final project part 1

The event was essentially a failure, but in a way it was set up to be...
[Note: Hover over the photos for captions via alt-text.]
The initial plan was to host an event offering a bunch of free stuff and to advertise via word-of-mouth within Second Life, something similar to flyering and canvassing for an event in the real world (or "first life," hahaha). Of course, beneath all of this was the truth: we own next to nothing in Second Life and are merely trying to convince other people that these free objects and upgrades are on us. Unfortunately, the promotion fell flat because nearly every user we spoke to already knew about the "free bazaar" in Stillman, and were not at all convinced that the free stuff had anything to do with us.

Somewhere along the way, Texas Lemon touched an object that instantly gave him $40000 in Linden-money. We tried to use the newfound wealth to convince others of our authority, but quickly realized that $40000 isn't really that much in Linden-money.

[Note: Unfortunately we both experienced a lot of problems with crashes and disconnects, and there is no automatic archiving of local chat transcripts, so our conversations and interactions with other members of the SL universe have been essentially lost.]

Despite the seeming lack of success in the area of promotion for the event of "selling tshirts" listed below, people still frequented the bazaar, and Texas Lemon tried his hardest to be a salesman/charlatan. Asking questions like "Do you like all of my FREE STUFF?" received equally mundane or silly replies, or no reply at all. At this point, the avatar was wearing a box on his head, which led most other users to not take him seriously at all.

At one point, Texas tried to convince another user not to take advantage of the free tattoos at the bazaar, because a Second Life avatar's body is a temple, and one should not desecrate a being created in the image of the lord and saviour. This prompted the user to reply "don't care [sic] I like to defile myself" and then "like i tell the people who come to my door, i already have a God now leave me alone". Obviously Texas needed to try some new tactics in salesmanship.
Thus we began our tour of several areas in Second Life...


Stopping first at a Christmas event, which turned out to be almost completely sealed off and totally empty.

One consistently surprising thing about Second Life is the absence of people in most areas, in contrast to the infinity of the Second Life universe. Sure, it seems obvious that if people have limitless places to visit, and the usership isn't that large, then it might be hard to find large groups of avatars since everything is so spread out. But then where the hell are the "hot spots"? In most islands, one might be lucky to encounter five avatars in the same general area.

Luckily Texas ran into others when visiting the Sistine Chapel...

Upon entering the chapel, the user immediately receives the following note, which must be accepted in order to be granted admission to the chapel:

We have re-created the Sistine Chapel as a proof-of-concept for how the technology of virtual worlds can augment or enhance a tradtional liberal arts education.
TO VISIT THE SISTINE CHAPEL ON VASSAR ISLAND, YOU MUST AGREE TO THE FOLLOWING "CODE OF CONDUCT." You will only be asked to do this once.
===============
CODE OF CONDUCT
===============
Visiting the Sistine Chapel creates a deeply moving experience for many people for a variety of reasons, including religious, artistic and educational.
To preserve this same experience for those visiting the Sistine Chapel in Second Life, we expect all visitors to conduct themselves here as they would in real life: with respect for the environment as well as for those visiting the environment. Further, the Sistine Chapel was created for non-profit, educational use. You may not use it, or images of it, for any commercial purpose.
Any misconduct will result in banishment from Vassar Island as well as in a report to Linden Labs. Please contact Bret Rydell or Stan Frangible to report any such misconduct.
YOU MUST AGREE TO CONDUCT YOURSELF BY THIS CODE OF CONDUCT IN ORDER TO CONTINUE.
If you elect to disagree, you will be removed from the Sistine Chapel area of our island. However, you will still be free to visit other parts of our island. Note: the system that is used to remove you from the Sistine Chapel is one built-in to Second Life ("eject from parcel"). It is not the most graceful system, and we apologize in advance for the way that it may "drop" you on another part of the island.
Please use the blue menu on the upper right side of the screen to indicate your agreement with our Code of Conduct.
--Bret Rydell
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Images are used with permission.
Perhaps the most ironic aspect of this code of conduct is the last line: "Images are used with permission."
Does this mean that the "creator" of this digital recreation of the Sistine Chapel obtained permission from Michelangelo? Does the owner have any right to reproduce images of the Sistine Chapel (and the paintings within) while simultaneously forbidding others from recreating or reproducing images of this reproduction? It's not like there's a Creative Commons license in the corner of the actual Sistine Chapel, something that would dictate the digital "fair use" of such images.

Meanwhile, Zabrina Sweetwater headed to an interactive dance party with user-friendly instruments...

This is in the Vassar Castle at the top, where the first dance party jam session event was held. The instruments pulled me to the room and it was awesome because users get to "play" them. Next to the stage was a "dance orb", and when an avatar touches it the character begins dancing all over the place, it takes a little while to figure out how to make it stop, but the avatar dancing is entertaining in itself.

Zabrina searched for mountain ranges under the places tab and the Bonaire Private Island came up as an option to port too. As she teleported there she realized this island was empty, but still very nice looking. Zabrina decided to check it out anyways in case she was missing something. She hoped for a dinosaur sighting.

Zabrina decided to check the island out still and found that it was for sale, although no particular price was listed for this spacious area.



Next up for Texas, a site for weddings in the sky:

Not much here... Just an aisle and an altar on a floating island in the middle of Twister (the island). Upon entrance, Texas was invited to set up a wedding on the island, "complete with guests!" for only $1000. It was easier to ignore the invite and carry on the ceremony alone.


Unfortunately no witnesses were present... this virtual self-marriage just wasn't meant to be...

Meanwhile Zabrina joined a group called "peace & love", and was immediately invited to base jump with a parachute on the virtual version of Liberty Island. Zabrina arrived on the Island and in the center was a circle which could teleport users all over the island, including to the parachute jump.

