THE WEB 2.0

The web 2.0 is a second developed copy or version of World Wide Web by transferring a static HTML Web pages to be more active and organized that make Web 2.0 is concentrating on serving Web applications for people. In other words, it gives users large space and good chance to cooperate and share information online, also they can upload their own information to share. Over time Web 2.0 has been used more as a marketing term than a computer-science-based term. Blogs, wikis, and Web services are all seen as components of Web 2.0.

Web 2.0 was previously used as a synonym for Semantic Web, but while the two are similar, they do not share precisely the same meaning.

Digital Culture- Technology

Technology creates digital culture by allowing people to cooperate with new people at a comfortable and controllable distance (for example facebook, twitter). Technology started making life more easy . The aim of technology and digital culture is to build your bridge to the real world. This bridge will enable your online efforts to truly benefit your offline life, mostly by connecting you with off- minded individuals. This is one way in which technology creates digital culture.

Technology creates digital culture by providing dynamic publishing opportunities and 24/7/365 broadcast channels that include news, movies, cartoons etc. This 'digital culture' is a human extension of our original relationship with tools. Think of the first time a stick or rock was used by a human as a tool to fulfill another purpose. The internet, social media and computers are extensions of our humanity and by that very definition create digital culture by enabling digital culture.

Analog And Digital Computers

In the mid-20th century there were two quite different and challenging approaches to designing computing machines: Digital and Analog. Analog computers used continuous distinctions of voltage or even mechanical movement to calculate answers to equations, where digital computers operated one command at a time using distinct values and logical addresses. In the beginning , digital computers faced many design and cost problems that organizations felt, would never be covered. By comparison, analog systems in the 1930s and 1940s such as Vannevar Bush's differential analyser were quite fast and powerful. However, once the general purpose design, usually attributed to Von Neumann, was widely accepted, digital systems began their extraordinary path to ubiquity. Analogue computers were increasingly relegated to narrower and narrower applications.

Online Gaming And Digital World

In this world of digital revolution, one can play various online games available all over the internet. Moreover these games are free to play and at your fingertips; click whenever you wish to have some fun.

But these games have a darker side as well. According to a Iowa State University Study, around one amongst ten gamers gets addicted to this piece of adventure. For the kids, this addiction may cause issues such as anxiety, and depression.

In addition to this Nottingham Trent University Professor Mark Griffiths states that online gaming can prove beneficial for those undergoing painful cancer treatments.

As far as online gaming is concerned, I personally feel if time is managed properly you can definitely take a break from your routine and enjoy playing it with people from all around the world.

Digital Culture ,Web 2.0- Twitter – The place where everyone tweets

According to a report on BBC, recently a twitter user attempted to unveil a few celebrities who have acquired certain level of injunction to restrict publication of their personal life details.

Twitter allows connecting to anyone or everyone all over the world which has made it gain popularity for all the right and wrong reasons.

 A few years back where one would have to wait for the other person to get home and call up, twitter has thoroughly changed the equation. Just one tweet from your mobile and your loved ones get to know what you are up to. I believe twitter has impacted the lives of people from all age ranges in a positive way.

Virtuality, Immersion, Simulacra and Avatars

Virtuality

Virtuality is a term that applies to computer-simulated environments that can simulate physical presence in places in the real world, as well as in imaginary worlds. For example, it can be used in regards to online content, video games and films.

A very common virtual device is a “computer”, this is an extremely large virtual device in which it allows you to do anything whether that is networking, watching films, playing games etc.

 But some simulations include additional sensory information, such as sound through speakers or headphones.There is also such a thing called “virtual reality” which describes a wide variety of applications commonly associated with immersive, highly visual 3D environments. For example, The development of CAD software, graphics hardware acceleration, head mounted displays, database gloves and miniaturization helps to feel as if an individual is trapped within the film with the elements of the film revolving around them.

Immersion:

Immersion is the state where you cease to be aware of your physical self. It is often accompanied

By intense focus, distorted sense of time, and effortless action.

It feels as “being in the zone”. Immersion does not require realism or 3D environment. For example, like reading, a novel can be characteristics of immersion too.

Tactical immersion

Tactical immersion is experienced when performing tactile operations that involve skill. For example, it relates to fast actions within video games, often fast action games. Players feel "in the zone" while perfecting actions that result in success.

