The Net & The Web (Hakim Bey) -
1. What is the "Temorary Autonomous Zone"?
2. When Bey talks about "data-piracy," is he talking about torrenting or are there other methods?
3. What is a "yuppetariat"?
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Group Project #2
These are my responses to questions asked by Kelly Turgeon. Kelly's blog can be found at: http://atls2000kellyturgeon.blogspot.com/
1. "Is there anyway a website can protect it self from being a victim to these types of online server attacks?"
Various methods of prevention exist, and they all seem to have varying rates of success. Some prevention and response tools include: firewalls, switches, application front end hardware, IPS based prevention, DDS based defense, clean pipes, blackholing, and sinkholing. The wikipedia article on DDoS attacks provides a good amount of information on these various forms of defense: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denial-of-service_attack
2. "How has the group gained so much support if they don’t have an identity? Do they work together to do these hacks or do they all just label themselves under the ‘Anonymous’ title?"
Anonymous functions as a collective, but there is no formal structure or membership process. My guess is that a small group of individuals will pick a target and support is gained throughout the group by word of mouth. Coleman says that "Because anyone can take the name - as many different, seemingly unrelated affiliations have done - operations can be intensified quickly after a weakness on the part of the target is discovered, or shutdown immediately if trouble or internal controversy arises." It seems to me that all the members share the credit and the blame for whatever the group decides to do. They don't lack an identity: it's one that is mysteriously obscure and gaining fame/infamy.
3. "What is ‘a Cartesian attitude’?"
This is something I was also curious about. It seems to be skepticism taken to the extreme. It's doubting every bit of knowledge and constantly asking "What can we know for certain?".
1. "Is there anyway a website can protect it self from being a victim to these types of online server attacks?"
Various methods of prevention exist, and they all seem to have varying rates of success. Some prevention and response tools include: firewalls, switches, application front end hardware, IPS based prevention, DDS based defense, clean pipes, blackholing, and sinkholing. The wikipedia article on DDoS attacks provides a good amount of information on these various forms of defense: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denial-of-service_attack
2. "How has the group gained so much support if they don’t have an identity? Do they work together to do these hacks or do they all just label themselves under the ‘Anonymous’ title?"
Anonymous functions as a collective, but there is no formal structure or membership process. My guess is that a small group of individuals will pick a target and support is gained throughout the group by word of mouth. Coleman says that "Because anyone can take the name - as many different, seemingly unrelated affiliations have done - operations can be intensified quickly after a weakness on the part of the target is discovered, or shutdown immediately if trouble or internal controversy arises." It seems to me that all the members share the credit and the blame for whatever the group decides to do. They don't lack an identity: it's one that is mysteriously obscure and gaining fame/infamy.
3. "What is ‘a Cartesian attitude’?"
This is something I was also curious about. It seems to be skepticism taken to the extreme. It's doubting every bit of knowledge and constantly asking "What can we know for certain?".
Questions for Weekly Readings - Week 5
The Ethics of Digital Direct Action -
1. "'We want to send a message that chaos on the internet is unacceptable,' said Steven Chabinsky, deputy
assistant FBI director." Who decides what is chaotic activity on the internet and what isn't?
2. Why is a protest considered criminal activity once it's moved from physical space to the internet?
3. What is the necessary evidence in order to convict someone involved in a DDoS attack?
Our Weirdness is Free -
1. What does Coleman mean when she says that Anonymous doesn't harbor a "Cartesian attitude."
2. Are the communities belonging to Anonymous and WikiLeaks one and the same?
3. Would Coleman consider protesting to be the highest form of trolling?
Cyberdeterence and Cyberwar -
1. What exactly does Libicki mean when he says: "organizations are vulnerable to cyberattack only to the extent they want to be."
2. Shouldn't the United States make strategic cyberwar a priority investment area at least as an option for a counterattack?
3. Is an EMP the ultimate form of attack in terms of Cyberwar?
1. "'We want to send a message that chaos on the internet is unacceptable,' said Steven Chabinsky, deputy
assistant FBI director." Who decides what is chaotic activity on the internet and what isn't?
2. Why is a protest considered criminal activity once it's moved from physical space to the internet?
3. What is the necessary evidence in order to convict someone involved in a DDoS attack?
Our Weirdness is Free -
1. What does Coleman mean when she says that Anonymous doesn't harbor a "Cartesian attitude."
2. Are the communities belonging to Anonymous and WikiLeaks one and the same?
3. Would Coleman consider protesting to be the highest form of trolling?
Cyberdeterence and Cyberwar -
1. What exactly does Libicki mean when he says: "organizations are vulnerable to cyberattack only to the extent they want to be."
2. Shouldn't the United States make strategic cyberwar a priority investment area at least as an option for a counterattack?
3. Is an EMP the ultimate form of attack in terms of Cyberwar?
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Week 4 Reading Questions
Tools for Thought:
1. I think the concept for the "von Neumann machines" is brilliant. When von Neumann was dreaming this factory-spaceship-launchpad system, was he predicting humanity's future?
