CaseStudy: File Sharing

New/digital Media Case Study: File Sharing

by Jamie Lewis

Primary Text: LimeWire/FrostWire

Technology

File sharing is the practice of distributing or providing access to digitally stored information, such as computer programs, multi-media (audio, video), documents, or electronic books. It may be implemented through a variety of storage, transmission, and distribution models and common methods of file sharing incorporate manual sharing using removable media, centralized computer file server installations on computer networks, World Wide Web-based hyperlinked documents, and the use of distributed peer-to-peer (P2P) networking.
File sharing is not in and of itself illegal. However, the increasing popularity of the mp3 music format in the late 1990s led to the release and growth of Napster and other software that aided the sharing of electronic files. This in practice led to a huge growth in illegal file sharing: the sharing of copyright protected files without authorization.

History

In the early days of the internet, the most popular file sharing was the (anonymous) file transfer protocol. The user can find the files which they want in anonymous FTP from a server called ARCHIE.
Next, from 1995 to 1997, FTP (file transfer protocol) file sharing and free Homepage file sharing become the major way to share files. By using free Homepage, you are able to upload the files to let people who want it to download the certain file.
Around 1997, Hotline, or ICQ (messenger) become the major way to share files. Messenger is a communication tool on internet which allows you to have chat or electric bulletin board. And in messenger service, there is a category for file sharing.
In 1999, Napster becomes the major way to share files. Napster changed the way of sharing files than before because this service lets peers download music files and also the capacity of it is much greater than other file sharing programs before. If you download the application, you’re able to share files with the peoples who also have the application downloaded in the computer, which means that you’re able to share files with people around the whole world. Due to this merit, about 60 million people were using this in the world and 1 million Japanese were using this application. Because of there were so many Napster users, copyright on music files become a major problem in this application. From this problem, the Napster Company crashed down and the application is no longer useable.
But in 2001, another file sharing application called WinMX have been made. This WinMX lets you share music files and also other files such as pictures, movies, and computer software. The main idea of the application is mostly same as Napster but the function have been improved. Due to the boom of WinMX, there become another problem about copyright, not just music, also on pictures, movies, and computer software. On November, 2001, first WinMX user got arrested by using the application in a wicked way.

Economy

The current economic climate has a lot to do with how opinions on File Sharing have changed. Since the recession has hit the world, particularly the U.K., more and more people have thought twice about the ethics of File Sharing because they cannot afford to purchase all the music they want to. Music genres and variety is expanding and iTunes prices are rising and people don’t want to lose interest in music because of their financial status and therefore look to file sharing to illegally download and obtain all the music they’d like.

Social/Cultural

The ethics of file sharing come into social discussion. Through two-step-flow people’s opinions and ethics are changed to adjust to deciding that file sharing may be for them, again referring to the economic status of the country; some might not be able to afford the rising prices of mp3 downloads.

Political

The political discussion that surrounds the file sharing debate is whether or not it is ethical; of course it is illegal but with increasing prices, faults in technology and data storage lead to loss of files – is it right that we should pay as much as a pound per song possibly filling the latest iPods such as 160GB: 75,000 songs – with music and files. That’s a potential £75,000 spent on music – still with the risk of losing it all at any point.

CaseStudy: The Representation of Masculinity in Modern Cinema + THESP

Representation Case Study: The Representation of Masculinity in Modern Cinema

by Jamie Lewis

Primary Text: 300 (Zack Snyder 2007)

Technology

A film like 300 could never have been made as recent as 10 years ago because of the latest advances in CGI and editing.
DVDs and Blue-Ray DVDs.

History

During the 1960’s the Vietnam was one of the defining events in terms of masculinity. It started in 1955 and ended in 1975. Films such as Platoon and Apocalypse Now were made in response to the film; interestingly the two films had completely contrasting representations of US forces; Platoon depicting the US soldiers and forces as inhuman and showing a Vietnamese perspective on the violence rather than Apocalypse showing the US dropping bombs and enjoying the experience.
Not only the Vietnam War but also the World Wars changed masculinity and roles of women because women had to fill in for jobs on the Home Front. Whilst men were out being conscripted and fighting Germans, the women had to change their stereotypes and gender roles of the early 1900’s.

Economy

The cost of the film was supposedly $60mil and demonstrates how much money goes into modern cinemas and blockbusters with high-earning directors that can afford to ‘slash the cash’ no their films and then make a killing as 300 did making back all that money in the first week. Also for a blockbuster, increasingly nowadays, that’s still cheap. The IMAX cinema viewings of 300 would have been more expensive and therefore helped the profit substantially.

Social/Cultural

The trend of films such as 300; ‘sword-and-sandals’ including Troy, Gladiator and others. The media suggests that they have been made in response to the changes in the definition that the ‘modern-man’ that have arisen. The increasing appearances of musicals and dance-based shows and programmes focussing on expressive arts rather than sport shows (the attempt to remake Gladiators, presented by Ian Wright, failed as it was cancelled due to lack of viewing figures. Sky1) – this tells us that not only a female audience but also a male audience seems to prefer watching your X-Factors, Strictly Come Dancings and High School Musicals. From the latter a global celebrity Zac Efron has emerged redefining the modern man because of his interest in singing and dancing in the characters he plays and his attention and care of his appearance in real life. Also promoting the men’s healthcare and skin products etc – toiletaries; is David Beckham – men’s health and a great example of a footballer – usually seen as masculine (he is tatoo’d, from an average English family: son to a kitchen fitter and a hairdresser; and average upbringing from London. However Beckham features in constant toiletary adverts such as deoderant, after-shave and Gillette. He was always renowned for changing his hairstyle throughout his football career, watched and exploited eagerly by the media.

Political

The director of ‘The Hurt Locker’ is James Cameron’s ex-wife and perhaps this had some influence in how The Hurt Locker eventually became ‘Best Film’ rivaling her ex’s Avatar; both great films for the advances in cinema. Interestingly the film’s content is heavily about war and masculinity; teamwork and bonds/relationships in masculinity etc. similarly The Sun, renowned for page 3 is run by their female editor Rebekah Wade.

Academic Articles:
http://www.tesisenxarxa.net/TESIS_UdL/AVAILABLE/TDX-1203109-154039//TMISC7de7.pdf
http://www-copas.uni-regensburg.de/articles/issue_8/Christina_Judith_Hein.php