". I assumed (and I might be wrong) this could refer to things such as digital BDU's that they currently use in the military. I'm not fully sure how they work, but only that they exist. While they may not work as a computer they may be a precursor to what Manovich is speaking of.

In Class Response --mgianola, Tue, 21 Feb 2006 14:58:54 -0500 reply
This is a very good response and poses some further questions on augmented space int he mind of the reader. I think the question you answered poses more question on the reading. When you talk about being able to access the internet from anywhere and everything being wireless it poses the question of connections. Yes people are connected as you point out, but then when you think of something being wireless, you think no strings attached, and therefore no boundaries or limits. This then challenges the thoughts Manovich had on space. For although the space is augmented like he suggests, I think your entry forces people to think of space as almost non-existent or becoming that way. Very Good! Nice response! :)

comment from Julia --jfrye, Tue, 21 Feb 2006 15:01:28 -0500 reply
You mentioned some of the things in the article that I found most interesting. the thought of wearable computers is very cool yet a little disturbing that we would have a need for something like that, and that one day it may become as common as a cell phone. We mnay also become just as dependant on the wearable computers as we have become with cell phones, when my cell phone does not work I feel lost even though I dealt without one for so many years now that I have one I can not imagine life without it. I think that will probably be where we head now with the new and upcoming augmented spaces.

Response 7 --mpearl, Tue, 28 Feb 2006 11:56:04 -0500 reply
What is your definition of information? How has information retrieval improved with technology? Talk about the GPS locator for children and its advantages and disadvantages.

Information is a very difficult word to define. It encompasses so much, it is hard to make complete sense of it in only a few words. I would say, information is any facts, news, data, or knowledge that inform you of something new. That definition could be easily picked apart. As Morville says, all definitions of information throw around the words data and knowledge. The difference between data, knowledge, and information is not very much. My definition surely does not cover all facets of information. Perhaps I should have included statements in my definition. Anyone can say a statement that is information to you, even if it is not a “fact” (a word I did use in my definition). In today’s world, you would have to include something about online and the internet in a definition of information. Information is always researched and found today online using Google, Ebscohost, and many other databases. I use the word data in my definition, but I do not think that fully covers online databases.

It is interesting that we all know what information is, we just cannot agree on a definition. The problem is that information can be anywhere we look to find it. Maybe that is a better definition than trying to list all the places we get information. The simple answer is anywhere. That brings me to a new definition of information: Anything learned, seen, read, or heard anywhere you look to find it. The problem with that definition is that it is so broad, but I think information needs a broad definition because information itself is so broad.

Response 8 --mpearl, Tue, 07 Mar 2006 13:43:59 -0500 reply
Why do advertisers and other people want to track your online activity? How do advertisers find information out about users? How will the new IBM technology benefit campuses?

There are lots of ways for companies and advertisers to find out a lot about their customers. First off, I need to answer my first question briefly. They want to track online activity for advertising purposes. They want to know where you go, and a lot about you so they can sell more product.

That brings us to the question of how they go about tracking users. A lot of the information they get is from the users themselves. When purchasing anything online you have to give information, most of the time including a credit card. When subscribing to any website, even if it is free like the New York Times or Washington Post, they ask for information. One thing I learned from the reading is that by giving just a zip code and date of birth, they can basically find out who you are. Out of the 284 million Americans, they can narrow you down to 8 simply by age and zip code.

Many online companies will keep an account for you after you buy something. It benefits the user because they won’t have to type all their information in again, but it also benefits the company because they can track what the user buys and looks at.

Users are also tracked through web logs and log files. Every time a sight is opened it records it to the remote server. Basically everywhere you go on the web is recorded.

Pics --kkline, Tue, 21 Mar 2006 15:22:06 -0500 reply
The pictures add a lot of depth and I particularly like the part about the garage. You can see what you mean about it having character and holding up against odds. I do leave the space wanting to see more images though, so I'll have to check back later. Maybe add more pictures of random stuff that doesn't necessarily have anything to do with your car (pics at Raven's game or something) to show how your car plays into other aspects of your life. Can't wait!

oops --kkline, Tue, 21 Mar 2006 15:22:54 -0500 reply
I think I added this to this comment to the wrong part...can you move it? sorry

Response 8 --sbaldwin, Mon, 27 Mar 2006 14:59:58 -0500 reply
Matt: OK, granted they're tracking us to sell more product. How does this tracking differ from previous kinds of tracking? What different kinds of information are they getting?

Now, there are various ways to obscure our tracks on the internet. Is this the answer - surf anonymously? But what about the possible advantages of cookies, logs, tracking, etc? Is this a kind of all or nothing situation, or is there middle ground?

Response 9 --mpearl, Tue, 02 May 2006 17:14:34 -0400 reply
What is the point of psychogeography? How does a derive relate to psychogeography? Why does a derive rarely occur in its pure form?

A derive relates to psychogeography because it can be a part of psychogeography. Some people will use derives in making psychogeographic maps. Derives let you really feel what is going on and happening around you in a particular space. That is the point of a psychogeographic map. They are not made just to show the landscape or area of a place, they are supposed to say what goes on there or tell stories of things that have happened there.

A derive doesn’t usually occur in its pure form because according to Deborg, a derive is supposed to last for an entire day. Generally the person or persons will do something else at the beginning of the day, or grow tired by the end of the day and need to do something else. Many derives will only be for a block of a few hours. However some can last longer, maybe even a few days. Also, to have a true derive you need to disconnect yourself from everything you know pretty much. That means no friends, no family, and no work. It is simply you and the environment you are in. For most people that is a hard thing to accomplish in its pure form.

Response 10 --mpearl, Tue, 02 May 2006 17:33:10 -0400 reply
How are all of these projects related? What do these projects do for society as a whole? Which project is your favorite?

All of these websites are psychogeographic projects. They all focus on one specific area. They map it, and then embellish it with stories or thoughts on the different places. These projects range in size from one street to the entire world. No matter how big or small they are though, they all focus on one specific thing.

These projects do a lot for society as a whole. If they are about a specific area or street, people around the world can find out a lot of information on that area. They do not share just information though, it is also stories and personal accounts of places. What all of this really does is make the world a smaller place. These projects are also good history tools. The 34 North 118 West project is designed to tell the industrial history in Los Angelos. Years from now these projects can be looked back on to reveal history.