Hey everyone
Well I guess that this is the last time I'll be seeing you since NCT has offically finished!!
It feels really good to know that I've finished my first course of my uni career.
I have learned so much in this class and i't making me see the world in a new kinda way - so thanks to everyone!!
That's all from me for now but who knows.. I might even start up my own blog after this :D
Till then :)
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Music Downloading
The concept of illegally reproducing music is not new. However, with the proliferation of advanced digital technologies available through the internet, it has become a major issue to those in the music industry. The arrival of peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing networks toward the end of the 20th century has led to issues surrounding copyright violation and intellectual property. Despite the presence of legitimate websites that protect copyright on the music they provide, it is not likely membership numbers will drop in P2P services. To combat the exploitation of music, a balance must be defined that both protects artists and provide for the desires of the consumer.
In order to understand the concept of music sharing through the internet, one has to recognise that there have long been concerns that music has been misused by the public. Those that find means to produce and distribute music for free encourage the commonly held notion of getting the maximum amount for the minimum cost. Among the first instances of home dealing dates back to the cassette. It was argued at the time that by recording songs off the radio to create ‘mixed tapes’, legitimate sales were adversely affected. The CD saw the beginning of music being digitally reproduced. Since the 1990s ‘burning’ [copying] music onto CDs has been popular; so much so, that the number-one selling CD in the United States in 2004 was “blank and recordable” (Kusek & Leonhard 2005: x). This evolution of ‘sharing’ music has led to the current phenomenon of sharing via the internet.
The end of the 1990s saw the introduction of file sharing services over the internet. Although sharing music files is not the only use of file sharing, this is the primary to many users. Among the first of these file sharing networks were Napster and Gnutella. Other networks include LimeWire, BearShare and KaZaA. Users access files on other connected hard-drives either through a central server (Napster-like) or directly through a peer-to-peer (P2P) network (Gnutella-like) (Brain 2008).
With the freedom that Napster, KaZaA and LimeWire provide to their users, it is often forgotten that it file-sharing is illegal. “The open environment of the internet and the culture that surrounds it is inconsistent with the idea that stealing is a tangible thing” (Murugiah 2006: 54). The copying of files unprotected by copyright laws diminishes the value of the intellectual property. Napster was the first to be brought to court for breaches of copyright infringement. It was found by a US federal District Court that the “swapping of files was not fair use [of music content]” (Casey 2004: 59). However, litigation against KaZaA-like providers is difficult as there is no central sever from which downloading/uploading occurs from and therefore no one person/persons are responsible (Reed 2004:100). Also, due to the rising member numbers of these networks, the music industry has felt the need to sue not only the service providers but individuals who have mass downloaded (Lehrer 2003). This process is already in use in the United States and it is has not been ruled out in other Western countries including Britain and Australia as the crackdown against P2P continues.
Despite the dominance of P2P, there are plenty of sites that offer legal music downloading. Pro-Music.org is an online organisation that encourages and directs users to legal sites from which provide music either streamed or downloadable. Sites listed in Australian include: iTunes, BigPond Music, NineMSN Music, and MP3.com.au (Pro-Music 2008). These sites operate on the pay-per-song system that offers users music at a cost less than a CD. However, encouraging the public to use these sites is difficult when compared to the ease of access and free cost of P2P file sharing.
One issue of debate is the impact that file sharing music will have on aspiring artists. According to the Australian Recording Industry Association (2005) “the biggest losers from internet file sharing are the upcoming artists because not paying for music means much less money to invest in them.” While this may be true, there are many new artists who self-promote by bypass the major record labels deliberately as a way of getting their material heard. On MySpace “there are more than 1.2 million rock acts and 1.7 million R&B acts alone clamouring for attention” (IFPI 2008: 13). The numbers for these two genres would be an indicator that digital music has had a massive impact to new acts and how they are discovered.
