Amateurs and Professionals in Information Technology

Amateur 2.0 Thinking about Labor in the Web 2.0 era

Videophiles ca. 1977

Videophile Community

Videophile Community “[In 1976] I used to lug my 50 pound SL7200 over to [a friend’s] house, we’d go up in his attic, where we had some room, and we dubbed tapes, and I’d bring it back that night or the next day to my house.”

Videophile Community “[In 1976] I used to lug my 50 pound SL7200 over to [a friend’s] house, we’d go up in his attic, where we had some room, and we dubbed tapes, and I’d bring it back that night or the next day to my house.” Tinkering to connect Betamaxes for dubbing

Videophile Community “[In 1976] I used to lug my 50 pound SL7200 over to [a friend’s] house, we’d go up in his attic, where we had some room, and we dubbed tapes, and I’d bring it back that night or the next day to my house.” Tinkering to connect Betamaxes for dubbing Taping parties

Videophile Community “[In 1976] I used to lug my 50 pound SL7200 over to [a friend’s] house, we’d go up in his attic, where we had some room, and we dubbed tapes, and I’d bring it back that night or the next day to my house.” Tinkering to connect Betamaxes for dubbing Taping parties Video conventions (Video Collectors of Ohio, etc.)

“What I would most like to do is trade tapes with those of you who are willing to keep an eye out for my wants, while I will, of course, do the same for you. At present I have neither the time nor the inclination to be a taping service (e.g. tape every episode of certain shows every day for someone). As much as possible I would like to keep things on a strict hobby-type nonproﬁt basis. I have no desire to gouge you for the opportunity to see shows that are of interest to you if it is within my ability to bring them to you.” (Jim Lowe, The Videophile’s Newsletter, 1976)

“Amateurs”

Videophiles

Videophiles Audiophiles

Videophiles Audiophiles Computer Hackers

Videophiles Audiophiles Computer Hackers Hot Rod Tinkerers

Videophiles Audiophiles Computer Hackers Hot Rod Tinkerers Ham Radio Operators

Videophiles Audiophiles Computer Hackers Hot Rod Tinkerers Ham Radio Operators DIY Culture

“Amateurs”

“Professionals”

Professional vs. Amateur

Professional vs. Amateur Outward motivation

Professional vs. Amateur Outward motivation Market, client, salary

Professional vs. Amateur Outward motivation Market, client, salary “Work” (valuable)

Professional vs. Amateur Outward motivation Market, client, salary “Work” (valuable) Employee, Labor

Professional vs. Amateur Outward motivation Inward motivation Market, client, salary “Work” (valuable) Employee, Labor

Professional vs. Amateur Outward motivation Inward motivation Market, client, “Love” salary “Work” (valuable) Employee, Labor

Professional vs. Amateur Outward motivation Inward motivation Market, client, “Love” salary “Leisure” (frivolous) “Work” (valuable) Employee, Labor

Professional vs. Amateur Outward motivation Inward motivation Market, client, “Love” salary “Leisure” (frivolous) “Work” (valuable) Enthusiast, Hobbyist Employee, Labor

Professional vs. Amateur mac vs. pc

Why Study Amateurs?

Why Study Amateurs? Point us toward overlooked sites/ populations

Why Study Amateurs? Point us toward overlooked sites/ populations Examine the gray areas of production and consumption

Why Study Amateurs? Point us toward overlooked sites/ populations Examine the gray areas of production and consumption Better understand the relationship between identity and work

Zotero

Zotero Server

Zotero Server Seamless backup, remote access to database

Zotero Server Seamless backup, remote access to database Sharing / Collaboration

Zotero Server Seamless backup, remote access to database Sharing / Collaboration Social tagging

Zotero Server Seamless backup, remote access to database Sharing / Collaboration Social tagging Granular item & folder-level permissions (view/edit items, attachments, notes)

Web 2.0 Source: O’Reilly, “What is Web 2.0” (http:// www.oreillynet.com/lpt/a/6228)

Web 2.0 Coined by Tim O’Reilly Source: O’Reilly, “What is Web 2.0” (http:// www.oreillynet.com/lpt/a/6228)

Web 2.0 Coined by Tim O’Reilly “The central principle behind the success of the giants born in the Web 1.0 era who have survived to lead the Web 2.0 era appears to be this, that they have embraced the power of the Source: O’Reilly, “What is Web 2.0” (http:// www.oreillynet.com/lpt/a/6228)

Source: O’Reilly, “What is Web 2.0” (http:// www.oreillynet.com/lpt/a/6228)

Amateurs on the Web

Amateurs on the Web Bloggers

Amateurs on the Web Bloggers Wikipedia

Amateurs on the Web Bloggers Wikipedia YouTube

YouTube

but...

Collaborative Filtering

Folksonomy

Folksonomy I collect things, and tag with keywords so that I can ﬁnd them later.

Folksonomy I collect things, and tag with keywords so that I can ﬁnd them later. You do the same thing.

Folksonomy I collect things, and tag with keywords so that I can ﬁnd them later. You do the same thing. Software aggregates and statistically processes individual choices into one meta-archive.

Flickr

Upcoming

“Leveraging Solipsism” - Peter Merholz, Adaptive Path

What’s the crowd doing?

What’s the crowd doing? Producing value

What’s the crowd doing? Producing value Not paid

What’s the crowd doing? Producing value Not paid Not intentional

What’s the crowd doing? Producing value Not paid Not intentional Doesn’t ﬁt standard deﬁnition of “work”

“Amateur”

“Amateur” not about skill

“Amateur” not about skill not about payment

“Amateur” not about skill not about payment (”gift economy”)

“Amateur” not about skill not about payment (”gift economy”) about identity and intention

“Amateur” not about skill not about payment (”gift economy”) about identity and intention actions are undertaken for their own sake, “for love of” the action itself

So what?

Amateurs and Professionals in Information Technology

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