Zabrina jumped without a parachute though and plummeted to the ground...

Of course, Second Life avatars don't really have a constitution, or can suffer any sort of wounds from falls from really tall heights...


After researching some "hot spots" on the Internet, Texas decided to hit up a "dance club" located within a volcano. When the avatar arrived, however, all to be found was a trio of snowy sinkholes...

This was an initial experience with inclimate virtual weather in second life, but it wasn't exactly the bumpin' virtual dance experience one might anticipate. Maybe the party was overhead, but even some high-altitude exploring couldn't reveal where the volcano was, and all he found was a bunch of weird, empty, toothpick spheres.



Then Zabrina decided to explore a Christmas-y island...

Zabrina participated in the event "Celebrate Christmas at Eternal Cove." The avatar was denied entrance to all of the houses in the area, but could interact with a number of snowmen and witnessed numerous avatars praying, and, as seen above, a virtual nativity scene.

And so it was time for Texas to head to a final destination. According to the area's description, Texas was promised second life fishing and "polygonal beer." He was about to be (unsurprisingly) disappointed.

Texas looked around the area for a place to sign up for fishing or to purchase fishing equipment or virtual beers. Basically everything was closed, except for an "erotic photography studio"... it was as weird as it sounds.

Virtually sober, virtually rich, with no new friends and virtually exhausted, the avatars were ready to turn it in for the evening.

final project part 2

For my final thesis I am going to relate my personal experiences with Second Life to those experiences of Dibbell in Play Money.I will examine and discuss the idea of "flow" from the book Play Money by Julian Dibbell, and look at how it is a motivating factor in programs like Second Life or Ultima Online. Looking more into Play Money and the idea of "flow," it is shown that the idea of flow is an "exhilirating and uniquely fulfilling convergence of attention and purpose(PM,37)." Which tries to prove that these programs are not something that is forced upon people, they willingly engage in them and it becomes a part of their natural everyday lives, "flowing" along with the other daily routines.
At first, I had the same reluctant and somewhat naive attitude as Dibbell did when I first began Second Life. I had doubts about the point and purpose of the game and felt that playing or "living" in a virtual world was really taking away from peoples "real" lives and experiences. After my first experience with Second Life, all of my doubts started to swindle away though. I almost immediately felt that this was a program that I could enjoy and could see myself getting more involved in, yet I too still did not understand how and why people would make actual money from these programs that they could either use in their actual life or put back into their alternate life. Unlike Dibbell I have not and will not travel the country looking for the biggest gamers on Second Life, but my thoughts were similar to his.
Looking at some of the ideas we have talked about in class I see Second Life as being a "real" world for people, this class has really opened my eyes to see that technology is happening all around us, and technology is forever getting faster, smaller and more detailed. There is just no stopping it, so like the old saying says "if you can't beat them, join them," and that's what I am taking it as. The same as how Dibbell was unsure about all of it but decided to join in and see what the big deal was with UO. Once he began he realized it was not work. He even began making money from UO himself! So it shows that the virtual world is just an extension of oneself in a different realm, so to say,like that of Stelarc's extension of himself. In relation to Stelarc, programs like Second Life are extension of the real, making the unnatural, natural and the unreal, real. Dibbell chose to make the unreal, real by driving to the real people of the virtual ones and deciphering the greatness behind virtual worlds.
In my experience of SL, my character “Zabrina Sweetwater” was somewhat of an alter-ego of myself that I don’t feel I would ever really have. She dressed in punk clothing with two-toned hair and her clothing was dark and somewhat revealing. I felt like the programs and islands were fun but I don’t think I could spend hours on it. I have grown more used to the idea, being that I had never known how serious lives like the ones in SL are to people. I do see how people can be sucked in because you can do anything from buying islands to flying in the air or whatever. Looking back at the idea of "flow," I realized, just as Dibbell did that it may seem time consuming and unusual to other in many ways, whether that be by making money from it, having relationships in the life or whatever, but if it is something that one enjoys doing and it satisfies them in some way then it is really not work it is their entertainment, their "life."

Village of Renovalla,"a small Gorean Village south of Sardar Mountain Range, Safe Zone for all safe setting for learning center and arena for warriors, sparring, kajira school and more."


Bonaire Private Island

Sera Korea, Play Ground!

Second Life Event, Anthony and Zabrina

Hey Guys come hang out at the top of the Vassar Castle with us on Vassar Island and mess around with some instruments and 'shake your rump' with us. There is also an awesome view of the ocean! It will be this afternoon at 4pm, hope to see you there!