Currently, the two mainstream systems of downloading music are very much extremes. The system of copyright on which legal providers operate is somewhat restrictive when compared to the ‘free-for-all’ public domain of P2P. Creative Commons (cc), an online corporation, offer a balance between these two extremes with their “some rights reserved” copyright protection (cc). Creative Commons assert that “we work to offer creators a best-of-both-worlds way to protect their works while encouraging certain uses of them...” (cc). “Certain uses” allow the public to download, re-mix, re-create and re-post original material. This system of copyright is yet to be adopted by recording companies and many mainstream artists. A similar solution to providing legitimate music downloads is through issuing of voluntary collective licences similar to that of broadcast radio. The Electronic Frontier Foundation has openly supported this concept “that gets artists paid while making file sharing legal” (EFF 2008).
In theory, downloading music from the internet can be seen as ethical provided that the works are covered by some form of copyright. By making music available on the internet, the music industry is simply keeping up with technological advances. It would appear that no other industry has evolved with the influence of technology more than that of the music industry. The difficulty surrounding music downloading is encouraging consumers to use legal sites. However, this remains difficult due to competition with free P2P file sharing networks. An adoption of the values of Creative Commons in the mainstream will provide a balance between the artist’s rights and the public’s desire for free music. Until that becomes a norm, P2P networks will continue to be used so long as resources remain available.
References
ARIA - Australian Recording Industry Association Ltd, 2005, Internet File Sharing – Separating Myth from Reality, [Online] Accessed on 22 May, 2008 from < http://www.aria.com.au/pages/InternetFileSharing-TheMythsExplained.htm>
Brain, Marshall, 2008, How Guntella Works, [Online] Accessed 2 May 2008 from <http://comptuer.howstuffworks.com/file-sharing.html>
Casey, Eoghan, 2004, Digital Evidence and Computer Crime: Forensic Science, Compters and the Internet, Elsever Academic Press, London
Creative Commons, About, [Online] Accessed on 2 May 2008 from http://creativecommons.org/about/
Electronic Frontier Foundation, 2008, Voluntary Collective Licensing, [Online] Accessed 2 May 2008 from < http://www.eff.org/wp/better-way-forward-voluntary-collective-licensing-music-file-sharing>
IFPI, 2008, IFPI Digital Music Report 2008: Revolution Innovation Responsibility, Accessed on 2 May 2008 through <>
Lehrer, Jim, 2003, Downloading Music, [Online] Accessed on 2 May 2008 from <http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/law/july-dec03/music_9-09.html>
Kusek, David & Leonhard, Gerd, 2005, The Future of Music: Manifesto for the Digital Music Revolution, Breklee Press, Boston
Murugiah, Seravanen, 2006, The Debate of Music Downloading, unpublished B.A. (Masters) dissertation, Griffith University
Pro-Music, 2008, Australasia Online Music Stores, [Online] Accessed 30 April, 2008 from
Reed, Chris, 2004, Internet Law: Text and Materials, (Second Edition), University Press, Cambridge, pp 96-10
In order to understand the concept of music sharing through the internet, one has to recognise that there have long been concerns that music has been misused by the public. Those that find means to produce and distribute music for free encourage the commonly held notion of getting the maximum amount for the minimum cost. Among the first instances of home dealing dates back to the cassette. It was argued at the time that by recording songs off the radio to create ‘mixed tapes’, legitimate sales were adversely affected. The CD saw the beginning of music being digitally reproduced. Since the 1990s ‘burning’ [copying] music onto CDs has been popular; so much so, that the number-one selling CD in the United States in 2004 was “blank and recordable” (Kusek & Leonhard 2005: x). This evolution of ‘sharing’ music has led to the current phenomenon of sharing via the internet.
The end of the 1990s saw the introduction of file sharing services over the internet. Although sharing music files is not the only use of file sharing, this is the primary to many users. Among the first of these file sharing networks were Napster and Gnutella. Other networks include LimeWire, BearShare and KaZaA. Users access files on other connected hard-drives either through a central server (Napster-like) or directly through a peer-to-peer (P2P) network (Gnutella-like) (Brain 2008).
