In “Wikipedia clamps down on ‘unreliable’, ” Martin (2007, para. 12) explained “Wikipedia, the internet’s most popular encyclopedia, has become an online phenomenon since it was launched six years ago”. Wikipedia gives us a lot of information so many students tend to use the site for their study. While it is a famous and popular site, not every word and definition is reliable and people face some problems. Therefore, people should avoid using Wikipedia because everyone can write and edit an article, students need to not rely on Internet sites heavily, and some professors don’t allow students to use Wikipedia.
First, Wikipedia is a site that is made by hundreds of Internet users. According to an article, about 38 million people used the English vision of Wikipedia in December 2006 (Byers, 2007,). It is free for everyone to write and edit an article and that is a problem. For example, someone may edit an accurate article and rewrite wrong information intentionally. Many people believe the information in Wikipedia, so wrong information will spread all over the world. People don’t have any guarantee that the information in Wikipedia is right.
Second, Wikipedia gives students an extremely easy way to study. An author insists, “Students need to learn how to assess the relevance and authority of information sources independent of their media” (Bilodeau, 2008, para. 11). Students tend to depend on Internet sites but they should not forget other ways to get sources. For example, newspapers, books, and magazines will give them good information. If they write papers with information from only Wikipedia, the paper may not inform other people of enough knowledge. Students should search from not only Wikipedia but also other sources.
Last, many professors don’t accept using encyclopedias such as Wikipedia. They refuse to receive papers on which students put Wikipedia as a citation because they know to what degree they can believe it. For instance, a student gets a lot of information form Wikipedia and hands in the paper to his professor. His professor may not grade it and the student may be confronted with a serious problem of whether he will be able to pass a class or not. Students should follow the guideline of their professors and use reliable resources.
In conclusion, Wkipedia has three big problems: that it is not a believable site, it makes students lazy, and it is not regarded as a formal resource from the view of professors. It may mislead people to q wrong direction and make people confused. Also people need to use other formal sources. People tend to choose an easy way, but we should not select Wikipedia if we have a possibility that it will show us incorrect answers. Wikipedia is not an appropriate site for searching for reliable and academic information.
Reference
Bilodeau, E. (2007, January 14). Academic banning of Google and Wikipedia misguided. Weblog. Retrieved April 23, 2008, from http://www.coolweblog.com/bilodeau/archives/003743.html.
Byers, M. (2007, March 8). Controversy Over Use of Wikipedia in Academic Papers. Smith, Sophian, Smith College. Retrieved April 23, 2008, from http://media.www.smithsophian.com/media/storage/paper587/news/2007/03/08/News/Controversy.Over.UseOf.Wikipedia.In Academic.Papers.Arrives.At.Smith-2765409.shtml.
Martin, N. (2007, September 20). Wikipedia Clamps Down on ‘Unreliable’ Editors Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved April 23, 2008, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/09/20/wiki120.xml.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Argument Essay Crime in Second Life
Have you ever played an online game? Have you even thought that the virtual world was connected with real world? Second Life is a virtual world and people can be any other person. They can go anywhere they want and make friends and even a boyfriend or girlfriend. However it is an online game, and avatars face cyber crime involving finances (Simon, 2008), human rights (Fell, 2007), and violence (Gourlay and Taher, 2007). We will be able to overcome these problems if police and cyber-experts work together to chase cyber-criminals, society makes rules which allow criminals to receive punishment as they would for real crime, and Second Life make every avatar write down real information.
First, it is an effective way for police and cyber experts to cooperate. DeBrota, a federal prosecutor in Indiana, insisted no cooperation between cyber experts and police may lead more serious crime (Bergstein, 2007). Crime is getting complicated and criminals are getting smart. If police are not familiar with computers, they cannot know how cyber criminals work. Police must be superior in computer knowledge to criminals; otherwise, the amount of crime will not decrease. Police need technological skills to solve crimes on Internet.
Second, it is very important to establish rules for cyber criminals. There happens many kinds of matters in Second Life, but currently avatars don’t have enough property rights in the US. Second Life gives avatars the opportunity to earn real money. The bill in the currency of Second Life is not real money like the dollar and the euro, but avatars can change money for the virtual world to real money. If an avatar has his property stolen by other avatars, the robber should have a sentence equal to that for a real matter because money in Second Life has value. Society should give pressure to cyber-criminals so that they try not to commit a crime.