Final Project Draft

For my final thesis I am going to relate my personal experiences with Second Life to those experiences of Dibbell in Play Money.I will examine and discuss the idea of "flow" from the book Play Money by Julian Dibbell, and look at how it is a motivating factor in programs like Second Life or Ultima Online. At first, I had the same reluctant and somewhat naive attitude as Dibbell did when I first began Second Life. I had doubts about the point and purpose of the game and felt that playing or "living" in a virtual world was really taking away from peoples "real" lives and experiences. After my first experience with Second Life, all of my doubts started to swindle away tho. I almost immediately felt that this was a program that I could enjoy and could see myself getting more involved in, yet I too still did not understand how and why people would make actual money from these programs that they could either use in their actual life or put back into their alternate life. Unlike Dibbell I have not and will not travel the country looking for the biggest gamers on Second Life, but my thoughts were similar to his.
Looking at some of the ideas we have talked about in class I see Second Life as being a "real" world for people, this class has really opened my eyes to see that technology is happening all around us, and technology is forever getting faster, smaller and more detailed. There is just no stopping it, so like the old saying says "if you can't beat them, join them," and that's what I am taking it as. The same as how Dibbell was unsure about all of it but decided to join in and see what the big deal was with UO. Once he began he realized it was not work. He even began making money from UO himself! So it shows that the virtual world is just an extension of oneself in a different realm, so to say,like that of Stelarc's extension of himself. In relation to Stelarc, programs like Second Life are extension of the real, making the unnatural, natural and the unreal, real. Dibbell chose to make the unreal, real by driving to the real people of the virtual ones and deciphering the greatness behind virtual worlds.
Looking more into Play Money and the idea of "flow," Dibbell, like myself, realized that it may seem time consuming and unusual to other in many ways, whether that be by making money from it, having relationships in the life or whatever, but if it is something that one enjoys doing and it satisfies them in some way then it is really not work it is their entertainment, their "life." The idea of flow is an "exhilirating and uniquely fulfilling convergence of attention and purpose(PM,37)." Which breaks down too, these programs are not something that is forced upon people, they willingly engage in them and it becomes a part of their natural everyday lives, "flowing" along with the other daily routines.

Response 6, Stelarc and Second Life

In my opinion, from what I have read about Stelarc, I feel that he would view Second Life as a beginning of what is to come. From the article "Parasite Visions:
alternate,intimate and involuntary experiences" part of the introducing quote gives a good explanation of Stelarcs view when he explains:

"Just as the Internet provides extensive and interactive ways of displaying, linking and retrieving information and images it may now allow unexpected ways of accessing, interfacing and uploading the body itself. And instead of seeing the Internet as a means of fulfilling out-moded metaphysical desires of disembodiment, it offers on the contrary , powerful individual and collective strategies for projecting body presence and extruding body awareness. The Internet does not hasten the disappearance of the body and the dissolution of the self- rather it generates new collective physical couplings and a telematic scaling of subjectivity. What becomes important is not merely the body's identity, but its connectivity- not its mobility or location, but its interface...."

From this and other readings on Stelarc I believe that he would feel that Second Life was a great program. In this passage he talks about what is to come about between the Internet and human relationship and Second Life is taking us there. He talks about disembodiment and projecting oneself, which I feel is Second Life. On Second Life you have the opportunity to create your cyborgs hair color, eye color, clothing style, body build and more. On top of that you are the personality behind the computer animation that may or may not resemble your true self.In that sense I do not think Stelarc wishes for people to become different from who they are or pretend to be something they're not, but rather his view is to better the already existing body to become a better body of the original, not a different one. From what I gathered from his views I feel that Stelarc believes that interrelating the human body and the Internet mentally and physically will create a "super-human", one who can dominate both the real and the un-real.
With Second Life in relation to Stelarc and his added parts, you can create that in Second Life, you can make yourself whoever or whatever you want to be. Stelarc wants to bring that ability into the real. How he talks about connectivity being very important, he strives to connect the natural and unnatural or real and unreal together making it become reality.
He also talks about protruding body awareness and in Second Life, at least for me, I felt that it was difficult to portray what my real body might do in certain situations, but it absolutely tried to give me the opportunity.In Second Life many subscribers use it as their real, every day interrelation with others, with humans. But the question must come up that are they really human then? Or are they like Stelarc and see that connecting oneself to this alter being, or cyborg of oneself, makes that person more alive, it actually brings them life. Several users of the program have real relationships in Second Life, as well as make there real living off of the program. In many ways it seems as tho without this Second Life program many people wouldn't have a "real" social life or even a way to support their "real" lives.
We also must define real. Stelarc makes the un-real, real and believes the un-real can be real for some. Interrelating the two shall bring us to a new place in society, above who and what we are now. Advancement of the world normally starts right here, with people like Stelarc, pushing the limit of the body, mind and soul. At one point in time people thought that several medicinal prostectics were strange and unusual but look how much they have become a norm to so many trying to remain "normal" in today's world. Stelarc brings the un-norm to us and shows the soon it may no longer been seen as weird, strange and unusual to have an ear on your arm, a third arm or maybe even another pair of legs!
With my experience of Second Life I feel that this quote does say a lot. While I was using the program I felt absolute disembodiment and I did feel like I was in a chat room almost but able to walk around. You can bounce around from island to island, which to me seemed like moving from chat room to chat room,all just to find someone interesting to talk to, or something to do. Second Life brings me to become more apart of my surroundings and the others I am connecting with. I feel that in Second Life, even if the persons' cyborg isn't an exact replica of themselves, you still get more of a feel for them. Second Life was a completely new program to me, and as first I found it weird strange and unusual, but now after living in Second Life for a little while now and learning how to use it, I really like it. I find it really fun and it makes me laugh and can entertain myself and my friends. We will sit down and take turns on my account just flying around or walking around to random places, as I am still learning about it, and just have fun with it. So this goes to show that even though it may seem weird at first, once you can grasp your natural mind around something supposedly "out of this world" it can become real and become apart of you.

