This brought back a few memories. I haven't used (hell, even touched) Excel since leaving high school, which shockingly is nearing two years ago. We used to do tasks similar to this one, but since mathematical skill was something I wasn't blessed with, I've had no reason or need to use this program since then. However, once I got started into this tutorial task, everything started coming back to me.
Shortcuts, such as "=B2*C2," started to become almost second nature again, which is kind of weird since I never really paid too much attention to Excel back in the day. I guess some of it did stick with me thoug as I never had too much trouble with this excercise, except for the advanced excercise.
I was more hesitant in this one than others (probably hence the name "advanced") but I struggled through it well enough. It's strange how you can go so long without using a program but then suddenly get right back into it but I guess that's what happened with me in this week. Of course, if I hadn't had previous experience with Excel before (like Photoshop for instance, something that I was, and still am a hopeless novice at) then I would have probably been stuck for a while, but Excel's interface is well designed and I think after a while I would have been fine with it.
Thursday, May 31
Week 10- Microsoft Word
Though I've used Microsoft Word constantly for years, if I'm honest I've never really explored the more advanced uses of it, such as mail merging and track changes. It took me a while to get my head around both of these concepts, which is strange since it's not as if I've never seen these features before. My first go on each feature wasn't really a success, in fact if anything I was getting more and more confused by it all. But I kept trying and eventually got into the knack of it. I now see the practicality of these two features and will at some point try to go from carefully going word-to-word from the instruction on Learning @ GU to just going at it full tilt.
I found it interesting also that in the tutorial task outline it said that this task may be weird if you're used to something like OpenOffice. I had never heard of such a thing before, but after reading about it and hearing about it during a lecture, I went home, downloaded it (eventually) and now am starting to use it far more often than the now dreaded Microsoft Office, so the message got through to at least one person haha.
I found it interesting also that in the tutorial task outline it said that this task may be weird if you're used to something like OpenOffice. I had never heard of such a thing before, but after reading about it and hearing about it during a lecture, I went home, downloaded it (eventually) and now am starting to use it far more often than the now dreaded Microsoft Office, so the message got through to at least one person haha.
Friday, May 11
Movie Piracy Essay
Movie Piracy: Pay Now or Pay Later?
The purpose of this essay is to investigate movie piracy. Defined by dictionary.com as "the unauthorised reproduction or use of a copyrighted book, recording, television program, patented invention, trademarked product, etc," within this increasing activity there are different viewpoints and impacts from relevant parties. From major Hollywood studios and distributors to the local independent cinema to a teenage male university student, these groups of people and businesses are the driving forces in either the continuation of this illegal action or the battle against it. Therefore these will be examined, as will relevant financial data and some of the technology used to pirate films.
To begin, it is worth noting the financial cost this behaviour is causing. The Motion Pictures Association of America (MPAA), which is the self-proclaimed “voice and advocate” of this industry estimated that in the year 2005 alone, worldwide movie piracy cost the business over US$6.1billion (Associated Press 2006). From that general figure the relatively new form of piracy, downloading copies from the internet rather than purchasing pirated discs, deprived US$2.3 billion (or 37% of the total amount) from the industry alone.
To download movies and other large files from the internet, having broadband access is necessary. This style of data transmission, which gains its name from the high speed created by sending bandwidth through more than one signal, is becoming more and more popular. Ronald Roach (2004) states that from 2003 to 2008, the number of people worldwide that will use broadband will increase by more than 300% (or from 100 million to an estimated 325 million).
Also from that US$6.1billion figure, study shows that US$1.2 billion was from activity in the Asia-Pacific region alone (Wall Street Journal 2006). With surveys claiming that upwards of 58% of broadband users in Korea alone (Pruitt 2004), for instance, having some involvement in the act of pirating movies, it begins to become clear of the prevalence of movie piracy in society.
Piracy is stealing, robbing studios of funds that could be used in the development of new ideas for new movies. This is an illegal, immoral activity that is proving extremely difficult to stop. Since 2006, the MPAA website declares that 81 million counterfeit discs have been confiscated through its co-operation efforts with governments internationally. This is a tremendous number, but then the enormity of this business is revealed when additional research is undertaken. During 2006 purely in Russia the ratio of illegal DVDs being sold outstrips legal discs 4:1, meaning 168 million copied movie discs were sold (Kozlov 2007).