Last, Second Life should force every avatar to write clearly their information, which is the most important way to decrease the incidents. People should need to sign up their name, sex, birth date, and E-mail address before joining Second Life. Some victims in Second Life have no choice but to cry and give up. One of the reasons that people and police cannot solve the matter is that some avatars don’t inform anyone if their real name, and address (Bergstein, 2007). It is very hard to chase a robber who shows people fake information. Second Life shouldn’t allow avatars that try to use untrue information.
Some people express the fact that Second Life is a place where everyone can join and contact others all over the world. However, it is true there are cyber bullying and cyber harassment in the virtual world. I think everyone may enjoy the world, but we need some effective rules and protection methods.
In conclusion, Second Life will be a safe and enjoyable world if police have enough guidelines to arrest cyber-criminals, society gives them punishment which is more similar to that in the real world, and every avatar informs their right information. Second Life is an online game, but there are real values and there exist children, adult, rich, poor, and criminal. People should overcome bad avatars and crimes.
Reference
Bergstein, B. (2007, November 3). Cops Learning How to Extend Beats Online. Business News, Associated Press Online. Retrieved April 8, 2008, from Lexis Nexis Database.
Fell, N. (2007, May 11). Crime in the Virtual World. ABC Transcripts (Australia). Retrieved April 7, 2008, from Lexis Nexis Database.
Gourlay, C., and Taher, A. (2007 August, 5). Virtual Jihad Hits Second Life Website. Sunday Times (London). Retrieved April 7, 2008, from Lexis Nexis Database.
Ho, A. (2007, August 30). If You Rob Me, Should I not Have Recourse? The Straits Times (Singapore). Retrieved April 7, 2008, from Lexis Nexis Database.
Newswire. (2007, July 17). Virtual Worlds, Real Cheaters. Techweb. Retrieved March 31, 2008, from Lexis Nexis datebase.
Simon, S. (2008, February 9). ‘Second Life’ Players Face Real Financial Losses, Interview with National Public Radio (NPR). Weekend Edition. Retrieved March 20, 2008, from Lexis Nexis database.
First, it is an effective way for police and cyber experts to cooperate. DeBrota, a federal prosecutor in Indiana, insisted no cooperation between cyber experts and police may lead more serious crime (Bergstein, 2007). Crime is getting complicated and criminals are getting smart. If police are not familiar with computers, they cannot know how cyber criminals work. Police must be superior in computer knowledge to criminals; otherwise, the amount of crime will not decrease. Police need technological skills to solve crimes on Internet.
Second, it is very important to establish rules for cyber criminals. There happens many kinds of matters in Second Life, but currently avatars don’t have enough property rights in the US. Second Life gives avatars the opportunity to earn real money. The bill in the currency of Second Life is not real money like the dollar and the euro, but avatars can change money for the virtual world to real money. If an avatar has his property stolen by other avatars, the robber should have a sentence equal to that for a real matter because money in Second Life has value. Society should give pressure to cyber-criminals so that they try not to commit a crime.
Last, Second Life should force every avatar to write clearly their information, which is the most important way to decrease the incidents. People should need to sign up their name, sex, birth date, and E-mail address before joining Second Life. Some victims in Second Life have no choice but to cry and give up. One of the reasons that people and police cannot solve the matter is that some avatars don’t inform anyone if their real name, and address (Bergstein, 2007). It is very hard to chase a robber who shows people fake information. Second Life shouldn’t allow avatars that try to use untrue information.
Some people express the fact that Second Life is a place where everyone can join and contact others all over the world. However, it is true there are cyber bullying and cyber harassment in the virtual world. I think everyone may enjoy the world, but we need some effective rules and protection methods.
In conclusion, Second Life will be a safe and enjoyable world if police have enough guidelines to arrest cyber-criminals, society gives them punishment which is more similar to that in the real world, and every avatar informs their right information. Second Life is an online game, but there are real values and there exist children, adult, rich, poor, and criminal. People should overcome bad avatars and crimes.
Reference
Bergstein, B. (2007, November 3). Cops Learning How to Extend Beats Online. Business News, Associated Press Online. Retrieved April 8, 2008, from Lexis Nexis Database.
Fell, N. (2007, May 11). Crime in the Virtual World. ABC Transcripts (Australia). Retrieved April 7, 2008, from Lexis Nexis Database.