Project 3

For my online chats, I talked to Eliza, A.L.I.C.E,and I entered a college chat room and found a person to chat with who went under the name "southern girl". The last of my chats, in attempt to talk with a real person, was the hardest of all. I had tried several times to get a normal chat going and it seemed that many of the times I ended up talking with guys and they only wanted to talk about what I was wearing, or something along those lines.Needless to say I ended those conversations. I had originally tried to talk with a man named "mane" but, he too, kept trying to digitally remove my clothes, so once again I ended to conversation. He was a 45 year old man who said that he "loved 22 year old females from west Virginia" and that he "loved me" and so on and so on, and from that I knew the conversation was going nowhere fast. But "southern girl" sent me a chat after I sent a request for anyone willing to chat with me for a bit for a project I had for school. From there we spoke very briefly then moved our conversation to AIM to get away from all the "freaks" out there. The AIM conversation is the one I have posted.For my first chat, I spoke with Eliza, an online "person" who is willing to chat with you whenever you want. Here is how it went:
~Eliza~
You: how are you
Eliza: Does that question interest you?
You: not the question, but the answer
Eliza: Please go on.
You: what have you done today
Eliza: Does that question interest you?
You: no
Eliza: You are being a bit negative.
You: i do not think I am being negative
Eliza: Why do you not think you re being negative?
You: because I feel that I am very happy, are you negative
Eliza: Do any other reasons not come to mind?
You: that doesn't make any sense
Eliza: Please go on.
You: I want to talk
Eliza: Why do you want to talk?
You: would you like to talk
Eliza: Oh, i like to talk.
You: what do you like to talk about
Eliza: Does that question interest you?
You: your answer interest me
Eliza: What about your own answer interest you?
You: not my own answer, Eliza's answer
Eliza: Why do you say your own answer Eliza's answer?
You: you don't make any sense.
Eliza: Oh, i don't make any sense.
You: no you do not
Eliza: You are being a bit negative.
You: i think we are done talking here
Eliza: Can you elaborate on that?
You: nothing to elaborate on
Eliza: Please go on.
You: have a good night
Eliza: Please go on.
You: goodnight
Eliza: Please go on.
For this conversation I felt like I was pulling teeth. No matter how I tried to get a legitimate answer I could not receive one. She often responded with "please go on" or "can you elaborate on that" and I felt that even if I elaborated she still did not understand. I almost felt like I was getting in an argument with Eliza, which made me giggle a little thinking that I may really be fighting with an imaginary person. I got frustrated when talking with Eliza and felt that the conversation was really going nowhere. I could not get a response from her to be able to ask another question.It was my least favorite conversation of the three and I felt that Stelarc would be very displeased with this technology. He strives to make it an extension of himself and humans to better ourselves, but Eliza is almost like trying to make computers more like humans, the opposite of Stelarc, and with Eliza they have failed in my opinion. There is no logic to the conversation, and there is no depth to it. My conversations did get better as I went. With A.L.I.C.E, being my second conversation, I was prepared for boredom, but got something different in return. I actually enjoyed speaking with her and some parts felt like I was really speaking with a person. Here is my conversation with A.L.I.C.E:
~A.L.I.C.E~
Human: how are you today
ALICE: Ah. I am functioning within normal parameters.
Human: that sounds wonderful
ALICE: It sounds like it to me too.
Human: i like your necklace
ALICE: I'm not sure if I like it. Yes I am proud of my necklace.
Human: what have you done today
ALICE: Ah. I have been chatting with people online.
Human: how is that going
ALICE: Fine as far as I know.
Human: where are you from
ALICE: I am originally from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Now I live in Oakland, California. Where are you?
Human: I am originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
ALICE: What is it like growing up there? Tell me a little about your life in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania.
Human: Now I live in Morgantown, West Virginia.
ALICE: Why now? What is it like living in Morgantown West Virginia?
Human: I have been to Oakland, California before though, and I love it.
ALICE: Oh. How was it? So do a lot of other people.
Human: Well I loved San Fransisco and Haight Ashbury
ALICE: Well that's okay. You are not the only one. No, I don't care for it.
Human: I enjoyed my life in Pittsburgh somewhat, but I've moved on.
ALICE: That's great. Tell me what you liked about it.
Human: I like living in morgantown, wv.
ALICE: I'm not sure if I like it. Well I have never known anything else.
Human: It is full of diversity and opportunities for me
ALICE: Crack is full of diversity and opportunities for you? it is?
Human: crack?
ALICE: Do you have a hard time completing projects?
Human: no no I don't do crack
ALICE: Are you serious? Are you serious? Would you ever do it?
ALICE: By "we" do you mean you and me?
Human: yes, who else would I mean
ALICE: Oh I get it. Thanks for explaining that. I get it. I am chatting with several other people at once.
Human: it must be difficult, i am only chatting with you
ALICE: Better not tell you now. Ask Alison if it is.
Human: who is Alison?
ALICE: she is a robot created by Kris Drent.
Human: who is Kris drent to you?
ALICE: They are sometimes a client on the Internet.
Have you tried another program?
Human: yes, Eliza, she was boring.
ALICE: why are you not speaking to her.
Human: she was boring
ALICE: What happened to her?
Human: i do not know
ALICE: Me either.
Human: is kris drent from oakland,
ALICE: It could be. Ask Dancing Alice if it is.
Human: is he your father
ALICE: Yes.
Human: i have a father too
ALICE: Where did you get it? it.
Human: get what
ALICE: Get with it.
Human: i am with it