This is an activity that is also subverting the power of governments. In China approximately only 20 foreign movies are granted access to be screened nationwide annually. These films then potentially are censored to suit the government’s values. However, in the markets of Beijing, uncensored and unauthorised Hollywood films can be purchased for less than AU$1 (Toy 2007). With such a limited number of motion pictures deemed fit for public viewing, it could be said that this illegal act is not only defying the government, but in a sense is also liberating the people. They now have the ability to watch whatever movies that they (not the government) choose, and can do so for minimal price. Despite this potential conflict of interest, it could be said that piracy is now shifting the base of power from Hollywood studios and Government censors to the average members of society.
Liberation aside, though, piracy is having a significant impact here in Australia already. In 2001, Australian movie attendances were at previously unseen numbers, with over 93 million people paying to watch films at the cinema. Yet as broadband access rose, the figure began to slump. In 2005, through the help of the late blockbuster movies King Kong and Harry Potter, that total barely reached 87 million (Chris Grose 2005).
Reasons for the slump can be identified. Rising ticket prices and the fall in cost of the average DVD are two, but piracy is also a factor. The Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT) claim that, in 2005, 11% of movies within Australia at a cost of AU$230 million, were viewed via piracy. When compared to Australian piracy
levels from 2000, over five years it is a market has nearly tripled in size.
Compared worldwide though, Australian piracy is in its infancy. Two figures worth looking at come from Canada and Spain. In the former, a 2007 study headed by Marcus Robinson has shown that 93% of movies watched online are pirated, with 50% of viewers over the age of 46 (contradicting belief that the dominant user is the teenage male). In the latter, from the year 2005 to 2006, the percentage of illegal DVD broadband movies doubled from 30% to 60%. This incredible surge assisted in the closure of over 80 Blockbuster video shops, which in turn created job losses (Hopewell and de Pablos 2006).
In America though, despite piracy levels, the box-office industry has never been healthier or stronger. On his internet column, John Sutherland argues that piracy, if anything, has proved beneficial as cinemas, attempting to lure back customers have spent more money improving customer service and the cinemas themselves. This in turn has created a more pleasant experience to those who have paid to attend. This is a different style of defence for piracy, however it is one that does contain logic.
Though it is becoming more popular now than it has ever before, movie piracy is a crime. Indeed, it is also not a victimless one. Though the short-term costs of buying an illegal disc or downloading from the internet dwarf the cost of purchasing a cinema ticket, the cost in the long-term is escalating. From job losses in Spain, to the decline in domestic film-goers market, movie piracy is impacting negatively on society and the film industry. Though giving the consumer greater access and more choice than previously, piracy comes at a great moral and, ever-rising, financial cost. Those participating in piracy are faced with a question: pay now, or pay later?
References:
Websites
Pruitt, Scarlet (2004) “MPAA: Movie Downloading is new Piracy Plague” http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/index.php/id;1131456459;fp;2;fpid;11 (accessed May 4 2007).
Associated Press (2006) “Study: Movie Piracy cost Hollywood studios $6.1 billion in ‘05”
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/05/03/financial/f104130D40.DTL (Accessed May 4 2007).
Toy, Mary-Anne (2007) “Piracy still pays despite party line on what’s fit for Chinese eyes”
http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/piracy-still-pays-despite-party-line-on-whats-fit-for-chinese-eyes/2007/02/09/1170524304056.html (Accessed May 2 2007).
Grose, Chris (2005) “Cinema Pasts and Futures: What’s Going On? http://bonza.rmit.edu.au/essays/2005/Chris%20Grose/WhatsGoingOn.html). (Accessed May 4 2007).
AFACT: Optical Disc Piracy (2007) http://www.afact.org.au/moviethieves_optical.html (Accessed May 1 2007)
Sutherland, John (2004) “Benefits of Piracy”
http://www.chico.mweb.co.za/art/2004/2004nov/041105-piracy.html (Accessed May 4 2007).
