Something to blog about

I realise that my last few posts have been few and far between, and they're usually short and boring. So today its something a little bit more substantial.

Currently I'm sitting in one of my lectures. Mobile Technology Applications. Supposedly today we're learning about critical mass theory. The lecturer is saying that the theory comes from physics, from the "Dummy's guide to physics" or some such. Just goes to show how low the information systems field is going to get their developments and new theories. It seems like a whole bunch of garbage to me. Well, not garbage, more like common sense. Basically he's saying that this theory applies in situations where there is "adopter interdependances". That is, it applies in situations where the use of technologies relies on other people using the technologies. Obviously you can only call people on a phone if they have a phone themselves (or are near one).

This is ridiculous because theres another theory which is just as good. There was that whole 'graph of hype thing' which has been around for ages as well. This critical mass theory has some graph that looks like a standard bell curve which he grabbed from Rogers (1995). I think I like the hype curve better.

Now he's going on about a public goods as a result of people using the new technology. Technically its not a public good since people are actually paying for it... I don't think he's ever done economics before. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong and I'll be forever shamed. He's saying the internet is a public good. Hardly... we're paying for it. People are paying for it, a market economy doesn't need to tax to pay for it. It didn't need any government intervention to make it happen. It was even created in the most market orientated economy in the world - the big US of A.

We've moved onto an 'S' curve to explain the integrated bell curve. Its kind of funny, because all he's talking about is the shape of the S. Looks like... a more curvey 'S'. It all reminds me of Strong Bad's Dragon E-mail. Go watch it, its hilarious. 'First, draw an S, and then draw a more different S' - Classic. Its intellectual standard is about on par with this lecture as well.

Somehow theres another curve which does some other stuff. Its modeling the same thing but it looks different. Basically its saying you're going to have trouble achieving critical mass if no new people use the product. Great, thanks for that.

They're really struggling now. Its only 40 minutes into the lecture and they've run out of things to say. Oh well. At least its easy I guess.

P.S. For those of you who may be remotely or may just pretend to be interested, I've written a review for lego star wars... cos I was bored.