As the human genome project continues to role forward, one of the concepts that has emerged is complexity. Scientists including biologists have appreciated for some time that genetic networks underlie development and response. The cell differentiations of development and responses to stimuli require and ever changing cast of proteins. The instructions for the protein sequences are encoded within the genome. If we could understand how the cast of proteins made up the mechanical parts we would be considerably further along. The parts list is long and complex, but as the genome project began to uncover the instructions for how the “parts” are made there was a feeling that science may be able to build models that describe function and disease.
The 2010 Nature article describes this aspiration:
The hope was that by cataloguing all the interactions in the p53 network, or in a cell, or between a group of cells, then plugging them into a computational model, biologists would glean insights about how biological systems behaved
And indeed this did (and still does) seem like a reasonable approach. Biological networks have turned out to be as complex as we could have hoped. Systems biology is still moving forward, but the sheer number of possible rules that govern how all of the cellular parts work together and interact suggest that we will be working with this complexity for some time. There is a universe of rules that describe networks; explaining how proteins, ligands, nucleic acids and more interact and result in function.
The reason I like this article though is that toward the end there is a good quote from Bert Vogelstein:
“Humans are really good at being able to take a bit of knowledge and use it to great advantage,”
And we are. With some careful science and good detective skills we may not understand an entire process, but we can take what we do know and put it to good use, such as combating disease. The fact that biological systems are complex and that this complexity is not simply going to be understood the first time we draw back the curtain is a great finding.
For your reflection on this paper, I want you to choose a network that you are familiar with and involved in, a group of friends, a facebook page, text messaging, internet sites, grocery shopping, TV shows where the audience votes, are all examples. I want you to imagine how such a complex network is used to make a decision, such as “Should you go to Fred’s party?” or “What do I need to buy to bake a cake?” or “How is the winner chosen on Something With The Stars?” In this case the complex network might have some central pathways that strongly effect the decisions made or there could be many small contributions that ultimately determine the decision or a combination of both.
Think about your example, describe how the network is laid out, and explain how decisions get made.
Gillespie Lab 
Facebook has become one of the world’s largest and fastest social networks. It is a way to keep in touch with former classmates, friends, and even long distance relatives. Facebook is a network that enables society to have a complete conversation, make plans or just briefly say ‘hi’ without physically speaking a word to the other person. The website is laid out very simply and with the click of a button you can communication with thousands of ‘friends’, see what your friends are doing and even leave videos. With access to such instant communication with many different people it isn’t hard to see why some people may base decisions like what to do this weekend or whether to go to a certain party, off of Facebook. For example, if one was deciding whether or not to go to a party they could easily login and look at the ‘updates pages’. Here, they would be able to view their friends’ statues, which normally tell what a person is doing at that time, or plans to do in the near future. They can also see comments between people, which would be another way to find out whether people were going to the party. If that isn’t enough to get your answer, you can use Facebook chat to ‘im’ your friends and have an instant and full conversation. All of these small pathways contribute to one large network, Facebook, which can quickly and easily answer the question of ‘is so-and-so going to the party tonight?”. Although it may seem silly to some, many young people today are basing decision such as these on a network such as Facebook.
I agree with you Lauren, Facebook is a great way to create a social network and interact with a large amount of people at a time to know what they are doing or going to do, and base what you want to do off of facebook.
I agree that facebook is a good way to socialize and stay informed about events. It is also a good way to meet others through common friends. With the ability to communicate all over the world with just a click can help share information easily. With information readily available and posted up, one can make a decision easily. Many people can use it for work and play especially with its new applications and games. To some it might be a way to network, and others it has became a way of life. I wished I had invested in this website. = )
I really like how you described Facebook as a social network because it is so fascinating how our generation relies on it to make simple decisions. Generations ago, it wasn’t nearly this easy to know what a friend was doing, learn information about people, etc. Now within seconds, we can access so much information which can easily alter someones plans, ideas and decisions. Facebook was a great example!
I totally agree with you. Facebook has become one of the world’s largest and fastest social networks. People may re-create the relationships with their old friends that lost contact for several years. And they might have a chance to make a decision for gathering again someday.
I agree with you on how Facebook keeps everyone in touch with each other and its many features to facilitate people in communication such as pictures, posting comments on each other’s walls, IMing. These features assist in making a decision more efficiently and when one encounters a situation.
Technology today has enabled us to interact with a large number of people all over the world. The social networking site Facebook, is an example of such technology. Facebook allows us to meet new people, as well as stay in touch with current friends, or even reconnect with friends you haven’t seen in years. There are various tools that Facebook has such as status updates, messages, IM’ing, and event invitations that keeps one informed of what is going on and what other people are doing. This makes facebook particularly useful for figuring out what to do that night for example. People can make an event page and send out invitations. On that page you can see the description of the event and who is and who is not attending. Friends also use status updates to say what they are doing at the moment or they can “check in” their location and let everyone know where they are. All of these tools give one the information necessary to make a decision on what to do or where they should go that night.
I agree with you Luis. It use to be alot simpler when people were simply mailed invitations to a party in the mail or invited verbally. But now oru generation has facebook. We all made our own events/parties and invited our friends. However, instead of a simple invitation, we are given access to other information such as who else has RSVP’ed. This can govern whether we choose to go or not. It also gives us information and pictures of the venue, which also may govern our decisions.
I agree with you on how Facebook keeps everyone in touch with each other and its many features to facilitate people in communication such as pictures, posting comments on each other’s walls, IMing. These features assist in making a decision more efficiently and when one encounters a situation.
I agree with Luis that facebook helps people to communicate that we know for a long time.It gives you opportunity to meet new people. I also agree that facebook is a good website that helps us to connect with people that we didn’t see many years. You can see there new pictures,comments.
I agree with Luis about Facebook. its a great way to meet new people and reconnect with old ones. You can see what everyone is up to. Facebook allows you to see who people truly are or not. it keeps you update with what is going on around you. Facebook is especially great in helping you find something to do on a Friday night. Facebook is the ultimate social tool now days.
I agree with Luis facebook is indeed a great way to keep in contact with others and make new friends. Facebook has revoltionized society. It keeps us updated with the people around us and the events that occur in society.
In a television show called American Idol, the winner is based on friends, family and audience members who call in and vote to keep their favorite singer in the competition. Each person can call between a certain times, when the lines are open (after the show is over). In addition to that, each person is only allowed to call a certain amount of time. Even though each person gets a limited amount of votes, each vote adds up in order to keep a singer alive for the next performance. As each competitor is eliminated, it narrows down to the finalist who battles it out and eventually a winner is determined.
In the case with these competition shows, it is a social game first and then a competition. The article quoted Tony Pawson, a cell biologist said “when we started out, the idea was … fairly simple and linear” Most of the people who vote have no music background like the unlike the judges. In the beginning judges chose who is qualified for the competition to prevent people who cannot sing in the show and potentially win a singing competition. This is because a decision can be biased because friends, family, and community of the competitor would probably vote for this person, even if the other person might have been a better competitor. This might not always be the case, but I know for a fact that a stranger came up to me before and asked me to help vote for their friend who is in the American Idol competition. In addition to that, the judges who critique the artist after their performance, in a way helps persuade the audience to vote one way. If they said one person was great, and the other was not, then the ones that the judge likes would probably do better. In addition to judges, there are forums (on-line), morning shows, and friends, who have their own favorites who can persuade someone change their decision. Lastly, another factor that can contribute to the vote is the performance and appearance.
