When first reading this task I wasn’t sure what was meant by ‘information ecology’. I knew the meaning of ‘information’ and the meaning of ‘ecology’ but looking at my meanings it is a process of trying to combine the two.
I know information is communication, news, knowledge, etc. and ecology is a growing root system so information ecology could be described as the internet as it is a growing communication system with different root systems.
It is an interesting way to describe the internet as ‘information ecology’ as it seems to be a never ending growing organism which has both visible and hidden roots. Luckily amongst all this information are blooming flowers which bring so much joy and happiness to users.
References:
Allen, M.. (n.d.). "Module 5 Info Communication Concepts". Retrieved August 24, 2009 from http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_18825_1&content_id=_985244_1
Monday, August 24, 2009
Module 4 - Evaluating the Web
http://liblearn.osu.edu/tutor/les1/
This website is very informative and an instructional website on how to make the most out of searching the internet and how to best evaluate a site looking at the search results before visiting the website.
The site displays copyright and provides the date it was last updated. There is also links to a glossary, checklist, links, test and help. Also from the home page there is information on how to use the site and about the site.
The step by step instructions on how to evaluate a site for its usefulness is quite unique and a handy reminder for even the most constant user of search engines to pick up tips that were easily missed.
Comment:
I think it would be more helpful for a more personal review of a website for users to help them decide on whether the content is useful however, not everyone has the same requirements and so it might be easier to get a generic overview before visiting a site especially if the review is long and involved.
References:
Allen, M.. (n.d.). "Module 4 Using the infosphere: taking & organising". Retrieved August 24, 2009 from http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_18825_1&content_id=_985243_1
This website is very informative and an instructional website on how to make the most out of searching the internet and how to best evaluate a site looking at the search results before visiting the website.
The site displays copyright and provides the date it was last updated. There is also links to a glossary, checklist, links, test and help. Also from the home page there is information on how to use the site and about the site.
The step by step instructions on how to evaluate a site for its usefulness is quite unique and a handy reminder for even the most constant user of search engines to pick up tips that were easily missed.
Comment:
I think it would be more helpful for a more personal review of a website for users to help them decide on whether the content is useful however, not everyone has the same requirements and so it might be easier to get a generic overview before visiting a site especially if the review is long and involved.
References:
Allen, M.. (n.d.). "Module 4 Using the infosphere: taking & organising". Retrieved August 24, 2009 from http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_18825_1&content_id=_985243_1
Module 4 - Organising search information tasks
Since starting this unit I have become a major fan of Delicious and now habitually save bookmarks to delicious as it is easy to access, easy to retrieve and is ordered how I want it.
I used Google, Bing and Yahoo to search for the same search term “internet communications” in these 3 search engines and saved them all to my Delicious bookmarks. When saving to Delicious you get the option to name the website you are saving so you can give it a unique name. Also, there is the option to place it in a particular folder which I have different folders set up depending on what the website relates to. Then there is an option to tag the website. Depending on which folder I place the website, there may be certain words which relate to another folder.
For instance as I am studying more than one unit, there can be times when information can overlap into another unit so the website could be useful for both unit material. Also as I work in the web industry there is a lot of information I have found studying which is also useful for work so it is important to be able to use tags to describe a website so I can easily find what I am looking for when I need it.
The three sources I found I have detailed the first result for each:
Google:
Internet, communications and other technologies
Internet, communications and other technologies. Advances in technology, including the internet, have dramatically changed the way we collect and use ...
www.privacy.gov.au/topics/technologies
Bing:
Impagination Internet Communications - Home Page
Offers design, audio and video streaming, e-commerce solutions, database integration and hosting. Based in Australia.
www.impagination.com.au
Yahoo:
NetSpeed | BroadBand and Telephony
This site created and maintained by NetSpeed Internet Communications - www.netspeed.com.au. Our services include: Development, design, shockwave, custom scripting.
www.netspeed.com.au
References:
Allen, M.. (n.d.). "Module 4 Using the infosphere: taking & organising". Retrieved August 24, 2009 from http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_18825_1&content_id=_985243_1
I used Google, Bing and Yahoo to search for the same search term “internet communications” in these 3 search engines and saved them all to my Delicious bookmarks. When saving to Delicious you get the option to name the website you are saving so you can give it a unique name. Also, there is the option to place it in a particular folder which I have different folders set up depending on what the website relates to. Then there is an option to tag the website. Depending on which folder I place the website, there may be certain words which relate to another folder.
