Among the many ideas we had for this week, the one I find most fascinating is not really of having a digital Library of Alexandria. Although an enticing idea allowing all of the world’s information at ones fingertips, Kroker and Weinstein’s examination of the dangers is also a consideration. For example, “for the virtual class, politics is about absolute control over intellectual property by means of war-like strategies of communication, control and command” (145). This reminds me of many of the new changes that both Youtube and Hulu have undergone. Initially, both websites were all inclusive, hosting a variety of work. That, however, has ended. Youtube videos are mirrored, have commercials and the like all so that they do not interfere with the value of the product. Similarly, Hulu no longer posts episodes the day after, instead some videos there is a waiting period ranging from eight to thirty days.
This would be all too easy a step to take with digitized books. Although the ideology of Larry Page, a Google co-founder is that “all of the world’s information should be made available freely” (Helft) it is unclear if this will truly happen. For instance, granting Google their virtual monopoly “no other company would be able to build a comparable library, leaving Google free to charge high prices for its collection” (Helft). Although not the reputed goal, it is possible that Google Books could become like Hulu. While the basic service remains free (Hulu) for a small monthly fee one can access even more (Hulu Plus).
Additionally, as the “The Theory of Virtual Class” essay argues, the digital superhighway is “not an open telematic autoroute for fast circulation across the electronic galaxy, but an immensely seductive harvesting machine for delivering bodies, culture, and labor to virtualization. The information highway is paved with (our) flesh…” (147). Although we have not physically merged our bodies with machines yet, we have in many ways already allowed ourselves to be “harvested” for virtualization. The suggested resolution can be found in “refusing to be remaindered as flesh dumped by the virtual class, the hyper-texted body bends virtuality to its own purposes…the hyper-texted body swallows its modem, cuts its wired connection to the information highway and becomes its own system-operating software” (152). It could just be me, but I think that is what we doing. Although a small step, learning to code is the first step to becoming our own “system-operating software.” Personally, it is the first time I have taken an active role in learning about technology.
As a person who benefits from Hulu because I can never remember to catch a TV or record one, I don’t mind the commercials, and would rather have the service with them than not have it at all. Would you rather have a “free” digital library that is littered by ads and commercials, than not have one at all? Do books differ from TV or video, which have had commercial properties since their inception?
True, I have also benefited from Hulu and Youtube. I am willing to continue to using them and for Hulu an eight day waiting period is not too long a wait. Instead it is the thirty day one I do not understand. Isn’t a commercial the same whether it’s on tv or the computer? Don’t companies still make a profit?
As for having ads on a “free” digital library that would be acceptable, if slightly inconvenient. I suppose in my mind the digital library should resemble a public library…When we enter the public library we are not hit in the face with advertisements, nor are we charged monthly fees. Instead the public library seems more of a calm community-based center. I would want a digital library to have that same essence. How do you envision a digital library? It could be that I have extremely high expectations, but I think that first there needs to be standards to ensure that a digital library cannot be used for profits the same way Hulu is.
The idea of having access to unlimited number of books and videos is vitual in ultimately preserving our culture for future generations, and it is important to be able to maintian this new “time capsule”. Being mortal means an inevitable end and that means that whatever knowledge we will achieve in our lives will be lost as well. We as a society and as a culture are trying, if nothing else, to prevent our mortality from interferring with our ambitions. The use of advertisement or the delay of a product is simply a buisness device to create sponsors and thus keep the product alive. I think that once we see more advertisements on the web versus on tv, we will soon realize that our world now revolves around our computer screen over the television screen. This means we have in some way made our dream of keeping our culture alive a new reality.