writing

Computer Game Stamps

The French postal service has introduced new postage stamps portraying computer game characters. The set of 10 stamps is already available and features:
Nintendo character Legend of Zelda’s Link (in Twilight Princess guise),
Nintendo’s Mario,
Namco’s Pac-Man,
Ubisoft’s Prince of Persia and Rayman,
Core Design/Eidos’ Tomb Raider lead Lara Croft,
Insomniac and Vivendi’s Spyro the Dragon,
Nintendo’s Donkey Kong (the modern version, rather than the classic adversary),
Two Sims from Maxis and Electronic Arts’ The Sims.
Adibou the star of a French computer game.

Check them out at http://timbres.laposte.fr/eng search for “Jeux Vidéo”

Posted on by mklang

CC & kulturproduktionens renässans

Snarare än löpande bandet är datorn ikonen för vÃ¥r tid, inte sällan framställd i hotfull dager. Men man bör ocksÃ¥ fÃ¥ upp ögonen för datorn som ett verktyg för människans kreativitet. Det menar Mathias Klang, forskare i informatik vid Göteborgs universitet, i kritik av myten om det konstnärliga skapandets originalitet och frikoppling frÃ¥n omgivningen. Han föresprÃ¥kar ett slags digitala allmänningar, “Creative Commons”.

Läs mer på VägValVänster

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Ethics in Internet

Its not often I get the chance to quote the Vatican but apparently they are for Free Software- Here is a quote from their “Ethics in Internet” report.

“The technological configuration underlying the Internet has a considerable bearing on its ethical aspects. Use of the new information technology and the Internet needs to be informed and guided by a resolute commitment to the practice of solidarity in the service of the common good. The Internet requires international cooperation in setting standards and establishing mechanisms to promote and protect [that common good]. Individuals, groups, and nations must have access to these new technologies. Cyberspace ought to be a resource of comprehensive information and services available without charge to all, and in a wide range of languages. The winner in this process will be humanity as a whole and not just a wealthy elite that controls science, technology, and the planet’s resources. Determined action in the private and public sectors is needed to close and eventually eliminate the digital divide.”

Ethics in Internet
Vatican Report

Posted on by mklang

Thesis update!

When the House of Commons Chamber was damaged by bombs in 1941 it was rebuilt exactly as it was. This was despite the fact that even then there were many flaws in the design of the Chamber, which is unsurprising since it had been the locus of English Parliament since the 16th century. Churchill (1951) was well aware of the importance of the decision not to take the opportunity to renew the design. Maintaining the oblong shape of the Chamber, as opposed to the more modern semicircle was a political as well as an architectural choice.

“Here is a very potent factor in our political life. The semicircular assembly, which appeals to political theorists, enables every individual or every group to move round the centre, adopting various shades of pink according as the weather changesâ?¦The party system is much favoured by the oblong form of chamber. It is easy for an individual to move through those insensible gradations from left to right, but the act of crossing the Floor is one which requires serious attention.” (Churchill 1951).

The purpose of this example above is to illustrate the main point of this thesis: The regulation of technology is the regulation of democracy. In the same way as the regulation of the physical space of the Chamber enhances and supports the traditional party system. This thesis will exemplify, discuss and analyse the democratic effects of the regulation of information and communications technology (ICT).

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Cultural Creation

I am begining to feel that that the process of writing is becoming a mechanical act – this may be good or bad but its definately not so much fun… or is it…

Today I am supposed to be finishing a piece on Online Censorship but ended writing a Swedish piece on creativity and law. Here is an excerpt:

    Med teknologins roll har människor i allt större utsträckning förvandlats från kulturkonsumenter till kulturproducenter. Vår samtids kulturdebatt har förändrats. Diskussioner om finkulturens vara eller inte vara har till viss del runnit ut i sanden. Tack vare teknologin har skapandets verktyg hamnat i nästan alla hem. Teknologin används flitigt till skapandet av musik, bilder, texter och konst. Genom att surfa ut över den svenskspråkiga delen av Internet ser man snabbt vilken otrolig produktion har tagit fart. Ibland känns det som om varje dator innehåller kulturuttryck i form halvskrivna romaner, avhandlingar, musik och konst i alla dess former. Möjligheten till kommunikation gör att traditionella publikationskanaler inte är nödvändiga. Dikter måste inte skickas till förläggare, vernissagen kan ske i virtuella rum och även den mest sparsmakade av musikintressen finns representerad i gemenskaper skapade av en fusion mellan människor och maskiner.

Meanwhile the sun is shining on what seems to be the last great day of the year. But I think I had better finish my piece on censorship…

Posted on by mklang

Shakespeare Insult-O-Matic

The BBC has kindly helped organise Shakesperian insults they also come with modern day translations for those of us who dont get it! Here are two examples:

You are as leaky as an unstanched wench.
The Tempest, Act 1, Scene 1

You are an ass head and a coxcomb, and a knave, a thin-faced knave, a gull.
Twelfth Night, Act 5, Scene 1

Posted on by mklang

Wow deadline!

Remember what was it Douglas Adams said about deadlines? “I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by” Unfortunately I can’t be as casual… My next deadline is a book chapter by Friday. I just handed in a draft of part of my thesis on Sunday – quick change: different focus different langauage… Lifes imitates blogs.

Here is the first paragraph

    Att vara människa är att delta i en komplex social interaktion men vi lever våra liv genom att delta i samhället inte genom att reflektera över den. Förtroende och tillit är så grundläggande beståndsdelar i våra liv att vi endast lägger märke till dem när systemfel inträffar. Att ta bussen till jobbet är en banal upplevelse inte sällan förknippad med tristess. Men för att vi ska kunna sitta där och uppleva tristessen krävs lager på lager av tillit till en mängd olika system. Vi utgår att bussbolaget har anlitat en förare som kan köra, är ansvarsfull, att bussen fungerar, att alla andra bilar i trafiken även denna dag tänker följa reglerna, att våra pengar kommer accepteras, att de andra på bussen följer god buss sed� Att som människa inte vara tillitsfull skulle vara ohållbart. Den tid vi sparar på att vara tillitsfulla gör att vi kan leva våra liv. Vår tillit har blivit en vana, vi reagerar nu endast om system inte fungerar. Vi blir irriterade när bussen inte följer tidtabellen eftersom vi har en förväntan att tidtabellen stämmer.

Posted on by mklang

How you do'in?

After spending Sunday working on the big T, I woke up early and read what I had written. Here is a small taste to show everyone/anyone the direction my mind has wandered off in…

    Adopting a decentralised view of regulation takes into consideration the complexity of interactions between social actors and social structures. Admitting to complexity entails a recognition that everything cannot be understood and that social interaction between actors and between actors and structures is in a state of constant development. Blackâ??s fragmentation refers to the fragmentation of control. In traditional regulatory theory the control element of command and control was taken for granted. However this is too great a simplification for the model to hold true. There exists a great knowledge and power asymmetry between the regulator and the regulated. The regulator cannot be knowledgeable in all fields and all things. The decentred approach therefore takes as its starting point that no one actor has the information necessary to resolve complex problems. This can be further problematised by the understanding that there can be no social objective knowledge since information is socially constructed (Berger & Luckman 1967). Within regulation this therefore means that social subgroups and systems such as law, administration or technology create their views of other systems through the distorting lens of their own reality. Therefore the information/knowledge one subsystem (such as law) has of another subsystem (such as technology) is the result of what the former system (law) has created with their own tools, experience and knowledge (Teubner 1993).


… so how you do’in?

Posted on by mklang

Ethicomp

Today is the first day of the Ethicomp conference. It is being held in Linköping over the next four days. Hopefully there will be many interesting discussions.

Posted on by mklang