With the freedom that Napster, KaZaA and LimeWire provide to their users, it is often forgotten that it file-sharing is illegal. “The open environment of the internet and the culture that surrounds it is inconsistent with the idea that stealing is a tangible thing” (Murugiah 2006: 54). The copying of files unprotected by copyright laws diminishes the value of the intellectual property. Napster was the first to be brought to court for breaches of copyright infringement. It was found by a US federal District Court that the “swapping of files was not fair use [of music content]” (Casey 2004: 59). However, litigation against KaZaA-like providers is difficult as there is no central sever from which downloading/uploading occurs from and therefore no one person/persons are responsible (Reed 2004:100). Also, due to the rising member numbers of these networks, the music industry has felt the need to sue not only the service providers but individuals who have mass downloaded (Lehrer 2003). This process is already in use in the United States and it is has not been ruled out in other Western countries including Britain and Australia as the crackdown against P2P continues.
Despite the dominance of P2P, there are plenty of sites that offer legal music downloading. Pro-Music.org is an online organisation that encourages and directs users to legal sites from which provide music either streamed or downloadable. Sites listed in Australian include: iTunes, BigPond Music, NineMSN Music, and MP3.com.au (Pro-Music 2008). These sites operate on the pay-per-song system that offers users music at a cost less than a CD. However, encouraging the public to use these sites is difficult when compared to the ease of access and free cost of P2P file sharing.
One issue of debate is the impact that file sharing music will have on aspiring artists. According to the Australian Recording Industry Association (2005) “the biggest losers from internet file sharing are the upcoming artists because not paying for music means much less money to invest in them.” While this may be true, there are many new artists who self-promote by bypass the major record labels deliberately as a way of getting their material heard. On MySpace “there are more than 1.2 million rock acts and 1.7 million R&B acts alone clamouring for attention” (IFPI 2008: 13). The numbers for these two genres would be an indicator that digital music has had a massive impact to new acts and how they are discovered.
Currently, the two mainstream systems of downloading music are very much extremes. The system of copyright on which legal providers operate is somewhat restrictive when compared to the ‘free-for-all’ public domain of P2P. Creative Commons (cc), an online corporation, offer a balance between these two extremes with their “some rights reserved” copyright protection (cc). Creative Commons assert that “we work to offer creators a best-of-both-worlds way to protect their works while encouraging certain uses of them...” (cc). “Certain uses” allow the public to download, re-mix, re-create and re-post original material. This system of copyright is yet to be adopted by recording companies and many mainstream artists. A similar solution to providing legitimate music downloads is through issuing of voluntary collective licences similar to that of broadcast radio. The Electronic Frontier Foundation has openly supported this concept “that gets artists paid while making file sharing legal” (EFF 2008).
In theory, downloading music from the internet can be seen as ethical provided that the works are covered by some form of copyright. By making music available on the internet, the music industry is simply keeping up with technological advances. It would appear that no other industry has evolved with the influence of technology more than that of the music industry. The difficulty surrounding music downloading is encouraging consumers to use legal sites. However, this remains difficult due to competition with free P2P file sharing networks. An adoption of the values of Creative Commons in the mainstream will provide a balance between the artist’s rights and the public’s desire for free music. Until that becomes a norm, P2P networks will continue to be used so long as resources remain available.
References
ARIA - Australian Recording Industry Association Ltd, 2005, Internet File Sharing – Separating Myth from Reality, [Online] Accessed on 22 May, 2008 from < http://www.aria.com.au/pages/InternetFileSharing-TheMythsExplained.htm>
Brain, Marshall, 2008, How Guntella Works, [Online] Accessed 2 May 2008 from <http://comptuer.howstuffworks.com/file-sharing.html>
Casey, Eoghan, 2004, Digital Evidence and Computer Crime: Forensic Science, Compters and the Internet, Elsever Academic Press, London
Creative Commons, About, [Online] Accessed on 2 May 2008 from http://creativecommons.org/about/
Electronic Frontier Foundation, 2008, Voluntary Collective Licensing, [Online] Accessed 2 May 2008 from < http://www.eff.org/wp/better-way-forward-voluntary-collective-licensing-music-file-sharing>
IFPI, 2008, IFPI Digital Music Report 2008: Revolution Innovation Responsibility, Accessed on 2 May 2008 through <>
Lehrer, Jim, 2003, Downloading Music, [Online] Accessed on 2 May 2008 from <http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/law/july-dec03/music_9-09.html>
Kusek, David & Leonhard, Gerd, 2005, The Future of Music: Manifesto for the Digital Music Revolution, Breklee Press, Boston
Murugiah, Seravanen, 2006, The Debate of Music Downloading, unpublished B.A. (Masters) dissertation, Griffith University
Pro-Music, 2008, Australasia Online Music Stores, [Online] Accessed 30 April, 2008 from
Reed, Chris, 2004, Internet Law: Text and Materials, (Second Edition), University Press, Cambridge, pp 96-10
Monday, May 26, 2008
my essay topic
Hello
Ok so I probably should've put it up here a couple of weeks ago but I've been so swamped with other assignments. I don't like uni assignments. But I have another due at the end of this week for this subject. Don't worry, you'll be able to read the entire thing on here post 5pm this Friday.
