According to EMOR's 2008. year's internet survey, the computer and internet usage of the inhabitants of Estonia and the existence of a computer and internet connection in households has raised to 806 000 people in age 6-74.
The gap between estonian urban and rural regions isn't big. Though, there are families that still dream about having computer in their household. According to the survey every 3rd family couldn't afford buying a computer in 2008. The survey also reveals that homecomputer is connected with internet in 316 000 families.
As most most of Estonia is covered with wireless internet connection, internet is available almost everywhere. Definetly the availibilty of internet connection in bigger cities is not equal to the situation in smaller cities, but if you need it, you definately find it quickly.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
E&L: week3: Internet Frauds
The frauds take place in internet as they do in "real" life. Media writes often about people who have been deceived with the real estate transactions, travel packages and so on, there are many examples. It would be naive to believe that there are no scams in internet, because virtually they are even more easy to carry out.
Some scam examples from recent past:
Young boys sent an e-mail to Hansapank's clients, asking to renew their codecard's numbercombinations. The e-mail looked like an official request from the bank and there was some people who couldn't see the hazard behind the request. Fortunately the word of scam spread fast and the problem was solved quickly and the boys got caught.
Besides banking there are big problems in e-shopping era. I remember the big scam from last year's Beijing Olympic Games, when dozens of people ordered tickets from the website www.beijing-tickets2008.com (there were few more). Those people paid money, but, of course, didn't get any tickets.
About the scambaiting website ScamBusters.org ... I don't see there any ethical issue, actually there can be found many amusing things. But one thing I find a little ironic is that after few seconds an over-screen request appears to my face, asking to subscribe. Although the site wants to share knowledge how to prevent getting into scam scheme, they suddenly want a user to give them name and e-mail address - just after few second from opening their portal.
Some scam examples from recent past:
Young boys sent an e-mail to Hansapank's clients, asking to renew their codecard's numbercombinations. The e-mail looked like an official request from the bank and there was some people who couldn't see the hazard behind the request. Fortunately the word of scam spread fast and the problem was solved quickly and the boys got caught.
Besides banking there are big problems in e-shopping era. I remember the big scam from last year's Beijing Olympic Games, when dozens of people ordered tickets from the website www.beijing-tickets2008.com (there were few more). Those people paid money, but, of course, didn't get any tickets.
About the scambaiting website ScamBusters.org ... I don't see there any ethical issue, actually there can be found many amusing things. But one thing I find a little ironic is that after few seconds an over-screen request appears to my face, asking to subscribe. Although the site wants to share knowledge how to prevent getting into scam scheme, they suddenly want a user to give them name and e-mail address - just after few second from opening their portal.
E&L: week3: Inside Echelon
Echelon is over 50 years old international global surveillance system that preserves many secrets which can affect the global community one or the other way.
Reading Duncan Campbell's article about Echelon got me thinking of powerful infotechnological (surveillance) systems, because actually no form of communication can be kept secret. (Unless you don't write a letter to yourself and hold it in locker, but then again it is not communication with the other part but more like thinking to youself.) In other words - in virtual world there is no absolute privacy.
Echelon system has been improved in time, but its core has remained. The collected information should prevent bigger threats and dangers in world. Still there have been major disasters (WTC, etc), but at same time we don't know what kind of catastrophes have been prevented so far.
Reading Duncan Campbell's article about Echelon got me thinking of powerful infotechnological (surveillance) systems, because actually no form of communication can be kept secret. (Unless you don't write a letter to yourself and hold it in locker, but then again it is not communication with the other part but more like thinking to youself.) In other words - in virtual world there is no absolute privacy.
Echelon system has been improved in time, but its core has remained. The collected information should prevent bigger threats and dangers in world. Still there have been major disasters (WTC, etc), but at same time we don't know what kind of catastrophes have been prevented so far.
E&L: week2: Testing a blocking software
Though it is an interesting task to download and test one blocking software, I tend to hesitate a bit. I browsed different softwares on the web and found out that the software may come with few side-effects. Such as blocking unwanted stuff and changing browser's settings, which would take time and patience to reset :) Plus the technical problems that were mentioned in the lecture.
Though, as the task is intereseting, I try to find some other computer where these side-effects wouldn't do any trouble and try out some of the blocking softwares then.
Though, as the task is intereseting, I try to find some other computer where these side-effects wouldn't do any trouble and try out some of the blocking softwares then.