I think your topic was very entertaining because American Idol is a musical show and it’s also very popular. I totally agree with you that the winner is chosen based on the votes of friends, family, and audience members. I think votes are very important factor on determining the winner of the show because the contestant with the most votes always wins no matter who the more deserving contestant is. It’s all about popularity and the contestant that people like the most is usually the winner. Although, judges choose who is qualified for the competition to prevent people that cannot sing in the show but at the end the winner is a viewer’s choice. I also agree with you that the decision can be biased sometimes because most of the time the contestants are voted by their friends, family, and community members. I think the judges that critique the contestants’ performance also helps persuade the audience to vote because the people who don’t know too much about music depend on the judges to help them decide. At the end, the contestant with the most votes becomes the next American Idol.
I really enjoy reading your topic about American Idol and how basically its who knows you and how well you sing, but for those voters that really don’t have clue about singing they will take into consideration what the judges say. Then again our human nature will kicking and the girls will just vote for the cute guy and the guys will just vote for the pretty girl and I think that from the beginning of those competitions the voters have already decided who they were going to vote for each week and basically at the end the one who has the biggest fan base from the very beginning is going to win so what you say about the votes being bias it completely true.
Another way of communication which has drastically changed the way that we interact with others is the use of cell phones. Looking back from the moment cell phones were first used, they are no where near the level of complexity that they have now. We are able to use phone to instantly send someone a message by simply having their 9 digit code. The use of house phones are slowly diminishing and the use for direct contact seems unnecessary because it is more convenient at times to send someone a message if you only need to ask a question. Even though texting someone is more convenient at times, it also makes me wonder what sort of communication skills the next generations are going to have (or lack). Not only can we instantly send someone a message via cell phone, we can also google information, go on facebook and use all sorts of “apps” on the mobile web. Using tools on your phone can drastically change how you plan your day and how you can easily learn information on the internet. Just like the human genome, cell phones are a main source to perform all different operations because it can function in different ways.
I really like your last sentence that you use cell phone as the human genome. And I agree with that nowadays, the cell phone is getting more complex than the past. I believe that the cell phone would continue transforming just like the human genes that are still changing to adapt the upcoming changing evironment.
I agree that the use of cell phones are becoming more and more complex. People can pay bills, make stock trades, set car alarms, and etc.. from their cell phones. But it definitely makes life easier that one can access a lot just from their cell phone.
I completely agree with you. Cell phones have become super, super complex, especially today. We have all those ‘smart phones’ that almost replace our computers! That’s crazy. we can check our e-mail and open documents and edit pictures all without even owning a computer. Will cell phones eventually turn into our everyday computers?
I totally agree with you about cell phones. They are now a need more than want now days. Cell phones went from being a large, bulky, & obtrusive accessory that not that many people had or could afford to a small, sleek and stylish requirement that is now part of majority of America’s wardrobe. Cell phones easily brings the access of the world to your palms.
Phones are definitely a major source of communication. You brought up a good point about the future generation, they will more likely be more social thanks to all the different forms of communication and networks, but will they be able to also communicate effectively in person?
I hope so. What s horrible change would the loss of face to face communication be.
I really liked your example of cell phones. Cell phones are probably the most obvious form of communication in today’s soceity, but they are over looked because we are so used to constatnly using them. I love your last sentence, it is a great comparison of the genome and cell phones !
Today, networking has become a huge deal in making decisions because of our lack of time. Facebook is a social networking website intended to connect friends, family, and business associates. It is the largest networking site that first began as a college networking website and it has expanded to include anyone and everyone. It even helps people to interact with other people around the globe. Facebook users create a profile page that shows their information. They can chose to create a profile that reflects their personality and interests, which can be viewed by everyone within that network. When people become friends, they are able to see each others’ profiles including contact information. Facebook also allows people to choose privacy settings so they can choose who can view what’s on their profile. Members can upload pictures to show off what they look like and express themselves through blogs. It supports interactive online chat and the ability to comment on friends walls in order to keep in touch. Facebook allows businesses to effectively use it as a vehicle for social media marketing. It also allows people to interact with other people in a universal login service.
Facebook has certain popularity as a decision making method among various social networking site. It is used as a group discussion to directly find answers to or make decisions about things that are hard to find answer to or decide. This is a very helpful method that can be used as a decision making tool. Those who engage in a decision making process typically leaves a decision by posting comments on the discussion. The users share their feedback on a topic by posting a discussion topic such as “Should I bet on the Mets for tonight’s game?” Then people just come to the page and leaves their comment on the discussion. The comments shared on the topic can be viewed by everyone within that network. This discussion group can be seen as a very small informal group that shares their opinion on a topic. These decisions are determined by the comments posted on the discussion. This is a very informal way of reaching a decision but it gives lot of different point of views, which are opinions of various people. These comments can range from good to bad but a decision can be made at the end. The majority strongly affect the decision of the discussion.
Nowadays, spending time traveling a long distance to look for certain brands and stores is no longer the way to fulfill one’s desire. Network provides tons of convenience in the society that things can be done by simply clicking the mouse. EBay, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses can buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide. By using eBay, one can find his desirable goods by typing the main words of the stuff that he is looking for in the searching blank. All the products that mach the main words would be listed out, and one can decide which one to purchase by comparing the price and so on. On eBay, the sellers provide the information and descriptions of the products to give the buyers overall ideas if it fits his needs. Addition to this, buyers can question the sellers about the products at the bottom of the product description page for any details of the goods. Moreover, buyers can make the final decision of purchasing by reading the comments from previous buyers who bought the same products from the same sellers, and they might provide their opinions on the products whether good or bad, so that it might benefit the future buyers. The price comparison, descriptions, and the contributions of comment of the products can ultimately make one’s buying decision.
I agree with you John. With such various information available at our fingertips these days, I never buy an expensive product without reading reviews. I always compare what people say about products such a cameras before I make a purchase. Even when it comes to simple things such as an App for my blackberry, I always read the reviews that others leave because its helpful and readily available.
I agree with you on how Ebay helps people makes decisions by reading the seller’s previous customers’ feedback. This can help one if the auctioning merchandise of interest is authentic according to the seller’s reliability which is reflected in the customers’ comments.
I agree with John that eBay is a really good website where you can buy and sell different things. It is true that people nowadays don’t have mach time to spend it on shopping, so eBay is perfect website where u can buy anything you want quickly and cheap.
How is the winner chosen on the show SaReGaMaPa (somewhat like American Idol)?
Instead of growing up with shows like American Idol and Dancing with the Stars, I grew up with shows like SaReGaMaPa (DoReMiFaSo), an Indian version of American Idol with slightly different rules. In this show, the decisions are made by a panel of judges not only in the preliminary auditions but also even after the contestants are picked until about half of the show has passed. Then voting lines via text messaging and phone calls are set up with each contestant having a special code for voters to dial or text. The voting lines have a time limit and all votes after the designated time are not counted.
