#EDCMOOC Vendor bias and detecting bull

Starting from the days of BBS (Bulletin Board System) I have tremendous faith in the new technology. The more we use it, the more we would benefit from it, until about ten years ago. I found lot of puzzling information from the internet. Computers are stars and internet is god. When I found too many people share the same faith as mine, I doubt it. “Am I wrong?” It is hard for me to say anything bad about computer and internet. Until recently, I have read the article from Daniel J.S. Technology is the Answer: What was the Question? (http://portal.unesco.org/education/en/ev.php-URL_ID=5909&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html

).

The article talks about “vendor bias”. It reminds me my experience in searching information from the web. Actually most of these information are coming from vendors of information technology. Without except, they all praise the new technology and the new product. As the article alerts us that we should beware the intention of the vendors' opinion.

The article also talks about “detect bull”. It is a common belief that things agreed by most people are always true. We believe it is the way of inductive reasoning and there is nothing wrong. Actually not only it may be wrong, but also the people talking in the web may not be real. If you don't believe it, ask you friends how many blog accounts they have, and how many blog accounts using their real names, and how many blog accounts using nick names only.

January 30, 2013 +EDC MOOC
#edcmooc