Menu-Driven Identity Workshop Response

Question 1) It has been noted that the categories available for users in Hotmail and Yahoo are quite similar. Both ask for first and last names, birthdate, and gender. It is interesting to see that there is no default gender marked. Both Hotmail and Yahoo have default languages. Hotmail's is "English" and Yahoo's is "English- United States." The use of these defaults presumes that the users will be predominantly English speakers, and Yahoo; that they will be predominantly English speaking Americans. I'm not sure what this really says about assumptions of location and race because if you spoke a language other than English would you be opening a mail account with Yahoo in the first place? Are there other mail services that cater specifically for say, japanese? Hotmail's Terms of Agreement note that "It is the express will of the parties that this agreement and all related documents have been drawn up in English" This is then restated in French. Perhaps it is regarded as too difficult and too expensive(?), not worthwhile(?) to have the site interpreted into different languages. Yahoo also offer Content options added on to language such as French Canadian or Irish English. I think that by adding this option they feel as if they are covering all their bases, with regards to user languages and therfore "race". "Second life" does not allow options such as surname, job category, country or language. Perhaps this allows a degree of anonymity for users because this is of course a second life and to be the same person online as well as offline seems a bit pointless if you're paying money to be someone else. Of course this does not negate the option of being yourself, it just allows users more fluidity of identity.

Question 2) The identities visible in the profiles on lava life are extremely restricted. From what I can gather the only publicly viewable options are, age, gender, location, "race," starsign, religion, height, body type, smoker/nonsmoker, drinker/non drinker, view on children, education level and income per year. Obviously age, gender and location are general and fairly important, the others, although it seems most people choose to fill them in are optional. I assume people fill in the other options with view to finding somone with similar interests however, these interests are limited to smoking, drinking, religion and kids. There is little space for individuality. The identity that is displayed is very rudimentary. The presumptions that this makes about the people reading the profiles is that all these basic menu catergories are essential to finding a partner. Religion matters, "race" matters, income matters. I think as much as we would like to say that these categories don't matter, when looking for someone to settle with, these things ARE important (or maybe it's just me). Lavalife has taken the initiative to give searchers this information in advance, so that if religin is important to you, then you don't go barking up the wrong tree and on the flip side you don't have the wrong dogs barking up your own tree. These presumptions are definitely made on behalf of users by lavalife but are they really just picking out the things that society view as important rather than allowing "love to be blind"? On the other hand, if these categories did not matter to you, you would be hard pressed to fnd anyone with your interests as they are simply not available.

Question 3 [Briefly]) I think that identity in the form of individuality is extremely restricted by the lavalife website design. Changes that could be made might be as simple as having an option for interests, favourite movies, travelling locations or books. Essentially I think that lavalife is being fairly (not wholly) realistic in only giving these categories to choose from as these may be some of the first questions you ask when you meet a prospective partner in any case, lavalife have simply taken the hard work out and leave the finding of interests up to you. This would also be a great way to make money because you can't find out what other members like without being a user and I assume paying money to find out more about them. The less lavalife tell you the more money they make from you trying to find it out.