Strategic immersion

Strategic immersion is more cerebral, and is associated with mental challenge.It is more efficient within video games as opposed to other platforms. This involves seeking different paths and techniques in order to conquer a game. For example,Chess players experience strategic immersion when choosing a correct solution among a broad array of possibilities.

Narrative immersion

Narrative immersion occurs when players become invested in a story, and is similar to what is experienced while reading a book or watching a movie. It states that the more an individual engages with the device, the more intrigued they will be in regards to discovering how the story finishes or what happens next.

Spatial immersion

Spatial immersion occurs when a player feels the simulated world is perceptually convincing. The player feels that he or she is really "there" and that a simulated world looks and feels "real".

Simulacra:

Is known for discussions of images and signs, and how they relate to our contemporary society, wherein we have replaced reality and meaning with symbols and signs; what we know as reality actually is a simulation of reality. The simulacra are the sign of culture and communications media that create the reality we perceive: a world saturated with imagery, infused with communications media, sound and commercial advertising.

Avatar:

Avatar is the most powerful, purest self-development program available. It is a series of experimental exercises that enables you to rediscover yourself and align your consciousness with what you want to achieve. You will experience your own unique insights and revelations. For example, it is used as display pictures on social networking sites, within various video games or even in cartoons.

Thinking About Media Change

21st century prepared the essential revolutions globally in science, health, education, and communications. Gradual development of modern tools shaped our lives on new itineraries. Remediation in communication process is neither a new phenomenon and nor a modern term to explore astonishingly as Marshal McLuhan quoted the concept of remediation in 1964 in his book “Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man”. However, technological inceptions and contemporary communication gadgets developed an incessant debate on remediation. Old (or passive) & New (or active), immediacy & Hypermeidacy are common themes for media scholars.

‘What is new about new media comes from the particular ways in which they refashion older media and the ways in which older media refashion themselves to answer the challenges of new media.’ (Bolter & Grusin, 199:15).

New media (as we called, Digital media, Multimedia, Networked and Mobile media) encompasses all kinds of digital, computerized or networked information and communication. Old media was operated in competitors’ threat free atmosphere without fear of cross dialogue in form of consumers’ commentary for correctiveness and transparency. Newspapers, Radio, TV and Telephone worked as independent media which, now turned on a single podium of internet (web).

 New media supports to micro which enables the macro media. Balance, credibility, research and decency of information with freedom of choice and instant availability are the basic characteristics of new media. Remediation brought a larger scale convergence at technical, institutional, professional and cultural levels with additional features of interactivity, participation and customization.

Bolter and Grusin described the phenomenon as, ‘both new and old media are invoking the twin logics of immediacy and hypermediacy in their efforts to remake themselves and each other.’ (199:5) The outcome of the process of remediation, in their account, is a dialectical conversion between ‘immediacy’ as “to erase all traces of mediation” and ‘hypermediacy’ is a “style of visual representation whose goal is to remind the viewer of the medium.” (1999:272)

The simulation mechanism is spreading its wings. Apart from old and new media contention, we know the realities and practicing remediated media in contemporary world. This is McLuhan’s message. We shaped the tools first but are now being shaped.

The Birth and Death of Cyberspace

According to Nicole Stenger “Cyberspace can be seen as the new bomb, a pacific blaze that will outline the imprint of our disembodied selves on the walls of eternity”. One of the best example of Cyberspace was shown in Matrix.

 In cyberspace, one  can get digitalized images of the interior of some libraries or museums, and can also see pictures of space. Most of the people describe it as the second life.

 The internet allows us to create a second life through creative arrangement of items through our thought to form a particular cultural, social or behavioural ideology. It allows people to innovatively create or design artistic concepts that are not only major accomplishment of their mental cognisance but interesting to others as well. For example 3D is a famous creative design used as a telescopic mirror to view world in a very appealing way. People use animations to construct towns, cities, design artistic sketches making them look as real as possible and to depict real life experiences.

Professor Sue Thomus noted that in past people used hidden identities on cyberspace, but in recent time people use their real names. One very good example is facebook  explained by Thomas (2011) that you may not enjoy social media like Facebook and Twitter if you do not use your real name.

Thomas, S, (2011). “Virtual spaces and online identities.” In knowledge center. Available online at:http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/knowledge/themes/virtualfutures/suethomas/