Can we bury our past?

The internet has changed everything. People complain about facebook and myspace because they violate privacy. I don't use MySpace, and last time I checked, theres no law that says it must be used. The same applies for Facebook. Also, as far as I know, Facebook has made it possible to completely remove yourself from its server, although the process could still be easier. But for most people, the amount about them on the internet is completely up to them. You wouldn't just leave your personal diary on a park bench would you? If you want something to be completely personal, DON'T POST IT ON THE INTERNET ANYWHERE.

The people I do feel bad for, are celebrities or anyone who has ever been in the spotlight. Mark Cuban wrote about this in his blog. I have a friend who was on American Idol last year and compromising pictures from high school surfaced on the internet. Surely, this would not have happened had she not ended up in the spot light. Ten or fifteen years from now she could have a child who googles her name and sees these pictures. As Mark Cuban said, it is impossible to completely bury anything in your past with the internet.

Sex in Second life....

Ok so I've been checking out second life and I have to say its pretty cool. You can do anything in it! But shouldn't there be a line? I read this article which talks about the presence of sex in Second Life. I guess this should be expected, since it is a common/basic activity. However, this just seems weird to me. Virtual escort services exist and people are making money off this stuff. I mean come on..........Usually the sex occurs through chatting or even skype, in "private" areas of the game. In case your wondering users can purchase private parts as they don't come default, along with many other props. To me, something is off here. There has already been some legal issues and so far Second Life has prevailed. The creator sees it as a positive, which I can understand, but still. I could see myself doing this in a game as a joke, but not seriously as many seem to be doing...I think this kind of virtual sex is an interesting progression and I wonder how far it will go....How far is too far?

Instant Messaging......How has it affected us?

Ah instant messaging. Where would we be without it right? After reading the speech by nobel prize winner Doris Lessing, it got me thinking. Although I think some of her statements are ridiculous, I immediately started thinking about the internet's effect on our generation.

The first thing that popped into my head was instant messaging. Although it certainly makes us faster typers, has it made us poorer writers? With all of the "lol's" and "brb" and various other ways of getting our thoughts as fast as possible (afap). See, I made my own acronym up! Granted as a student, I switch into a different mode when writing. However, it's hard to tell sometimes if some of these habits acre crossing over. I came across an interesting article on the subject. There seems to evidence supporting both sides of the debate. What do you think?

Sharing ideas in business

Sharing in business is key, and I agree with Steve's blog on this issue. Interestingly, software that enables the sharing of information seems to be evolving. Microsoft recently came out with Microsoft Groove as well as Sharepoint.

Online customization

Customization.........it's what we all want isn't it? Nike certainly believs so. They have had a lot of success with thieir Nike ID shoe customization system. Frankly, im surprised by this. I assume Nike must be getting it's loyal customers. Shoes are just one of those products I always assumed would be preferred to be bought in the store due to shoe sizes, comfort, etc. To me, online ordering pre-made products such as books or electronics always made the most sense. I visited Nike's web site www.NikeId.com and I have to say, it's pretty sleek. Seeing your customizations come to fruition in front of your eyes is a delight.

Perhaps customers aren't thinking about the fact that their shoe could be the wrong size or fit because it's so much fun making your own shoe. Perhaps it is more about the experience, than the end result itself. It's not like Nike is offering a discount on these shoes, in fact it is more expensive. I stumbled across a informative and humorous video on YouTube...



Companies should be taking note, online customization could be the key to online sales. The key in my opinion is doing what Nike has done, make a flashy looking web site in which users can see their customizations.