Evolution of Digital Music Downloading

It all began with a program called Napster which started a digital music revolution. I used this program to download hundreds of songs. The system of digital music downloading was perfect for me because I rarely bought CD`s and I used the internet on a regular basis. I was able to download the songs I enjoyed without paying a high price for content I had no need for. The program Napster soon closed down due to record company’s complaints and legal action. A number of other programs that replicated Napster soon popped up such as Kazaa and they quickly fell at the hands of legal action. Today the prominent way to download digital music is by use of a sharing program called LimeWire or using BitTorrents to download files directly off of website selection. Companies such as Apple have download services that offer all music at about a dollar a song. Bands such as Radiohead are beginning to release entire albums by digital download. I enjoy my freedom to download digital music and I know that new forms of digital downloading will arise because people will continue to want free file sharing networks.

Violence In Sports

It can be some of the most exciting moments in sports, violence. It is actually pretty sad but some of the most exciting moments in a number of sports are the violent actions that take place. Can you image a game of hockey without fighting? The game simply wouldn’t be the same and a number of players would have no need to be in the league. There is however no balance of violence throughout sports. In the sport of hockey violence is prevalent and is actually encouraged by fans. If a punch was thrown in a game of NBA basketball or MLB baseball then suspensions would be handed out for a good length of time. These violent acts would defiantly make all the sports media highlights however they are unnecessary acts of abuse within the sport. I find it funny that violence can be so accepted in a sport such as hockey but be far from wanted in a sport such as basketball. One sport that is quickly on the rise with fans is the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship). This sport puts two people into an octagon ring with three rounds of intense fighting. Society is entertained by violent acts in sports but where will the line be drawn? Young fans are exposed to these accepted violence in sports and the question is if things should be changed to helped censor these acts from our youth.

Internet Lingo

There is a whole other internet chat system then the one we use in everyday life. Terms such as lol (laugh out loud) and brb (be right back) are used by millions of user’s online everyday. These short form terms are used because it easy for the user to type out “lol” rather then typing: laugh out loud. Actually the term lol is infact displaying a reaction of emotion rather then being a single word. These internet chat forms are used extensively in the gaming world. Terms such as uber, elite, owned and pwned are used frequently among millions of gamers on the internet. The term “pwned” is infact an alteration of the term “owned” which means destroyed or embarrassed. The term ‘uber” is used to show dominance or power in the gaming world. Someone who is “uber” is the best at what they do and they are nobody better around. These terms are rarely used outside the use of the internet and are not accepted into proper English. More and more internet lingo terms will be developed in the future and catch on to the everyday user.

The Appeal of Advertising

I have found that specific advertising can be more appealing to me and in fact affect my choices on specific products. My example of this discussion will be choice of beer and how the label and colour scheme of the product affects my choice. In my early days of purchasing beer I would judge my choice of beer on the advertising and logo rather then the taste of the beer. When I look for a good beer it is generally the one that has the nice colour scheme and advertising scheme. I find that I purchase beers with blue colour schemes because that relates a refreshing ice cold beer in my mind. My favourite beer is John Labatt’s Blue. I love the colour scheme of the box and of course the refreshing taste. I have tended to stay away from beers with brown or red colour schemes. I find these to be unattractive and have actually influenced why I chose not to purchase these products. Some beer companies that have really unappealing labels are LAKER and Lucky lager beers. I find it ironic that these beers are also cheaper products and they also have the most unappealing labels. I would think that these cheaper beer companies would put more effort into label design to help improve the appeal of their products.