For instance as I am studying more than one unit, there can be times when information can overlap into another unit so the website could be useful for both unit material. Also as I work in the web industry there is a lot of information I have found studying which is also useful for work so it is important to be able to use tags to describe a website so I can easily find what I am looking for when I need it.
The three sources I found I have detailed the first result for each:
Google:
Internet, communications and other technologies
Internet, communications and other technologies. Advances in technology, including the internet, have dramatically changed the way we collect and use ...
www.privacy.gov.au/topics/technologies
Bing:
Impagination Internet Communications - Home Page
Offers design, audio and video streaming, e-commerce solutions, database integration and hosting. Based in Australia.
www.impagination.com.au
Yahoo:
NetSpeed | BroadBand and Telephony
This site created and maintained by NetSpeed Internet Communications - www.netspeed.com.au. Our services include: Development, design, shockwave, custom scripting.
www.netspeed.com.au
References:
Allen, M.. (n.d.). "Module 4 Using the infosphere: taking & organising". Retrieved August 24, 2009 from http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_18825_1&content_id=_985243_1
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Module 4 - Boolean searching task
Using the same search term I used in the previous task Internet Communications I used different Boolean search results:
182,000,000 - internet and communications
140,000,000 - internet communications
1,920,000,000 - internet or communications
990,000 - “internet communications”
It is obvious there is more relevant results when using Boolean search tools which is very helpful in narrowing searches and the last search using parentheses returned the most relevant search.
References:
Allen, M.. (n.d.). "Module 4 Using the infosphere: taking & organising". Retrieved August 19, 2009 from http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_18825_1&content_id=_985243_1
182,000,000 - internet and communications
140,000,000 - internet communications
1,920,000,000 - internet or communications
990,000 - “internet communications”
It is obvious there is more relevant results when using Boolean search tools which is very helpful in narrowing searches and the last search using parentheses returned the most relevant search.
References:
Allen, M.. (n.d.). "Module 4 Using the infosphere: taking & organising". Retrieved August 19, 2009 from http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_18825_1&content_id=_985243_1
Module 4 - Using Web Search Tools and Specialised Databases
Task 1: Choose your most commonly used internet search engine and do a search with words of your choosing. (Allen, M., n.d.)
I chose to search for Internet Communications using Google which results in about 140,000,000 search results. The first hit received was:
1. Internet Communication
CSIRO research aims to improve how the internet works and how we use the internet. www.csiro.au/science/Internet.html
Followed by:
2. Internet - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
VoIP stands for Voice-over-Internet Protocol, referring to the protocol that underlies all Internet communication. The idea began in the early 1990s with ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet
3. Internet Communications
This module aims to introduce students to the Web and the ways in which the internet is changing the field of communications. ...
www.newmediastudies.com/module/
4. IS Industry: Communications: Internet | Europa - Information Society
Internet Communications. The internet is one of the most important innovations of our time, bringing substantial benefits to economies and societies, ...
ec.europa.eu/information_society/tl/.../internet/index_en.htm
5. ZeroC - The Internet Communications Engine (Ice)
The Internet Communications Engine (Ice) is a modern object-oriented toolkit that enables you to build distributed applications with minimal effort. ...
www.zeroc.com/ice.html
Task 2: Using copernicus or similar, set it up to search at least three search engines (including one that will search the 'deep web') and repeat eactly the same search. (Allen, M., n.d.)
