W4--Group 2 discussion

After reading the articles published in 1999, I think the most important idea was stressed on the potential of internet. Different authors all mentioned about how hyperlinks subvert hierarchy. That’s the seventh verse on the article “95 Theses: The Cluetrain Manifesto.”

Since 1996, the media landscape has changed dramatically. From mass marketing to demassification, internet brought the profound opportunities. It makes conversations more possible and takes business owners listen the consumers more because of the bottom-up function. Markets consist of human beings, not only demographic sectors. In other words, it is easy to let consumers involve in. This kind of communication model is more piercing. That is why sometimes we feel more bonded by the technologies.

As for the implications of internet or intranet, I would say the fort is “HYPERLINK.” It connects people so easy and the network seems more complete and borderless. However, it also can provide the enough space for specific groups or non-mainstreaming ideas. Just like David Weinberget said “Conversations occur only between equals.”

10 years passed, the characters of web are still influencing on life, work and studies. The revolution started and cannot be stopped. And we all engage in this.

Last, some feelings to share. When every business becomes 24/7, do we still have our own private time? What is the bottom line between real life and virtual life? To me, internet brings the illusion of hyper time. But it is a REAL illusion.