That doesn’t mean that the decision is left totally to the public. A head judge is chosen at the beginning of the show and has a limited number of overwrites to change the public’s decision on who gets to stay and who gets to leave the show if there seems to be an unfair result. This is due to biased voting practices where the public votes for those they like rather than those who are the best. But even the head judge has limitations and cannot always change the outcome of the results.
This type of network has now also spread into other countries such as the USA, England, Australia and other countries where they get international channels and because the show has become worldwide, so has the voting system to include via internet voting. This type of communication system chooses the winner of the SaReGaMaPa.
You’re right Sadia, many shows run like that even on American TV shows. And it must be such a complicated network because its not only based on judges its based on the whole public, and there’s no telling how big that is. Even the cut offs must be hard to establish. How do you know when enough people have voted? Or how do you know when a ‘fair’ amount of people have voted.
In the past, there were assorted farms in areas where local residents would go to buy their produce. Their decision was simple, they knew what they needed and there was most likely only one place close enough to go to where they could buy it. However, times have changed. Now we have options to go to several different grocery stores in our area. The grocery network has become much more complex. Instead of going to the usual market you always go to, you may base your decision on where to shop for the given week on local flyers and advertisements. We all are mailed a handful of flyers to our homes biweekly. These flyers come from all the local grocery stores in the surrounding area. These flyers are one of the first pathways that we may reckon upon that help us chose which grocery store to shop at. These flyers alter our decisions by supplying us with an abundant amount of knowledge such as to which store has the better sale that week and prices of essential items. Once we choose a store, the grocery store itself contains various factors which ultimately govern which product we will buy. For example, if we are looking to buy cake mix, we will find an entire aisle filled with various cake mixes. Factors that may reflect our ultimate decision can be: price, sale price, ingredients, baking time, extent of preparation needed, added ingredients needed, packaging appearance, location on aisle, etc. Furthermore, the decision made depends on the preference of the person. As one customer, may ultimately buy the cake mix product that saves them the most money, another may buy the product with the brand name or what their friends or family recommend. While others may chose to buy the product with the simplest baking procedure or with less calories. Nonetheless, the idea of grocery shopping was much simpler when we didn’t have so much knowledge about food, many options and competition with neighboring businesses. We also know a lot more about healthy eating, which created many new healthier food products and more cautious consumers. With the simpler network that we had in the olden days, making decisions was very straightforward and basic. However, like Bert Vofelstein said “Humans are really good at being able to take a bit of knowledge and use it to great advantage.” We are taking the various amount of knowledge that is available to us: coupons, flyers from various stores, ingredients, nutritional information available and recommendations from friends and advertisements, and using it to help us make our ultimate decision in which product to buy.
Karishma,
I absolutely agree with your response. We are constantly mailed, emailed and simply notified everyday of the big upcoming sales. There isn’t a day that I leave my house where I don’t have a flyer laying on my front doorstep or in my mailbox. but this helps us stay in contact with our friends and family because we always have to tell them about the sales or people make sure to tell me about whats coming up . I’m always influenced on what I’m about to purchase due to my family. They solely base their purchases on the quality of the food before the pricing.
I liked your topic about grocery shopping and how it has changed over the years. It’s very interesting that how people were limited to their choices for shopping in the old days where local residents would go to one shop to buy their grocery. The grocery network has surely become much more complex than before because different people have different choices. I think customers even get confused sometimes because there are so many brands for the same products with varying prices so if they don’t like one product they have options to go to several other grocery stores to find what they want. This helps customer get what they want. I agree that the decision made by the customer depends on the preference of the person but it might also be influenced. They can be influenced by flyers, advertisements, or recommendations from friends and family. These helps customers make the decision to buy the product that has attracted them. A lot of times, the customer may ultimately buy the product that are most advertised or most talked about rather than a best product.
Karishma,
Yo make a valid point on the valet of options that are in just about every magazine that the paperboy brings to neighboring doorsteps. It is a pretty useful guide for making a decision for shop lists based on preference. These and many other flyers serves up to be decent way to sell out nearby stores and their products in storage for a potential purchase. All that is left in the decision now is the priority use of the buyer’s budget .
One of the ways that many people are connected with each other is Facebook. People can find relatives, friends, even long lost friends from childhood or have moved to other countries or faraway places. It keeps them in touch with each other in a way similar to emailing but in a much more better and colorful way through uploaded videos and pictures. When in the holidays, people would like a gathering. Facebook can assist in this matter. The host would send out a message to all of its intended guests or better yet, one can put up the event on one’s status. The guests can either respond to the message sent or if for personal reasons, reply in a new message containing the host and the guest only. Some people might respond on the host’s wall where one can type directly on the person’s page. Convenient and helpful features such as notifications and email notifications keeps one up to date who responded and or sent a message along with the time that has elapsed since it was sent. This allows the person to keep a record of who is going or not, along with some people who might change their decisions to go or not due to the unforeseen issues. Facebook can help the host to decide on what activities to do, what food to provide and which place to host the event at in order to accommodate everyone.
Patrick,
I agree with your statement especially the part where using Facebook can help reconnect users to their past friends and family. I speak from personal experience because with Facebook I’m able to stay connected with my family from Israel and friends from 10 years ago! It’s amazing how advanced Facebook got since 2004 when it was first launched.
Gabrielle Barshay
Despite any complications that could arise from social networking I do agree that it helps the aspect of responding to events and really can help when planning something. Facebook makes it almost too easy to plan am event and see who is coming and who is not and allow the host to see comments the guests have to say.
Although Facebook is a GREAT social network and allows people to keep in contact when people really don’t have time to keep old friends sometimes, I feel the site now has become just that, a site where people no longer are there to make new connections but to keep old ones. The site originally was a way for people to network outside of the box but now it is more of a family/friends contact site. But i got to admit, I’m on it more than any other site!
I totally agree with you that Facebook really helps friends and family stay connected because nowadays everyone is so busy with their own lives that there is just no time in the day to call someone and chat with them to see how things are going, but with facebook at anytime of the day we can log on and check on our friends or families statues to know whats going on in their lives and if we wanna show them we care we can leave a message letting them know that we saw what they have to say and that we are still watching out for them.
I agree with you Patrick. Facebook is indeed a great way to find friends and family from distant relatives. Facebook has greatly changed the way society communicates with one another and the number of people who use this social engineering site is growing in an exponential number.
Our society today is solely based on the new technologies that are emerging. Although the process behind making these technological mechanisms maybe complex, they surely make our lives a bit easier. One mechanism of action that has emerged in our generation is social networking such as texting, BBM messaging and Facebook. All these applications can be conveniently found in a portable device called the Blackberry. This small, compact device enables us to be in a full connection with our friends as well as the internet. With a blackberry you’re able to communicate with your “BBM” (blackberry messenger) friends with a click of a button. You emerge into a personal conversation or can even admit additional friends to have a thread. People also have the ability to post statuses which provide information of what exactly you’re doing throughout the day. The Blackberry network also provides internet and their main application includes Facebook, which is considered the ultimate social network of our generation. Facebook has over 600 million active users and people who are of appropriate age can create a personal profile. Facebook keeps individuals in contact with other users by exchanging messages known as notifications. You can organize your profile the way you want according to workplace, school, and hobbies and so on. Facebook also enables people to create event pages where they can send out a thread of events to as many friends as they want, notifying them of upcoming occurrences. Users have the ability to accept or decline this invitation.
