flexible customisation v.s marketable media

Thoughts to the (The paradox of User Control, Daniel Palmer) reading:

Daneil Palmer has raised the issues regarding to the paradox of user control, which affected by the contemporary capitalism make most of common but fantasy choices as a soft domination. It is quite controversial that does it mean that new media mode involved will enhance the quality or trustworthy for the users? More and more media products concerned with the customization, flexible personalization and interactive attempts, since customers nowadays tend to focusing on self- determined or self-centered when they choose the personal digital items. For example, according to Singh, S. in “Study the user: A Matter of Perspective”, he suggests that the provider’s perspective is important, that is, he found that it could be more successful when change the functions of media products from provider-oriented into user-centered approach. In this case, customers would be more interested in such a personal and considerable device. However, when Daniel addressed that customization would probably restrict the choices by users. That is, “where you decide what’s the news.” Users could easily access such as, Apple, Tivo or Msnbc by putting themselves into the center of TV network. What the users have read is just the preference that they might prefer to know. How about the other news which is more important to know and to realize? It’s kind of a concept like we discuss in the class about “Panopticon.” You could not see through in the middle of circle and the wall which contained with the personal media functions access while you are surrounded by it without consciousness. How about people could see through everything from the outer space?

Media consumption is getting privatized as well as taking it as granted to be personal activities to some extend. Remember when you click on some websites or type in your personal details, you may get some commercials pop up or around your pages sometimes, which selected by your online movements that commercial websites could traced back the information maybe from your face book. Thus, they offer the suitable commercials which they think may fit to your situation.

The interactive exhibitions were introduced in class and leave some threads to us that do we really need this media involved with exhibitions? I prefer to say that it may be auxiliary to get know about the topic, however, it depends on the type of exhibitions and what they may really want to express in different way. For me, I would not go to the exhibitions because they have interactive media involved. I mean, the main purpose of attending to the exhibitions is the topic which attracts me, no matter it’s just some pictures and paintings with notes aside. The purpose for participating in the exhibitions would not affect by how fantasy the facilities are. Maybe for some spectators, they may be pessimistic to absorb the information, so they need some stimulus to get into it. It seems to be concerned with some commercial attempts when such electronic facilities are equipped, we may think that do we really need them, or the exhibitions need them to attract more people and make money to hold another exhibition? However, I would say, maybe it is the progress of media technology that transforming the way and the habits which people get knowledge unconsciously.