Communications Technology

When i was playing online games I probably knew as many people through the internet as i did in reality. Well 'knew' is a kind of vague term when you know people through the internet because there is always the chance that people could be spouting bull shit. Although someone who I had played with for about 6 years sent me a postcard when he was in Mexico. Certainly felt like i knew him alot more in reality by using an old communication technology.

I used voice programs like Ventrillo, Teamspeak and a bit later on Skype. I think theres alot more of a personally feeling when your actually hearing someones voice and its not just pixels on a screen.

I used talking programs for about 6 years but now its only to talk to people I know, mainly when i don't want to for a phone call. One advantage i have noticed about communication technologies today is that I really haven't lost contact with anyone that I didn't want to lose contact with. You hear teachers and parents saying you won't see a third of your friends after you finished school but they never had the opportunity to communicate the way we do.

What influenced me to use certain technology was simply because the people i wanted to talk to used them and I would imagine it would be the same for them. It really only takes one person to join something out of curiosity, from there in its just a chain of inviting people to it.

Any person who says new communication technologies are a privacy problem would probably be the same sort of person who blames McDonald's for their obesity. The only things that go out are what you put it. There are nearly always options to put online profiles on private or invite only, so I don't see how someone could invade your privacy. I personally have my Myspace for everyone to view but I don't exactly post my full name and address on their.

I suppose the only problem with privacy and communications technology is the fact that my mobile number is in the phone book, there for, in the yellow pages my mobile number can be matched up with my address. But once again if they don't know my surname that would take a long time.

Till next week...