But just to let you know what you'll be getting yourself into here is a brief overview of my topic: downloading music, Is it ethical?
Basically I'm saying that as a concept downloading is ok when it is paid for (i.e. iTunes or Bigpond). Then you have all your filesharing and peer-2-peer systems (like Limewire) that are illegal. Yes I am aware that everyone does it and I have to admit that I am do as well. So I am debating the legitimacy of music downloading by briefly looking at the forerunners, the authenticity of downloaded music, the controversial impact it has had on the industry and the advent of the filesharer.
Well that's all from me. It's not even 12 by the clock in the corner of the screen. Oh time is so slow when you don't want it to be. Good luck with your assignments and exams.
Till next time :)
Ok so I probably should've put it up here a couple of weeks ago but I've been so swamped with other assignments. I don't like uni assignments. But I have another due at the end of this week for this subject. Don't worry, you'll be able to read the entire thing on here post 5pm this Friday.
But just to let you know what you'll be getting yourself into here is a brief overview of my topic: downloading music, Is it ethical?
Basically I'm saying that as a concept downloading is ok when it is paid for (i.e. iTunes or Bigpond). Then you have all your filesharing and peer-2-peer systems (like Limewire) that are illegal. Yes I am aware that everyone does it and I have to admit that I am do as well. So I am debating the legitimacy of music downloading by briefly looking at the forerunners, the authenticity of downloaded music, the controversial impact it has had on the industry and the advent of the filesharer.
Well that's all from me. It's not even 12 by the clock in the corner of the screen. Oh time is so slow when you don't want it to be. Good luck with your assignments and exams.
Till next time :)
Monday, April 28, 2008
Yes, I know how to use Word...
Meh. Do you know how to Bold a word in Microsoft Word? Or use Italics? Geez, I've only been using them since I was 10 - I don't need to learn them in UNI.
Sorry for the rant. I'm still not feeling that great and am wishing I was laying in bed. But alas, I am here.
I can see where using mail merge might be useful but I probably won't need to us marcos. It was waaaay too easy. I've had to learn more advanced stuff on Excel for maths assignments. But yeah, thanks anyway.
And so the reward for doing the easy stuff is to download a virtual world and 'explore'. Yay...
Like I've said before, these kinda things really don't interest me.
Well I've given up. It takes forever to download and there's no one there anyway. I think I'll just stick to msn and myspace and email for virtual communication.
I think that's about it for this week. Till the week after next (Public holiday =))
Cya
Sorry for the rant. I'm still not feeling that great and am wishing I was laying in bed. But alas, I am here.
I can see where using mail merge might be useful but I probably won't need to us marcos. It was waaaay too easy. I've had to learn more advanced stuff on Excel for maths assignments. But yeah, thanks anyway.
And so the reward for doing the easy stuff is to download a virtual world and 'explore'. Yay...
Like I've said before, these kinda things really don't interest me.
Well I've given up. It takes forever to download and there's no one there anyway. I think I'll just stick to msn and myspace and email for virtual communication.
I think that's about it for this week. Till the week after next (Public holiday =))
Cya
Monday, April 14, 2008
Since when have I been an 'expert'?
