Andrew J. Darcy
Reading #2
“Can Wikipedia Ever Make The Grade?”
By: Brock Read
10/27/06
This article consisted of an academic study and use of the ever so popular Wikipedia by Alexander M.C. Halavais. Wikipedia is an open-ended encyclopedia that anyone can contribute to, even if the information may even be wrong. To try and catch this error, they have hired editors that are constantly pillaging through the information to try to find some factuality in the statements that people are adding to the already humongous encyclopedia. He attempted to undermine the amateur editors by giving himself a false name and added thirteen errors to certain articles throughout the website. To his surprise, his false posts were rectified within three hours of the posting; additionally, he was later asked by their editing crew to quit adding such false statements in the future. Despite this quick fix by their editors, Wikipedia still stands up for great debate about the viability of using it in for an academic paper or any paper for that matter because of the ease of adding information to the website even without expertise on the certain subject matter that you are posting to. The credibility of Wikipedia was almost proven to be a viable option for information in a recent study because of how the facts for the most part lined up with that of Encyclopedia Britannica.
Wikipedia is currently straddling a fine line with getting respect when it comes to conveying credible information. However, this highly debated website will never find its place in an academic paper because people will always enjoying toying with the minds of others for the mere pleasure of proving how this website is flawed. Information through this website is great and makes for an easy way of knowledge acquisition. I feel though that it should be left for scholars to make additions to the website and not the “average Joe” because of the mere fact that one of Wikipedia’s editors may miss a fact that someone believes whole heartedly to be true. Even though it is almost up to par with Encyclopedia Britannica, it is not and should not be used when writing an academic paper. Technology has made this website a great site for some basic background of a general subject, but everyone should be aware that what they may be reading maybe has not been caught by one of Wikipedia’s amateur editors due to the fact of how many posts are made each day.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Andrew Darcy
Assigned Reading
January 24, 2009
“Web Hoaxes, Counterfeit Sites, and other Spurious Information on the Internet”
Author: Paul S. Piper
This article was one that opened up the eyes to many about the serious problem that arises as we increase in our dependence of technology. People surfing around the web in hopes of finding information that is credible, are finding it increasingly more difficult to do so because of the “savvy” of many people who manipulate the internet in many different and complex ways. These range from hoaxes that are for the public’s mere pleasure, all the way to sites that are aimed at duping the reader into donating money to a non-credible and heinous site. Throughout the article there are many ways that people trick the end user and about how their have been many actions to try to prohibit this from occurring. However, these groups that are formed to exacerbate this increasingly disastrous problem are unable to plunder through every website online to see which ones are credible and which ones are not. This article does a great job explaining about where to go if one feels if a site is not valid and also ways to check to make sure that what a reader is reading is in actuality something of legitimate substance.
Information is currently being conveyed to populations at a speed that no one could have ever predicted twenty years ago. This just shows one side to the story about how information and the internet has increased one’s knowledge of the outside world, but has also led people like myself to think critically about what I am reading because of the ease of manipulating data to make it seem like a reliable source. This article opened up my mind and I am sure others, about how to try to maneuver around a website to check its validity. Additionally, it will also make people think more critically about what they are reading on the web whether it is something humorous or something as serious as political propaganda.
Assigned Reading
January 24, 2009
“Web Hoaxes, Counterfeit Sites, and other Spurious Information on the Internet”
Author: Paul S. Piper
This article was one that opened up the eyes to many about the serious problem that arises as we increase in our dependence of technology. People surfing around the web in hopes of finding information that is credible, are finding it increasingly more difficult to do so because of the “savvy” of many people who manipulate the internet in many different and complex ways. These range from hoaxes that are for the public’s mere pleasure, all the way to sites that are aimed at duping the reader into donating money to a non-credible and heinous site. Throughout the article there are many ways that people trick the end user and about how their have been many actions to try to prohibit this from occurring. However, these groups that are formed to exacerbate this increasingly disastrous problem are unable to plunder through every website online to see which ones are credible and which ones are not. This article does a great job explaining about where to go if one feels if a site is not valid and also ways to check to make sure that what a reader is reading is in actuality something of legitimate substance.
