Cathy Wang

From the reading of Barabasi, the goal of graph theory can be considered as an aim to discover and catalogue the properties of the various graphs. I would like to see the formation of random graphs as a process of finding simple solution to a complex system.

we have noticed the preferential attachment law in application while we search on google. It is more likely that we click the hub.

I have found this other search engine (it’s a beta version and it does not search too well) called eurekster. This search engine would make the links that your friends linked to already on top. In a sense it’s an anti-preferential attachment. In another sense, it is creating its own preference. Instead of following the real hub, this search engine enables you to create your own hub in your own personal network.

Network connects different diverse maps together by following a common blueprint. “A string of recent breath-taking discoveries has forced us to acknowledge that amazingly simple and far-reaching natural laws govern the structure and evolution of all the complex networks that surround us.” (Barabasi, 2002) Everything are connected. We do not noticed that we are all connected in this small world. Webblog as an example of connecting everyone. From the book Linked by Albert Laszlo Barabasi, the example of Paul and the beginning of Christianity emphasize the idea of spreading knowledge as a network system. In comparison to the example of MafiaBoy, which utilizes internet as a network. Internet sure spreads faster than Paul walking pass all the communities he did; however, this raised my question: “would Paul succeed if he was using internet?”

Thinking about Paul and MafiaBoy reminded me of … Read More »

from small world network from the Santa Fe Institute Bulletin, Volume 14, Number 2 (Fall 1999).

I found this article called Cyberspace, Cybertexts, Cybermaps” by marie-Laure Ryan throught the Patrik’s Sprawl (which is an amazing blog that I read everyday and would recomment everyone to read everyday.) From this article:

Despite these obvious differences between real and virtual geographies, the cyberspace metaphor invites us to think of the Internet as forming a parallel universe made of countless galaxies, planetary systems within these galaxies, worlds within these systems, and nations within these worlds. [1] The image of cyberspace produced by Andrew Wood, Nick Drew, Russell Beale and Bob Hendley [2] (figure 1) is a good example of this mental visualization.