Now in days, people are connected with each other through video chatting. Commonly known as “FaceTime” on the iPhone 4, people can instantly call a family member or friend and can visualize the other individual as they talk. With everyday developing technology, people are about to video chat using their smart cell phones or laptops. It is amazing because people can call their folks and have a sense that they are very close to the other person. This new technology allows people to make decisions that can be heard and seen from an audience. Business and other companies now use video chatting as methods of conferences and meetings. Social networks like Skype and AIM use the video chat feature, helping people to communicate with each other throughout the world.
I agree that Video chatting is definitely becoming a crucial part of our society. I wonder though if it helps people stay connected or could degrade a relationship. Society may not be ready to switch to a 2 dimensional communications in a business environment, where physical appearance and professionalism is very important. These 2 dimensional communications may not help businesses at all, instead cause many misinterpretations from all sides.
Video chatting has made the world REALLY SMALL. I often use it to keep in contact with relatives in other countries who I haven’t seen in years. But like Daniel i agree that it can also degrade a relationship in terms of physically coming together to meet and go to the movies or dinner. For businesses, although convenient for conferences, people can no longer shake hands when they meet, they no longer have that close business relationship where bonds of friendship and partnership can form. Sometimes convenience can be relationship’s worse enemy.
Chris,
It sounds like facetime is pretty on point with the iphone 4. I knew that it was working well on the social networks like AIM and Skype. but the method itself is as close you can get to speaking traditionally (person to person) with the modern advances of Technology. Who knows, maybe in the next 10 years, they might come up with a way to project full body holograms off of a wristband or watch or some other portable device–like the one they had in star wars.
I never really understood why they put face time on phones when you could just use it on the computer. It probablly kills battery. It inconvenient for longer conversations. Who wants to hold a phone up to their face for long periods of time. Nevertheless, it was a good attempt at advancing communication but it doesn’t seem like it is influential enough to last long.
Hmm, seems like a bit of a tangent.
I have selected to evaluate the marketing strategies of Amazon.com. Amazon.com is probably the most widely known of the “dot com” companies in the world today. They started as primarily an on-line bookstore, but they have greatly expanded their product offerings. They appear now to be attempting to position themselves as the one-stop shopping haven of the Internet. “Today, Amazon.com is the place to find and discover anything you want to buy online….We have Earth’s Biggest SelectionTM of products, including free electronic greeting cards, online auctions, and millions of books, CDs, videos, DVDs, toys and games, and electronics.” They are appealing to potentially all market segments. Amazon.com’s marketing seems to be working, though net yet to the point of making the company profitable. They are one of the most, if not the most, recognized names on the Internet. They have sold products to “…29 million people in more than 160 countries,” Now, they must ensure they provide a positive buying experience so their customers will return and buy again. Having personally purchased products from Amazon.com, I know their site is easy to navigate and make purchases. They also follow through on their promise for fast, accurate shipping. After the sale, they send frequent e-mails with promotions and incentives. This encourages customers to come back, and it further engrains the idea that Amazon is the place to go when you need stuff. There are a lot of similarities between Amazon.com’s marketing approach and a standard business’ approach. They both use traditional media channels to get their messages out. They both attempt to create the association with a consumer’s need and their store. The one place where they differ greatly is that most of Amazon’s marketing takes place when customers can easily and quickly make a purchase. For a standard store that advertises with television or mailers, they have to create a desire sufficient to get someone to leave their home and go to the store. Amazon.com can hit people with impulse-buy marketing tactics because the product is only a click away.
Another important thing to remember about Amazon, are the product reviews and such… People often look back on these and come back to the website to buy things that they would normally by at a store, for a cheaper price! Word of mouth goes a long way, but the reviews go a long way as well. I know that whenever I buy a product from Amazon.com, I always look at the product reviews before I get it.
I totally agree that it is easy to buy from Amazon.com because all you have to do is create an account and it virtually memorize everything for you so that you can make purchases quickly and easily. It allows you to search for what you want and then recommends some items that you might like, sort of like impulse buying. They also let you compare prices between sellers so you can find the deal that is right for you. It also have a thing call “people who bought this also bought” which is a bunch of related items. In addition to all of that, people can leave comments about the seller to let you know how reliable they are. This helps the buys make decision on whether the seller is trustworthy to buy from. No one wants to get scammed. Amazon also provides produce specifications to allows the buyer make an informed decision, so they would be happy with their purchase and the experience, thus coming back again.
This is an interesting use of a simple system, to build s complex network.
Great example ! Your post seems very well researched and well written. You present alot of information, but it is explained clearly and simply.
Social networking in general including Facebook have changed the ways the users participate in society with respect to decision making. In our society, there are increasingly more non-verbal communications in interpersonal relationships and decision-making. I personally think one of the most crucial parts of any relationship between two or more people is physical and verbal communication. I don’t like the fact that I now tend to formulate my first impression of a person based on the content on Facebook or a social blog that person might have. If I meet someone briefly and it leads me to become Facebook friends with them, I have almost an instinct to do a brief overlook of the content on their Facebook. I always find that this initial Facebook impression I get always turns out to be completely different when I actually get to know the individual on a personal level, but I had already made a decision about them that has to be revised.
Facebook continues to broadcast information about all my Facebook friends on my home feed every time I log in. Information about someone I don’t care about is before my eyes and I am undoubtedly forming a minor opinion of what that person is like because of their pictures or their wall. Facebook continues to feed me information about people though I didn’t request it. I honestly don’t think its fair that people are judged this way or that decisions are made about them. The information I see about people on these social networking sights will affect decisions I make regarding these people personally. Most of these decisions are made subconsciously. For example I may decide not to go out of my way to talk to someone in person because I may have seen their friends or acquaintances in a negative light.
The social blogs also affect my opinions about almost everything from movies, to news articles, to political issues although it is on a subconscious level. People seem to comment about everything, and it sometimes is hard to turn away. The problem is that the comments come from people who are unknown and their prejudices and backgrounds are unknown so you can’t consider the source. However, once you hear something or read it, it may stay in your subconscious even if you know the comment was malicious or untrue, and it may affect your decisions. It is like hearing a witness in court say something that gets objected to by the attorney and subsequently “stricken” from the record. The jury is told to disregard the information objected to, but once it is said, can it truly be disregarded? I don’t think so!
There’s only one show that I’ve followed throughout the last 9 years of my life: American Idol. It’s been the one show that I’ve watched, ever since the start of it. As a vocalist, I’ve been encouraged to audition for American Idol, however, I’ve always backed down the offer. I don’t think that it’s right for people to determine your destiny. I don’t believe that the central anonymous decision by a body of people, can ultimately determine how successful one can be.
