Module 4-Second Life

Dr. Thornburg states that a disruptive technology is a “new technology that surfaces without any warning, does the same thing as another technology but more efficiently, and changes things in the process (Laureate Education, Inc, 2011).” Second Life is a mass multi-player universe, 3-D online virtual world where avatars do the things that real people do in real life. It  was created by San Francisco-based software maker Linden Labs and was founded by Philip Rosedale. It is created by membership in which the members get an identity as an avatar and take up residence. The avatar moves from place to place by using the mouse and some of the keyboard buttons. Second Life is a place the avatar can connect, shop, work, explore, change your look, find love or romance, free your mind buy property, start businesses, play games, create objects, join clubs, attend classes, or hang out. It also includes sound such as the wind blowing, brooks flowing, audible conversation, and built in chatting as well as instant messaging. Second Life is a disruptive technology because it was built to mirror the Internet.

Second Life replaces social interaction websites because it has so many ways for people to meet, talk, interact and find and meet new people. It will replace traditional face to face instruction, some online virtual games, training and workshops for businesses, and virtual zoos, museums and tours. Second Life provide its members or residents everything that they would need out in the real world such as schools, jobs, social activities, stores, parks and zoos.

It does seem that in the near future Second Life will be replaced by other technology such as OpenSim World. According to Schonfield, “browser-based virtual worlds (Google Lively) and client-based world (Like Worlds of Warcraft) are technologies that will soon replace Second Life (Schonfield, 2008).” Also, there is the possibility of a technology emerging that lets the actual member or resident visit Second Life as themselves.

Second Life allows people to interact socially and economically. They can interact and communicate by textual chat, verbal communication, meeting people in dance clubs, and joining in with people with the same interest as well as interacting on their jobs. Second Life provides shopping which is a way that some people like to get together and socialize with other people.

References

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2011). Disruptive technology. Baltimore,

MD: Author

Schonfield, E. (2008). Philip Rosedale doesn't see browser-based virtual worlds as a

threat to second life. is he in denial? Retrieved from

http://techcrunch.com/2008/07/31/philip-rosedale-doesnt-see-browser-based-virtual-worlds-as-a-threat-to-second-life-is-he-in-denial/

 

ScienceDaily. (2008). Science news second life improves real-life social skills.

Retrieved from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080717210838.htm

Module 3 Rhymes of History

Rhymes of History

Dr. Thornburg defines the rhymes of history as “the impact of a new development or technology that rekindles something from the distant past (Laureate Education Inc., 2009).” What this means is that the technology actually goes through a stage in history and repeats a previous technology. 

A technology that is a rhyme of history is the cell phone. The cell phone emerged in “1973 when Dr. Martin Cooper made the first call on a handheld cell phone (Cell Phones.Org., 2008). The cell phone has changed the way people communicate with each other and not just on the national level but on a global level. This technology emerged as a mobile phone that was used mainly by business people or rich people. It rekindles the various forms of communication that people used in the past which are by drawings on cave walls, the alphabets, face to face, telegraphs, Pony Express, postal service, western union and landline telephones.

Over the years cell phones have changed in size as well as price. Today, cell phones are used by people everywhere and of all ages. People use them to talk to each other as well as to use other features such as voicemail, email, social networking or social beat, and text messaging. For some people cell phones have replaced landline telephones, this is because cell phones can be used on the go and it is wireless.

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References:

Cell phones.org. (2008). Cell phone history. Retrieved from

http://cellphones.org/cell-phone-history.html

Laureate Education Inc. (2009). Rhymes of history. Baltimore, MD: Author