From Cyber to Hybrid

The passage that I have chosen to discuss by de Souza e Silva is from the section titled, Hybrid spaces as connected spaces: Hybrid reality versus virtual, augmented, and mixed realities (CR Pg 759)

As I read this passage I came to understand a little more about how and where reality meets the virtual world and various ways they intertwine.
This section opens by discussing the growing mobility of the internet and how it is more readily available to carry with you essentially where ever you may go. In some places, like in Japan, the first time teens or young adults were introduced to the internet it was not called the internet and it was by means of a cellular phone. For this group of people the applications and uses for the internet are vastly different simply based on when/how it was introduced. As a mobile device it is much easier to use the internet to look up travel information, or do things on location. In affect we are shading the divide between “real” and “virtual.” Making it more and more muddy and unclear as to where one ends and the other begins.

It’s true that as I grew up computers, pagers, PDAs, and cellular phones were growing in popularity. I knew a time when to have a cell phone meant that you were important, at least in my mind. Now days it seems that almost everyone has a cell phone. Anyone from ages 1-91 and even beyond have these devices. People on many different socioeconomic groups have cell phones, iPods, or other devices that connect them to the virtual world.

In connection with the people in Japan (or other places) who have never used a computer to connect to the internet … I know people that I talk to here in the states that say they use computers, but they use their iPhone, Blackberry, or some other mobile device to do most of their online interactions. “Oh I can look it up right here, it’ll be faster” I hear my friend say as we discuss where to go for lunch, and how to get there.

Another example of connecting at a mobile level are GPS units. These little tools are quite useful. You can look up attractions, stores, restaurants, movie theaters (and play times), gas prices and much more. Not to mention the wonderful feature that automatically adjusts your route according to traffic delays.

The way we think about the internet is changing, whether we realize it or not. The internet is becoming much more mobile as well as more convenient to connect to. In fact in many cases we are constantly connected whether we think about it or not.

This divide between what we think of as real space and virtual reality is disappearing before our eyes. We are losing the distinction. Try watching a movie in the theater … what parts are real? What parts are computer generated? Sometimes it’s hard to tell … it’s not like Mary Poppins or Blue’s Clues anymore, where even when the realities were “blended” it was easy to distinguish which reality was which.

My Virtual Communities

When first looking at this assignment I thought of several virtual communities in which I felt I am/was a member. There is Skype, MSN Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, Facebook, and Myspace, to name a few. However, after our class discussion I had to rethink this. Sure I am part of all these communities. However, I only have friends on these that I know from other places. I started MSN to communicate with my family that lived far away. I had friends that wanted to communicate during times when we weren’t together so I started using Yahoo Messenger. When distant relatives suggested that I add Skype to my list of communication devices I happily obliged. Now, where it is seemingly easy to gain internet access and set up an account on any one of these networks/channels, I personally don’t add people to any of my chosen communities that I don’t already know from elsewhere. Sure I’m one out of millions of people that use these programs, but without my permission (or hacking) they don’t have access to my small community or me. I guess you could say that I’m a bit apprehensive when it comes to putting my information on the internet. When performing a Google search of my name, I came up with a few websites listing my academic achievements … now if that isn’t creepy I don’t know what is! So I guess I’ve never been inclined to meeting new people via the internet, or talking to people I don’t know online.
I know plenty of people that play role playing games (RPGs) online and can get really into it and express how these people from who knows where are their only “real” friends … I often hear things like “they understand me like no one else.” Perhaps this is true for them, but anonymous or not I don’t feel like I need to open up to complete strangers. I also know of people who have “fallen in love” over the internet in different types of communities. Some turned out well, others turned out similar to Sandy’s story. Do I think it’s wrong? … No, but I also don’t think it’s for everyone, myself included. Now don’t get me wrong, I think that the communities we can form/or keep going in the face of adversities and great distances are great! I have gotten to keep up with family and friends that I seldom see.

Cyberspace

Cyberspace is not something that I’ve ever really contemplated before. There is now doubt that cyberspace has been in my vocabulary from a young age, and yet I never fully understood what it meant. So naturally when I was assigned to choose one out of a list of descriptions or definitions of what cyberspace is, I was a little overwhelmed with the daunting task. So I went with what I understand to be true.

With that in mind the definition that stuck me the most was the third:

“Cyberspace: Accessed through any computer linked into the system; a place, one place, limitless; entered equally from a basement in Vancouver, a boat in Port-au-Prince, a cab in New York, a garage in Texas City, an apartment in Rome, an office in Hong Kong, a bar in Kyoto, a café in Kinshasa, a laboratory on the moon.”

So the one thing that I do understand is that with today’s technology you can link to this thing called cyberspace. Once connected to cyberspace you can transfer data to, from, and between electronic devices. There are many internet providers offering many different levels of connection speeds. There are wireless connections, cable connections, connections over the phone line and who knows what the future may hold. With all these differences, one thing remains the same … the information. No matter how much you pay for a connection to cyberspace it still hold the same information, the same data, the same set of 0’s and 1’s. You can be anywhere in the world or even out of this world, and connect to this vast amount of information. Sure in some places, like China, some information is blocked or filtered presumably for the protection or other reasons, but all the same information is still there. It’s all one big pool of information that can be accessed from any number of locations. Which brings me back to the definition above; one place, one source, accessible from virtually anywhere.

Introduction

Hello,

My name is Jennica.

I'm currently living in the Tri-Cities. However, I am originally from central California and no matter how much Washington grows on me, I will probably always consider California to be home. I still have family in CA and visit whenever I get a chance.

I love to travel. So far in my lifetime I have been to about 1/4th of the US States as well as two African countries. I hope to visit many more places, including but not limited to, Japan, Australia, as well as more of the US and Africa. But for now college is demanding most of my time and attention.

I'm new to blogging so this should be interesting...

~J