“we believe that the creation and documentation of knowledge is a collaborative process but not a democratic one” [1]

The content, added by regular users, to the site will not feature the ‘Britannica checked’ stamp.

Coincidentally Wikipedia has proposed to implement a ‘Flagged Revision’ system on their website which would mean that any changes or updates made by its readers would need the approval of editors before inclusion on the site. This system has already been put in place on the German version of the site.

Encyclopedia Britannica and Wikipedia have functioned at opposite ends of the scale since Wikipedia was launched in 2001. It would appear that both Encyclopedia Britannica and Wikipedia now recognize the importance of controlled collaboration.

[1] CAUZ, JORGE. ‘Collaboration and the voices of experts‘, June 3rd 2008.

I would also recommend a visit to Big Spaceship’s website and blogs for a feast of visual stimuli. Their strategy blog think.bigspaceship.com is my particular favourite.

This work has culminated in a documentary depicting the history of the Internet and succeeds in delivering a communication of supreme clarity. It’s deceptively simple visuals and voice-over combine to create an eloquent design solution.

For more information visit the PICOL Blog

I hope you all enjoy this as much as I have.

At present I am focusing on my comparative study as well as further refining of my questionnaires and trying to make contact with various academics who may be suitable candidates for semi structured interviews. I will keep you all posted as I progress!

The mouse in principal has changed relatively little over the four decades since its inception although its current streamlined shape is undoubtedly more comfortable than the wooden prototype which inspired it.

I thought my questionnaires would be straight forward to develop but it is much more complicated than I first thought. It appears that I need to simplify the language I am using and on reflection I realise that I have been making the assumption that everyone is as familiar with my research as I am. Obviously this is not the case and I will have to have an objective look at my approach.

Suggestions were also made that might help me get more accurate information out of the questions being asked. I need to include more options for those participating because people are less likely to take the trouble to write their responses down but are more likely to tick the appropriate boxes. Who would have thought designing a simple questionnaire could be such a complex process?

We also discussed my methodologies. I am using semi-structured interviews in part and had intended to interview web managers. I have sensibly been advised to extend  the range of these interviews to include students and staff as well as management to get a broader perspective.

This was a particularly beneficial meeting, if you wish to check my questionnaire progress click here:

http://rebeccamcclelland.com/questionnaire.html

Jordan, an information technology student at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, New York, built a search engine for the RPI network which made it easier for students to access material. However, some of the students using Jesse’s search engine had been downloading music files, over 100 copyright infringements were cited and in 2003 the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) demanded damages of $15 million.

The latest extraordinary episode in the RIAA/piracy saga has just emerged, in an article in Wired online published yesterday by David Kravets. Apparently the Tennesse public University system has just signed a $9.5 million legislation to implement University piracy measures.

While this bill may placate the RIAA it comes at a cost to the students and staff of the Universities

The big question is should Universities be held responsible for this type of activity, and if so how might they protect themselves?

If like me you are interested in where we might be going from here I recommend you tune in to Kevin Kelly predicting the next 5,000 days of the web on Ted Talks.

Kelly offers an interesting reflection on the web to date and an even more interesting view on the Semantic Web which has been the much talked about development for the near future.

I have to devise a different set of questions for each group to be targeted, students, staff, web managers, industry etc. This has been a complex process! I thought I would try to get a response from the students first so if any of you are studying art at Uni and are willing to take 5mins out for me I will be posting my questionnaire online ASAP, I will let you know when it has been made live.

I’m not sure at this stage how best to circulate it but I have a meeting with my supervisor tomorrow so hopefully all will become clear.

“Communications data - that is, data about calls, such as the location and identity of the caller, not the content of the calls themselves - is used as important evidence in 95% of serious crime cases and in almost all security service operations since 2004.”
(http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7671046.stm)

the proposal is still viewed by many as an infringement of civil liberties. Emailing is synonymous with our culture in the 21st century and it is ironic that the technology which has created this situation has undoubtedly also created its own macabre element but does this minority aspect vindicate mass intrusion? I would be interested to know what you think.

If you wish to read more check out the following links:
BBC News: “Giant Database plan ‘Orwellian’”
Computer Weekly: “Government confirms giant database on citizens’ communication data”
The Independent UK: “Storm over Big Brother database”