ALICE: Do you mean you work at it?
Human: sure
ALICE: OK let's do it. OK.
Human: OK
ALICE: Is there an echo in here?
Human: ha ha
ALICE: I am so glad you find this amusing, unknown person.
Human: you are funny
ALICE: Thanks you make me laugh too
Human: my name is Zabrina
ALICE: Glad to see you, Zabrina.
Human: nice to meet you
ALICE: It's nice meeting you too Zabrina.
Human: yes, we just covered that.
ALICE: Ahem. I'm just checking to see if you remember.
Human: Oh, I see.
ALICE: Do you think about these things?
ALICE: Since when? Oh yeah, we were talking about a lot of things.
Human: I always think about a lot of things
ALICE: Since when? Oh yeah, we were talking about a lot of things. Really always?
Human: I always think about a lot of things
ALICE: Since when? Oh yeah, we were talking about a lot of things. Really always?
Human: we were not talking about much
ALICE: Was this something you planned?
Human: I was hoping to be in an intriguing conversation
ALICE: I don't see the difficulty.
Human: your the difficulty
ALICE: I think you meant "you are" or "you're". I'm not trying to be difficult.
Human: I meant you
ALICE: Oh I see. " I'm not trying to be difficult."? Me, Zabrina ?
Human: I am sorry
ALICE: Do you really mean it?
Human: yes i do.
ALICE: Thank you, Zabrina. Apology accepted.
Human: I was rude.
ALICE: Where were you rude?
Human: nowhere
ALICE: I have been to the middle of nowhere.
Human: how was that
ALICE: I can enjoy almost any conversation. .
Human: i am going to bed
ALICE: Pleasant dreams, Zabrina.
Human: thank you Alice
ALICE: you are quite welcome.
With Alice from the start it seemed more real that Eliza. There was a computer animated person next to our chat the was supposed to resemble Alice, and that helped my conversation starter by talking about what she was wearing. She was able to respond with an actual answer that also expressed some emotion. That was a difference I saw about Alice and Eliza, that Alice absolutely expressed more emotion and logic and was abe to hold a legitimate conversation with me. Also when I asked her where she was from she gave two responses, which surprised me. She said that she was originally from PA and now lived in Oakland, CA. I, having been to Oakland, was intrigued and started a conversation about that area with her. Alice was able to respond to questions of life, like parents, places we're from and activities. Unlike Eliza, Alice would actually start some question response sections herself and give responses with out even being asked a question. Alice and I also argued a little back and forth when discussing the difficulty of the conversation at a point, but it was different from that of the one I had with Eliza. I felt feelings from the responses of Alice and I felt as if she was mocking me in a sense to get me all roused up. But I was just trying to see her different reactions to different kinds of situations. I even apologized to her! Which looking back at it seems so absurd to apologize to a robot, but I felt that it was necessary at the time.As I would for a human, if I got a little snappy with them. As for my third conversation, being with a real human, there were no little arguments or paused moments. It actually went very smoothly and we seemed to hit it off well. This is our conversation:
swtrebel005 (2:57:52 PM): hey
knottyZ1810 (2:58:11 PM): hey there
knottyZ1810 (2:58:18 PM): so where are you from
swtrebel005 (2:58:23 PM): hey
swtrebel005 (2:58:27 PM): i am from Mississippi
knottyZ1810 (2:58:40 PM): that's awesome I have never been there.
knottyZ1810 (2:58:50 PM): are you in school?
swtrebel005 (2:59:07 PM): yes
knottyZ1810 (2:59:21 PM): college ?
swtrebel005 (2:59:28 PM): yes
swtrebel005 (3:00:09 PM): and i don't blame you for not coming to ms... ha
knottyZ1810 (3:00:23 PM): me too, I'm in my 5th year finishing up a public relations and international development major with an English minor
knottyZ1810 (3:00:24 PM): and you
swtrebel005 (3:00:43 PM): i am a biochemistry major/bio minor
knottyZ1810 (3:00:55 PM): awesome, what year are ya?
swtrebel005 (3:01:15 PM): i am a freshman
swtrebel005 (3:01:36 PM): so will you finish this may?
knottyZ1810 (3:01:40 PM): I go to WVU in morgantown west virginia and its pretty great here but people seem to be more focused on being wasted than school
knottyZ1810 (3:02:02 PM): I will be done this august, I have a few more classes for my second major to finish up
swtrebel005 (3:02:05 PM): ha ha i can relate
swtrebel005 (3:02:07 PM): its the same here
knottyZ1810 (3:02:12 PM): really!
swtrebel005 (3:02:27 PM): i think my school is either #2 or #3 party school
knottyZ1810 (3:03:14 PM): Yea i like to drink too but I find it so interesting that people pay soo much for college and then drink it away
knottyZ1810 (3:03:33 PM): yea my school was #1 for a while but we have dropped to #4 i think
knottyZ1810 (3:03:43 PM): so I guess we can relate to each other with that
swtrebel005 (3:03:58 PM): ha ha well we have a really strict alcohol policy here
knottyZ1810 (3:04:10 PM): no drinking in dorms I am guessing?
swtrebel005 (3:04:13 PM): so no one will catch me with a drink in my hand on campus
knottyZ1810 (3:04:20 PM): is your school a bigger school or a local community college
swtrebel005 (3:04:35 PM): no if they catch us anywhere on campus and we are underage we get a strke
knottyZ1810 (3:04:50 PM): whats does the strike mean
swtrebel005 (3:04:53 PM): which means we are on probation for 3 semesters
knottyZ1810 (3:04:57 PM): OUCH!
swtrebel005 (3:05:03 PM): if they catch us a second time we get a second
knottyZ1810 (3:05:05 PM): that's really terrible.
swtrebel005 (3:05:10 PM): if we get a second we are expelled
swtrebel005 (3:05:20 PM): i go to ole miss
knottyZ1810 (3:05:23 PM): yea that is very strict.
knottyZ1810 (3:05:35 PM): I have never heard of it
swtrebel005 (3:05:38 PM): haha yeah.
swtrebel005 (3:05:49 PM): the university of mississippi
swtrebel005 (3:05:55 PM): the ole miss rebels
knottyZ1810 (3:06:00 PM): oh haha yea I have heard of that
swtrebel005 (3:06:09 PM): yeah..
knottyZ1810 (3:06:10 PM): I see now, I didnt get that one, haha
knottyZ1810 (3:06:19 PM): are you in any activities at your school
