COM546 : Evolutions Kathy E. Gill 29 March 2011
Our Brave New World We’ll set the stage for the quarter with EPIC2015EPIC2015 We’ll define technology & communication We’ll talk about “what’s new” in new media
What is “technology”?
Technology Is … 1: technical language; 2a: applied science ; 2b: a technical method of achieving a practical purpose; 3: a totality of the means employed to provide objects necessary for human sustenance and comfort
Technology, Simply Put Knowledge used to solve problems and extend human potential. Technology is about enabling change and amplifying its direction. Think of it as facilitating the journey not (necessarily) setting the destination.
Technologies Facilitate Dominance/influence of any technology is a function of many things (later!) The ones we care about have an impact on communication
Communication A process in which participants create and share information with one another in order to reach mutual understanding (Rogers, 1995).
Non-Mediated
Cave Painting Repro
Printing Press - Type
“Newspapers are energy- inefficient…Newspapers can't last because of the situation of energy in this country.” ~Ted Turner, 1979, on launching CNN
Mediated – Personal - PDA
1. Concept of Scarcity Gone! Bits can be easily shared; atoms cannot Implications for intellectual property (content owners now use digital rights management) Implications for business models (Skype) Potentially devastating for an economic system built upon scarcity
2. Distance With global networks Work becomes independent of geography Consumption becomes independent of geography Social groups become independent of geography Anything else?
3. Time Time Shifting facilitates asynchronous communication Podcasts Tivo, ReplayTV , voice mail (not IM) Directly impacts the advertising model for TV, radio For work Distributed teams 24x7 work flow Anything else?
Credits Presentation by Kathy E. Gill CC share-and-share alike, non-commercial Flickr CC Images: Pencil: Two men: Cave painting repro: Printing press type: Telegraph pole: UNIVAC: Girl with PDA: iPad : 3 : “Reflection”: