Question for week6..Analogy and Balance

Analogy: wiki communication versus other forms in first life

Question One: What is your analogy of wiki communication?

In Lamb(2004)'s article, he uses many analogies to describe the conversation features of wiki, such as sketchpads, spaces for brainstorming, bulletin boards, note-taking template, home that leaves its front door unlocked, and so on.

It's very interesting to me. Originally, I take on-line writing as serious as my formal paper writing or formal socialization. I'll pay attention to the structure and proper manner to address my ideas or be social with people.

I found this serious way cannot fit in well in all online communication. After reading Lamb's article and reflect on my wiki or other web2.0 tools user experience (IM, facebook, blog, and skype). I found it's quite true. This kind of on-line communication is very dynamic, flowing, interactive, flexible and complex.

So far I found wiki, for group collaboration in either formal or informal learning is good for negotiation, quick/brief message exchange, resources management and accumulation.
But for end-product presentation, or working on some works which require longer time and resources involvement, I think I would rather use the software installed on my personal laptop or pc or using e-mail to communicate with people.

So my question is to inquire other people's idea to test if this idea makes sense. One analogy I think about online communication in informal learning is more like a communication in a small town or village. People seem very close to each other. There are more tools for people to voice their personal opinions and making interaction. However, by lacking the face-to-face contact and without an shared manner/norms has been built in that community, there will be conflicts or an awkward transitional period for users to recognize the proper ways to safely and freely making communications. How do you think about my analogy?



Balance between Security and Openness: Control/ enforce or influence and encourage

Question Two: How to keep the benefits and deal with the down sides?

Online communication seems to be flat in some way. Some people feel safe under the fine line without face-to-face contact. They will be more willing to address/voice their feelings or comments about many sensitive issues. It seems to reach the ideal vision of open, user-centered, and no boundary for any limitations caused by gender, age, race and any other labeling in the real life.

However, without proper regulation or control, this kind of freedom will be a monster to cause damages in many ways that may hurt the first life of everyone. Some stand by the perception to control/enforce. They may use the hard security like password protection, private spaces, IP banning and so on, to control the users. On the other hand, some prefer to use the soft security, a kind of influence and encourage. It allows the users to form their group's self-regulation to watch and influence each others' proper norms, manner and interaction within that virtual community.

How do you think about the application of the above either way? Think about your goal, context and users in the online technology that you are going to use and address your idea about how to apply soft and hard security to make the balance between security and openness in online communication.