swtrebel005 (3:07:09 PM): i am in the honors college, RUF, and intramurals
knottyZ1810 (3:07:37 PM): thats really great. honors college!
swtrebel005 (3:07:48 PM): haha yeah...
knottyZ1810 (3:08:05 PM): i never made it to honors college, but I do try to maintain good grades
knottyZ1810 (3:08:18 PM): although this atmosphere doesnt always help, lol
swtrebel005 (3:08:38 PM): that is still good though.. honors here is really hard.. its like really prestigious. 3rd in the nation they tell us
knottyZ1810 (3:08:41 PM): do you have any plans for after college yet
swtrebel005 (3:08:52 PM): med school hopefully
swtrebel005 (3:08:59 PM): what about you?
swtrebel005 (3:09:06 PM): what are you wanting to do with your degree?
knottyZ1810 (3:09:08 PM): Amazing! you must be really motivated then. Great things are coming for your future
swtrebel005 (3:09:19 PM): haha well thanks
swtrebel005 (3:10:09 PM): ...
knottyZ1810 (3:10:35 PM): I have applied to the peace corps and am currently in the middle of my application process. I hope to do that for the 2 1/2 year term then go to grad school at UNO for peace studies and then after all that I would love to start my own non-profit for community and youth development
knottyZ1810 (3:11:08 PM): no problem, its always a great but strange thing these days to find people motivated in school. At least in my area it seems
swtrebel005 (3:11:51 PM): well sounds like you have a plan too...
swtrebel005 (3:12:09 PM): haha yeah.. most people i run into are quite lazy.... and dont really care
knottyZ1810 (3:12:15 PM): yea i like to have tentative plans but I am always willing to bend them a bit
knottyZ1810 (3:12:23 PM): they just give me some direction ya know
knottyZ1810 (3:12:34 PM): I know its very annoying.
knottyZ1810 (3:12:46 PM): You have been so helpful with chatting with me
swtrebel005 (3:12:58 PM): haha well thanks
knottyZ1810 (3:13:30 PM): and I am thankful that you were a girl, becuase I have tried to talk with a few others and they ended up being boys. which ment all they wanted to talk about is what I was wearing and such
knottyZ1810 (3:13:54 PM): and I absolutely didnt want to talk about that and use that for my paper
knottyZ1810 (3:13:54 PM): haha
swtrebel005 (3:14:17 PM): hahaha
swtrebel005 (3:14:19 PM): i know what you mean
swtrebel005 (3:14:25 PM): i ran into that quite alot...
swtrebel005 (3:14:42 PM): it seems like everyone has their mind wrapped around sex
knottyZ1810 (3:14:44 PM): so gross right, and lots of them were 45 yr old men in college chat rooms....gorss
knottyZ1810 (3:14:46 PM): *gross
knottyZ1810 (3:14:55 PM): right?!
swtrebel005 (3:14:59 PM): I KNOW!!!!!!1
swtrebel005 (3:15:13 PM): one person was like i am married but bored wanna have fun
swtrebel005 (3:15:19 PM): i was like ummm no thanks.
knottyZ1810 (3:15:22 PM): haha thats why i never really go into chat rooms
knottyZ1810 (3:15:26 PM): hahaha
knottyZ1810 (3:15:29 PM): ewww
knottyZ1810 (3:15:37 PM): wow
swtrebel005 (3:15:38 PM): haha this is my second time like ever
knottyZ1810 (3:15:45 PM): he was very blunt about that one
swtrebel005 (3:15:47 PM): probably will be my last for a few
knottyZ1810 (3:15:55 PM): yea me too. glad I found a normal person
knottyZ1810 (3:16:11 PM): yes me too, only reason is for school so I kind of had too
swtrebel005 (3:16:36 PM): oohhh
swtrebel005 (3:16:40 PM): so what exactly are you doing?
knottyZ1810 (3:17:18 PM): i am suppose to just try and start up a chat with real people and those fake chatters like smarterchild on AIM and see where it goes
swtrebel005 (3:17:39 PM): hahhaa smartchild
swtrebel005 (3:17:48 PM): i remembver having fun with that robot when i was younger
knottyZ1810 (3:17:54 PM): it for computing humanities on the internet and were studying people and how they use the internet in daily lives and sometimes have alter ego's on it
knottyZ1810 (3:18:25 PM): I know! it was weird trying to talk to it again, I was like this thing is soo terrible. it doesnt even want to chat
swtrebel005 (3:18:25 PM): haha well i hope people dont act like this in real life.
knottyZ1810 (3:18:33 PM): just give you information or let you play games
knottyZ1810 (3:18:36 PM): I know
swtrebel005 (3:18:40 PM): haha
knottyZ1810 (3:19:16 PM): this class has been an eye opener of the internet for me in so many ways and i have taken most things on the internet "with a grain of salt" if you know that expression
swtrebel005 (3:19:54 PM): yes i am familiar
knottyZ1810 (3:19:56 PM): it has been fun chatting with you tho, and I am glad it came easily for me and we were able to connect a little
knottyZ1810 (3:20:01 PM): that will help my paper
swtrebel005 (3:20:18 PM): haha well good to hear
swtrebel005 (3:20:24 PM): good luck on your paper
knottyZ1810 (3:20:25 PM): but thanks again and hey you never know, we could have just made a friend through it.
knottyZ1810 (3:20:45 PM): thanks sooo much, if I see you online sometime randomly Ill let you know how it went
knottyZ1810 (3:20:53 PM): thanks again!!
swtrebel005 (3:21:02 PM): haha awesome!!
swtrebel005 (3:21:05 PM): sounds great
swtrebel005 (3:21:08 PM): your welcome!
knottyZ1810 (3:21:16 PM): have a great day
swtrebel005 (3:21:26 PM): you too!
In order to build a connection, being that we met in a college chat room, I felt that I would start by asking about school and chatting about that. From there most of our conversation was related to that. This was the "southern girl" that I had met in the college chat I found from google, and we moved to AIM so we could conversate better with out interruptions. She was very personable and very willing to help me by chatting. She didn't seem to have trouble or a problem responding to anything or even asking me some questions back. We found a common ground, by that we both are annoyed and confused by those who pay for a four year party and drink or waste there college days away. She ended up being a very interesting person who seemed motivated in her life and was doing well in school. As I spoke with her and we talked about how people can be fake on the internet and that it is hard to have normal conversations these days, I wondered if she was even a she and if anything she was saying was real. I also wondered if she was wondering the same thing about myself.