Information is currently being conveyed to populations at a speed that no one could have ever predicted twenty years ago. This just shows one side to the story about how information and the internet has increased one’s knowledge of the outside world, but has also led people like myself to think critically about what I am reading because of the ease of manipulating data to make it seem like a reliable source. This article opened up my mind and I am sure others, about how to try to maneuver around a website to check its validity. Additionally, it will also make people think more critically about what they are reading on the web whether it is something humorous or something as serious as political propaganda.
Friday, January 16, 2009
An Online Farmers Market (Assignment 1 News Report)
News Report #1
Andrew J. Darcy
An Online Farmers Market
By: Claire Cain Miller; New York Times
1/16/09
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/16/an-online-farmers-market/
The current trend in the local food market is to try to buy the freshest of produce. This urge is usually satisfied by our local farmers, but with technology this idea can be expanded to include farmers across the entire United States! Foodzie is now giving us ample options when it comes to selecting the freshest ingredients and gives their customers the choice of any produce that they can fathom. Through this technology they claim that they are opening up the local food industry to over 97% of people who are currently unable to take advantage of certain kinds of produce. Foodzie is creating a way for the “small farmer” to generate increased sales from unknown buyers in a more efficient manner that satisfies both the producers and the end users needs. This company is an upscale version of the already popular Etsy and is set up by producers making their own virtual storefront to display the goods that they are selling. Unlike Etsy, Foodzie is taking the initiative and acting as the middleman in all of the transactions. They are doing so by connecting buyers and sellers to make for a more efficient market place where people can find what they are looking for. While still small and growing they feel that the economy will not hurt their chances right now because of the popularity of the public’s opinion on local and fresh produce.
I believe this is a phenomenal idea and a great way to integrate technology with the down home feel of buying fresh produce. This is a great way to get the best of fruits and vegetables without going to the grocery store with their artificially increased prices. This use of technology will help the local farmers across the entire United States, but will also help the consumer in purchasing food that is not only good for them, but also the freshest possible. It is truly amazing how people can use technology to think outside of the box and to get something to the people that the people would really enjoy. Without technology there would be no way for these farmers to get their products to the end user in different states and probably in different areas within the state. This is a great website and through the use of technology, I believe this will benefit the “average Joe farmer” and the rest of us who are always looking for the freshest of foods.
Andrew J. Darcy
An Online Farmers Market
By: Claire Cain Miller; New York Times
1/16/09
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/16/an-online-farmers-market/
The current trend in the local food market is to try to buy the freshest of produce. This urge is usually satisfied by our local farmers, but with technology this idea can be expanded to include farmers across the entire United States! Foodzie is now giving us ample options when it comes to selecting the freshest ingredients and gives their customers the choice of any produce that they can fathom. Through this technology they claim that they are opening up the local food industry to over 97% of people who are currently unable to take advantage of certain kinds of produce. Foodzie is creating a way for the “small farmer” to generate increased sales from unknown buyers in a more efficient manner that satisfies both the producers and the end users needs. This company is an upscale version of the already popular Etsy and is set up by producers making their own virtual storefront to display the goods that they are selling. Unlike Etsy, Foodzie is taking the initiative and acting as the middleman in all of the transactions. They are doing so by connecting buyers and sellers to make for a more efficient market place where people can find what they are looking for. While still small and growing they feel that the economy will not hurt their chances right now because of the popularity of the public’s opinion on local and fresh produce.
I believe this is a phenomenal idea and a great way to integrate technology with the down home feel of buying fresh produce. This is a great way to get the best of fruits and vegetables without going to the grocery store with their artificially increased prices. This use of technology will help the local farmers across the entire United States, but will also help the consumer in purchasing food that is not only good for them, but also the freshest possible. It is truly amazing how people can use technology to think outside of the box and to get something to the people that the people would really enjoy. Without technology there would be no way for these farmers to get their products to the end user in different states and probably in different areas within the state. This is a great website and through the use of technology, I believe this will benefit the “average Joe farmer” and the rest of us who are always looking for the freshest of foods.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
My first post
My name is Andrew Darcy and I am currently a senior at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. I am amped to be in lib 103!!!!!!!!
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