Searching the same term Internet Communications using Copernic resulted in 59 results which is a lot less than the Google search. Sorting by score, the first hit received (that wasn’t a sponsored link) was:
1. http://www.netspeed.com.au/
2. http://www.privacy.gov.au/topics/technologies
3. http://shop.cirruscomms.com.au/epages/cirrus.sf
4. http://www.smartinternet.com.au/default.aspx?ArticleID=208
5. http://www.westpac.com.au/internet/publish.nsf/Content/WCMP+Communications
I found it a lot easier to use Google as I use it every day and realized today during my work I would have searched approx 15 different searches using Google from searching for the meaning of a word to searching companies.
I found Copernic to be unfamiliar which is obvious but also a bit fiddly. As I downloaded the free version there are annoying ads appearing. Also the search results seemed a bit more commercial than the Google search results. The first result with Copernic is for an internet service provider whereas Google’s first result is CSIRO which I find to be more credible.
If you are intersted in downloading Copernic the link is below:
http://www.copernic.com/en/products/agent/download.html
References:
Allen, M.. (n.d.). "Module 4 Using the infosphere: taking & organising". Retrieved August 19, 2009 from http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_18825_1&content_id=_985243_1
I chose to search for Internet Communications using Google which results in about 140,000,000 search results. The first hit received was:
1. Internet Communication
CSIRO research aims to improve how the internet works and how we use the internet. www.csiro.au/science/Internet.html
Followed by:
2. Internet - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
VoIP stands for Voice-over-Internet Protocol, referring to the protocol that underlies all Internet communication. The idea began in the early 1990s with ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet
3. Internet Communications
This module aims to introduce students to the Web and the ways in which the internet is changing the field of communications. ...
www.newmediastudies.com/module/
4. IS Industry: Communications: Internet | Europa - Information Society
Internet Communications. The internet is one of the most important innovations of our time, bringing substantial benefits to economies and societies, ...
ec.europa.eu/information_society/tl/.../internet/index_en.htm
5. ZeroC - The Internet Communications Engine (Ice)
The Internet Communications Engine (Ice) is a modern object-oriented toolkit that enables you to build distributed applications with minimal effort. ...
www.zeroc.com/ice.html
Task 2: Using copernicus or similar, set it up to search at least three search engines (including one that will search the 'deep web') and repeat eactly the same search. (Allen, M., n.d.)
Searching the same term Internet Communications using Copernic resulted in 59 results which is a lot less than the Google search. Sorting by score, the first hit received (that wasn’t a sponsored link) was:
1. http://www.netspeed.com.au/
2. http://www.privacy.gov.au/topics/technologies
3. http://shop.cirruscomms.com.au/epages/cirrus.sf
4. http://www.smartinternet.com.au/default.aspx?ArticleID=208
5. http://www.westpac.com.au/internet/publish.nsf/Content/WCMP+Communications
I found it a lot easier to use Google as I use it every day and realized today during my work I would have searched approx 15 different searches using Google from searching for the meaning of a word to searching companies.
I found Copernic to be unfamiliar which is obvious but also a bit fiddly. As I downloaded the free version there are annoying ads appearing. Also the search results seemed a bit more commercial than the Google search results. The first result with Copernic is for an internet service provider whereas Google’s first result is CSIRO which I find to be more credible.
If you are intersted in downloading Copernic the link is below:
http://www.copernic.com/en/products/agent/download.html
References:
Allen, M.. (n.d.). "Module 4 Using the infosphere: taking & organising". Retrieved August 19, 2009 from http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_18825_1&content_id=_985243_1
Module 4 - Downloading tools/plug-ins Task
Below are a list of suggested programs that may be of use in assignment 1: Try downloading at least two unfamiliar programs (if you do not already have them: for those who have most or all, offer alternatives, or make sure you have the most up-to-date copy). Find out what the programs offer and spend a bit of time familiarising yourself with their operation (do not spend too much time on this, as some of these programs will be utilised in later tasks). (Allen, M., n.d.)
