The Machine is Us/ing Us

The title of the video that you were asked to view this week is "Web 2.0 ... The Machine is Us/Using Us." Referencing what you have learned about Web 2.0 through the readings in the Courtney text and through watching the video, why do you think that Professor Wesch gave this title to the video?

I believe Professor Wesch titled the video “The Machine Is Us/ing Us” because he believes the machine is using us at the same time we are using the machine. Technology is being used today in a way that we would not have foreseen 10 years ago. With the swell in the use of Web 2.0 tools, there has been an increase of demand to enhance Web 2.0 tools and features. This “increased participation”, as Elizabeth Black has described proves that the average user is becoming more comfortable in their abilities to use various programs and tools. As a result of the increased knowledge and use of technology, there is a need for software to be more user friendly.

I think of myself when describing people becoming more comfortable with the computer and software. While in college I would use a computer for word processing. I never thought of using my computer for leisure or networking. I, the basic user, have learned to do a variety of things on the computer for personal use, from blogging to organizing digital pictures to social networking, all through exploration. I am not alone with my use of the computer for personal needs. Our generation is learning more everyday on how to explore with the various Web 2.0 tools, this is especially true when applications are user friendly.

Technology and Web 2.0 tools are being used by people to collaborate information also described by Black as “collective intelligence”. This is a perfect example as to why Professor Wesch describes the machine as “using us”. When people take the short amount of time required to tag topics in their blogs or social networking sites specific program collects the information and uses it to allow other users to see the compiled topics with all the tags. This was reinforced through the video when Professor Wesch stated, “we are teaching the computer” or “teaching it an idea”. The machine would not be able to compile those tags without the assistance of the user. People are creating content collaboratively and publishing the information on all different types of Web 2.0 tools.