I’ve delayed my post on my thoughts on the “Personal Cyberinfrastructure” discussion for two reasons: one, I’ve been insanely busy all week/weekend; and two, I was somewhat intimidated by trying to fully address my thoughts on the topic. We had a really intriguing discussion in class on Wednesday, during which I took quite a few notes on my own thoughts and my classmates’ contributions. The whole exercise was really interesting because it forced me to think about things I’ve never thought before and have essentially taken for granted; that is, the internet. What’s more, it’s the kind of conversation I rarely have with friends, much less in class!

Clearly the article by Gardner Campbell is the basis upon which the Digital Storytelling class is built. Using computers and the internet has been so ingrained into me from such a young age that it is difficult to imagine NOT knowing how to use such things, or not having the intuition to figure out how online interaction works. It is absolutely true that such online interaction cultivates creativity, at least so far as other people (in this case teachers) encourage it.

Some of the points that really caught my attention –

• Regarding the video “No Digital Facelifts,” the whole idea of constant communication kind of strikes a cord with me. If you’ve seen my complaints about Twitter, you’ll know I really don’t understand the need for that kind of continual communication. Mr. Gardner Campbell’s explanation of “millicomputing” in which we can be in constant communication with one another, where devices that can access the internet are the primary mode of communication, is definitely “spooky.”
• What is the “digital facelift”? We decided that it is trying to use an old form of media in a new form – namely, the internet – without updating the way the media is accessed to fully utilize the new form. For example, newspapers don’t simply post their articles online: there are message boards and ways to comment and actually have a conversation on the article right there. I feel like this was one of the underlying themes of the whole subject: that the internet has so much unforeseeable potential that it basically revolutionizes everything it touches. The ways the internet can be used has already expanded so much in the short time that it has been widely available; who knows where it will go in the future?? A compelling and exciting thought.
• We had a nice tangent and discussed why online classes are not widespread – this again touches on my reservations about the wide use of the internet. I don’t want the internet to totally replace the physical aspects of my life; attending an actual university with real professors is something I would never trade for a cheaper, more convenient online course.

The term we struggled with the most was “personal cyberinfrastructure.” In my opinion, it is the way in which we engage in the online world, with other people and with the internet itself. Anyone who uses the internet has one, I think. It may not be as developed in one person as another – maybe one person has a Facebook that they only check occasionally, while another runs two blogs and is constantly active on social networking sites. However, if you are using the internet and have at least an email address a website you regularly check, that is the beginnings of carving out a personal space on the internet for yourself.

Whew, that was a lot to think about. It really bears thought, though, because it is conversation like this that will help drive the direction of the internet, and other future innovations. Not only that but it forces you to step back and look at this thing that is such a huge part of daily life now, and really try to understand the significance of it. Because if you’re just using the internet without really thinking about the full implications, well, then that’s definitely not living up to its – or your – complete potential.