Rachel –> Internet

I agree to the terms and conditions.

I agree to the privacy policy and terms of use.

How many times have you glanced past these sentences before?  Hastily scrolled through endless paragraphs to check the boxes at the bottom?

In class, we discussed how certain websites display specific advertisements that target users who are interested in those specific things, thus increasing the success rate of such advertising.  Such websites are able to do this because they have access to information that we “permit” them to have access to.

Is our privacy being violated if we consciously choose not to read about the ways in which we may be allowing our privacy to be violated in writing (even if that writing isn’t our own)?  And to what extent do such websites specify how much of our privacy they will be invading?  What is the wording like?

To what extent is the invasion of our privacy legal?

How true is it that nothing can be “deleted” from the web?

How closely is our every move on the Internet being watched?

During our last class, we discussed the concept of “cash”, defined by dictionary.com as “money in the form of coins or banknotes, especially that issued by a government” – something physical.

However, the prevalent use of credit cards, debit cards, and apps like “Venmo” have allowed an ever-increasing number of people to use “cash” in a different form.

A point that I found interesting was that perhaps “cash” today is becoming something different from what it has always been.  Perhaps it is a mere physical representation of online bits.

In a way, bits are becoming our new form of currency, our new “cash”.

What is the future of CASH?

And here’s to a few thoughts on potential…

1. “Problems . . . could be fixed.”  The computer scientists involved in the process constantly encountered imperfections in advancing protocols, IMPs, and other designs/machines.  Imperfections are what move us forward, encouraging improvement, reminding us that not only can one never be “good enough” but that one should not want to be “good enough” – there is always potential to advance further.
2. “…word of its potential had to be spread.”  The ARPA network and its technology were not used and popularized on a large-scale, before effective IMPs were built in greater numbers, and people started enjoying the fruits of MsG group, emails, and computer games (like “Adventure”).  This leads me to wonder: What, if any, unknown research and secret projects are taking place at this very moment?  Oftentimes, the public is not well-informed about advances in technology until they are widely accessible and/or patented.  Is this due to competition/business?  Or is this a result of an inundating presence of technological advancements?  Or is this a result of both?
3. This reading has given me a glimpse into how it must have felt living in the technological boom that occurred in my parents’ lifetimes.  Today, I take advancements (such as typing on this notebook/laptop) for granted.  It is so easy to forget how much and how quickly technology has advanced, just as it is difficult to foresee the future of today’s technology.
4. Nevertheless, “with great power comes great responsibility.”  As technology perpetually becomes more and more developed, so too does its power to be used for both good and bad.  Technology’s power to do harm was both feared and experienced from the very beginning of its advance, from “flaming” to the “loss of meaning” in emails.  However, such dangers can also be worked around, whether it be by respecting the limits of free speech or by using smileys and emoticons.

There is always potential to do more good. 🙂

How many times have you heard about just how important one’s personality is?  Well now, you can add one ore to that number.

One’s mindset can change everything.  To my liking, I found common themes of positive attitude among many of the influential individuals in the reading!

1. Licklider, Taylor, Baran, Roberts, and the people they liked to surround themselves with shared an unwavering spirit of optimism and determination.  All these individuals believed in the ability to accomplish things that had never before been done or even imagined.  But they were unmoved by what other people said.
2. There’s an importance to being open-minded!  When Baran wanted to apply his idea of packet-messaging to the real world, AT&T was very reluctant to join in, as it meant abandoning what they had in operation.  This showed me, however, that sometime’s it’s necessary to let go of a current situation in order to advance onto a new and improved one!
3. “Everybody knew everything.”  Teamwork was always key, not only in sharing information but working together to reach better ends through better means.  None of these advancements would have been accomplished without the immense number of people involved from those who were drawn into the ARPA, to the countless number of graduate students.

In the end, there were many successes.  And not all the means were bad!  So maybe the ends can justify the means.  You decide. 🙂

“Our knowledge is only as good as our technology.”  This is along the lines of something my high school biology teacher would always remind my class of.  Humans are only capable of advancing and knowing as much as their resources enable them to.  From this first reading, it is made quite evident that humans, by advancing their technology, have certainly come a long way.  But through what means were such ends reached?  Here are few of many things that piqued my interest:

1. The Cold War played a major role in the advancement of technology.  If not for the Cold War, the US would not have invested so much time and money into scientific advancements.  In fact, the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) originated as a “response the president could point to immediately”.  Beyond the Cold War, the need to improve military communications in general pushed forth a pressure to advance technology more quickly, with hard deadlines and competition.
2. When time-sharing became accessible, its business was also quite successful.  “Soon, however, General Electric mounted a similar effort and quickly stole the bulk of BBN’s time-sharing business”.  Greed.  Enough said.
3. Roberts was an extremely influential individual.  However, he seemed to have been forced to take on a job that he did not want, due to Taylor’s unrelenting persistence.  Fortunately, Roberts, according to Hafner’s and Lyon’s writing, seems to eventually fall in love with what he does, as he even draws his friend, Kleintock, into the business.
4. Paul Baran got to where he wanted to be, but through an extremely flawed schooling/education system that put many of his unluckier friends at a disadvantage.  It worked out for Baran, and that is fortunate – but is that good enough?
5. “Few women held positions in computer science . . . quit her programming job at Lincoln to raise their three children”.  Although understandable given the historical context, this is one of very few quotes in which Hafner and Lyon mentioned the role of women at all!  Though lacking, there still were women who contributed to these advancements?  What about Rear Admiral Dr. Grace Murray Hopper?  She was extremely influential, and most definitely deserving a place in this book!  (However, if she is mentioned later in the book, I do apologize to the authors.)  My point here is that women did play a major role, and one that I believe should be widely recognized.  If not for the increased number of female minds in computer science over time, the realm would not be nearly as advanced!

From these examples, we see that competition drives success and advancement.  Although the ends do not justify the means, the means are justifiable in their historical context and are now historical events/lessons we learn from.

Since we learn from our mistakes, we now reach even greater ends, and through far better means. 🙂

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