2. What is Thomas Kuhn definition of a "scientific paradigm"?
3. Why doesn't Shannon just publish his later research and discoveries?
Engineering a New Order:
1. What is the difference between the "art of war" and the "science of war"?
2. How would engineering change without the influence of militarism?
3. What is the definition of the "military-industrial complex."?
The Internet Revolution:
1. Why doesn't the author mention Google once in the chapter? O' Reagan mentions yahoo several times.
2. What would Bush think of a smart phone in relation to his "memex"?
3. I didn't realize that the military played such a crucial role in the development of the internet. Perhaps I shouldn't find this too surprising considering the military's role in developing the computer and technology in general.
Tools for Thought:
1. I think the concept for the "von Neumann machines" is brilliant. When von Neumann was dreaming this factory-spaceship-launchpad system, was he predicting humanity's future?
2. What is Thomas Kuhn definition of a "scientific paradigm"?
3. Why doesn't Shannon just publish his later research and discoveries?
Engineering a New Order:
1. What is the difference between the "art of war" and the "science of war"?
2. How would engineering change without the influence of militarism?
3. What is the definition of the "military-industrial complex."?
The Internet Revolution:
1. Why doesn't the author mention Google once in the chapter? O' Reagan mentions yahoo several times.
2. What would Bush think of a smart phone in relation to his "memex"?
3. I didn't realize that the military played such a crucial role in the development of the internet. Perhaps I shouldn't find this too surprising considering the military's role in developing the computer and technology in general.
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Group Project
I've been tasked with providing answers to three of my partners reading questions. My partner is named Danny, and his blog can be found here: http://digitalrelic.tumblr.com/. Here are my responses to his discussion questions.
1. “'Political freedom has to be accompanied by a civil society literate enough and densely connected enough to discuss the issues presented to the public.' Does the internet and social media encourage this literacy, or does it do the opposite by allowing people to digest culture en masse without the need for intense critical thinking? "
The internet and social media does provide the necessary tools to discuss the issues presented to the public. Many people use the internet and social media for that exact purpose, but the majority use these for self-distraction. The internet and social media function in both forms.
2. "Would Bush be satisfied by things like Google and Wikipedia in relation to his idea of a Memex? Or would he still view them as too crude to truly deliver all the knowledge a person requires in an efficient manner?"
I have feeling that Bush would love Google and Wikipedia. I doubt he would find either to be crude or inefficient. If one used a smart phone to create blog entries and post links, then they basically have a functioning memex.
3. "Does technology really have intentions?"
An inventor will certainly have intentions for his or her invention, but I generally consider technology to be morally neutral and open to manipulation. Someone can always find a use for technology that exceeds the inventors intentions and/or expectations. The inventor doesn't always "know " the invention. The computer comes to mind.
1. “'Political freedom has to be accompanied by a civil society literate enough and densely connected enough to discuss the issues presented to the public.' Does the internet and social media encourage this literacy, or does it do the opposite by allowing people to digest culture en masse without the need for intense critical thinking? "
The internet and social media does provide the necessary tools to discuss the issues presented to the public. Many people use the internet and social media for that exact purpose, but the majority use these for self-distraction. The internet and social media function in both forms.
2. "Would Bush be satisfied by things like Google and Wikipedia in relation to his idea of a Memex? Or would he still view them as too crude to truly deliver all the knowledge a person requires in an efficient manner?"
I have feeling that Bush would love Google and Wikipedia. I doubt he would find either to be crude or inefficient. If one used a smart phone to create blog entries and post links, then they basically have a functioning memex.
3. "Does technology really have intentions?"
An inventor will certainly have intentions for his or her invention, but I generally consider technology to be morally neutral and open to manipulation. Someone can always find a use for technology that exceeds the inventors intentions and/or expectations. The inventor doesn't always "know " the invention. The computer comes to mind.
Monday, September 10, 2012
Questions for Weekly Readings and Quiz Response
3 Questions From the Readings: Week 1
1. What does it mean to be a "technocognoscenti"? (Rheingold, Tools for Thought - ch. 1)
2. How would Babbage's Analytical Engine read the punched pasteboard cards? (Rheingold, Tools for Thought - ch. 2)
3. How did Bush conceptualize the "Memex" in 1945? The idea seems so ahead of its time! (As We May Think)
3 Questions: Week 2
1. In Resisting Technology: Regaining a Personal Ecology, What does Agarwal mean by "the reversal of climate exchange"?
2. "Ten corporations worldwide control over 75% of pesticide sales." Why doesn't Agarwal provide proper citation or footnotes for this type of information?
3. "Starting from the unitary encounter of the Self with the Other, there is, in the dynamic of the encounter, a
sensation of flow (and of a lack of flow)." (Hopkins, Architectures of Participation) What does it mean to simultaneously have a sensation of flow and a lack of flow?
Week 2 Quiz
The effectiveness of social media as means of inspiring socio-political change is hit-or-miss at best. For
every story of its success in one country, there is a story of its failure in another. The determining factor seems to be the response of that country's government. If the government of that country chooses to use
censorship and/or violence, then that socio-political movement will fail. In the words of Clay Shirky, The
main function of social media in its current form is "commerce, social life, or self-distraction" and not inspiringsocio-political change.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)