American Idol is an interactive talent reality show that scouts out talented individuals throughout the country. They made stops all over the US, auditioning anyone who is willing to showcase their singing. The decision made whether to go to Hollywood or not, is dependant on the presentation of the individual. If the judges find that a contestant presents themselves well, sings well, and shows potential, they’re given a “golden ticket” to Hollywood. Once the American Idol bus finishes it’s touring, all those who received the “golden ticket” are reunited with each other in Hollywood, where more weeding will be done. They perform with their fellow contestants and slowly but surely, through a grueling process, they are narrowed down to 24 people. From there, the voting begins. Through intense song practices, rigorous judging, and just the demanding anticipation, the contestants are left to wait for the public to vote as to who deserves to be the next American Idol.
The public pick their favorite contestant based on a number of things. Some chose the best looking contestant, others, the one who is best dressed, and then for others, the one who obviously sings the best and has good stage presence. All of these factors are important to the contestant, because most of the voters come from a completely nonmusical background. There are also others that vote as fellow artists and teachers in the music world, but no matter what, the first impression should always be good. They want to attract their viewers in a way that they will never forget. All throughout this voting process, these contestants become the center of conversations, the pain purpose of forums, the trending topics on Twitter, the updates on people’s Facebook statuses and the origin of Facebook groups that are dedicated to their existence. They’re continuously exposed to the public, prompting others, who normally don’t watch the show, to check out their performances, and thus vote for them. However, the voting depends solely on the use of technology. Without technology, there would be no way of voting for the contestants; and thus, there would be no American Idol. The public has to vote through two forums: the American Idol website, or text messaging. After the end of their performances, each contestant is given a special number to text to in order to place their vote. The contestants are booted off based on the number of votes received. The lesser the votes, the less of a chance they have of staying on the show and becoming the next American Idol. The show boasts on the concept of struggling to survive. Each performance gets harder, and each judge gets pickier as the episodes go on. But only one survives. And only one becomes the next American Idol.
In my opinion, a network is a series of connections that extend from an initial source and previous connections. In other words, you needs something to spark it and others to continue it. Take the example of texting your friends to make plans to hang out. One friend decides that Friday is a good day to hang out with everyone and sends a text to a friends saying something along the lines of “hey, lets all hang out friday!” Or, thanks to group texting, that friend sends the same text to a group of people. those people send it to other friends and those other friends send it to yet other friends, etc. This is how everyone finds out something might happen on friday, but the cycle isn’t over. All those friends now text the other friends they didn’t get a text from to make sure they will show up on friday. This continues until almost everyone has spoken to each other an confirmed whether friday is a go or not. If enough people decide to go, plans are successful, if many don’t go there is a big chance nothing will be happening. It’s one big cycle that starts with one text to one or more people.
YouTube is a good resource for social networking as well as others mentioned in previous posts. Since it’s pretty much connected to the Google search engine, it’s only natural that YouTube has access to that vast amount of information allowing virtual freedom in a box. The dynamics of choices YouTube are surrounded around videos which allows for plenty acceptance factors. Some may chose to watch & comment or bypass depending on the preference of the viewer.
The other choice factor in play is to upload a video. The video can be ranged from something completely random to educational videos. The last thing to consider about this networking is the amount of views and the type of comments that a video collects. these ratings are used to oversee the behavioral habits of the people who watch and make videos. At this point, the chatting is like open-room and more videos of this type can be spawned and encourage more visitors, members, and contributors. YouTube is sheer proof that humans are really good at being able to take a bit of knowledge and use it to great advantage because from that information more ideas are generated and promoted which leads to an eventual upstart for innovation!
I agree with El-Shawn that YouTube is a good social network where people use it wisely and to his or her advantage. YouTube is not just a site for watching videos made and created by people, but some even upload episodes or music videos that promote a certain show or celebrity. Others just want to share. Deciding the category of the c=video can be tough because it can overlap and the fact that will people who like or dislike the video. The person uploading the video should be prepared for the comment and views that he or she receives. Plus, people over the world can see the video as long as there is access to YouTube.
Comments:
To El-Shawn Wheeles: Youtube is a great example of a network that I never would have thought of. I really liked how you pointed out that it is connected to Google and how Youtube has caused society to take knowledge and use it for the better.
To Kateryna: Amazon was such a great example ! I completely agree with you about buyers being bombarded with implusive buying because the products are so easily accessible, and Maryanne I thought the reviews was a good observation.
Our vast amount of knowledge and improving technology has made communication and networking much easier than it used to be; greatly due to the rise of social networking. Now days, with just one click of the mouse, you can interact with millions of people because of social networking. A perfect example of this is Twitter, a social networking and microblogging service. On twitter, you put up text-based posts which are known as tweets. These tweets are displayed on up on your profile page which also has contains your name, user name, bio, website, etc.; whatever you chose to put up. Other people can easily see your tweets by going on your profile which you can change (make private) if you choose to do so. On twitter, you may subscribe to other users to see their tweets aka known as following and vice versa. You can follow friends, family, random people, & celebrities. When following someone, everything they tweet will show up on your news feed and vice versa (if they are following). Through twitter, you can meet new people, keep in touch with friends and family; see what others are thinking, doing and/or where they are at any moment during the day. If you don’t like what someone is saying, if they’re becoming annoying and/or if they’re boring, you can easily unfollow that person and their tweets won’t show up on you news feed anymore. If you agree with someone’s tweet, you can Retweet (quote the person) them so your followers can see the tweet. You can comment on Trending topics which are usually various thoughts; important or popular issues, events, or people that a majority of twitter nation is tweeting about. Trending topics are accompanied with a number sign (#). They range from Justin Bieber’s hair, American Idol, Libya, Gas prices, Charlie Sheen, Tiger Blood, that nights NBA game, Jersey Shore, drunkest I ever got, things I cannot say in this post. With all these options you can easily connect with the rest of the world in ways you never imagined. Twitter can broaden and change your view on so many things when you easily have access to the views of the world.
I personally use Twitter as my preferred platform of communication, with the instant sharing of information from a diverse group of friends, family, and celebrities alike, Twitter keeps you up to date with the latest news as fast as you can say its short, simple, double-syllable name. Twitter, however, does get a bit stale and boring when instead of using Twitter as a forum for sharing news and interesting information, tweeters instead use Twitter as a vehicle to vent their angers and frustrations, in many ways, it seems like people are using Twitter as a cheap form of therapy. Whether you like or dislike twitter, however, like many social networks that have come before it and have also evolved with it, one thing is for sure, it’s the new way to communicate and stay in contact.
The network that truly connects us all in this modern era are cell phone networks such as Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Metro PCS, Sprint and many other companies. We do everything on our phones these days. Almost everyone one of us people leave our homes with our cell phones, to some people its second nature. If we forget our cell phone it’s like leaving your wallet at home. We depend on our cell phones for everything. Today cell phones connect us to our family, friends, email accounts, business accounts and anything that is manageable online. A simple click of the button and everything is at our command. Since cell phones can do all this, it leads us to a tough decision. What carrier we should get and the most important thing to account for is the price and what the plan offers.
