Reading Report #3

In this article I learned that libraries have been the center of information for a long time. When books were first made, they were all hand-written and much too expense to own so libraries were essential for gaining knowledge from these books. Books have become much more easily available now and information can be obtained very easily. There are many new trends that are being used to create libraries for the next generation. A few of them include the constant changing of communication systems, which allows us to access information more efficiently every time a new device is created. There will always be new technology that will replace old technology and it will continue to follow this trend until a master device is created, but nobody knows what that might be. Also as information expands, searching through all this information will become very complicated.

I agreed with this articles ideas about new technologies and communication devices. It seems reasonable that new technology will continue to replace old technology, but I do not think there will ever be a master device. Also, the part about not having a need for a keyboard seems far-fetched, I think it will be a little longer than 2050 for computers to start acting human-like. When he discussed the movement towards global system, I think it would be ideal if the whole world used the same systems but I don’t see it happening anytime in the near future. He could be correct about a lot of his ideas in the future, but it’s hard to comprehend how these trends could all happen anytime soon.

“Should Motorist Ever Talk on the Phone?”
By Stephanie Chin
2/16/09
http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/02/16/cellphones.driving.safety/index.html?eref=rss_tech

This article is about how recent studies have shown that talking on a hands free device can be just as dangerous s using a cell phone. It still causes a distraction and delays reaction time. Studies show that it is more hazardous that talking to a front seat passenger because the passenger can look for potential hazards on the road. A survey done by nationwide insurance stated that 80 percent of drivers admitted they use their cell phones with driving and 45 percent have hit or nearly hit by driving them. Experts say that although legislation will help, education will make people aware of how dangerous using cell phones while driving can be. Many states are moving towards prohibiting cell phone use whiling operating a vehicle. Since there is no federal law against using them, some states already have restrictions for teenagers using them.

I think this article is important because people need to realize that there is a correlation between the number of cell phone users and the amount of motor vehicle accidents. People also need to just put there cell phones and any other distractions out of reach while driving. With all the new features phones now offer, such as text messaging, e-mail, and internet, it is very easy to get distracted while driving. Although it will be hard to enforce laws prohibiting cell phone use, I think it is necessary. There should also be educational programs for teenagers before they begin to drive about the hazards of being distracted while driving.

News Report #2

Facebook turns 5-but can it survive?
2/4/2009
http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/02/04/facebook.anniversary/index.html?eref=rss_tech

This article was about the very popular website that keeps many people in touch with their friends and family, Facebook, having its 5th birthday today. It was started by a student and is now used worldwide and worth billions of dollars. There are now 150 million users and it is still growing. The created of the website was 19 when he first started it and he now is the youngest billionaire. This site has become so popular that people are saying that it contributed to helping Obama win the election by having contact with the younger population. Facebook has become so popular because people feel that it is a safe place to express themselves. Facebook might not see the success it has had in the next couple years because online advertising is expected to decline with the economy in the shape it is.

I believe that Facebook will continue to be a very profitable site. People of all ages are continuing to join this network and I do not see growth to slow down in the number of people staying on facebook. As far as profits from advertising, I think will we not see a huge decline in sales. Because there such a huge amount of users, businesses will find it hard to not want to keep advertising on facebook. Especially now that it is not just college students joining the facebook network, but parents, high schools and even middle school students are starting to make an account. With an increase in age differences, businesses will definitely try their hardest to keep advertising with facebook.

Reading Report #2

This article is about a professor at the State University of New York at Buffalo, who began studying Wikipedia to see how valid and reliable information was. He did this because he knew anyone can edit or create a new Wikipedia page without showing any proof of expertise. He posted incorrect information to see how long it would stay on the site. He kept a blog and stated how efficient the editors were about eliminating his false information. Although this demonstrates that Wikipedia can be a valid source of information, many educators disagree and will not let students use it as a source of information. The founders of Wikipedia believe it is important for all kinds of academic participation in the site not just experts in the field. They are considering making a site called Citizendium, where experts in the fields can make articles and write about their new research.

I believe Wikipedia is a great source of information and I plan on using it when researching. I believe that people need to be aware that any one can edit Wikipedia. Although, the article discuses that faulty information is removed fairly quickly, it is not removed instantly, so you have to be cautious about that. But for looking up everyday information that is not school-related, I think it is a good source of information. I don’t necessarily think it should be your first choice for a intensive research paper because most articles only have basic information and new ideas and research are usually deleted by the editors.