This
assignment is based on Clay Shirkys Here
Comes Everybody (2008). This book is one of the most insightful books you
will encounter on the topic of social
networking. Its examination of networking platforms, such as MySpace,
Flickr, YouTube and Wikipedia, and networking processes, such as open source
development, demonstrate that the world has undergone a major transformation in
the past twenty years. The transformation goes beyond the employment of new
technologies. It affects how people interact with each other socially, and has
spurred the development of new communities that were unthinkable just a few
years ago.
Look
at Shirkys lecture on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_0FgRKsqqU
.
The
questions for this assignment address a number of key concepts highlighted in
the book.
1. Explain
how publish then filter works. Give at least one example. In what sense is it
different than the traditional approach of filter than publish? Using your
example, discuss its social and economic implications. (250 words minimum)
2. What
is mass amateurism? How does it work? Provide at least two examples. Does its
advent mean the end of traditional professionalism? Explain your answer. (250
words minimum)
3. What
is open source software? Give one example. Does its success mean the end of
commercial software? (250 words minimum)
4. Explain
how Wikipedia works. Why is it that the quality of Wikipedia entries is equal
to or superior to entries in commercial encyclopedias? (250 words minimum)
Last Completed Projects
| topic title | academic level | Writer | delivered |
|---|