After I read Herring (2004) andchapter 2 (Making new media make sense) by Baym, I found that the technology quality is one of the fears that people may have about the new Technology. Because of the “Internet’s ability to store and replicate information without regard to its content” (Baym, 22), people fear that content can be harmful in many ways. Just like, people used to think that Google can diminish our intelligence; today, they are confused whether Facebook and Twitter, for examples, would do the same and make us dumber.

Other concerns about the Internet is that “it will re-create political and cultural communities in cyberspace; it will bring pornographers, stalkers, and credit-card scammers into our homes, corrupting our kids and ransacking our privacy” (Baym, 28). In addition to that, people become unreal or authentic; they would lie about their name, age, and everything else. Additionally, there are fears that Internet and other new media can ruin the close relationships such as marriages, by finding another love, and cause social isolation. Finally, communication technologies have been seen as a source of stress for families, for  it is easy for people to engage in “irregular courtship” with people outside the community which can be the “wrong kinds” of age, class, and racial, in addition to the big fear of facilities to loose control over their children because of the “sexting.”

Even though some people think that the mediated interactions lacks the depth and rich of meaning, cold, and pointless, others hope that it can promote human connectivity and lead to a new relationships, and new relational opportunities. In conclusion, I agree with hearing when says that CMC tend to “Slouch toward the ordinary,” because, just like every new thing it seems in the beginning as something unusual, expensive, and unacceptable socially, but when give it the right time for people to use it can become the society norm and more acceptable, especially, if it was use in the right way it can actually have more beneficial and not as harmful as people think.

One thought I had after completing these readings was about innovation itself. What is innovation? To me, innovation is developing a new concept or product that fulfills an intrinsic need or want that people didn’t realize was a need or want until they experienced the new concept or product. Take the general masses use of the web, for instance. I doubt ordinary people in the early 20^th century were upset at the lack of opportunity to access endless amounts of information via an electronic system. Yet, the web as we know it today did not create that desire within us. The web is rather a symptom of that desire. Baym (p. 47) notes a similar point made by readers of Ann Landers and Dear Abby.

What about violence? We can trace murder back all the way back to the beginning of time, when Cain killed Able. It’s true that guns enhance the ability to commit murder (and I’m all for regulation on a personal note). But guns don’t make us violent. Violence will never go away. The same point can be made about CMC and our use of it. The evolution of enhanced technology is an evitable course that will continue to magnify our desires, needs, wants and human nature.

Meanwhile, as discussed in the Herring article, some aspects of modern technology and CMC  have become ordinary and mundane in their use. Email and texting are prime examples. They clearly fulfill a text-based communication need. Herring noted that “the robust popularity of, for example, email over the past 30 years suggests that it satisfies some important communicative needs.”

Yet, despite some of the benefits of CMC, like efficient communication, closing the gender gap, information at our fingertips, there are also many aspects of CMC that have caused users to fear it. Some of these negative forces include loss of personal privacy, online harassment, spamming, excess noise (which leads to de-valued content), addiction, etc. Again, though, are these qualities caused by CMC, or symptoms of human nature and how we choose to use CMC? It certainly begs the question.

I think Herring is correct to note that CMC has become more of a practical necessity than an object of fascination. The same can be said about most new inventions and technology advancements. We adjust our use of these technologies over time and integrate the parts that satisfy the most pressing needs into our everyday lives. Then they become mundane, and we move our attention to what’s new. As for research, Herring makes a good point about the cycle I just talked about. Researches would be well suited to “take a step back from the parade of passing technologies and consider more deeply the question of what determines people’s use of mediated communication (p. 34).

According to Horrigan’s research, I am what the kids call a Digital Collaborator. In essence, a Digital Collaborator is someone using the internet on a regular basis to not only share his thoughts, but also his craft. In Horrigan’s words, “Using blogs and other content-creation applications, they collaborate with others online to express themselves creatively.”

In completing the survey, I took into account that I have, on occasion, used the internet as a means to share various pieces of art and writing with my social network. But, I believe that it would be inaccurate to say that I use the internet primarily as a medium for creative expression. Although I have recently begun exploring the many exciting opportunities the internet offers for building a portfolio and personal brand ―particularly from the perspective of a designer ― I currently occupy the role of a consumer more than that of a producer. Honestly, I would very much like to be a Digital Collaborator. However, I’m probably more of an Ambivalent Networker. So, while I appreciate Horrigan’s vote of confidence, I’m not quite there yet.