E&L: week2: Nonmarket production in my field
Thinking of the example of applicability of nonmarket strategies in my field ... The first solution that comes in my mind is blogging. Being half-time journalist I follow the blogs of interesting people I could write about and other people in my field to explore what they have done and what do they think generally.
But what motivates people to blog? Blogs are the best way to share peer information and knowledge and get the backfeed. Most of what these people write about in blog is somehow related to their work. And they'll get their salary doing their job.
But what motivates people to blog? Blogs are the best way to share peer information and knowledge and get the backfeed. Most of what these people write about in blog is somehow related to their work. And they'll get their salary doing their job.
E&L: week 1: Theobald's mind-quake and Handy's paradox
Mind-quake
First example that comes to my mind is media versus new media. For younger people the mix of old and new media isn't anything new. But for older people it makes quite big difference, because they consume only printmedia, TV and radio. They now that there is such thing as internet but most of them don't use it. I also believe that the term "new media" itself is new for the older generation.
Handy's paradox
Changes in work and employment
While new methods allow more flexible approaches, the work in internet-based company can be done where ever is internet connection. Is there a chance for flexible work time also, depends on the mode of the job.
But I agree that this paradox has its negative sides also. If a worker belongs in a team then presence and active communication is important - otherwise there can be distractively many misunderstandings. Yes, the new way of working gives a lot freedom but it also demands huge self discipline and responsibility.
I'd also like to point out the paradox of timeless time that allows to share the work globally.
First example that comes to my mind is media versus new media. For younger people the mix of old and new media isn't anything new. But for older people it makes quite big difference, because they consume only printmedia, TV and radio. They now that there is such thing as internet but most of them don't use it. I also believe that the term "new media" itself is new for the older generation.
Handy's paradox
Changes in work and employment
While new methods allow more flexible approaches, the work in internet-based company can be done where ever is internet connection. Is there a chance for flexible work time also, depends on the mode of the job.
But I agree that this paradox has its negative sides also. If a worker belongs in a team then presence and active communication is important - otherwise there can be distractively many misunderstandings. Yes, the new way of working gives a lot freedom but it also demands huge self discipline and responsibility.
I'd also like to point out the paradox of timeless time that allows to share the work globally.
E&L: week 1: Pekka Himanen's paper
"Challenges of the Global Information Society"
In Information Society paper Himanen concentrates more on the new way of doing things, than just to new technologies. He points out that there is currently three dynamic models in terms of technology and economy: Silicon Valley, Singapore and Finnish. Additionally he sees room for fourth scenario - the combination of the welfare state and the information society. He says that we should no longer focus on reacting to something that has already happened, but act beforehand. I would say easy to say, not so easy to do.
Theoretically I find his point right but the greater part of the world is dealing daily with the innovation problems, specially right now at the time of crisis. Increasing the production, the economy gets better. I find that compared to the beginning of 90s it is quite hard to invent the bicycle, but I also believe that this is the point where information society comes into the picture.
The topic of innovation is very actual in Estonia also. We have created the project "Year of the Innovation" and "Ajujaht" to find people that believe in their business ideas. It is hoped that people start to think in new way and be more creative.
I also found interesting Himanen talking about the work culture and atmosphere. I think this is the era where a lot can be done better. In our changing economy, people work more and
more and there is a need to give (re)look to the orgnizational part, how the work and the leisure time hours are combined, what could be done to improve the work culture and atmosphere.
In Information Society paper Himanen concentrates more on the new way of doing things, than just to new technologies. He points out that there is currently three dynamic models in terms of technology and economy: Silicon Valley, Singapore and Finnish. Additionally he sees room for fourth scenario - the combination of the welfare state and the information society. He says that we should no longer focus on reacting to something that has already happened, but act beforehand. I would say easy to say, not so easy to do.
Theoretically I find his point right but the greater part of the world is dealing daily with the innovation problems, specially right now at the time of crisis. Increasing the production, the economy gets better. I find that compared to the beginning of 90s it is quite hard to invent the bicycle, but I also believe that this is the point where information society comes into the picture.
The topic of innovation is very actual in Estonia also. We have created the project "Year of the Innovation" and "Ajujaht" to find people that believe in their business ideas. It is hoped that people start to think in new way and be more creative.
I also found interesting Himanen talking about the work culture and atmosphere. I think this is the era where a lot can be done better. In our changing economy, people work more and
more and there is a need to give (re)look to the orgnizational part, how the work and the leisure time hours are combined, what could be done to improve the work culture and atmosphere.
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