Hi people
I feel kinda strange by pretending to be an expert on something. If anything, I'm just a sponge that absorbs a whole heap of info on everything from movie lines to how to write sentences. Actually, the only thing I would consider that I know a lot about would be random music trivia - but you can't type that into wikipedia expecting a result...I should know - I've tried.
And so now I'm trying to rack my brain for something that I know... and it's not working.
Ok I guess I could say that I've watched Toy Story waaaay too many times coz of my little brother's fasination with it when he was growing up; so much so that I can tell you the first scene word-for-word, sound effects included. I'm a sad, strange little person...
So how does wikipedia's article compare to my somewhat limited knowledge about it.
The article is really long - that surprised me at first but then I realised that someone has given a blow-by-blow acount of the entire movie. I can confidently say that the plot is correct. And from what I know, the rest of the info presented is accurate too - but don't quote me on that.
I think if you haven't seen the movie and you read the article you'd know pretty much everything plus more. It also has a trivia section for people like me who like to know the random details so I'm happy.
If this article is biased I'd like to meet the person who has it in for Disney; either that or they're employed by good ol' Walt. I think this article was written by someone who had waaay too much time on their hands and could probably quote the whole movie. The whole article is fairly positive and it's not like there's a section completely bagging out Buzz and Woody.
From what I've read, the Wikipedia article actually covers pretty much everything. It even clarifies specific terms for the non-softballer like "fouls" "strikeout" "infield".
It gives a pretty good explanation of the general terms and the rules and equipment so I'd have to say that I think it's fairly accurate.
It covers the basics and everything you'd need to know before putting on a helmet and attempting to hit a moving ball that's not soft at all (or watching someone else do it). At the same time it's kinda broadened what I know about the sport.
The whole tone is objective so there is no obvious bias. I think it is better structured than the Toy Story article and more in depth info.
It complies with the wikipedia guidelines from what I've read of them.
So there you go. You now know that I've seen Toy Story waay too many times and play softball and that wikipedia is pretty accurate on these topics. By the way - if you ever have to do an essay on the Cochabamba Water Crisis in Bolivia - use wikipedia.
Cya =)
I feel kinda strange by pretending to be an expert on something. If anything, I'm just a sponge that absorbs a whole heap of info on everything from movie lines to how to write sentences. Actually, the only thing I would consider that I know a lot about would be random music trivia - but you can't type that into wikipedia expecting a result...I should know - I've tried.
And so now I'm trying to rack my brain for something that I know... and it's not working.
Ok I guess I could say that I've watched Toy Story waaaay too many times coz of my little brother's fasination with it when he was growing up; so much so that I can tell you the first scene word-for-word, sound effects included. I'm a sad, strange little person...
So how does wikipedia's article compare to my somewhat limited knowledge about it.
The article is really long - that surprised me at first but then I realised that someone has given a blow-by-blow acount of the entire movie. I can confidently say that the plot is correct. And from what I know, the rest of the info presented is accurate too - but don't quote me on that.
I think if you haven't seen the movie and you read the article you'd know pretty much everything plus more. It also has a trivia section for people like me who like to know the random details so I'm happy.
If this article is biased I'd like to meet the person who has it in for Disney; either that or they're employed by good ol' Walt. I think this article was written by someone who had waaay too much time on their hands and could probably quote the whole movie. The whole article is fairly positive and it's not like there's a section completely bagging out Buzz and Woody.
My second topic for investigation is the game of softball
I've played and coached a lot of softball so I guess I know a bit about the rules, equipment and stuff like that.From what I've read, the Wikipedia article actually covers pretty much everything. It even clarifies specific terms for the non-softballer like "fouls" "strikeout" "infield".
It gives a pretty good explanation of the general terms and the rules and equipment so I'd have to say that I think it's fairly accurate.
It covers the basics and everything you'd need to know before putting on a helmet and attempting to hit a moving ball that's not soft at all (or watching someone else do it). At the same time it's kinda broadened what I know about the sport.
The whole tone is objective so there is no obvious bias. I think it is better structured than the Toy Story article and more in depth info.
It complies with the wikipedia guidelines from what I've read of them.
