Computer use as a social activity : a study involving Libyan women living away from their home country

The purpose of this study was to investigate displacement and the migrant experience, particularly in relation to the under-researched area of middle class migration, and the role of the computer in sustaining relationships at a distance. The participants were a group of elite Libyan women who lived with their husbands and children in North Manchester were the focus of the study. The focus of the study was centred on showing how these Libyan women used home computing and the internet as a social tool. A qualitative research methodology was utilised in this study. The data consisted of exploratory semi-structured interviews with a Libyan mother and her daughter, and a series of group discussions collected from Al Lamma gatherings (women’s social gatherings) which were attended by Libyan women of different backgrounds. The use of Al Lamma gatherings provided a culturally appropriate setting in which the women were able to express their views more freely than might have been the case in more traditional research settings such as group interviews or focus groups. The women’s group discussion transcripts were translated from spoken Libyan Arabic into English. Participantobservation field notes, reflective extracts and diary notes were also part of the research data. The analysis of the interviews and the women’s group discussions revealed important issues as a result of using home computing and the internet as a social activity. Home computing was used as a vehicle for informal learning and self-development. However the women found it necessary to overcome various barriers and obstacles to their access to 4 home computing. For instance, conflict and power relations in Libyan families in North Manchester were reflected in members’ access to and use of home computers, prompting strategies such as passive resistance by the women in order to secure access to home computing and the social and leisure goods that it offers. As a result, it is suggested, home computing contributed to the empowerment of the Libyan women participants. Culture and religion also had influences on family structures, and therefore upon practices around home computing and internet use. Further issues discussed in the study included the role of home computing in sustaining real and ‘imagined’ community, and the significance of engaging with virtual realities for children’s development. The thesis also addressed issues related to the role of the English language in creating hierarchies of knowledge and power among researchers. The thesis identifies a need for educators and policy makers to recognize the existence of middle class migrants who have diversity of needs and identities. It is suggested that the engagement with home computing by such migrant groups could have implications for classroom teaching or designing effective courses online. The thesis identifies a need for further research on education, employment and empowerment in relation to middle class immigrant women from under-represented groups in the United Kingdom. The experience of children of immigrant families or transnational families is also identified as a topic for future research. Finally, the thesis recommends enhancing an appreciation of differences by teaching about different social arrangements and cultures in the English education system

Emotive computing may have a role in telecare

This brief paper sets out arguments for the introduction of new technologies into telecare and lifestyle monitoring that can detect and monitor the emotive state of patients. The significantly increased use of computers by older people will enable the elements of emotive computing to be integrated with features such as keyboards and webcams, to provide additional information on emotional state. When this is combined with other data, there will be significant opportunities for system enhancement and the identification of changes in user status, and hence of need. The ubiquity of home computing makes the keyboard a very attractive, economic and non-intrusive means of data collection and analysis

Technology, consumption and the future: The experience of home computing

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.This study of the home computer boom is of relevance to wider discussions of consumption, innovation and popular attitudes towards science and technology. Based primarily on empirical work with computer users, it also explores the various media, commercial, academic and political discourses which contributed to the boom. The home computer boom was an event which amounted to more than the sum of individual decisions to purchase and use micros. It is testimony to the influence of visions of a world shaped by technology in the public imagination. Contact with the home computer was mediated by powerful beliefs about the future significance of information technology both inside and, most importantly, outside the home. Many buyers had only vague notions of the nature and capabilities of their micro and how it would fit into their lives - these were issues to be resolved after purchase. Obtaining a machine was just the first stage in 'computer careers' which were often marked by shifting commitments to computing. Any simple ends-orientated view of micro use is inadequate. Much computing, even with advanced and, supposedly, practical hardware and software, has a strong exploratory element. The example of home computing shows how, rather than being an absolute which determines demand, the usefulness of goods is constructed and negotiated in specific social contexts. An issue which preoccupied many was 'finding a use' for the computer. They can be seen investigating and debating the value of various applications. This is not simply resolved at a individual or household level. It is part of a process of innovation - yet to be fully resolved - which takes place across the spheres of production and consumption.This work is funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council

Home Computer Use and Shifts in Family's Time-Allocation Patterns

The Malaysian government's serious commitment to make computers more accessible to all would mean more personal computers are expected to move into the Malaysian homes. Since computers are effective time consuming devices which force users to reallocate their limited time for doing various activities, computing particularly in the home, has the potential to change the way family members interact with each other. However, despite the increasing importance of computers, little attention seems to have been paid towards understanding computer use in relation to the household. This study was conducted specifically to determine (1) the characteristics of home computer users, (2) the relationships between shifts in family's time-allocation patterns and indicators of computer use (actual time spent on home computing, frequency of computer use, and number of software packages used), and (3) the relationship between home computing and family communication. This study was conducted on active computer users, representing the principal users of family computers, on Internet services and other software packages, and/or both packages. A total of 109 individuals from the Klang Valley participated in this study. Data were collected through self-administered mail questionnaires and analyzed by using statistical analyses, such as, frequencies, means, medians, standard deviations, percentages, Chi-square, and Spearman Rank-Order Correlation, by means of SPSS-WIN computer program. The findings showed that home computer/Internet users were middle aged, well-educated professional managerial workers, males, heading average size households with high annual income. Shifts in time-allocation patterns for eight activities were negatively related to time spent on home computing, frequency of computer use, number of software packages used, and overall home computer use. Time spent for taking family members to various services; time spent for sleeping; time for hobbies; time with friends; and time spent for using other media, that is, for watching television, listening to radio, reading newspapers, and reading books, were significantly reduced. The amount of communication in the family was found to be positively related to the time spent and frequency of computer use, suggesting that using the family computer had enhanced communication among family members. However, home computing had only occasionally helped family members communicate more effectively and achieved desirable communication environment in the family_ Based on the findings of this study, there is a need for family members to reallocate time and reprioritize household activities to satisfy the family's basic demands and functioning, and be able to cope with the increasing social implications of the technological innovations in communication

Building Highly Interoperable Home-Computing Middleware Based on REST Architectural Style

ユビキタスコンピューティングへのコンピューティングパラダイムの推移により，様々なデバイスがネットワーク経由で操作可能なホームコンピューティング環境が実現されると考えられる．この環境では，家電製品から日常物まで家の中の様々なモノが操作の対象となり，相互運用性や柔軟性の問題が重要になってくる．そこで，これらの要件を満たすための方法として，同様の要件を満たしているWWWのアーキテクチャ的スタイルであるRESTを導入することを検討する．RESTの核となる部分は，少数セットのコマンドによる汎用的なインタフェースと，一意に識別できるリソースによって実現される．具体的には我々の研究室で構築したホームコンピューティングシステムであるSENCHAにRESTを導入し，その有用性を検証する．修士論