Academic Articles
Roach, R (2004) “Broadband Access Expected to Exceed 325 Million in 2008.” Black Issues in Higher Education (21)12 Pg 97.
http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=679097591&sid=9&Fmt=3&clientId=13713&RQT=309&VName=PQD
Kozlov, V (2007) “Pirated DVDs Still Dominate the Market.” Moscow News (5) Pg 13.
http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1230865751&sid=12&Fmt=2&clientId=13713&RQT=309&VName=PQD
Robinson, M (2007), “We're a pirate nation: Tougher legislation and more legal downloading options are needed to curb Canada's piracy problem.” Playback : Canada's Broadcast and Production Journal Pg 21.
http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1239123121&sid=12&Fmt=3&clientId=13713&RQT=309&VName=PQD
“Hollywood Fights Asia Movie Piracy” (2006) Wall Street Journal (Eastern Edition)July 26.
http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1083414351&sid=12&Fmt=3&clientId=13713&RQT=309&VName=PQD
Hopewell, J, de Pablos, E (2006). “DVD Piracy Wreaks Havoc in Spain” Variety (402)6: pg 9.
http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=19&did=1016126691&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=4&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1178329485&clientId=13713
The purpose of this essay is to investigate movie piracy. Defined by dictionary.com as "the unauthorised reproduction or use of a copyrighted book, recording, television program, patented invention, trademarked product, etc," within this increasing activity there are different viewpoints and impacts from relevant parties. From major Hollywood studios and distributors to the local independent cinema to a teenage male university student, these groups of people and businesses are the driving forces in either the continuation of this illegal action or the battle against it. Therefore these will be examined, as will relevant financial data and some of the technology used to pirate films.
To begin, it is worth noting the financial cost this behaviour is causing. The Motion Pictures Association of America (MPAA), which is the self-proclaimed “voice and advocate” of this industry estimated that in the year 2005 alone, worldwide movie piracy cost the business over US$6.1billion (Associated Press 2006). From that general figure the relatively new form of piracy, downloading copies from the internet rather than purchasing pirated discs, deprived US$2.3 billion (or 37% of the total amount) from the industry alone.
To download movies and other large files from the internet, having broadband access is necessary. This style of data transmission, which gains its name from the high speed created by sending bandwidth through more than one signal, is becoming more and more popular. Ronald Roach (2004) states that from 2003 to 2008, the number of people worldwide that will use broadband will increase by more than 300% (or from 100 million to an estimated 325 million).
Also from that US$6.1billion figure, study shows that US$1.2 billion was from activity in the Asia-Pacific region alone (Wall Street Journal 2006). With surveys claiming that upwards of 58% of broadband users in Korea alone (Pruitt 2004), for instance, having some involvement in the act of pirating movies, it begins to become clear of the prevalence of movie piracy in society.
Piracy is stealing, robbing studios of funds that could be used in the development of new ideas for new movies. This is an illegal, immoral activity that is proving extremely difficult to stop. Since 2006, the MPAA website declares that 81 million counterfeit discs have been confiscated through its co-operation efforts with governments internationally. This is a tremendous number, but then the enormity of this business is revealed when additional research is undertaken. During 2006 purely in Russia the ratio of illegal DVDs being sold outstrips legal discs 4:1, meaning 168 million copied movie discs were sold (Kozlov 2007).
This is an activity that is also subverting the power of governments. In China approximately only 20 foreign movies are granted access to be screened nationwide annually. These films then potentially are censored to suit the government’s values. However, in the markets of Beijing, uncensored and unauthorised Hollywood films can be purchased for less than AU$1 (Toy 2007). With such a limited number of motion pictures deemed fit for public viewing, it could be said that this illegal act is not only defying the government, but in a sense is also liberating the people. They now have the ability to watch whatever movies that they (not the government) choose, and can do so for minimal price. Despite this potential conflict of interest, it could be said that piracy is now shifting the base of power from Hollywood studios and Government censors to the average members of society.
Liberation aside, though, piracy is having a significant impact here in Australia already. In 2001, Australian movie attendances were at previously unseen numbers, with over 93 million people paying to watch films at the cinema. Yet as broadband access rose, the figure began to slump. In 2005, through the help of the late blockbuster movies King Kong and Harry Potter, that total barely reached 87 million (Chris Grose 2005).