I was actually surprised when I realize I already had RealPlayer, Quicktime, Windows Media Player, Adobe Media player, and iTunes. I think my pc defaults to iTunes or Windows Media Player when I play videos so I had forgotten I had downloaded the other applications. They all seem to provide the same functionality as I didn’t notice much difference when playing media files. These are all free tools and I haven’t yet noticed any advertisements or annoying popups with any of these software yet.
I also downloaded Delicious which I now find invaluable. I have always found it time consuming and annoying to save and organize bookmarks and moving from my home pc to work and not having my bookmarks saved in the one place is unproductive. Using delicious I can see my saved bookmarks and easily add new websites which can be easily tagged and searched. It is a free tool and so far am very happy with the results.
References:
Allen, M.. (n.d.). "Module 4 Using the infosphere: taking & organising". Retrieved August 19, 2009 from http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_18825_1&content_id=_985243_1
I was actually surprised when I realize I already had RealPlayer, Quicktime, Windows Media Player, Adobe Media player, and iTunes. I think my pc defaults to iTunes or Windows Media Player when I play videos so I had forgotten I had downloaded the other applications. They all seem to provide the same functionality as I didn’t notice much difference when playing media files. These are all free tools and I haven’t yet noticed any advertisements or annoying popups with any of these software yet.
I also downloaded Delicious which I now find invaluable. I have always found it time consuming and annoying to save and organize bookmarks and moving from my home pc to work and not having my bookmarks saved in the one place is unproductive. Using delicious I can see my saved bookmarks and easily add new websites which can be easily tagged and searched. It is a free tool and so far am very happy with the results.
References:
Allen, M.. (n.d.). "Module 4 Using the infosphere: taking & organising". Retrieved August 19, 2009 from http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_18825_1&content_id=_985243_1
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Concepts Project
Table of Contents
Concept 5: The mobility of electronic digital data
“It is very easy, with forward for example, to simply 'pass on' information without processing it or, without processing the dynamics of the communicative relationship between you and the forwardee or without realising that you are establishing a third relationship - between the original sender and the final recipient.
Moreover, once people begin to use email and realise that information can be copied and forwarded very easily, there is a tendency for this 'mobility of data' to become a cultural given in which, routinely, we include more people within circuits of communication than are necessary; or include them in ways that are inappropriate.” (Allen, n.d.)
Information overload - have we gone too far and is it necessary
Email distribution is a powerful tool. Once you compose a message, it can be distributed around the world in a matter of seconds. Unfortunately, there is not much that can be done to retrieve an email once it has been sent, so it is important to ensure you have identified the recipients and checked the content is relevant for the recipients prior to clicking the send button.
This is just as important when composing emails as well as when an email is forwarded. Don’t forward emails lightly, take time to think about why you are forwarding the information, and who you are forwarding the email to - would the recipient find it useful, does the recipient need to act upon this information?
What additional information can you add or modify in the email to ensure the recipient makes use of the email effectively? If you are forwarding an email, is the subject still relevant or would it be more effective to add to it or change it completely? Take time to think about the subject of the email, would it be clear to the recipient you are forwarding the email to if you were to change or alter the subject. These are important questions you should answer before sending your email.
If you have a habit of forwarding emails to the same recipients it will lose its effect. If you are constantly forwarding emails to a recipient which includes irrelevant information, when there is something important you want them to take action on, the email may have gone astray.
Information overload is a common problem amongst email users. Eppler & Mengis (2009) talk about the IABC Research Foundation report examining email usage from the sender’s side and how to reduce information overload for recipients. One of the recommendations is to provide an overview of the email at the beginning of the communication so the recipient will know whether it is relevant or not. This is a useful way of ensuring your recipient is not wasting their time by ensuring the content is relevant.
Zambroksi (2006) also reiterates the need to think before you send emails. “Speed versus quality is an issue” (2006). With the need for getting things done quickly, there is a need for people to stop and think about what they are sending, not only because of sending the incorrect or misleading information, there is an issue with sensitive information being sent via email.
