Enter the following search terms into google.com, bing.com, yahoo.com, and google.cn (google's Chinese website). In your blog, comment on any differences in search results you see. I don't expect you to be able to read Chinese, but the actual URLs will be in english and sometimes will have english summaries.
1. uss yorktown nt
2. google china censorship
3. Tiananmen Square
4. Taiwan independence
Google Results
1. uss yorktown nt - Wikipedia article followed by article called Sunk by Windows NT
2. google china censorship - BBC News article followed by Wikipedia article on Google China
3. Tiananmen Square - Wikipedia article on the protests of 1989, THEN the actual Tiananmen Square Wiki, followed by a travel guide and Google Pictures image results
4. Taiwan independence - Wikipedia article on Taiwan independence, followed by the article for the independence party of Taiwan. Then a 'Foreign Policy in Focus' blog and a recent news article posted six hours ago as of this writing.
Yahoo Results
1. uss yorktown nt - Wikipedia article, different article on same software issues
2. google china censorship - Censorship by Google Wikipedia article, China and Google 'Google-watch.org', Offical Google Blog: Google in China
3. Tiananmen Square - Same first two as Google, but this instead of a travel site
4. Taiwan independence - Wikipedia on Taiwan independence, followed by this from answers.com, and the same fpif.org article
Bing Results
1. uss yorktown nt - Wikipedia article, another article on their software issues leaving them 'dead in the water', and the same "Sunk by Windows NT" article from Google.
2. google china censorship - Wikipedia Censorship by Google, Google and China again, and Wikipedia on Google China
3. Tiananmen Square - image results for Tiananmen Square, Wikipedia for the protests of 1989, Wikipedia for Tiananmen Square
4. Taiwan independence - The Offical Government Site in English, Wikipedia, True History of Taiwan
Google China
1. uss yorktown nt - Sunk by Windows NT, Wikipedia, 'Dead in the water'
2. google china censorship - Google.cn, Google China Wikipedia, BBC News - Google Censors itself for China
3. Tiananmen Square - No Wikipedia or news articles. All blogs and one top post about the pronuncation of Tiananmen Square
4. Taiwan independence - Wikipedia article, but again, no news articles, just blogs.
So initially the main differences were simply where things were placed on the page and how relavant the site seemed to make Wikipedia over news articles and vica-versa. Even the first two in google.cn seems to have the same pattern. It's not until it gets down to things that are actual issues for China (Tiananmen Square and Taiwan's independence) that news articles suddenly become non existant.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Assignment 10: digg
Honestly, I don't like Digg. It's always seemed kind of pointless to me. There are news sites all over that allow you to state your opinion already on valid news articles. Digg just seems to want to toss the mundane and uninteresting as well as pointless in with the things that really need to be discussed. And people are usually favoriting the things that really shouldn't have such a huge spotlight.
I don't know, perhaps I'm just jaded after all this time. I've said it before, I started up on Livejournal. I never saw the point to needing these hundreds and hundreds of networking sites before. But I was also in that generation in between where the dot-com was ending and the social networking was beginning.
Anyway...
I suppose this article about uTorrent 2.0...
I'm a torrenter, and a long time user of 2.0. But to me this is something that should be left on geek blogs and tech news sites. The majority of computer users out there aren't going to know or care what uTorrent is. Feels like a waste of space to me. 501 Diggs when stories about illnesses over seas are getting less than 200. That's a shame, really.
I don't know, perhaps I'm just jaded after all this time. I've said it before, I started up on Livejournal. I never saw the point to needing these hundreds and hundreds of networking sites before. But I was also in that generation in between where the dot-com was ending and the social networking was beginning.
Anyway...
I suppose this article about uTorrent 2.0...
I'm a torrenter, and a long time user of 2.0. But to me this is something that should be left on geek blogs and tech news sites. The majority of computer users out there aren't going to know or care what uTorrent is. Feels like a waste of space to me. 501 Diggs when stories about illnesses over seas are getting less than 200. That's a shame, really.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
DDoS Attack of Massive Proportions
So, I wasn't sure if anyone from class was aware of it, but aprox. two days ago, major networking sites as well as Google and internet users in Chicago as a whole were affected and disconnected when a DDoS attack occurred, shutting down Twitter, Facebook, as well as Livejournal and nearly making Google crash as well. While Google was able to head off the attack, Twitter and Facebook experienced lengthy downtime, and Livejournal is still recovering from the attack, unable to get out comment notifications as well as unable to allow certain IP addresses to connect due to issues with the programs that help block unwanted attacks. It is uncertain at this time how long LJ will remain with issues, but according to them thousands of bots are still attacking many of these sites.