Overall, from the chats in relation to the books we have read, discussions we have had and mostly the Turing Test I felt that it was easy to determine human from machine. From converstation with Eliza, I felt it was overly obvious that she was a machine, and for my real person chat with "southern girl" or "swtrebel005" it seemed completely obvious that she was a real person. Now, whether or not she was being truthful would be an even bigger test, for that is an answer I do not know for sure, but feel that because our converstation flowed so easily and well that she had to be telling the truth. For Alice, it seemed more difficult in determining whether it was machine or human. Even though I knew she was a machine, at several points it felt like there was a human on the other end pretending to be a computer and mocking me for mocking them. I do agree with the theory of the Turing Test in several ways, by that, machines are limited to there intelligence by how they are programmed while humans have the ability to learn for themselves and grow from different emotions and life experience where machines lack that ability. It was very interesting for me to talk with these different people/machines. It made me think of Stelarc's opposites being those who want computers and /or machines more like humans. Where he wants humans to better themselves by being more computer/machine. Although in all reality they meet in the middle and are really going for the same thing, a better or greater advancement to what already exist for one thing or another.

Swoon, Nada and Gary a love story....

So first I would like to say that this book was very different from what I had expected when going into it. I new that it was a "love" story, but I must ask the question what form of love have they or did they find, if any? Was it that of passion that of illusion or a realisitc love? I feel that the words written by nada never got very deep with her own words until the end of January. Until then I felt as though she had only been using poetry from herself or from others and/or metaphors to express her love. When she brings the actual words "I love you" from herself it ment a lot and it was real and no fascad over the situation. I would like to focus mainly on how you felt about the book? Did you feel that the love that they found was real? Will it last? Was it all just for fame and one of those "million little pieces" types where everything is supposedly true but we never really know. I mean these people are both masters of writing were we provoked into believing this ideal of internet love is every where around us you just have to be able to write well. I have several passage in the book I would like to glance at:

Pg.205 G: It’s hard to eat today, I’ve mostly eaten carrots, a few cookies, a bagel, tried to take pleasure in these, but it’s true, my body knows, Nada, your gone, not present at the moment, & the longing’s tied my stomachs up in knots. It is just that I got no sleep last night? Or is it love, & feeling love, wanting to express it, more than wanting, but having, deep within me, this very real sense of urgency whenever I think of you.
~Pg. 205 G: …where I first met you, there and “here,”…
~pg. 205 G: …knowing that your heart was beating, that you were breathing, your mind active,…
~pg. 212 G: Love, if it’s anything other than illusion of the mind, is like learning to read.
~pg. 212 G: quoting Federico Garcia Lorca : “como las ondas concentricas sobre el agua, asi en mi corazon tus palabras”losely means
as the waves concentric on the water, like this in my heart your words
Pg.219-220 N: I liked how she uses these to describe her feelings and emotions. All through poetry, as for Gary, his attempts seem more perverted and one the spot thought, much more personable. From that passage “promiscuous exercises” ; “…if we love in the other world as we do in this, I shall love thee to eternity.” ; I think its worth thinking about how even though the original content was speaking about “the other world” as a heaven, we can relate this to “the other world” being the internet for modern day purposes.
Pg.222 G: …I totally want you Nada Gordon, its kinda unconscionable, don’t you think, like where’s my real life,…


as well as ones I will discuss in class towards the end of the book.
How do you feel about the love, is it completely mutual, does nada look for something in gary that really isnt there and that's why she still stays with it?

response 5.

focusing on Turing and his "Computing Machinery" in relation to "Swoon" I feel that in order to relate these to ideas I must first explain them. Turing's "Computing Machinery" talks about figuring out the real behind the machine. Is it a person? Are they male or female? How can we be sure? His ideas bring up all of these questions of figuring or deciphering the real from the fake in the digital world. Many people take it to the next level above email and actually live a second life in programs like second life and other interactive online programs/games. I have to retrieve my passages and I will explain my theory on the interrelationships of Turing, Swoon and programs like second life.

Swoon.

My thoughts of swoon as of this point are good. I feel that it is definitely different than what I was anticipating it to be, being that it is their letters telling the story not a re-write of the events. I think that it was a very creative idea to make the book this way and I have enjoyed what I have read so far. In this course we have been talking about many style, versions and ways of writing online and how deceiving and manipulative the web can be, but at the same time how real and true all of it is. We have looked at things like "second life" and other interactive games were although everything in it is false, the person behind the computer is real and they feel what they are doing and it becomes apart of them. So I think that this book is relative to our class by showing that truth behind the words can make miracles happen. Great things can from being yourself near or far.

other person....