Each company puts out reasons why we should join their network and not the other networks. So lets see what almost all networks offer now, it started out with unlimited nights and weekends. Soon after when nights and weekends wasn’t enough a lot of companies began having mobile to mobile which means that you can call someone in the same networks without wasting any of your precious minutes. This really made people think about which network to join. for example if a person had Verizon and their girl/boyfriend has T-mobile they would really have to reconsider changing networks just to get that benefit of mobile to mobile from that particular network or they would have to adjust there plan to have unlimited networks. In this case it doesn’t matter what you have because you are unlimited but it still hurts other peoples minutes because not everyone can afford that adjustment. There are many examples of situations where one provider give more than the other but as always price plays an important factor. There are rare occasions, mainly holidays where they give special deals with all features that people like. At the end of the day when getting a new phone and plan you have to make a tough decision because your locked into a contract for a minimum of two years and if you cancel before those two years you have to pay them more to cancel. Having a cell phone means you made a decision and decision are what define people, as they say everything we do, we do for a reason.
I agree with Ling, that everything we do has a purpose. Deciding to purchase a cell phone is one decision, and to choose which network and plan is just another. Each network advertises options that seem better than the other, which makes it tougher to choose. Also, some people want to go with the flow, so he or she may choose the more popular one. About the contract, networks create this plan to get more money and so customers can’t easily leave when they want. This causes people to think whether a particular cell phone or plan is right for them.
I agree and enjoy your use of cellular companies as thesis behind your work. Besides being a phone and allowing you to communicate with various different people, your allowed to connect your other social network accounts onto it and still communicate with other people. This allows for a greater understanding of a given situation in order to respond to it in a more proficient way.
Cell phones, where would we be without them? Once large and bulky pieces of plastic and rubber that weighed almost as big as the luxury sedans of the people who owned them, cell phones are a relatively commonplace technology that we use on a regular basis to keep in contact. Cell phones have evolved, however, in the mid-90’s when mobile phones started to rise in popularity the hottest feature of a cell phone was having one that flipped, now, for a cell phone to even be considered as a contender for customers hearts and dollars it must have a fancy, high resolution screen, impressive computing abilities and the style that rivals most clothing accessories. With the technological advancement of cellular phones has come the use of cell phones as a communication device beyond just saying Hi and Bye! Now, with today’s advanced cell phones, or more simply, Smartphones, you can connect with your network of friends via texting, Facebook, twitter, email, BBM, and anything else that you can conceive. Smartphones allow us the ability to keep updated and also make decisions by providing us several avenues to make decisions. Want to know if a movie is good? text Laura. Wondering if tonight’s homework is hard? Call Thomas. I agree with you completely Ling, cell phones are the easiest and one of the most intuitive ways to stay connected.
Today’s form of art has no limit. Artists are free to draw, paint, and create as they please, whereas back then, they were only allowed to create art associated with that period. Censorship was also very strong. With the fast developing technology, art can be created with computer programs and tablets, but it’s even faster for artists to upload them onto the web for others to see and view their masterpieces. A particular site that is quite popular among digital artists and photographers is the site, deviantArt.com. This site was created for people to upload files of the artwork made. Viewers are able to comment and favorite these art pieces as long as they create an account as well. Not only can artists present their artwork, but writers can also post literature. Like other blogs and social networks, deviantArt.com lets people post journal entries and shout outs so others can comment and be updated. Art that requires an older person to view can be marked as mature so younger teens can have the option of not looking.
Seems like a simple site and the question is how does it contribute to the decisions of others. Art can sometimes be controversial and everyone has his or her own opinion towards what they are seeing; it can be offending because some types of artworks convey a specific message and no everyone will agree. The decision comes down to whether the artist or writer is willing to show something that may cause an uproar. Not to mention people around the world can see it. The art itself can cause people to feel a certain way or change the way they think. For example, a photographer may upload a photo of a small child in a poor country living on the street. From this picture, a viewer may feel sad or want to help others who are suffering from the same situation. The viewer may then go out and donate things to shelters or hospitals. Art itself is like a network that draws many people together and influences people to make many different decisions. The site, deviantArt.com, is similar to the nervous system, where all the artists and writers act as neurons that make up the small pathways that cause viewers to come up with decisions.
lol…I like how you say “today’s form of art has no limit. I totally agree with you. Switching focus a bit, just take for instant the nook and others like it. Now reading is made easier. Nomore caring around 3 books if you want to read the all that day.
Great example, though you have to trust the preferences of the group that uses the site.
Social networking is the 21st century community. A friend can be as far as another country or they can be as close as the next seat next to you, whatever the case is social networking keeps you connected. You remember Bill, the math whiz from the 9th grade? With one click of your mouse and a few key strokes you can find out what he’s doing, the car he’s driving, and who he’s married to. I personally have 807 Facebook “friends” (I put quotations around friends because, let’s be honest, who can really keep up w/ 807 individuals, sometimes I can barely keep up w/ the members of my own household). For my personal use, Facebook is more than a platform to connect with new people and to get keep in touch with old and new friends, it’s also a public forum where I can share opinions and ideas, and, at the same time get opinions and ideas, some that I have actually found great use in, from friends of different cultural, social, and economic backgrounds. The varied backgrounds of my Facebook friends are key to its utility for me. For example, let’s say I post this question as a Facebook status “Should I save my money and get a Toyota Corolla, or, should I live a little and buy a BMW 325xi?” Different people will respond differently. Friends who use their money more responsibly might frown on such nonessential spending and might argue that at my young age, I really do not need to be driving around in a fancy car (or driving period, there’s always public transportation), all I need to do is get from point A to point B. However, I’m sure there will be more than a few friends of mine who may say “You only live once, seize the opportunity when it’s made available to you!” they may also include the joy that will come with driving a fancy European luxury car as opposed to a drab, milquetoast Japanese subcompact. Both parties will raise equally strong arguments, however, it’s up to me decide which argument is founded on more reasoning and less supposition. Facebook adds to its user friendliness by allowing chat, comments on photos, statuses, and even comments. With the diverse community of friends and family that you can add to your network of Facebook friends, Facebook is a free, fast, and efficient mode of communication and decision making that can lead you in the right path if, of course, you do your homework as well.
Cell phones, where would we be without them? Once large and bulky pieces of plastic and rubber that weighed almost as big as the luxury sedans of the people who owned them, cell phones are a relatively commonplace technology that we use on a regular basis to keep in contact. Cell phones have evolved, however, in the mid-90’s when mobile phones started to rise in popularity the hottest feature of a cell phone was having one that flipped, now, for a cell phone to even be considered as a contender for customers hearts and dollars it must have a fancy, high resolution screen, impressive computing abilities and the style that rivals most clothing accessories. With the technological advancement of cellular phones has come the use of cell phones as a communication device beyond just saying Hi and Bye! Now, with today’s advanced cell phones, or more simply, Smartphones, you can connect with your network of friends via texting, Facebook, twitter, email, BBM, and anything else that you can conceive. Smartphones allow us the ability to keep updated and also make decisions by providing us several avenues to make decisions. Want to know if a movie is good? text Laura. Wondering if tonight’s homework is hard? Call Thomas. I agree with you completely Ling, cell phones are the easiest and one of the most intuitive ways to stay connected.
