Tuesday, May 4, 2010

"Solutions" Andrew Keen

I feel that Andrew Keen's Solutions article was a bit too harsh in bashing the current web. I can understand where he is coming from in his argument that things are being posted on the internet that may have false information because they have been written by amateurs. However I feel that this concept is what shapes our online world today, the ability to speak your mind and contribute to our growing database of information available. I also think that Wikipedia is a useful tool for finding out quick information. Whenever I am unfamiliar with a subject or topic and I Google it Wikipedia is usually the very first thing that pops up. I find it convenient. For my midterm project I actually got the chance to edit Wikipedia and help to contribute information that was nonexistent.

The points Keen brings up in this reading about information being inaccurate I will always keep in the back of my mind while searching online for information to use in an important paper or project. I however do not feel that these amateur sites like Wikipedia and YouTube are taking anything away from the internet and spoiling it's authenticity. I feel that the whole article and Keen's perspective is being exaggerated in so many ways. People are already aware that the information they find posted may not be completely right. Keen does not need to blow it out of the water by bashing it so in the article. I see the arguments that he makes and may agree with them slightly but not enough to voice such a strong viewpoint that he has done.

2 comments:

  1. i do see where you are coming from.. I'm not sure that he would every be satisfied with user-generated content..

    He doesn't put much (IF ANY) faith in "regular" unprofessional people..and according to him the general public's opinion is basically worthless

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  2. He does make vaild points sometimes, but he's quite unforgiving of anyone he doesn't deem a "professional"

    (the last comment was from me too!)

    tyler jacobsen

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