[Air-l] we need a new word?

[Alex Halavais]

On Sat, 19 Mar 2005 20:32:59 +0100, Ulf-Dietrich Reips
<ureips at genpsy.unizh.ch> wrote:
> imho we shouldn't attempt to find *one* new word
> for a conglomerate of different services,
> concepts, and psycho-socio-technological spheres.
<snip>
> Let's differentiate, identify, and regroup our terminological entities!
> 

While I'm all for differentiation, I do think there is a need for
conceptualizing beyond the differences in communication technologies.
At this point, very little of the media I consume is not digital and
integrated into the global computer network (whatever we are calling
it). I place "telephone" calls, get my "film" developed, listen to the
"radio," and watch "television" and "motion pictures" through the
internet.

I have a feeling that our conceptualizations, along with our
vocabularies, are not keeping pace with this technological
convergence. We should have better ways of thinking about how these
media are converging, and that should be reflected in the terms we
use. Because the levels of integration beneath the application layer
are relatively invisible, I think they are probably especially worth
considering.

So, yes, we should continue to talk about applications and not assume
that "internet use" means the same thing to everyone, but at the same
time, there is real value in thinking about it as a system, an
ecology, or what-have-you.

- Alex
 



-- 
//
// Alexander Halavais
// Graduate Director of Informatics
// University at Buffalo School of Informatics
// contact info: http://alex.halavais.net
//