Intro: Assigning group projects. Make sure that your names and your subject are written on the sign-up sheet that is passed around in class.
PART ONE: Discussion of Rheingold article
Cooperation Quiz – (10-15 minutes)
In teams according to your row, assemble the answers to the following questions on ONE piece of paper with all of your names on the top. You do not need to write out full sentences. One grade for the team. Bonus participation points for the team that answers first and best.
Rheingold – Virtual Communities
1. How much time did Rheingold spend on the net?
2. What kinds of online activities did Rheingold participate in?
3. When the WELL began, how many people were connected to it?
4. What is Rheingold’s definition of a Virtual Community?
5. According to Rheingold, how can computers and telecommunications change our future?
Discussion: (10-15 minutes)
Do you agree with Rheingold’s definition of a community? Why or why not?
How different was the Net at that time from today’s Internet? What are the similarities or differences (in concrete examples)? Do you think that the Net is now controlled by big business or government?
Part Two: COMMUNITIES ON THE NET
A: First, find out the answers for these questions applied to each item (only a short answer is necessary):
What are the following acronyms or words? - What kind of personal interaction happens with each? - When did each begin? - Who was the creator or an important early user? (this question does not apply in all cases) - Which of these were created before the WWW?
Facebook IRC Listserv (also called Mailing Lists) MMOG (e.g. Everquest or Doom, MMORPG)
MUD
P2P file sharing (e.g. Napster, e-mule)
Second Life
Sourceforge
Twitter
USENET (Suggestion: find the article online called “I remember USENET”)
B: Then, divide these things into two categories: 1) Early Communities on the Net before the invention of the WWW, 2) Today’s communities on the net. How many still exist?
C: Finally, ask yourself (think about this for the final exam…):
- How or why can these means of communication be considered “communities” (or not)?
- What links or connections do the people who use these sites create?
- Are these connections based on online experiences or offline experiences?
- What other trends in virtual communities do you know and/or participate in?
Helpful sites:
Here are some sites that MAY help you in this research: (As a challenge to yourself, try NOT to use Wikipedia for your research. Use other sites too!)
http://www.yourhtmlsource.com/starthere/historyofthenet.html
http://www.dmoz.org/Computers/Internet/History/
http://www.essortment.com/hobbies/internethistory_sjnd.htm
http://commposite.org/v1/2000.1/articles/latzko3.htmhttp://www.livinginternet.com/
http://www.ludd.luth.se/mud/aber/mud-history.html
http://www.vissing.dk/Internet.History/ihistlist.html
HOMEWORK:
- Read the article Generation Now, by Tom Tresser: http://www.tresser.com/pdf/writing/Generation_Now_7-07-rev.pdf
Among many other questions that will be asked, try to answer about the following questions. When were people from Gen Y born?
What are some general characteristics about Generation Y (temperament, personality…)
How can these (above) traits be helpful (or not helpful) for a job?
- Begin working on your group projects.
Optional information (to do outside of class): Watch internet video interview with M. Castells on http://globetrotter.berkeley.edu/people/Castells/castells-con0.html
Optional Information: find out how hackers continue to work for the safety and progress of the Net at the annual Black-Hat Hacker Conference. http://www.blackhat.com/
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