Gourlay, C., and Taher, A. (2007 August, 5). Virtual Jihad Hits Second Life Website. Sunday Times (London). Retrieved April 7, 2008, from Lexis Nexis Database.
Ho, A. (2007, August 30). If You Rob Me, Should I not Have Recourse? The Straits Times (Singapore). Retrieved April 7, 2008, from Lexis Nexis Database.
Newswire. (2007, July 17). Virtual Worlds, Real Cheaters. Techweb. Retrieved March 31, 2008, from Lexis Nexis datebase.
Simon, S. (2008, February 9). ‘Second Life’ Players Face Real Financial Losses, Interview with National Public Radio (NPR). Weekend Edition. Retrieved March 20, 2008, from Lexis Nexis database.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Second Life Issue
According to Newswire’s “Virtual Worlds, Real Cheaters,” Linden Lab makes Second Life, and all avatars in the virtual world can experience life as if we lived in the real world. The virtual world offers us opportunity to earn real money. For example, people living in the virtual world sell virtual gold or other items and they can change from virtual wages to real money. However, some people abuse the opportunity and the cheaters pretend to be an honest avatar and go into the virtual worlds, such as Final Fantasy VI, Lord of the Ring, and Second Life. The article explained that those people are a threat and disturb avatar’s business.
We will be able to do business safety if it comes true that Linden Lab strengthens its security, people make obvious rule, and people are advised to be honest in Second Life.
First, it is necessary for avatars to be protected from cheaters. They need some security system and safety. Many companies rely on the security providers but the number of cheaters has not decreased. It means the system is not enough against cheaters and the cheaters are becoming cunning. Linden Lab should manage Second Life and try to reduce the risk of troubles. A reliable security system will lead to increasing the number of safe businesses.
Second, people need the rules in the virtual world. It is an online game, but there is real money in the world. Therefore, people will lose property in the real world too, if they fail in business or are cheated by dishonest avatars. Strict rules will give cheaters punishment and pressure. People should protect their money and adopt rules which make cheaters scared.
Finally, it is the most necessary that people be honest in the virtual world. Some people are considered Second Life to be another chance to start business, and others want to just enjoy it. The latter have aims to meet new people, learn a foreign language, or go somewhere they have never been. If cheaters increase and honest avatars feel scared, the virtual world will consist of only businessmen and cheaters. Second Life is for everyone, so people should be honest.
In conclusion, we need a reliable security system, clear rules, and responsibility to be honest in Second Life. It is not fair business that someone earns money in dishonest ways, and we should know that there are also avatars whose purpose is not to do their business. Second Life gives us the possibility to succeed or fail in our business. A reliable virtual world will make our business active.
Newswire. (2007, July 17). Virtual Worlds, Real Cheaters. Techweb, Retrieved March 31, 2008, from Lexis Nexis datebase.
We will be able to do business safety if it comes true that Linden Lab strengthens its security, people make obvious rule, and people are advised to be honest in Second Life.
First, it is necessary for avatars to be protected from cheaters. They need some security system and safety. Many companies rely on the security providers but the number of cheaters has not decreased. It means the system is not enough against cheaters and the cheaters are becoming cunning. Linden Lab should manage Second Life and try to reduce the risk of troubles. A reliable security system will lead to increasing the number of safe businesses.
Second, people need the rules in the virtual world. It is an online game, but there is real money in the world. Therefore, people will lose property in the real world too, if they fail in business or are cheated by dishonest avatars. Strict rules will give cheaters punishment and pressure. People should protect their money and adopt rules which make cheaters scared.
Finally, it is the most necessary that people be honest in the virtual world. Some people are considered Second Life to be another chance to start business, and others want to just enjoy it. The latter have aims to meet new people, learn a foreign language, or go somewhere they have never been. If cheaters increase and honest avatars feel scared, the virtual world will consist of only businessmen and cheaters. Second Life is for everyone, so people should be honest.
In conclusion, we need a reliable security system, clear rules, and responsibility to be honest in Second Life. It is not fair business that someone earns money in dishonest ways, and we should know that there are also avatars whose purpose is not to do their business. Second Life gives us the possibility to succeed or fail in our business. A reliable virtual world will make our business active.
Newswire. (2007, July 17). Virtual Worlds, Real Cheaters. Techweb, Retrieved March 31, 2008, from Lexis Nexis datebase.
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