Hey all,
I have been enamored with computers from an early age. My dad brought home a used PC when I was ten. In those days, I primarily played around with flight sims and Doom. I began to use AOL’s instant messenger in middle school. Even at that point, I understood how important this technology was for my social life.
I bought my first “real” stereo during my freshmen year at high school. I collected CD’s until I realized that music could be obtained for free on the internet. After this epiphany, I began to sink into various internet subcultures. I got involved with a unix community and finally bought a Mac. I’v been a Macintosh-purist since.
I became a computer science major after taking CSCI 101. I enjoy programming and am proficient with Java, C, C++, Lisp, Logo, XHTML. I’m currently learning to use Ruby on Rails in my Software Development class. Currently, I tutor CSCI 101.
Last year, I started to study Sociology. It became obvious that the Internet exerted a tremendous amount of social control. I argue that decreased interest in voluntary community organizations is symptomatic of the pace of this American society. Social networking web-sites are growing at an accelerating pace. MMO’s are being played by a huge cross-section of Americans. I believe that the internet will play an increasingly definitive role in the shifting topography of American society.
Ernest
I can relate to your early computer experience while growing up, by starting with simple computer games and other software back when programming wasn’t as complex. At home, we’ve always had Macs and the only place where I would interact with a PC and speak to other “PC users” was at school. For some reason I’ve always felt much more comfortable on a Mac from the get-go, being more of a “creative” person and all.
As far as social networking goes, I also remember using AOL instant messenger in middle school like my life depended on it. As my parents called from the other room to start doing my homework, I resisted and continued messaging for hours on end. At times, people would enter the room and I would have to devise a system of codes to keep our conversations a secret, either by the use of numbers or certain text. Moving on from the AOL IM phase, there was myspace, which I always avoided, up until junior year in high school when my ex-girlfriend made one for me and pretty much forced me to start using it, and in turn got me addicted. After graduating high school, I kept hearing about Facebook and about how it provided a web-based network for all colleges. I knew I had to learn the next level of online social networking. To this day, I still have my myspace profile, but only check it maybe once a month, whereas Facebook is another story…
In conclusion, I agree that social networking is growing relatively fast and that it influences the lives of many Americans and people around the world.