After taking the quiz, I found myself to be a Digital Collaborator. According to Horrigan, this makes up 8% of the adult population, consisting of mainly men, in their late 30’s who are well-educated and well-off (Horrigan 6). As most of these statistics do not portray my identity, the description of a “Digital Collaborator” seems to sum up my perspective on my own technological interests, in part. The other part of my technological interests, in my opinions, places me under the category of a “Roving Node.” Horrigan states to “picture a Roving Node as a woman in her late 30s who is rarely without her smart phone, often using it to chat, but also checking email or fielding a text message (Horrigan 10). I do not fit in the age description, but sometimes in other aspects of my life, I feel like that age would better fit my outlet on life.

Getting back to being a Digital Collaborator, I truly do use ICTs to help connect with friends, coworkers, and family in various ways. As a manager of a restaurant, I use the Internet to create and display schedules, messages, and regulations which are used throughout many many people within the restaurant. I also am “heavily engaged with digital content – consuming it, but also sharing it with others and using it as a means for expression (Horrigan 27). I use social networks such as Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest to do many of these sharing thoughts, creations, and ideas.

On the Roving Node side of my technological outlook, I use my cellular device for many of my electronic needs. I mainly text and email on my phone and would be lost without these two basic applications I use so often. Since I am so reliant on all of my ICTs for retrieving information, as well communicating, “it is no surprise that Roving Nodes would find it hard to do without them (Horrigan 53).

Being a combination of these two profiles, I feel like I overall have a good sense of technology. At the same time, I understand those who do not grasp these technological advances and am always patient with them, striving to boost their knowledge and show them that it is okay to be semi-dependent to your ICTs. If we all were on the same page with technology and all it can bring to us, we would live in a very technologically-based world. Sometimes it is okay to take a break from all of the devices and dependency we all seem to have within some degree.

According to the study, I am an “ambivalent networker”.  Ambivalent networkers make up 7% of the adult population. They are described as “adults heavily use mobile devices to connect with others and entertain themselves, but they don’t always like it when the cell phone rings” (Horrigan, 2009). I do not quite fit the demographic type. In the report it says the demographic is “primarily male (60%), they are young (late 20s) and ethnically diverse” (Horrigan, 2009). I am obviously a female and in my early twenties and I am definitely not ethnically diverse. However, I do fit this type perfectly. Ambivalent networkers are said to be avid texters. I text probably more than I call. Most of my friends usually just text me if they want to check in with me or see how I am doing. Usually, the only time I get phone calls is when it is something important. I can be having a casual conversation and send 3 page texts depending on what the topic is. I always hate it when my phone goes dead when I am out somewhere, especially if I am talking to someone important. I do have my days when I kind of take a break from my phone and internet to just relax and read  a book. When I have these days, I don’t text anybody back or answer calls because I am just in one of those solitary moods where I don’t want to deal with anyone. One side of it is that I love my phone and other technology, but I also think its good to take breaks from it.

After taking the quiz I found out I was an Ambivalent Networker. Part of the description for this user type is that they rely a lot on mobile devices to connect socially with others and to entertain themselves. I agree with most of the description. I do highly rely on the internet, and especially now that I have all online classes. I do most of my payments for my bills online because of the convenience, and the few dollars that I save from gas and from paying a third party to send my bill, or for a money order. I also agree that it does help to stay in contact with family in friends. Especially when you have a huge family, but it is in another country. I only get to see them once a year, so social media makes it so much easier to keep up with what everyone is doing during the year. I think, another thing that this user type accurately describes me in is in that even though I rely so much on the internet, and get online several times a day, sometimes, I believe it is good to take a break from it. I go through phases where I can go weeks without checking my facebook or email, and then there are times where I check it every day. It is good to know other type of users, as well, because everyone is not the same, and every one does not have the same kind of wants and needs from the internet.

My user type is “Digital Collaborator”.  According to Horrigan a digital collaborator is one who engages in a wide variety of online activities and has uses the internet quite frequently. In addition a digital collaborator is also someone who most likely shares thier ideas or works of art online. They also participate in online groups such as forums or blogs and  only make up 8% of internet users. I would say the description fits for the most part I do create and share work on the internet, however not as much as other digital collaborators. I would also say that I am a media mover. I loving finding new media and sharing it with friends. However the digital collaborator seems to sum up my internet lifestyle a lot stronger. I think it is important to know the different types of users because who can find people like yourself as well as others who are not like you. For example you might be a collaborator and someone is a mobile newbie or an off the network looking to create something on the web for the first time. You could provide your knowledge to assist those less skilled.

Hello my name is Adam Knych.  I am a senior communications major with a concentration in film and video production and a minor in history. I aslo have an  AAS Degree in graphic design. I spend a lot of time with various mediums of technology, especially the internet. Last semester i took the media 2.0 class with Dr. Markman and learned a lot while having fun. I look forward to another interesting semester.