Gearing Up - Ethnography - page 83

When this topic first appeared in 1989, it concluded here. The pencil is as
old as Asyrian cuneiform tablets. The camera and telephone are more than 100
years old. The WWW, however, did not exist in 1989. In the 1998 edition of this
topic, I provided lists of useful sites. However, the proliferation of information,
programs, and applications related to the conduct of ethnography on the Internet
has been exponential in nature, making it virtually impossible to keep up-to-date
in print. Instead, I have opted to maintain Web sites with information about and
links to resources for ethnographers. Use your browser to search for http://www
.davidfetterman.com or ethnography to find the most current information.
There are, however, a few significant developments that merit some dis-
cussion because of their utility for ethnographic work, including Internet-
based maps, telephony, videoconferencing, surveys, file sharing, digital photo
file sharing, blogs, and collaborative word processing, spreadsheets, and
Web sites.
Internet Maps
Internet maps, such as Google Maps, enable the ethnographer to type in the
street address of the location they plan to visit and generate directions, a street-
level view of the location, and a satellite picture of the area. Google Earth pro-
vides a satellite view of locations throughout the world. These tools make
many site visits easier and more efficient.
Telephony
Internet telephone software, such as Skype and Jajah, enable people to
speak with one another for free over the Internet. Ethnographers routinely use
these tools to speak with colleagues and key actors in the field without long-
distance charges. They are also a free or inexpensive way to maintain contact
with community members as well.
Videoconferencing Technology
Videoconferencing technology allows geographically disparate parties to
see and hear each other—around the globe. Free or inexpensive software
programs, including Google Video Chat (part of gmail), iChat, iVisit, and
Skype, are available and allow videoconferencing online over the Internet, with
no satellite or long-distance charges. With only this software and a small, rel-
atively inexpensive digital camera plugged directly into a personal computer,
individuals can videoconference through their computer screens with any