CROSS-POSTED WITH MY BLOG POST ASSIGNMENT FOR COMM 2450...
I wasn’t surprised by the amount and kinds of information Google has on me. I also wasn’t surprised that Google announced the Dashboard feature, which Google claims is an attempt to be transparent and to give the user “choice and control” over users’ own data. The only thing that surprised me was how long it took. Google Dashboard went live on November 05, 2009, many, many months after Google’s control over the flow of information and advertising has been challenged by users and technology industry analysts.
Google’s attempt to become transparent will benefit users to be sure, but this merely leads naïve users (not in the technical sense)—which is, unfortunately, the bulk of its user—to believe in a sense of control, and that the mere presence of this control results in users willing to give up even more information to the Almighty Google. In other words, because users believe they control their own information, it is perceived to be safer to use more of Google’s services and inadvertently provide Google with even more information. “I can quit anytime,” as an addict might say.
I have had a Google Account since the Gmail beta days, with my earliest Google e-mail dating 07/10/2004. Checking my Google Dashboard, I see that Google has a ton of information on me: 2 analytics accounts over 3 website profiles, 152 contacts entries, 1 blog, 2 calendars, 132 documents, 17185 e-mail messages at 3485 MB (47% of the quota). 15 Picasa web albums, 6415 shared items in Google Reader, 321 Gmail Task Items, 112 Google Voice calls, 308 Google Wave messages, and 22542 total Google searches.
Ironically, even though I have much of my digital life embedded and integrated with many of Google services, I am known to be very critical of Google among my circle of friends. I would argue that it is important for us, as users, to know what we are getting ourselves into and what exactly we are blithely handing over to Google on a daily basis. If we agree that the benefits outweigh the risk in both the short and long term, then we can use Google. Google hasn’t been about search since the beginning, but the first thing that comes to mind when people say “Google” is search. Instead, Google is fostering new media for online advertising, whether through e-mail, searches, calendars, blogs, or profiles. Advertising is its cash cow, and there are many ways and services in which Google implements it. We need to understand this, and not just use whatever happens to be popular and free. (Yes, I am a hypocrite.)
Weather Widgets Galore
I haven't changed my Dashboard in so long now. I'm looking at it now, and I find that 6 out of 11 of my widgets are related to the weather. I do not know why I am obsessed about knowing the weather.I am trying to build an intuition for temperature in Celsius instead of Fahrenheit just because it is fun.
What are some of the cool widgets I am missing out on? Let me know!
New Season, New USuMBS Banner
Although I loved my previous USuMBS banner that has been up since the cold months of last spring, I am updating the website with a photo I had taken a few years ago, during my Winter Break trip to Taiwan.The beef noodle bowl at its best.
Daily Revelations: Technology
"Yo, Kevin. Why do you have so many devices?" asked one of my housemates last week.
Quick answers are, I don't know, and, I am a hypocrite.
I am a firm believer that technology makes life more complicated and tense. We put up with the added stress because of a misplaced feeling of self-importance and a desire to own shiny devices. In the end, life is more complicated with cell phones and other mobile devices, and the supposed added benefit they offer in our lives is suspect.
Like I said... I am a hypocrite.
Quick answers are, I don't know, and, I am a hypocrite.
I am a firm believer that technology makes life more complicated and tense. We put up with the added stress because of a misplaced feeling of self-importance and a desire to own shiny devices. In the end, life is more complicated with cell phones and other mobile devices, and the supposed added benefit they offer in our lives is suspect.
Like I said... I am a hypocrite.
Teh
I have experienced emotional and mental awakenings over the past few days, in more than one instance. I was forced to return to what I'd like to call my bible of sorts, the Dao De Jing (Tao Teh Ching as it is transliterated in my own copy, from Shambhala Library). I do not have a literal interpretation of "religious" texts (because doing so would be ridiculous!). Instead, I read for spiritual support, and after reading through all 81 verses in the text, several struck a chord, notably:
30.
44.
30.
He who knows how to guide a ruler in the path of Tao
Does not try to override the world with force of arms.
It is in the nature of a military weapon to turn against its wielder.
Wherever armies are stationed, thorny bushes grow.
After a great war, bad years invariably follow.
What you want is to protect efficiently your own state,
But not to aim at self-aggrandisement.
After you have attained your purpose,
You must not parade your success,
You must not boast of your ability,
You must not feel proud,
You must rather regret that you had not been able to prevent the war.
You must never think of conquering others by force.
For to be over-developed is to hasten decay,
And this is against Tao,
And what is against Tao will soon cease to be.
44.
As for your name and your body, which is the dearer?
As for your body and your wealth, which is the more to be prized?
As for gain and loss, which is the more painful?
Thus, an excessive love for anything will cost your dear in the end.
The storing up of too much goods will entail a heavy loss.
To know when you have enough is to be immune from disgrace.
To know when you stop is to be preserved from perils.
Only thus can you endure long.