So there you go. You now know that I've seen Toy Story waay too many times and play softball and that wikipedia is pretty accurate on these topics. By the way - if you ever have to do an essay on the Cochabamba Water Crisis in Bolivia - use wikipedia.
Cya =)
Monday, April 7, 2008
Mr Benjiman goes to university
Hi everyone
I should start by saying that I really do like reading. In saying that it took me a while to get into Walter Benjiman's article on the...hang on I'll copy and past the title..."The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction". In other words I think he means "What happens to Art when we stick it in a photocopier". But that's just me and I doubt that Walt even knew what a photocopier is.
I think that if Walt were around today he'd immediatly freak at the mass reproduction of - well everything. To him the original was the be all and the end all. To me the copy is the closest I'll ever get. I think I kinda understand what he means when he says, "Everyday the urge grows stronger to get hold of an oject at very close range by way of its likeness, its reproduction."
For example, I'd never actually go searching for his article in a library catalogue so I can view the original. But the internet has somewhat replicated the article and I can read it the comfort of my own home.
I am also a massive fan of the mp3. Most of the artists I'll never actually get to see and therefore I can't see the original. To me the song file is an artwork. It's like a photograph of the Mona Lisa - just because it's in a photo does that make it any less of an artwork? In the Mr Bean movie where he distroys an original old painting and replaces it with a scale replica of it, no one notices the difference. So to them that had the same aura as the orginal otherwise they would've noticed.
Which leads onto the advant of Photoshop. Confession: I have NEVER used photoshop!! I know enough that it is used to merge pics together and edit photos etc. I think when used to create 'art' it is authentic. I say this because if it is an original idea a person - would it be so different if that person created that idea using a paintbrush and oils on a canvas? Really it's just using a mouse and applications on a computer screen.
I think I've kinda answered the task and hope that you guys understand what I'm trying to say.
Anyways...gonna go now so I'll cya next time!
I should start by saying that I really do like reading. In saying that it took me a while to get into Walter Benjiman's article on the...hang on I'll copy and past the title..."The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction". In other words I think he means "What happens to Art when we stick it in a photocopier". But that's just me and I doubt that Walt even knew what a photocopier is.
I think that if Walt were around today he'd immediatly freak at the mass reproduction of - well everything. To him the original was the be all and the end all. To me the copy is the closest I'll ever get. I think I kinda understand what he means when he says, "Everyday the urge grows stronger to get hold of an oject at very close range by way of its likeness, its reproduction."
For example, I'd never actually go searching for his article in a library catalogue so I can view the original. But the internet has somewhat replicated the article and I can read it the comfort of my own home.
I am also a massive fan of the mp3. Most of the artists I'll never actually get to see and therefore I can't see the original. To me the song file is an artwork. It's like a photograph of the Mona Lisa - just because it's in a photo does that make it any less of an artwork? In the Mr Bean movie where he distroys an original old painting and replaces it with a scale replica of it, no one notices the difference. So to them that had the same aura as the orginal otherwise they would've noticed.
Which leads onto the advant of Photoshop. Confession: I have NEVER used photoshop!! I know enough that it is used to merge pics together and edit photos etc. I think when used to create 'art' it is authentic. I say this because if it is an original idea a person - would it be so different if that person created that idea using a paintbrush and oils on a canvas? Really it's just using a mouse and applications on a computer screen.
I think I've kinda answered the task and hope that you guys understand what I'm trying to say.
Anyways...gonna go now so I'll cya next time!
Around the internet in 60-ish minutes
The race is on to fill our page with the quirky tibits that make life interesting. True, I don't know how many of you would find the origin of the Lovebug computer virus or indeed the band the lecturer's in to be interesting - but someone, somewhere might.
The rules of the game are that you must not use Google (as much as I love Google) or Wikipedia (which has absolutly everything). Sounds easy? Here are your questions. The first one to finish gets - well nothing really.
