Media : Community/Alternative Media

A revelatory examination of how the wildfirelike spread of new forms of social interaction enabled by technology is changing the way humans form groups and exist within them, with profound long-term economic and social effects-for good and for ill. A handful of kite hobbyists scattered around the world find each other online and collaborate on the most radical improvement in kite design in decades. A midwestern professor of Middle Eastern history starts a blog after 9/11 that becomes essential reading for journalists covering the Iraq war. Activists use the Internet and e-mail to bring offensive comments made by Trent Lott and Don Imus to a wide public and hound them from their positions. A few people find that a world-class online encyclopedia created entirely by volunteers and open for editing by anyone, a wiki, is not an impractical idea. Jihadi groups trade inspiration and instruction and showcase terrorist atrocities to the world, entirely online. A wide group of unrelated people swarms to a Web site about the theft of a cell phone and ultimately goads the New York City police to take action, leading to the culprit's arrest. With accelerating velocity, our age's new technologies of social networking are evolving, and evolving us, into new groups doing new things in new ways, and old and new groups alike doing the old things better and more easily. You don't have to have a MySpace page to know that the times they are a changin'. Hierarchical structures that exist to manage the work of groups are seeing their raisons d'tre swiftly eroded by the rising technological tide. Business models are being destroyed, transformed, born at dizzying speeds, and the larger social impact is profound. One of the culture's wisest observers of the transformational power of the new forms of tech-enabled social interaction is Clay Shirky, and Here Comes Everybody is his marvelous reckoning with the ramifications of all this on what we do and who we are. more...

Price: $16.00

The Net Generation Has Arrived. Are you ready for it?. Chances are you know a person between the ages of 11 and 30. You've seen them doing five things at once: texting friends, downloading music, uploading videos, watching a movie on a two-inch screen, and doing who-knows-what on Facebook or MySpace. They're the first generation to have literally grown up digital--and they're part of a global cultural phenomenon that's here to stay. The bottom line is this: If you understand the Net Generation, you will understand the future. If you're a Baby Boomer or Gen-Xer: This is your field guide. A fascinating inside look at the Net Generation, Grown Up Digital is inspired by a $4 million private research study. New York Times bestselling author Don Tapscott has surveyed more than 11,000 young people. Instead of a bunch of spoiled “screenagers” with short attention spans and zero social skills, he discovered a remarkably bright community which has developed revolutionary new ways of thinking, interacting, working, and socializing. Grown Up Digital reveals: How the brain of the Net Generation processes information; Seven ways to attract and engage young talent in the workforce; Seven guidelines for educators to tap the Net Gen potential; Parenting 2.0: There's no place like the new home; Citizen Net: How young people and the Internet are transforming democracy. Today's young people are using technology in ways you could never imagine. Instead of passively watching television, the “Net Geners” are actively participating in the distribution of entertainment and information. For the first time in history, youth are the authorities on something really important. And they're changing every aspect of our society-from the workplace to the marketplace, from the classroom to the living room, from the voting booth to the Oval Office. The Digital Age is here. The Net Generation has arrived. Meet the future. more...

Price: $27.95

* In Part I, readers learn what a blog is, why they might want to create one, and what they need to get started. Includes information on blogging basics, the anatomy of a good blog, and the tools required to get started. * Part II gets readers up and more...

Price: $21.99

Use new media to attract and mobilize young people!. Explore and examine the gamut of new media and the ways in which it can be used to recruit, organize, and mobilize young people--who represent the majority of new media users. Answer the questions: What is it? How is it being used? How does it work? How to get started? You'll get concise descriptions, screenshots, case studies, resources, and best practices in language that is easy for non-technical people to understand. You'll also gain a sense of the technology--without requiring any downloads, software or plug-ins. more...

Price: $39.95

Bloggers love WordPress! If you're ready to start using this free blogging software, WordPress For Dummies, 2nd Edition is just what you and your blog need to make a splash. Professional blog designer Lisa Sabin-Wilson shows you how to use all the latest upgrades to WordPress and helps you decide whether to use the Wordpress.com hosted service or self-host your blog with WordPress.org. Whether you're just venturing into the blogosphere or you want to shift an existing blog to WordPress, WordPress For Dummies, 2nd Edition will help. Explore theme development and learn where to find free WordPress themes Extend WordPress through plug-ins, CSS, custom fields, and more Find out about archiving, interacting with readers through comments, tracking back, and handling spam Get the scoop on domain registration, Web hosting providers, basic tools like FTP, and more Create a unique blog theme and presentation by using template tags with CSS Sign up for WordPress.com, log in, set options, and create a profile Install WordPress.org, set up a MySQL database, explore RSS feeds, and organize a blogroll Discover the secrets of creating a blog that draws readers Get tips on wonderful widgets, upgrades, and plugins you can add to make your blog extra cool Learn how to use the Dashboard, manage comments, and make permalinks work with your Web server With WordPress For Dummies, 2nd Edition on hand, it's easy to make the most of the free software and build a blog that stands out in a crowd. more...

Price: $24.99