Over the years, advances in technology have allows humans to acquire a more proficient way to communicate with one another. This has been seen through the invention of Facebook. Ever since the invention of Facebook, people have found a proficient way to post pictures/videos of themselves in order to share a special moment or find their friends. This was a great concept it allowed people to express themselves verbally, as well as with images by making their online profile. This profile can contain information ranging from age & gender to likes/dislikes and personal information. People are even capable of organizing events simply by posting it up on Facebook and having their friends/family understand the cause and spread it around. Facebook’s greatest feature is focused around it’s notion of friend searching, which allows for the expansion of communities and the unification of old/new friendships. In addition, a person is capable of linking their profile to their AIM, Windows Messenger, Youtube, Twitter, Email accounts, and various other from of communication such as cellular phones. These accounts are also forms of communication, and can consistently remind you of important updates messaged on Facebook via email or text message. Because of the plethora of capabilities that is Facebook, it has become one of modern society’s greatest tool for communication.
I also wanted to add that because of all the options it reveals to people accessing the social network, it allows you to view several predicaments and choose the ones you actually want to carry out. An example of this would be either going to a concert, or a party (is the time good for you, would you really be free to go on this date, etc…)
Another thing noteworthy is the organization that Facebook offers. Facebook orders upcoming events and birthdays on a calendar. It gives people the ability to plan in advance and check on the details of each event before making a decision. However, I still think Facebook made many people lazy because everything is basically done for you. All you need to do is click. Probably one of the reason why many people use Facebook is because of the many features it offers.
As our technologies grow and change as do all the networks we are acquainted with. An example of a social network in a sense is a feature almost everyone has now On there phones, text messaging. Texting allows us to quickly get in contact basically with whom ever we want. It provides an easier access I believe to informed decision making because basically the information is at our finger tips, literally. Most every thing revolving around any social network has helped shape how we make our decisions
The most original network is a simple group of friends. We are now in modern times and we are becoming more and more dependent on electronics to network for us. Granted it is easier for people to log on to a facebook page then to go out to lunch with a friend. I myself have been guilty of that. But I believe that a network of friends works better than any social media. Speaking face to face with someone about a mutual decision that needs to be made is easier. When a person uses other means of getting a point across things can get lost in the transition of the information. Like the networks in the body the closer the receiving ends are the fast and more efficient way to transfer information is. With a group of real live friends all you have to do is ask them what they want to do and then you relay the message right back to them. Better and faster than instant messaging. There are also central pathways in friends as well. Sometime a group will have that one friend that if they do not go, then nobody else will go. They are centralized features of the network without them the network is either non-existent or very slow moving. Then you have those friends that add to your network, don’t get me wrong, but if they were not there they frankly would not be missed. Networks not matter whether they are electronic or human are necessary.
Facebook as we all know is the most popular social network out there. Myspace still exist, if I’m not mistaking but Facebook has overcome it. On this site, you can find friends and connect with long lost friends,families and so on, even across the country. It is very simple to undersatnd. Once you are signed up and accept friends, you can view what they are up to. You can also communicate privately with them through their inbox.
Businesses have also taking advantage of the population on facebook and included that in their marketing strategy to attract their target consumers. Considering the population on facebook, these companies have a very high chance of getting their message across.
Because of this, decision making is alot easier. If you want to know whether to go to forever21 to get that shirt, all you have to do is type in forever21 in the search box on facebook, it gives you their page, where you can find their website, look for the shirt, send the link to your girlfriend on facebook, have her look at it to and tell you whether it’s cute or not, and there you have it. All this saved you a trip to the mall and decision is made in less than 10min.
There are many networks out there like this, example cell phones, where there is text messaging and picture mail. However the network is formed they are all convenient and necessary.
Facebook has quickly become a large part of todays society. It has even gotten to the point where people even say that they are addicted to facebook like it is a drug or they have to go on to water their crops on farmville or something like that. It is a great way to get in touch with friends, old and new, find out about events coming up and even find out what’s going on this weekend. It is a great and simple place to find out information and communicate almost immediately with other people in one simple place.
I agree. Facebook is probablly one of most advanced social networking webistes. Not only can you share dialogue between friends and family, but you can also share pictures and videos as well. Facebook allows people to keep a personal or professional relationship with freinds, family, and co-workers. You get new friends on facebook by having mutual friends or being a part of the same group, even commenting on the same picture or status of someone else.
Twitter is a social network where individuals express their thoughts, feelings, and interests. Each of these expressions are called tweets. One can quote a user by retweeting their tweet. Essentially, an individual just copies what someone they are following says and puts it on their timeline so that individuals following them can see it. It also includes its own citation at the bottom by including who the tweet was originally tweeted by. Using certain functions such as the “@”, one can direct message an individual. Or, when including a “#” followed by a certain word or phrase, twitter automatically categorizes all the tweets with this word or phrase. Any twitter user can quickly search what everyone is talking about using this function. It is almost like pressing [Ctrl] and [F] on your computer, inputting a word, and allowing the computer to search wherever the word occurs in a document. I initially found out about the earthquake and tsunami in Japan via twitter. Because several people were tweeting about the disaster #japan became a trending topic and I was able to search what the twitter network was saying about #japan. I followed up with the details of the news on CNN, however, twitter was the initial source. The twitter method of communication is an effective one because it gives you a character limit and forces the user to get their point across using few words. Most people simply explain the dire details of a situation or topic. This social network relates closely to the networking of the human genome. The communication between each twitter user is the same as the information between genes in the human body. Just like retweeting, the human genome keeps information it got from an older genome and stores it so that every other gene ahead of it can see that information. The information is junk to the ne gene but originally, that junk was useful to one gene. The genome organizes its genes the same way twitter organizes its tweets in conduits. The anatomy of the conduits is different; however, the purpose of maintaining a network connection remains the same.
i also find twitter to be a source of my news feed. the spontaenous tweets people post up keep me updated whats happening around the world or just in the dorms as well.
One of the social networking websites that I am very familiar with is called tumblr. (tumblr.com) This is a blog site where many people post up daily to yearly. Unlike facebook, on tumblr, we do not have ‘walls’ that we post comments on. Instead, peopel are able to upload texts (blogs), pictures, videos or audios on their site and have other people re-blog it, love it or just simply comment on it. Also, there is an option to follow other people. For example, if there is a person’s blog that one really enjoys, we can follow it and every time they posts something new, it comes up on your tumblr home.
The options to express one’s self through blog posts such as tumblr show how complex humans can be. Many times, there are posts revealing very personal and open emotional experiences, showing a vulnerable side of people appealing to other people who read it. This may or may not make another person to make a choice whether to reply to this post.
Where as facebook and twitter statuses tell others about their experience about that moment, I can confidently say that on tumblr, most people write what is on their heart because there is no text limit and people tend to write out their feelings on tumblr.
This may be similar to a human genome in that because of one post, or gene in this case, other changes are based on that one gene. If that ‘post’ changes, then the responses that a person would usually make on tumblr may also change.
I agree with how tumblr is related to the human genome. Tumblr can also be edited in the post even after you post it. And I believe the same thing can happen withe the genome.
I like how you said that if a gene changes, it may also cause other genes to change. Certainly one’s actions affects the motives of another. We live in a world where we cope to the conditions others implement on us. Whether conditions are good or bad, we still try to manage our way through it. Similarly, genes live around the rest of the genes. Given a condition, a gene will take proper action that corresponds to that condition.