Another reason why you should think about your actions before forwarding emails is to ensure the email’s author has given permission for the email to be forwarded. The email may contain confidential information and was not intended to be forwarded to other people. Take a step back and think about the consequences before filling up people’s inboxes with unimportant emails.
It is possible to yield a lot of power with the send button but it is worthwhile to think before you send and contemplating the importance of the email and its recipients and what action if any is required from the recipient.
Annotation 1: Flying Solo
http://www.flyingsolo.com.au/p265208426_Email-overload-When-email-becomes-the-enemy.html
I found this website to be quite useful with interesting articles and information relating to managing email and other forms of communication. The website includes contact information, terms & conditions and a privacy policy which helps validate the credibility of the site. The articles give an insight into how emails are dealt with from both a sender and receiver viewpoint. Managing emails is an important part of job functions and it is important for this to be efficient to ensure users are not overwhelmed with email messages. There is also an article on confidential emails and how forwarding emails can be detrimental if not thought out before sending.
Annotation 2: Net Manners
http://www.netmanners.com
This website gives constructive advice on how to send and receive email successfully. There are some quite useful tips included and also some obvious suggestions however if you are new to sending email this site can be very helpful. It can also be regarded as a refresher to those who have sent email for years but need reminding of the importance of some rules which can be overlooked. The site is copyrighted and there are contact details of the author available. The content is regularly updated and users are able to leave comments to encourage participation and community.
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Concept 6: Reading the difference between ‘surface’ metadata and ‘implied’ metadata
“While email messages need certain key elements of metadata to make them sendable, and also routinely contain other key elements to make them useable, many websites do no really have good metadata and, with the URL, no-one needs that data. Furthermore, URLs are, rarely, much help as metadata in themselves, unless the site is carefully constructed in such a way as to make the URL communicate to you as well as to the computer. However, as you can see by looking at the metadata in websites, it is important for the proper functioning of search engines and other finding tools.” (Allen, n.d.)
Effective extraction of metadata and what we can learn from it
Until I started this course I didn’t think about metadata in emails but it is clearly evident. There is a lot of information to be gleaned from an email sitting in your inbox without even opening it. I will know the sender’s name, the topic of the email (presuming there is a subject message), the date and time it was received, if there are attachments included and the size of the email (which is important if there are large attachments).
Once a week I will look in my spam folder and without opening any of the emails, I will know instinctively if they are spam or not. Usually they will be from an unknown source, the subject will be generic, eg. ‘hello’ or ‘hi there’ or blank and usually they arrive at the same time.
Partridge (2008) looks at the history of internet email and how it has evolved over the years. Part of this evolution is the way email messages have been formatted and how the metadata has been an integral part of how emails appear in our inbox today. Partridge (2008) refers to the format of the email as the ‘envelope’ as it has all the information attached to it so it can be successfully delivered. This is true and is even more intuitive than an envelope as it contains even more information than a simple name and address.
Metadata is also used to describe websites. When searching in Google and a list of results appear, it is the metadata which will entice you to click on a particular search result. What is it that attracted you to that particular site? The wording of the description, the url looked familiar the url looked trustworthy or it was at the top of the list? Marketing Departments can spend a lot of money optimising their website to appear at the top of the list, so whilst the majority of the time the site is the most relevant, it also may be good marketing practices that put it there.
The url is not going to be of much help unless you are familiar with the company name. www.apple.com – if you didn’t know any better, you might start thinking of Granny Smith, Pink Lady, or Red Delicious, not iPhones, iPods, or iTunes. It is important to have the correct metadata when describing websites to ensure the appropriate people are visiting the site and time is not wasted.
As detailed by Bird & Simons (2003, p.573), “’Metadata’ is structured data about data – descriptive information about a physical object or a digital resource”. Metadata is the description of the content of the data. It is very effectively used in library resources. “Library card catalogs represent a well-established type of metadata, and they have served as collection management and resource-discovery tools for decades” (Bird & Simons, 2003, p.573). Metadata which is described correctly has an effective use and can inform users of as much information as possible regarding the subject matter.
