I've been reading this book and find that it's incredibly challenging to my thinking. It's all about the impact that the Internet is having on society, business and in particular how many large institutions are missing the boat while the "Net generation" pass them by.

I couldn't recommend this reading more....it's brilliant. It covers wikipedia, second life, human genome project, myspace, utube, linux plus a host of other applications. Not from a technical perspective but from how their models of co-creation are impacting and changing the world.

In the words of Pauline Hanson, "Please Explain". I don't
even know what the definitions of these concepts are, let
alone know the impact on society. Bit lost here whizzbang.
Could you enlighten us? pleeeeeze.

Rubyleeangel.

Ok....I'll do my best.
The problem with the Internet is that it promotes the free flowing of information. For instance, let's imagine that you wanted to know more about a politician's views on a topic...you can find out with a few clicks of the mouse button. Now let's imagine trying to find that same information without the Internet....it's almost impossible.

The Internet means that people are more informed than before and this scares the heck out of politicans, big business etc. For instance, I personally can have as big a brand presence online as coca-cola and they can't do a thing about it.

Now let's take a look at all of these free thinking individuals working together across the globe on specific issues. Coming together into communities to deal with issues that interest them. They create things such as better software, and encyclopedia that is constantly being updated (wikipedia), a new universe (second life) and a host of other things. This is the world that we are living in and it's full of opportunity and excitement.

Whizzbang isn't it all about the fact that the consumer now has all the power. I got on the internet recently to book accommodation in Tunisia and when I typed in a hotel I got a stack of people's blogs on what they thought of the place I was considering. I have to say it influenced my opinion and that's the beauty of the internet - we've been so used to multi billionaire companies dictating what we think or feel about a product via their branding campaigns that now we can be a part of the dialogue and have a say about what we think of them. It's an incredibly powerful tool and at the same time a little wee scary.

Ok, the penny has dropped, I get it, and hasn't that always
been the way? In the dark ages the common person was dis-
empowered by having no access to the Bible, until John Wycliff
came along and then there was the invention of the printing
press. Then things started to change as information was more
available. There is nothing new under the sun is there, same
old enemy tactics, withold info-disempower people, isn't
there even a verse that say's "My people perish from lack
of knowledge". So information empowers and can bring light
where there was darkness. That is soooooo cooool.......

Rubyleeangel.