The evolution of P2P networks for file exchange: the interaction between social controversy and technical change

Since the irruption of Napster in 1999, Peer-to-Peer computer networks for file exchange have been at the heart of a heated debate that has eventually evolved into a wide social controversy across the world, involving legal, economical, and even political issues. This essay analyzes the effects of this controversy on the technical innovations that have shaped the evolution of those systems. It argues that the usual image of a single two-sided conflict does not account for most of the technical changes involved. P2P entrepreneurs and creators show a wide range of motivations and business strategies -if any- and users are not a monolithic group with a common set of goals and values. As a result, the actual historical evolution of those networks does not follow a simple linear path but a more complex and multidirectional development

Towards a network government? A critical analysis of current assessment methods for e-government

Contemporary public administrations have become increasingly more complex, having to cordinate actions with emerging actors in the public and the private spheres. In this scenario the modern ICTs have begun to be seen as an ideal vehicle to resolve some of the problems of public administration. We argue that there is a clear need to explore the extent to which public administrations are undergoing a process of transformation towards a netowork government linked to the systematic incorporation of ICTs in their basic activities. Through critically analysing a selection of e-government evaluation reports, we conclude that research should be carried out if we are to build a solid government assessment framework based on network-like organisation characteristics

From open science to open technology

Este artículo analiza algunos de los aspectos más importantes de los movimientos actuales por la ciencia y la tecnología abiertas y su relación con la producción colaborativa. En el terreno de la ciencia, se tratan especialmente los problemas en torno al sistema de publicación y su relación con un proceso más amplio de privatización y mercantilización crecientes de la ciencia. La tecnología abierta se vincula, más que al software libre, como es habitual, a los principios de la ciencia abierta. Se analizan diversas instancias de tecnología abierta en el entorno de los hackerspaces, a partir de un trabajo etnográfico internacional, y se propone el concepto de artefactos inacabados para considerar mejor las implicaciones sociales y políticas de esta nueva manera de acometer el diseño tecnológico.This article discusses some of the most important aspects of current movements for open science and technology and their relationship with peer production. In the realm of science we focus on the issues surrounding the publishing system and link them to a broader process of increasing privatization and commodification of science. Open technology is traced back to open science principles – rather than to free software, as usual narratives do. Different instances of open technology are analyzed in the context of hackerspaces, through an international ethnographic research, and the concept of unfinished artifacts is proposed in order to grasp the social and political implications of this new way to undertake technological design

From Bureaucratic Administration to Network Administration? An Empirical Study on E-Government Focus on Catalonia

This article aims to (1) analyse the extent to which there is a movement from a Weberian bureaucratic administration towards a new organisational model that we call network-administration and (2) consider whether the premises of New Public Management (NPM) theory are present in this process of transformation. The study centres on the analysis of the channels for citizen attention and the processes of technological innovation around these channels carried out by the Catalonian Government. Our initial conclusions indicate that while there is a change in Public Administration (PA), this change is incremental and has several nuances: a slight evolution towards network-administration is observed as currently existing alongside the traditional hierarchical and compartmentalised bureaucracy. In parallel, the private sector is increasingly involved in a relationship that tends to be more controlled by the public sector. We should add that there is also a new emphasis being placed on the relationship with the citizen as a service-use

The Evolution of P2P networks for file exchange: the interaction between social controversy and technical change

Since the irruption of Napster in 1999, Peer-to-Peer computer networks for file exchange have been at the heart of a heated debate that has eventually evolved into a wide social controversy across the world, involving legal, economical, and even political issues. This essay analyzes the effects of this controversy on the technical innovations that have shaped the evolution of those systems. It argues that the usual image of a single two-sided conflict does not account for most of the technical changes involved. P2P entrepreneurs and creators show a wide range of motivations and business strategies —if any—and users are not a monolithic group with a common set of goals and values. As a result, the actual historical evolution of those networks does not follow a simple linear path but a more complex and multidirectional development

¿Mala hierba nunca muere? ¿O tal vez cambia la flora arvense? Observaciones en los campos de Aragón

Publishe

Models mixtos multinivell en l'estudi de l'evolució pel defecte òptic a nens amb sindrome de down

La Fundació Catalana Síndrome de Down dóna suport des del diagnòstic prenatal i naixement fins l’edat adulta, i els seus serveis estan adreçats a persones amb la síndrome de Down i altres discapacitats intel·lectuals. La Fundació rep la col·laboració de diferents professionals de la medecina. En concret la Dra. Alícia Galán del Servei d’oftalmologia del Hospital Vall d’Hebron fa els controls i seguiments oftalmològics dels nens amb Síndrome de Down. Com a resultat d’aquesta activitat, la doctora ha generat una base de dades amb les dades de les visites, que conté la informació que permet fer un seguiment de l’estat i evolució de la capacitat visual dels pacients. L’anàlisi estadística d’aquestes dades ha estat objecte de treball en comú del director d’aquest treball amb l’experta per tal de caracteritzar l’evolució dels errors refractius i la seva relació amb patologies i intervencions. La modelització de les dades en el context de les dades longitudinals mitjançant models mixtos ha estat l’objectiu marcat en el present treball