Metallica SUCKS

- As far as downloading music that is from a major label artist, I can't say I have much experience personally. Occasionally I will download a catchy pop song, however I feel like most people who listen to "pop" music will actually buy the album because they want to have the lyrics and band art that comes along with buying a CD. However, I truly feel like it is okay to steal money from those who have plenty to spread around. Typically mainstream artists make most of their money from concerts and sponsorships from huge corporations (ex: Brittney Spears selling her body to Pepsi Cola for advertising purposed) therefore they aren't even losing much money from the albums themselves. Additionally, the mainstream record industry really has the R&D and resources available to figure out a way to restructure the business model. If the record industry decides not to figure out a way to make records free its their own fault for losing money and not conforming to societies approach to get their music.

- Personally I do download (illegally) a great deal of music from independent artists who do not use a major label to distribute their music. My thinking is that most of these artists (who have way less money than major labels) actually have figured out how to survive selling their music without having their income coming from selling the actual CD or vinyl. I would be shocked to find out about an artist that is actually against music sharing online. (Ex: Sufjan Stevens, Radio Head Etc....)

- If the issue at hand is downloading a song I already own, I really don't think there is any problem with that. How could an artist complain about you "stealing" their music if you've ACTUALLY already purchased it. In addition, downloads can actually help an artist get their name out there. If a great deal of people are downloading their music online then they can get an idea of how popular a song is and how successful they have been in promoting their album.

- So I believe shop lifting is an entirely different issue. Its not a matter of your hurting the artist and whether they make the money (because if the store has already purchased the album then the band has already been paid) but rather the store that is selling the music and whether THEY have been paid. Its apples to oranges I believe when comparing stealing music online and stealing music in a store.

- As I pointed out above I don't think stealing music for any reason is wrong. The artist needs to figure out how to make money besides selling reocrds and use the method of downloading illegal music as a way promote the album. I definitely have found that I like a band so much from listening online that I will go to a store and buy the CD.

- Once again, as above I think that giving a CD to a friend is not a big deal. Its a way of artist promotion, and I believe that really the best way to learn about a band is through word of mouth. MTV is dead and most of the best music I have stumbled upon and have become excited about (enough to purchase other things from the band EX. concert tickets / t shirts etc...) is stuff that friends have burned for me.

- Same answer as above. Sharing music with friends is today is the best music model for promotion of an artist.

- See above....

/./......

Writing Assignment #5

1.
1. 1011: 8+2+1=11
2. 101010: 32+8+2=42
3. 11111: 16+8+4+2+1=31
4. 10010: 16+2=18

2.
1. 31: 31-16=15-8=7-4=3-2=1-1=0, 11111
2. 51: 51-32=19-16=3-2=1-1=0, 110011
3. 7: 7-4=3-2=1-1=0, 111
4. 103: 103-64=39-32=7-4=3-2=1-1=0, 1100111

3.
1. 1KB/s = .125 KB/s -----> 56 KB/s = 7 KB/s -----> 100,000 KB/7KB/s = 3.97 Hours
2. 1MB/s = .125 MB/s -----> 5 MB/s = .625 MB/s -----> 100 MB/.625MB/s = 2.66 Minutes
3. 1MB/s = .125 MB/s -----> 10 MB/s = 1.25 MB/s -----> 100 MB/1.25MB/s = 80 Seconds

4. 3 MB/s = .325 MB/s -----> ?/.375 MB/s x 3600 Seconds = 1350 MB / 60 MB = 22.5 Mp3s

For good or for worse...?

The Internet is arguably one of the most revolutionary and disruptive inventions of the 20th century. It has dramatically changed how we lead our lives, both for good and for ill. Even in the last 10 years, it's radically changed the world.

Think about your life when you started high school as compared to now. What's an example of a way in which Internet technology has changed your life for the better?

What's an example of a way in which Internet technology has changed your life for the worse?





I believe that the revolution in Internet technology (of the past 10 years) has been arguably the most important for younger generations experiencing these changes in both school and the economy that holds their future. Growing up during this era has been a great advantage to people of my generation. I believe we the first generation (let alone people) that didn't need to "learn" how to use a computer. We didn't need to read a book, or take classes on internet technology. Growing up in an age of blossoming internet technology, we learned our way around the net faster than our parents, teachers, or some scholars knew how. For example, my sister's generation that graduated college in 2000 still calls their younger brother for tech help over the phone when MS Word is acting funny, or they don't know how to set up a web site that their employer has assigned them to do. However the difference in my generation and my any other prior, is that its not only the tech geeks like me that know how to do this stuff. For most part, everybody who graduated high school in 2006 or later knows how to set up a webpage, knows how to use the internet and databases for research in academic writing, and even knows basic HTML. This is something arguably, that the entire generation or three or four years prior are less versed on.

Therefore expanding on this idea, my generation is at great advantage when it comes to the skills usable in the work force. We have a "one up" for any job that even remotely uses technology (which is almost ever job now) if we are competing with someone 10 years older. In fact, many employers now hire on the basis of age alone (even though it's illegal in most states) because they know that my generation knows their way around a computer and the internet.

However with that advantage in the workforce, my generation also has been expected by their employers to have greater responsibility and work harder, longer, and faster than ever before. It is true that the internet has made us a more efficient society, however we have almost become obsessed as a workforce to stay efficient all of the time. For example, we use our blackberries on the way to and from work for work, we take calls on our cell phone for work even when we aren't on duty, and because being on the web makes doing tasks that much faster (opposed to doing things by hand) we are expected to produce more in a shorter period of time.

More about me...

I figured I'd add more to this posting as my first post had less content about my myself than I anticipated.

I am a sophomore at USF studying Communication and living in Phelan. I came to USF over a year ago, not knowing what I wanted to do for academic study, and quickly re-found a passion I had in working PR for non-profit. Although as time goes on I'm seeing myself less and less likely to work in the non-profit sector (for a multitude of reasons, pay being the biggest) I still hold a passion for PR and want to help make change in the world. Right now I am interning at the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition and hope to help them make a difference with biking and biker rights on San Francisco streets until my internship is over in late summer.

On a more personal note, I have developed a recent hobby for photography, especially event photography. My best friend Deniz and I shoot for (www.soitgoessf.com) and cover house parties, people on the street, and clubs throughout the city. I find that capturing human response is far more fulfilling than say, a sunset or landscape, that can seem jaded after only a few shots. Human reaction is always changing, and typically not often replicated. In a sense, almost every new photo become an original photo. However, on top of doing event photography I have been experimenting with open shutter photography. Here are a few examples of what I've done....

I am hoping that in this class I can learn more tools to help me with my creative work. I know that graphic designers and web designers do have different priorities in web creation, but that knowledge together makes for more productivity and a better final product. Therefore, I am excited as to what this class and its projects has in store and am intrigued to find out how it will effect my own work...

About Me

My name is Joe Montana. I'm totally pumped to take robots, python, and computing this semester. I do have some background experience in basic HTML and flash animation. I am a Communication Studies Major with my emphasis in PR and Advertising, but look forward to expand my knowledge on computing for that field.