Evolution of Video Games

Gaming today is taking advantage of the internet to provide users with a shared experience. This is far from gaming many years ago when you were happy to play with two players. The original gaming consoles only allowed for a two player gaming experience. Almost every game today has a multiplayer function and they all have an online aspect that allows the user to log onto the internet to access more content for the game or to play with others from around the world. For users who purchased the X-Box they have to pay a monthly subscription fee to have the internet service but this is compensated with a great service and very little gaming lag. The focus of gaming now is networking with others from around the world to unite users of similar interests. Some of the most successful games are those that are online and subscription based. A game such as World of Warcraft has millions of users and has earned millions of dollars on annual basis. This game allows thousands of people to interact in an online world. I find these games to be a complete waste of time because you have to invest large amounts of time to have a fun gaming experience. Many people might share my opinion but many others see the fun in the game, hence the large number of players. Gaming has evolved because people want to share their success and experiences in gaming with others. You have a better time playing a game if other people are involved and taking part. The focus of the internet and networking in gaming will be a cornerstone of gaming well into the future.

Cell Phones

Today cell phones are basically part of everyone’s everyday life. They are a form of communication, status and even style with the wide array of choices available today. You can be in class, on the bus or even in the bathroom and you can find someone using their cell phones. Even the bum standing on Richmond Street with the sign that says “Hungry & Homeless” is carrying a cell phone. Cell phones are such an integral part of so many people’s lives that if they did not have one their lives would quickly fall apart. I had no cell phone throughout the month of September and a majority of October and I must say that it was very difficult in many aspects of my life. I know that I use my cell phone a few times everyday and if I did not have it then it would make life a lot tougher. The two major cell phone services, Rogers and Bell, are in a constant battle to recruit teenagers and lock them in to a four year cell phone plan. The marketing today is trying to target whole families to make it easier for them all to have cell phones at the best prices. This means there will be more 10 year olds walking around with cell phones with their parents paying for the ridiculous fees because little Timmy called his internet buddy in Europe. The cell phone craze seems to have just got its wheels spinning and will continue to develop into the future. More and more cell phones are now full entertainment centres with integrated internet, games, mp3 players and visual displays for all your everyday needs.

Movies

I have slowly realized that I have high standards when it comes to good movies. I have seen a number of movies recently and all of them were just mediocre in my opinion. It seems like most of the new movies I have seen recently are just rehashes of old movies or are in fact re-makes of something that was previously successful around twenty years ago. It is hard to find a movie recreation that can top the original. Another problem with many movies is the ending. In many cases I am left disappointed with an ending that just doesn’t seem to hit the spot. It has got to the point that I will not see a movie unless I know a lot about it and have read a number of reviews from professionals and fans of the film. I know that there are hundreds of movies released on an annual basis and that fresh ideas are hard to come by but this does not mean that mediocre moves need to continue to be released. Last night I just saw a preview for another movie based on a Japanese film with another pale girl with long black hair terrorizing people. This is from the same people who brought us the Ring and another one I can’t think of off the top of my head. It is just another copy of a successful film from Japan that will be flop here in North America. The only movie that I am actually looking forward to in 2008 is the new Indiana Jones flick. The reason for my excitement with this film is because I was a big fan of the original trilogy as a child. I expect this film to live up to my expectations and if it disappoints me then 2008 looks like a sad year for movies.

My Opinions on Blogging

I thought I would start off this selection of blogs with a blog about blogging! I know have some experience with blogging so I thought it would be appropriate to write about my feelings. I want to start off by say the word blog is in fact not a word according to my Microsoft word software and I am eager to see if this will change in the future. Overall I think blogging is a positive experience for everyone involved. It is basically a journal or diary of your opinions and views on subject matter. The only difference is that it is open for viewing and criticism from the outside world. It allows the writer to show their opinion in an open forum. I know blogging has been around for a number of years and many celebrities and athletes keep daily or weekly blogs for fans and the media. This has helped to popularize blogging to the everyday internet user. There are no limitations to blogs which makes it so free form and fun to write when you have something to say. You can communicate your ideas and feels to someone on the other side of the world. Blogs help to connect people will similar opinions and create bonds with people of similar views. Blogs are also good for personal reflection later on. A blogger can go back and reflect on the subject matter that they had written about months or year’s previously. It is also easy to access and hard to lose because there are essentially an infinite number of copies because it is stored in a database and is not a hard copy on paper.