Menu-Driven Identity Workshop Response

Response to Question 1

Hotmail has a similar system to the Yahoo! Mail. The user must fill in users' first name, last name, sex (male or female), date of birth, when signing up for these mailboxes. Regarding to the sex, this system presume that users are either male or female. Any user, such as transsexual, who did not fit this category was ignored by the system.

Besides, there some questions differ from each other. The user must fill in their country (region) when signing up for Hotmail, and there are lists of categories for them to choose. The setting limits other possibilities. The categories this system provides might not cover any country or region all over the world. Moreover, the setting disregarded the users who are mixed nation. I remember that once I try to signing up something else, the system offers me a list of country to choose, but it does not contain Hong Kong. So, what should I do? Eventually, I force to choose China. This experience is similar to the situation I mention above. On the other hand, users must fill in the ZIP/Postal code and preferred content (ask you to select the local yahoo site from this list that best meet users’ content needs) when users signing up for Yahoo! Mail. I think this setting is better than the Hotmail system. It did not contain the question I have mentioned above.

Second Life has different system to the sign-up for Hotmail and Yahoo! Mail. Users need to creating their first name, and choosing the last name from the list provided. The system emphasizes that users should provide an accurate birth date and uses a real email address. Interestingly, this system presumes that users will provide false information in order to use the Second Life gameworld. In this sense, the users can create an identity they want and broadcast in the Second Life.

Response to Question 2

People categorize and present themselves from sex, age group, ethnic background, and body type. These various categories make their online identities are presented in the Lavalife. The categories of age come first and then there are race and body type. The profiles displayed in Lavalife presume that all users will want to know about the age of potential partners first. Then, users will want to know the location and ethnic background of their potential partners. I have try to searching for different users profiles. I have chosen I am female and searching for female too, and the age group is within 18-24. There are 12 result located. Most of them are western and write women. There are one mixed, one black and one Asian. Noteworthy, the black woman did not locate her ethic background. It shows that the majorities of users for Lavalife is western and write people.