3. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) - All submissions
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Item Towards a definition of Web 2.0 - a comparative study of the 'wiki', 'blog' and 'social network' as instances of Web 2.0(2009-02-03T11:53:24Z) Lewis, Belinda AnnWeb 2.0 was a phrase coined in 2004 to describe the characteristics of web sites which survived the original Dot-com crash. Despite the discussion of this phenomenon in a wide variety of both academic and mass media sources, itʼs exact definition remains unclear. The relative contributions of technology and social participation to this phenomenon are particularly confused. The primary aim of this research report is to provide a clear and comprehensive definition of Web 2.0. This definition is determined through a combined social and technological analysis of blogs, wikis and social network sites, through their particular manifestations in Boing Boing, Wikipedia and Facebook respectively. It is the finding of this research that Web 2.0 is primarily the result of a natural evolution from Web 1.0 technologies and attitudes, and that Web 2.0 is essentially a social phenomenon. This research provides separate definitions for Web 2.0 technologies and Web 2.0 platforms. A Web 2.0 technology is any technology that aids and encourages simple intuitive user interaction through an architecture of participation. These technologies enable user feedback, and are thus constantly improved and exist within the ethos of a perpetual beta. Web 2.0 technologies embrace re-mix and mash-up philosophies. A Web 2.0 platform is a read-write Web platform designed to enable and encourage User Generated Content and interaction. These platforms can be built with any set of technologies, and their primary characteristics are social in nature, but the platforms must allow users to interact with the technology at either an open-source, network or appropriation level. These platforms become more powerful and richer the greater the number of people using the platform, and ultimately result in the formation of Web 2.0 communities.Item Sexual selection and signalling in the lizard Platysaurus minor(2008-04-08T09:37:37Z) Lewis, Belinda AnnABSTRACT Sexual selection may influence aspects of male morphology associated with territoriality, female choice, aggression and contest success. Attributes that are most commonly selected for include body size, condition, weaponry, endurance and bright coloration. I investigated the relationships between morphology, use of space and home range quality, and access to females. Specifically, I examined the relationships between colour, body size and condition, and whether morphology could predict aggression or contest success. Colour spectral data were analyzed using both traditional measures of colour (hue, chroma, brightness) and principal components. Males with darker, more saturated chests, and more saturated throats, had larger home ranges. Home range quality, as determined by refuge number and prey availability, was associated with blue chests and blue throats and chests, respectively. Males with larger home ranges had higher numbers of associated females and spent more time courting females. Larger males in better condition had darker, more saturated chests. Males in better body condition were also more aggressive. There was a consistent trend for larger males to win more contests, but this relationship was only significant in analyses using traditional measures of colour.