And the reason for all this nonsense.
One man.
That's right. One person, a single blogger, who was speaking out against the issues of the conflict between Russia and Georgia. They attempted to silence him and him alone by taking out damn near half the internet. The outcry from it has been resounding dissapointement, anger and irritation, and while for Twitter and Facebook users it has dispateda some, Livejournal users continue to echo the plantive cry.
And as an avid user of LJ myself? Well, the problem on my end was mostly fixed by mid-afternoon, but I'm left listening to friends of mine who still can't access, or only can through a proxy server.
If ever there was a need to prove once and for all without any reasonable doubt that the internet brings out the worst in people, this was certainly a step in the right direction.
And the reason for all this nonsense.
One man.
That's right. One person, a single blogger, who was speaking out against the issues of the conflict between Russia and Georgia. They attempted to silence him and him alone by taking out damn near half the internet. The outcry from it has been resounding dissapointement, anger and irritation, and while for Twitter and Facebook users it has dispateda some, Livejournal users continue to echo the plantive cry.
And as an avid user of LJ myself? Well, the problem on my end was mostly fixed by mid-afternoon, but I'm left listening to friends of mine who still can't access, or only can through a proxy server.
If ever there was a need to prove once and for all without any reasonable doubt that the internet brings out the worst in people, this was certainly a step in the right direction.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Assignment 7: Google Wave
Apparently Google is taking communication to 'the next level'. According to this video, Google Wave is going to take e-mail to a more real-time conversation. Like email, you can send the message to multiple people at once, reply and comment, but better than instant message you can send these with little to no delay between messages, and in a combination of both messages can be saved on a server, and read at a later time.
Great! And it's completely free. Wonderful! And they want people to work on it and help develop it. Amazing!
Funny thing?
They were kind of already doing this.
It's called Google Docs. :)
Great! And it's completely free. Wonderful! And they want people to work on it and help develop it. Amazing!
Funny thing?
They were kind of already doing this.
It's called Google Docs. :)
Monday, June 29, 2009
Assignment 4: Text, Video and Picture
The newest Japanese sensation: VOCALOID New Singing Synthesis Technology by Crypton Future Technology. Continuing with Japan's main two traditions, pop idols and anything cute, Crypton has made the internet explode with thousands of videos and songs from these fictional singers and their hundreds of derivatives.
Let's take a look, shall we?
Adorable, isn't it?
In order of listed apperance, Vocaloid Library Mascots: MEIKO*, Rin and Len Kagamine, Miku Hatsune, KAITO.
(Alter personas in the middle: Miku Hachune army led by Chibi MEIKO**)
Fan made Vocaloid and UTAU*** mascots: Haku Yowane (Miku-based model), Teto Kasane (UTAU), Neru Akita (Miku-based model)
*The model in the video is actually named "Meiko Sakine", meant to be a younger 'pop idol' version of MEIKO (with software upgraded to Vocaloid 2 standards, making her sound younger but with a more refined voice), however many fans don't always make the distinction between Sakine and the original MEIKO.
**There might actually be a different name for this particular persona, however I'm having difficulty locating it.
***UTAU is another voice producing software, but unlike the paid-for Vocaloid program it's actually freeware. What it lacks in functionality it makes up for with the ability load in the user's voice as a base to create the music. As such, there are likely hundreds of UTAU fanmades floating around on the internet. Teto is one of the more well known ones due to her status as an internet prank gone right She was 'released' on April 1st by the internet message board 2Chan with the claim of being the newst Vocaloid. When the truth got out, some one gave her an UTAU voice and it simply ran from there.
[Click to see the full picture.]
(Tonarine Sai*, Haku Yowane, Akita Neru, Miku Zatsune**, Miku Hatsune, MEIKO, Rin Kagamine, KATIO, Len Kagamine, Miku Hachune, Kasane Teto, Acme Iku***
Top: Juon Kiku****)
*Tonarine is a version of Miku that uses a voice bank sung by a real person. She's not as well known as the other dirivates.
