Author: JORGE ORMAZA

I chose these images because they show how the way we carry a message or an object can make the difference. According to McLuhan, the medium influences our society to the point that it can be able to re-shape and change the way how we behave or do things. In this image, I’m showing how the medium (the trucks) allows users to deliver their message (the garbage) in different ways. The person who’s driving the little truck has to do more work in order to carry all the garbage from one place to another, and it might be not too efficient. On the other hand, the person driving the high tech garbage truck can collect garbage faster without making too much effort. This allows the person with the high tech truck to reach more houses and share the collection of garbage with more people. I’d like to relate this example to the internet and television, the internet would be the high tech garbage truck and the old truck would be the TV. This example shows how the internet can reach more users in a more efficient way at a lower cost. On the contrary, TV is limited in terms of reaching viewers and its costs are much higher.

The image below is just an extra photo that I’d like to share with my class.

Hey guys, I thought this video about Clay Shirky will be interesting for our class. Shirky makes a really good observation about the Internet and its relationship with government. Let me know what you think.

Hey guys, I thought this video about Clay Shirky will be interesting for our class. Shirky makes a really good observation about the Internet and its relationship with government. Let me know what you think.

Well, the topic that was chosen by my group was “Internet Culture”. This has been a new topic for some members of my group including myself. I’ve been doing some research about what Internet Culture really means and how it’s associated with many Internet users. I’ve found that Internet Culture is a new trend on the web which many people feel identified with these single units (represented as ideas) which become very popular in hours and sometimes even minutes.

I think this is a really interesting topic to talk about, but at the same time it’s also challenging because there are thousands of new behaviors on the web that we could talk about in our presentation. I think that in order to provide good feedback about this exiting topic to my classmate the day of the presentation, my group is developing an innovating way to approach to our audience and engage them in our presentation (which I think we’re on the right track to do so).

I cannot say more that this for now, otherwise, I will ruin the presentation that we are planning for you guys. I’m looking forward to present our ideas and knowledge about Internet Culture based on the readings that we’ve been having in class and also in the research that my group and I have been doing for the last week.

During my working experience, I’ve had the opportunity for developing and designing a few databases for my work unit. I think that databases are great for tracking, reporting and presentations purposes because they allow users to create and automate reports in a daily, weekly or monthly basis.

In order to create a database, first we will need to create a table with the information that we want to work with, the table contains columns and rows (as an excel sheet) that will assist users to input the data needed for the software.

Second, once we have created several tables with the information needed, we will need to create relationships in order to link tables together and also to ensure data integrity. This part can be complicated because there are different types of relationships that a user can apply in MS Access. The most common ones are “One to Many” and “Many to Many”, these two relationships allow users to relate data from different tables in order to link information together.

Third, create queries, this step is also a little complex because in order to create queries we need to know the structure of the database and what kind of data we would like to connect or show to users.

Finally, we will need to create forms; the forms that you create will need to look friendly to users. In other words, the form will need to look nice and simple so that users can find it attractive an easy to input data in the system.

 You can also create reports, modules, macros, or even apply some codes through Visual Basis Studio. But that would need a little more that this blog to explain and understand this computer language. I have attached a Youtube Video that would help you to understand this in further.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLIn1UHkee0

The 3D printer was something new for me. When the professor mentioned in class a few weeks ago, I was amazed by imaging a printer that can make things, wow. But the best thing was seeing it in action. I think this new initiative of printing things in 3D will create a huge impact in the market once it passes through quality assurance tests in order to convert this item into a consumer good. I believe the market will react in a positive way towards this new way of printing opening doors for new manufacturing companies to start making these printers. In my opinion, I would definitely buy one of them once they become more affordable for my pocket. J I will use it to print all kind of stuff, such as building models, little toys, statues, etc. I also think that a great part of the market where this printer will cause sensations will be in the family market. Just imaging parents buying these printers to be able to print any toy that their children want. This is something big. In addition, I think this new way of printing relates to what we’ve reading in class about Manovich because printing in 3D has the five elements that characterize something as a form of new media.

Well… as almost all of you guys already know, the new iPhone 5 is being sold to the public tomorrow. What do you think about it? Do you find any interesting features that can help customers in their everyday lives? In my opinion, the new iPhone 5 is the best phone out there yet. However, it’s not different enough from my 4s. So bottom line, I’m not fully convinced to buy the 5.

Choosing a specific topic to talk about McLuhan’s book was not an easy task. The Medium is the Massage mentions lots of changes in media and society that were occurring in the 1960s. The way how I developed my idea to talk about the transformation in communication throughout the years was by focusing in the statement that struck me form McLuhan, when he stated that “everything is changing, you, your family, your neighborhood, your education, your job, your government, your relation to “the others”. And they are changing dramatically.” This topic helped to understand that McLuhan had clear perspective of the world and changes that were going on in society. I developed and outline to determine what were the main points that I wanted to develop and described in my paper. I chose to talk about the changes in communication and the impacts in our social lives. To develop an argument with these topics was challenging, society in constantly changing the way how it communicates a message and media has been part of this evolution by being the way for society in order to transmit the message. Finally, I was able to have my ideas in order and I started writing some draft papers to see how my thoughts were having coherence through the writhing exercise. Something that helped me was to have a good introduction with a clear thesis in order to address the issue and give specific examples to support my ideas.

Hey guys, I’m into politics and would like to open the Pandora’s box… Let’s talk about politics, I’ve been living in NYC for about three years, and I consider myself to be a Republican due to the fact that I’m cheap (in the good sense of the word.) I’m very meticulous in what involves spending money that I do not have, which according to what I’ve seen in these four years of President Obama is not going to lead us to any good place in the future. Please feel free to comment on my blog and share your ideas.

The “Medium is the Massage” opens too many questions about the beginning of new social medias through electronic devices and the World Wide Web. Something that struck me from Marshall McLuhan’s book was the way how he predicted that our privacy will be at risk due to the fact that ir will be too much information from us out there through these new electronic social medias. I agree with McLuhan when he states that “Electrical information devices for universal, tyrannical womb-totomb surveillance are causing very serious dilemma between our claim to privacy and the community’s need to know.” As we know, there are many social network sites out there, and I’m really concern of the level of information being shared about my personal life to advertising companies, governments, etc. Have you thought of the level of information in your footprint? I believe that we have a photo identification document on the web that we do not really know about it.

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