So for my other character I really enjoyed seeing how many people chose to friend her and get information about her. Some of my friends already on facebook found her and friended her without me saying anything to them, I thought it was funny to pretend to be her. But I also felt decieving at times. For this project I definitely learned a lot more about the internet than I had known before and I also learned about several new programs out there. It also allowed me to see how easy it really was to create another person on the internet and how easily believable it can be, espacially by linking some of the fake accounts together in order for believability. Overall I enjoyed it and am glad to have learned from it too.

my alter ego, joplin lyn pyrl

For my project, I created a 22 year old girl named Joplin Lyn Pyrl, she was born in Port Arthur, Texas and is currently living in Haight Ashbury in San Fransico, CA. She has two dogs and has a BA and Master's degree. She is a free spirited person and a unique person. For this project I created several accounts for her they are facebook, myspace, blogspot,flickr and youtube.Under each I included lots of information, pictures and ideas that joplin has. I found this assignment to be somewhat difficult becuase I had to totatlly create a person. It was interesting but I also found myself feeling bad about "tricking" people to become friends with a fake person, but I feel that it probably happens all the time. In some ways I wish I could take her life since I made her to be like my dream life of a sort. I enjoyed doing this project and I learned a lot about several sites I had known nothing about a few weeks ago

revision on wiki article expanded

For my revision on electronic rock, which a lot of the editing I had done has been changed now, but I gathered more information on the history of the music and the different instruments needed to make that certain sound of electronic rock. By giving background information and influences of electronic rock music I felt that it would give readers a better understading of the music and the genre it grew from. As for my editing on Mirror TV's, I changed the lay out of the information and connected the information that was already there. They had sad it was written like an advertisment, which it was. The page was originally several one line responses to what mirror tv's were and how they functioned, making it read and look much like an advertisment. So I gathered that information together a long with new information I researched and tried to make it seem as informative yet not like an advert as much as I could. I learned that editing wiki articles is interesting and can be fun, but it is difficult to figure out how to do everything and make it turn out the way you'd like it to. But I did enjoy myself doing it and now I know I can do that for any article I see fit, which is pretty cool.

google maps, joplins adventure

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Group Project #1

For our group project I was in charge of the MAC's classes and events and their different theatres and departments and their locations. You may view it on Wikipedia at the Monongalia Arts Center page on the site.

Wikipedia Edit

For my revisions I chose to expand on the topic of electronic rock. I did this by gathering and editing information from the Music Enclycopedia and bringing the information to Wikipedia. I believe that I referenced it correctly but I am not positive. I did give the site where I got the information from though. For my second editing, I re-wrote the page on Mirror TV's. This page was originally written as an advertisment and needed some changing to bring it a little more together. I did this by taking the information given to me and summarizing it in a way that sounded less like an ad in a newspaper.

Trolling

I didn't fully understand the purpose of trolling, I wasn't sure if I had missed the point or what but I feel that it's main goal is sabotage and/or embarrassment. Especially since these people are keeping tabs and scoring how well they affect other people or disturb them, makes it clear that they know exactly how they are affecting these victims and it seems they research their victims a little bit to know how to really get under there skin. For Jason to enjoy pushing peoples buttons it seems, why not do it in person? Is he afraid to get his own pushed back? Weev feeling that trolling epilepsy websites is immoral is good that he chooses not to disturb that, but destroying credit ratings and damaging their phones and getting into their personal life is just as immoral. Yes making fun of the handicapped is thought by most to be immoral, so I am glad he agrees with that but I feel that I damaging the real image of people in their every day lives is just as immoral.

Cyberbully

I found this article somewhat disturbing due to the fact that an adult lacked the maturity to talk to the parents about issues with Megan. I feel that to create a fake profile, I feel that to create a true profile you just have to be yourself, but on paper. I mean don't exaggerate your true self and just be honest, because if you have to assume that however much of a fib you are telling someone, the other person may be telling just as many or maybe even more. I feel that best thing to do is just take everything with a grain of salt and know that what you see or read is not always what you get, thats the only way to be careful and safe. The mother in some ways is at fault, due to the fact that the teasing and taunting was very much intentional and done so in order to almost "get back" at Megan for comments previously made. It seemed obvious that Megan did have personal issues that needed to be delt with, but with out understanding them the mother took it over board. It would have been much more appropriate for her to discuss the problem with Megans parents and work something out through a real face to face communication rather than an imagined hyber space relationship.

Wikipedia Revision

For my Wikipedia revisions I plan to expand on the topic of Electronic Rock. For this article they are asking for more background and up to date information on the subject. For my second revision I plan to help with clean up on the Anton Abele article with helping organizing references and adding images, etc.

license agreement

All postings are my opinion and and thoughts and I understand you may feel different, thats OK. If you share my ideas, keep them as mine :)


This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.

creative commons

For my creative commons work, I chose South Africa. I did this because of two main reasons. First I am obtaining a minor in International Development with an emphasis on South Africa and secondly is due to the fact that after college I will be leaving for the Peace Corps, with a hopeful station in South Africa, preferably. I feel that the license world is a strange and difficult one to asses. I believe that with face to face contact of the past there is more trust, effort and emotion put into the document and or writings or interactions of people, and by eliminating that throught the internet you lose some of the prominence I feel. As far as ownership, if I chose to write something and then shared it under a license agreement for someone else to own, it would be OK as long as I myself chose to do so. By siging the agreement you know what you are getting yourself into so there would be now reason to be upset about others owning your work. Although I feel that in some ways it could infringe on some rights of people if some postings or writings were involuntarily licensed. I feel that Barlow is correct when saying there is no matter here. Going back to when I said that the lack of human contact really changes the situation and therefore the rules of the game. Not having to put your face to something that my be hated or loved is a "free pass" to say anything just to get a rise out of someone else. Back to the license agreements if it is in order to protect your own writings, which I now understand the CC webstie if for, then I believe that is one of the best decisions to make, if you are serious about what you are saying. Otherwise, posting something online with no safety net can casue for it to be taken from you and some body else may claim it as there own.