1. Who was the creator of the infamous "lovebug" computer virus?
Onel de Guzman
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?ile=/chronicle/archive/2001/02/11/BU193239.DTL&type=printable
2. Who invented the paper clip?
Johan Vaaler (but apparently he didn't create the paperclip we know and love)
http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blpaperclip.htm
3. How did the Ebola virus get its name?
The affected region borders Democratic Republic of the Congo, whose Ebola river gave the virus its name after some of the first cases were recorded in its valley in 1976
http://news.syd.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=333897
4. What country had the largest recorded earthquake?
Southern Chilie on 22 May 1960 with an earthquake that measured 9.5 on the Rictus Scale
http://asc-india.org/lib/world10.htm
5. In computer memory/storage terms, how many kilobytes in a terabyte?
One Terabyte = 1,073,741,824 kilobytes
http://www.t1shopper.com/tools/calculate/
6. Who is the creator of email?
Although it's most commonly called a worm, Storm is really more: a worm, a Trojan horse and a bot all rolled into one. It's also the most successful example we have of a new breed of worm, and I've seen estimates that between 1 million and 50 million computers have been infected worldwide.
http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2007/10/the_storm_worm.html
(but it's really difficult to put a number on the number of effected computers)
8. If you wanted to contact the prime minister of Australia directly, what is the most efficient way?
You could always try to catch him on his morning walk =P or gatecrash the 2020 summit.
But if you want to do it the proper way you should write him a letter addressed to
The Hon Kevin Rudd MP
Prime Minister
Parliament House
CANBERRA ACT 2600\
http://pm.gov.au/contact/index.cfm
9. Which Brisbane-based punk band is Stephen Stockwell (Head of the School of Arts) a member of?
Stephen played keyboard for Brisbane punk band, the Black Assassins
http://www.griffith.edu.au/school/art/staff/stockwell.htm
10. What does the term "Web 2.0" mean in your own words?
The term "Web 2.0" to me means simply the networking of computers through things like email, myspace and file sharing.
The rules of the game are that you must not use Google (as much as I love Google) or Wikipedia (which has absolutly everything). Sounds easy? Here are your questions. The first one to finish gets - well nothing really.
1. Who was the creator of the infamous "lovebug" computer virus?
Onel de Guzman
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?ile=/chronicle/archive/2001/02/11/BU193239.DTL&type=printable
2. Who invented the paper clip?
Johan Vaaler (but apparently he didn't create the paperclip we know and love)
http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blpaperclip.htm
3. How did the Ebola virus get its name?
The affected region borders Democratic Republic of the Congo, whose Ebola river gave the virus its name after some of the first cases were recorded in its valley in 1976
http://news.syd.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=333897
4. What country had the largest recorded earthquake?
Southern Chilie on 22 May 1960 with an earthquake that measured 9.5 on the Rictus Scale
http://asc-india.org/lib/world10.htm
5. In computer memory/storage terms, how many kilobytes in a terabyte?
One Terabyte = 1,073,741,824 kilobytes
http://www.t1shopper.com/tools/calculate/
6. Who is the creator of email?
Probably the first email system of this type was MAILBOX, used at Massachusetts Institute of Technology from 1965. Another early program to send messages on the same computer was called SNDMSG.
http://www.nethistory.info/History%20of%20the%20Internet/email.html
7. What is the storm worm, and how many computers are infected by it?Although it's most commonly called a worm, Storm is really more: a worm, a Trojan horse and a bot all rolled into one. It's also the most successful example we have of a new breed of worm, and I've seen estimates that between 1 million and 50 million computers have been infected worldwide.
http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2007/10/the_storm_worm.html
(but it's really difficult to put a number on the number of effected computers)
8. If you wanted to contact the prime minister of Australia directly, what is the most efficient way?
You could always try to catch him on his morning walk =P or gatecrash the 2020 summit.
But if you want to do it the proper way you should write him a letter addressed to
The Hon Kevin Rudd MP
Prime Minister
Parliament House
CANBERRA ACT 2600\
http://pm.gov.au/contact/index.cfm
9. Which Brisbane-based punk band is Stephen Stockwell (Head of the School of Arts) a member of?
Stephen played keyboard for Brisbane punk band, the Black Assassins
http://www.griffith.edu.au/school/art/staff/stockwell.htm
10. What does the term "Web 2.0" mean in your own words?
The term "Web 2.0" to me means simply the networking of computers through things like email, myspace and file sharing.
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