Websites such as Facebook or twitter allow me to keep up with what my friends and family’s social events are or allow me to comunicate more often with them. However, I don’t enjoy communication through these networks and they rarely influence my decision regarding activities or other general stuff. I rely on google to answer the majority if my general questions. I am the kind of person that if I don’t know something I will instantly google it. I find that google can be a great tool to a person. For example, the other day I was curious as to how a human sex change was performed on a female and I simply googled it. Though google takes me through a different website to actually find the answer to my questions it is still the only way to do an entire search on a database to get the answer to almost anything (this also includes similar websites such as yahoo, bing, etc.). My decisions can also be influenced due to google. Google has a huge influence on some of my decisions. I usually look up restaurants through here in order to get ratings, menus, even pictures to decide if the restaurant I picked is in my budget and to make sure I will like it. I usually determine to places I’ll go to or things I’ll do based on the research I do on Google. It is hard for me to think that years ago people could not do this since this is a tool I use everyday. If years ago you wanted to know something you had to go to a library or ask someone that has the knowledge to find something out. Today, you can simply google it.
In my opinion facebook is a great example of social engineering. It allows us to express our viewpoints on a debatable topic and is a great way to have an interesting debate with others. Facebook has revolutionized society because it enables us to share information with others in a fast and accessible way. Facebook even allows us to communicate with others and to stay in contact with co- workers or business associates. Facebook allows us to tag others and allows them to join a conversation. Facebook is probably the most popular form of blogging to date and is the user rate is growing exponentially. For example if a professor decides to assign students a paper to write on his Facebook blog he may give a more descriptive definition of the assignment and if students have questions they may ask their professor. Facebook is an excellent way of communication between students and their peers. Facebook is free and instantaneous sharing of ideas between groups of people has never been easier. Facebook network also allows users to connect to their phone with the “mobile” device feature. This enables people on the go to get updates of recent events that have happened even quicker. Facebook allows us to upload videos and share them on other people’s profiles with lightning quick response time. There is no doubt that Facebook is a revolutionary social networking site.
One of the most important if not the most important aspect of the internet is Google. Google links together millions and millions of websites and clashes it conveniently when one looks for something specific. Google has made information browsing so much more convenient with the tip of your fingers. Google tries to be a universal site where everyone goes to first whether it be for maps, shopping, e-mail, news, images, etc. Usually hundreds of thousands of links are provided with just the typing of a few key words.
Perhaps one of the most important revolutions that Google has performed is the instantaneous readiness of answers. Although some of links that Google lead to may provide false data, Google has helped many scholars, adults and even the majority of students with their work. It can very well be said that with Google’s presence, the option of going to the library has subsided. Why would people go to the library if they could find answers online? Back in the day, there was no internet. The only accurate way of doing research was the classical method of going to the library. Now with Google, answers are everywhere. Treating websites like books, there is no wait for a certain website, and there certainly is no fines for visiting a site for too long. Google does an incredible job in cutting the hassle of going to the library.
Now with information ready at your fingertips, people can just Google anything they want and make a judgement. Decisions are made with the trend of internet shopping. Comparing prices of products can never be any easier. Looking at other’s reviews and any warnings of certain products can also be searched. As opposed to going out and doing research on a product, Google has made it possible to tell you where exactly it is, how to get there, and even how long it would take you to get there. Even if you get lost, you can still guide yourself with their ‘Street-View’ maps. Google has made many lives convenient. Without Google, looking for immediate answers would take a lot longer.
i have to agree with you darien. when it comes to questions i have, be it answers for my academic work or where to go eat, i end up sitting in front of my computer to search it on google. the point you made about the library is also interesting because people are now creating a online library where you can get access to the texts online as well
Today the social technology has advanced to a point where you can find your friends from elementary school with ease or a friend who you have not seen for years. For example facebook started as a mere social network thought to be the next big thing to myspace. over the years facebook grew into a mainstream social network where all ages participate to communicate with each other. the facebook developed to find your friends, to make certain groups or invitation for events, polls to vote in, a game community, blogging, and so much more. with these availability in our hands along with millions of users, we are able to create decision through this site easily. basing decision on facebook may seem superficial but because of the enormous population, strangers and friends, it is easy to get opinion on things you might ponder upon. it is because of facebook people know where people are and what people are doing, to be updated with the life around you. these attributes allow the extra boost in our lives to make the decisions we need to make.
I completely agree, its amazing how easy it is to find someone that you have not seen in years by simply typing in their name. Facebook allows you to instantly upload and share what going on in your life with others.
Technology nowadays has contributed much to the advancement of society, so much so that it can now actually influence the decisions of people. The best technological advancement to accomplish this is the social network of Facebook. This social network has achieved what many did not think could be done. Ever since its conception, Facebook has expanded and managed to quickly become one of the world’s largest social networks. Facebook became very popular because it reinvented the idea of networking. It not only allowed for people to meet new people, but permitted its users to rekindle old relationships and distant family members. Finding an old classmate or even a distant cousin was just few clicks away. Another reason why Facebook became a rapid success was its simplicity. Signing up to make a new account would only take about five minutes and you can immediately start adding people. Not only was signing up easy, but communicating with people was even easier. As soon as you log on, a chat box is available where you can check to see if any people on your friends list are on, and if they were you could instant message them. Other alternate options could be to write on their wall, which would be as if you comment on their profile (maybe to say hello or see what the plans are for the weekend) or to just send them a message.
These small pathways are what make up Facebook. Although many, they all have the same capability to influence the many users of this large social network. For example, if one weekend you cannot decide what do, you can look at your news feed to see if your friends are planning to do anything interesting. If you do manage to find something that you would consider doing, but you are still reluctant to do it, you might want to contact some of your friends to see if they are going, through messaging them or writing on their walls. If you need a quick answer you can always instant message them and base your decision on that. Facebook has enabled people to base their decisions by providing many different ways to communicate with their friends. From “What are the plans for tonight?” to “When is that assignment due?”, Facebook has given society a new, simplistic method to share information and expand their network to great lengths.
Social networking has evolved its way into being one of the most vital aspects of life today. One, if not the best, example of social networking is facebook. Facebook has quickly evolved from a college only community to everyone who is able to set up their own profile. I believe facebook is the best example of a social network because of its endless possibilities. Just the other day I received a friend request from someone I thought I had never seen before and of course I accepted it. Before I knew it I was back in touch with one of the closest friends that my sister had grown up with and apparently someone who had watched me take my very first steps. It is amazing how quickly and efficiently people can be found on facebook. From my public school to my high school, the majority of the population has their own facebook. The friends are not the only remarkable subjects on facebook; the fact that facebook is overseas is just as important. The boundaries of this website have gone down to the point in which anyone with access to a computer, or even a cell phone or gaming device, can be on facebook. The majority of my mother’s side of the family live in Bogota, Colombia and each and every one of my cousins can be found on facebook. Once all of these old friends have come in contact with one another staying in contact becomes a challenge. Luckily, you can start events on facebook and invite any of your friends. Now this might sound difficult, but with the click of your mouse and some finger movement on the keyboard you can easily invite all of your friends out. You have the ability to choose where and when this event would take place and what would happen etc. With facebook virtually anything is possible. You have an increasing amount of people on facebook along with games, marketplaces, events and much more. Facebook can be anything from serious to fun and its endless possibilities are what keep individuals on this magnificent website.