Reasons for the slump can be identified. Rising ticket prices and the fall in cost of the average DVD are two, but piracy is also a factor. The Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT) claim that, in 2005, 11% of movies within Australia at a cost of AU$230 million, were viewed via piracy. When compared to Australian piracy
levels from 2000, over five years it is a market has nearly tripled in size.
Compared worldwide though, Australian piracy is in its infancy. Two figures worth looking at come from Canada and Spain. In the former, a 2007 study headed by Marcus Robinson has shown that 93% of movies watched online are pirated, with 50% of viewers over the age of 46 (contradicting belief that the dominant user is the teenage male). In the latter, from the year 2005 to 2006, the percentage of illegal DVD broadband movies doubled from 30% to 60%. This incredible surge assisted in the closure of over 80 Blockbuster video shops, which in turn created job losses (Hopewell and de Pablos 2006).
In America though, despite piracy levels, the box-office industry has never been healthier or stronger. On his internet column, John Sutherland argues that piracy, if anything, has proved beneficial as cinemas, attempting to lure back customers have spent more money improving customer service and the cinemas themselves. This in turn has created a more pleasant experience to those who have paid to attend. This is a different style of defence for piracy, however it is one that does contain logic.
Though it is becoming more popular now than it has ever before, movie piracy is a crime. Indeed, it is also not a victimless one. Though the short-term costs of buying an illegal disc or downloading from the internet dwarf the cost of purchasing a cinema ticket, the cost in the long-term is escalating. From job losses in Spain, to the decline in domestic film-goers market, movie piracy is impacting negatively on society and the film industry. Though giving the consumer greater access and more choice than previously, piracy comes at a great moral and, ever-rising, financial cost. Those participating in piracy are faced with a question: pay now, or pay later?
References:
Websites
Pruitt, Scarlet (2004) “MPAA: Movie Downloading is new Piracy Plague” http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/index.php/id;1131456459;fp;2;fpid;11 (accessed May 4 2007).
Associated Press (2006) “Study: Movie Piracy cost Hollywood studios $6.1 billion in ‘05”
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/05/03/financial/f104130D40.DTL (Accessed May 4 2007).
Toy, Mary-Anne (2007) “Piracy still pays despite party line on what’s fit for Chinese eyes”
http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/piracy-still-pays-despite-party-line-on-whats-fit-for-chinese-eyes/2007/02/09/1170524304056.html (Accessed May 2 2007).
Grose, Chris (2005) “Cinema Pasts and Futures: What’s Going On? http://bonza.rmit.edu.au/essays/2005/Chris%20Grose/WhatsGoingOn.html). (Accessed May 4 2007).
AFACT: Optical Disc Piracy (2007) http://www.afact.org.au/moviethieves_optical.html (Accessed May 1 2007)
Sutherland, John (2004) “Benefits of Piracy”
http://www.chico.mweb.co.za/art/2004/2004nov/041105-piracy.html (Accessed May 4 2007).
Academic Articles
Roach, R (2004) “Broadband Access Expected to Exceed 325 Million in 2008.” Black Issues in Higher Education (21)12 Pg 97.
http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=679097591&sid=9&Fmt=3&clientId=13713&RQT=309&VName=PQD
Kozlov, V (2007) “Pirated DVDs Still Dominate the Market.” Moscow News (5) Pg 13.
http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1230865751&sid=12&Fmt=2&clientId=13713&RQT=309&VName=PQD
Robinson, M (2007), “We're a pirate nation: Tougher legislation and more legal downloading options are needed to curb Canada's piracy problem.” Playback : Canada's Broadcast and Production Journal Pg 21.
http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1239123121&sid=12&Fmt=3&clientId=13713&RQT=309&VName=PQD
“Hollywood Fights Asia Movie Piracy” (2006) Wall Street Journal (Eastern Edition)July 26.
http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1083414351&sid=12&Fmt=3&clientId=13713&RQT=309&VName=PQD
Hopewell, J, de Pablos, E (2006). “DVD Piracy Wreaks Havoc in Spain” Variety (402)6: pg 9.
http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=19&did=1016126691&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=4&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1178329485&clientId=13713
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