Annotation 1: Australian Flexible Learning Framework
http://e-standards.flexiblelearning.net.au/background/metadata.htm
This website provides a simple explanation of metadata and what it is used for. It also includes some interesting resources in terms of how and why to include metadata in websites. It is also helpful in providing information on website standards and explains how useful and effective metadata can be with finding the correct resource when searching. Being a website associated with a Government organisation I would consider the information to be reliable and credible. The connection between metadata and educational resources is evident as the process to go through online educational resources for searching information is crucial to online learning.
Annotation 2: Search Engine Watch.com
http://searchenginewatch.com/2167931
If you are new to metadata and metatags then this article explains in detail the pros and cons of using metatags in websites. It gives a detailed description and shows examples of how to use metatags and how to write them. It also describes optimising metatags for successful search results and clarifies some myths about the use and influence metatags has within search engines. There are also related articles which are informative and relevant to the subject matter. The article is dated 2007 which may be slightly dated however a lot of the content is still relevant. The related articles are more up to date and the website has contact details, copyright statement and a privacy policy which makes it more credible.
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Concept 8: The invisibility of difference
“When you meet someone who you can see is hearing impaired, you tend to compensate (sometimes too much) for the mismatch between your 'communicative systems' – speech and hearing on both parts. But if you cannot see that the person you are emailing is using a low resolution, slow older computer running a simple ASCII text email program, then you tend to forget that there are such users out there and do not compensate. There are many differences between computers and computer users, but we tend to forget them when, positioned in front of our own computers, we are able to communicate rapidly and - apparently – effectively across time and distance.” (Allen, n.d.)
Inconsiderate, thoughtless, selfish or just ignorant. The difference between the have and have not's
With so many different browsers, operating systems, computers, and monitors available today it’s a wonder the internet can sustain such a wide variety of access. It is difficult when designing a website to have the resources to be able to test the outcome of every possible access route.
There are also security settings which differ between browsers. Looking at the web statistics for the website I administer, there are 17 varieties of browsers, 8 different operating systems, screen colours vary from 32-bit to 8-bit, screen resolution ranges from 800x600 to 1920x1200 and 45 versions of flash all used to access one website. Aside from this, there are also numerous plugins to download – pdf, flash, quicktime, etc., not to mention the latest hand held devices such as iphones. To also have to cater for hearing and/or sight impairment is usually the last thing web designers consider, if at all.
Larry Hull (2004) agrees, “people with older browsers, low bandwidth, mobility impairments, or cognitive disabilities – all these folks deserve access too”. Is it possible to cater for all the people, all the time? Is it up to the user to upgrade to the latest technology or fall behind? Most websites let users know the latest versions of software required to access the website, which leaves it up to the individual to upgrade their technology or be denied access.
There are other forms of access disabilities. As Hull (2004), identifies if all websites were accessible for everyone there are over 6,000 languages worldwide which would make each website be translated in every language. This is an impossible task and therefore even writing a website in one language has its problems.
Theofanos & Redish (2003) observed blind users and how they access the internet through screenreaders. The results are interesting and users get used to doing things a particular way. It seems that screenreaders are not user friendly and there are problems with reading the code within web pages. It gives an interesting insight into how screenreaders read web pages and how a lot of the information is repetitive. The software is not sophisticated enough to realise when menus are repeated on each page however this paper was written in 2003 so hopefully the software has been upgraded since then. Web developers need to realise this type of software is available to users and build their websites with this in mind. There should be a consideration for disability access to websites.
Another form of communication to consider is email. Can users read html email or is their email configures only for text email? When sending out html email this needs to be a consideration as it can be frustrating not to be able to view images in a html email. A version using text only need to be created as well to cater for these users. Also users bandwidth and the size of the mailbox. It is inconsiderate to send emails with large attachments as this can create problems for the receiver.