**Zatsune is a 'sexier' version of Miku with a slightly deeper, sultry voice.
***Iku is actually not Vocaloid or UTAU. She's a synth reproduction of what's called an 'eroge', a girl who voice stars in pornographic animes.
****Unfortunately no one knows who Juon Kiku is.
An early fan art picture with several of the original and fan made Vocaloid, UTAU, and other voice synth mascots. Several offical ones have been added since then, including Kamui Gakupo who used the voice of famous Japanese pop singer Gackt as a base, Luka Megurine who has a dual Japanese/English library, and the soon to be released GUMI (alternately, Megpoid) who will be voiced by Megumi Nakajima.
Alternately, there were original releases on the first Vocaloid program of English libraries with named but never animated mascots. They're not as popular as the Japanese mascots due to their unrefined and often robotic sound. Leon was the first of these in 2004, followed by Lola (both standard professional American style singers), Miriam (British style), Prima (Operatic), Big-Al (Sweedish Rock vocalist) and Sweet Ann (another American style). Big-Al and Sweet Ann were released with the Powerfx version of Vocaloid and are slightly more refined than their predecessors.
(And while it might not really interest anyone, I think it's fairly obvious by my blog's theme who this blogger's favorite Vocaloid is. She may be fan made, but Haku Yowane will always be my number one. ^_^)
Let's take a look, shall we?
Adorable, isn't it?
In order of listed apperance, Vocaloid Library Mascots: MEIKO*, Rin and Len Kagamine, Miku Hatsune, KAITO.
(Alter personas in the middle: Miku Hachune army led by Chibi MEIKO**)
Fan made Vocaloid and UTAU*** mascots: Haku Yowane (Miku-based model), Teto Kasane (UTAU), Neru Akita (Miku-based model)
*The model in the video is actually named "Meiko Sakine", meant to be a younger 'pop idol' version of MEIKO (with software upgraded to Vocaloid 2 standards, making her sound younger but with a more refined voice), however many fans don't always make the distinction between Sakine and the original MEIKO.
**There might actually be a different name for this particular persona, however I'm having difficulty locating it.
***UTAU is another voice producing software, but unlike the paid-for Vocaloid program it's actually freeware. What it lacks in functionality it makes up for with the ability load in the user's voice as a base to create the music. As such, there are likely hundreds of UTAU fanmades floating around on the internet. Teto is one of the more well known ones due to her status as an internet prank gone right She was 'released' on April 1st by the internet message board 2Chan with the claim of being the newst Vocaloid. When the truth got out, some one gave her an UTAU voice and it simply ran from there.
[Click to see the full picture.]
(Tonarine Sai*, Haku Yowane, Akita Neru, Miku Zatsune**, Miku Hatsune, MEIKO, Rin Kagamine, KATIO, Len Kagamine, Miku Hachune, Kasane Teto, Acme Iku***
Top: Juon Kiku****)
*Tonarine is a version of Miku that uses a voice bank sung by a real person. She's not as well known as the other dirivates.
**Zatsune is a 'sexier' version of Miku with a slightly deeper, sultry voice.
***Iku is actually not Vocaloid or UTAU. She's a synth reproduction of what's called an 'eroge', a girl who voice stars in pornographic animes.
****Unfortunately no one knows who Juon Kiku is.
An early fan art picture with several of the original and fan made Vocaloid, UTAU, and other voice synth mascots. Several offical ones have been added since then, including Kamui Gakupo who used the voice of famous Japanese pop singer Gackt as a base, Luka Megurine who has a dual Japanese/English library, and the soon to be released GUMI (alternately, Megpoid) who will be voiced by Megumi Nakajima.
Alternately, there were original releases on the first Vocaloid program of English libraries with named but never animated mascots. They're not as popular as the Japanese mascots due to their unrefined and often robotic sound. Leon was the first of these in 2004, followed by Lola (both standard professional American style singers), Miriam (British style), Prima (Operatic), Big-Al (Sweedish Rock vocalist) and Sweet Ann (another American style). Big-Al and Sweet Ann were released with the Powerfx version of Vocaloid and are slightly more refined than their predecessors.
(And while it might not really interest anyone, I think it's fairly obvious by my blog's theme who this blogger's favorite Vocaloid is. She may be fan made, but Haku Yowane will always be my number one. ^_^)
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