Blog Entry #3: If I were an ethnography, I would be about...

If I weren't a computer science major, I would definitely have been a psychology major. Or a sociology major. Or an anthropology major. Basically, I like people, and more than that, I like interacting with people and seeing how people interact with each other, and with technology. Case in point: my ethnography topics.

IDEA #1: Free as in speech, or free as in beer?

Image courtesy of xkcd

This idea centers around that fact that I can be a pompous jerk sometimes I don't feel that many people out there know about OSS, either in and of itself or as an alternative to proprietary software, or if they do, don't know about the different degrees of open-ness. I aim to distribute a questionnaire about OSS, covering knowledge on:

• Definitions of open, free, libre, and proprietary software
• Types of open-source licenses
• Open-source projects, ranging from common use to totally esoteric
• and the differences between proprietary software and their open-source replacements

I feel that this exercise will 1) help me gain some perspective on the progress of open-source in today's technological age, and 2) open some eyes and win some hearts and minds over to the open-source initiative/side/philosophy/whatever.

IDEA #2: I like your hardware...

Image courtesy of iTech News Net

I'm just gonna come right out and say this, sometimes I get a little gear envy. I appreciate your full-frame DSLR with that great piece of glass on the front. I admire your well-tuned-but-not-overdone suspension and capable off-road tires on your Jeep. I commend the sensibility, usability, and quality of your Macbook Air. Oh, you didn't know what a great piece of technology you have there under your fingertips? I wonder how often this situation arises for the common folk for non-computer-related majors: you have a decent computer because your friend/dad/boss/salesman told you to buy it, but you don't really understand its capabilities. To really get a grasp on how much people understand about the personal technology, I'd like to pose the following questions, among others:

• What's the make, model, and trim on your computer?
• What were the considerations you made when purchasing it?
OR
• What were the considerations someone made when purchasing it for you?
• What are some of its main features? Processor cores/speed/caches, memory speed/amount, screen size and lighting, graphics capabilities, special peripherals, battery size/life, etc.
• For what purpose do you mainly use your computer?
• What is your overall satisfaction with your computer?

The purpose of this exercise is 1) to open my eyes to what "the common folk" (read: non-computer-related majors) know about the technology they rely on, and 2) to hopefully get them interested in learning about and looking into said technology.

IDEA #3: I'm going to go blog about this in my blog because I'm a blogger

Image courtesy of Gaping Void

Last idea: we blog a lot in this class. Some people have blogged before; some never have. Some people know what a blog is, but have no idea where that word came from. Some people read blogs religiously; some use them as a valuable resource for information and opinions, but not much else. The fact of the matter is that blogs are available to pretty much everyone, everywhere. I want to find out how involved or concerned people are with blogs:

• Do you know where to words blog and vlog come from?
• Do you read blogs/watch vlogs? How many? With a program or on the main site?
• How do you use the information in the blogs you read/vlogs you watch?
• Do you have a blog/vlog? Who serves it? How many readers/viewers do you have?
• Do you find blogging/vlogging to be a worthwhile endeavor? Why or why not?
• Do your friends and family find blogging/vlogging to be a worthwhile endeavor? Why or why not?

The purpose of this exercise is [see above].

People are just so much fun :)