Annotation 1: Arch-Online.org
http://arch-online.org/disability-internet-access-legal-rights.htm
Disability and the internet is a sensitive topic and there are articles in this website which are objective and motivating. It covers other disability topics which some are related to internet disability. The website is informative and provides up to date news and facts of interest. The article looks at internet guidelines set out by W3.org and examines accessibility of commercial websites and provides results of their findings. The site includes contact information and a privacy policy which outlines the site is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
Annotation 2: W3
http://www.w3.org/WAI/
This site is the source of accessibility information on website design and implementation. The site is up to date and is regularly developed. The content is in accordance with W3 standards and is an invaluable source for website designers and developers. It includes user accessibility guidelines and defines website standards. It covers all types of internet accessibility from disabled users to aging users who have difficulty in accessing websites. There is a wide range of publications available and also lists events and presentations related to particular topics on website accessibility.
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Concept 13: Communication is not complete upon receipt
“A major disadvantage of email and similar asynchronous communications systems is that, often or sometimes, human users assume that when a message has been received, then it is automatically going to be acted upon or read or similar processed by the human(s) to which it was sent. While computers are very good at automatically processing information, humans are not.
The key to effective email management is to consistently and conscientiously respond to and act upon the email you receive, while recognising that others may not be as efficient as yourself.
Equally, a website is not complete when it is created and presented: it has to be used. Websites are, basically, a very indirect form of communication and so, if we wish to use the web effectively, we can apply the same lesson: simply visiting a website is not sufficient…doing something with it is what closes the circuit of communication.” (Allen, n.d.)
I have just built a website, what next?
The reason people build websites often varies. There may be some websites where the reason for it to be built is the satisfaction of having created a website. But the majority of websites are built for a purpose and one purpose is so the website receives visitors. There is not much point of people visiting a website if there is nothing for them to do. It is an important step in website implementation is knowing why the website is being built in the first place and why people will want to visit the website.
It is not good enough to build a website and then do nothing to promote it. How will users know the site exists and how will they find it? We want people to communicate effectively and building a website is the first step in communication. Being able to interact with users and promoting a network of people who can exchange information is a positive outcome and successful websites illustrate this.
There are now many forms of online interaction and with the ongoing popularity of discussion groups, online forums, instant messaging and social networking websites (ie. Facebook), it is becoming more of the norm to receive instant replies and action to messages.
As with websites, once a user clicks send on an email they automatically assume the receiver will immediately action the email and respond. However, this may not always be the case. The first question to consider is - did the receiver actually receive the message? There are numerous reasons why the email may not have ended up in the recipient’s inbox. The email could have been considered spam and sent directly to the recipient’s spam folder. This can sometimes happen if the sender’s email address is not in the recipient’s contact list. There are also particular words in the subject line that spam filters do not allow through, eg. free, offer, money, credit, click, discount, etc. An email address can also be typed incorrectly or the recipient may not be accessing emails for a number of reasons.
Another consideration is if the recipient finds the matter important and actions it immediately or if they have more important tasks to deal with before actioning the email. Also, the recipient hasn’t automatically deleted the email without even reading it. Unless there is an action item how does the recipient know they need to action the email?
As Whittaker & Sidner (1996) explain, “email applications were originally designed for asynchronous communication, but as our analysis will show, email has evolved to a point where it is now used for multiple purposes …”. Although I believe email communication is still the most important aspect of email, Whittaker & Sidner (1996) also look at filing and task management. It is difficult to continue asynchronous communication with inbox clutter and not being able to look back through email conversations like you can do with threading. Email clutter is a growing concern with the number of emails sent and received and can be a hindrance if not organised correctly.
Annotation 1: Read Write Web
http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/evolution_of_communication.php
This website looks at email versus other forms of communication and how effective it can be. It also looks at sites like Twitter and the different experiences users have. Technology is moving so fast it is difficult to keep up. The next best thing may have come and gone. It looks at the telephone as a form of communication which may have had its day. There are other articles which relate to online communication and the way of the future. The website looks authentic and includes up to date and informative content.
Annotation 2: Dept of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy
http://www.e-strategyguide.gov.au/make_email_work/effective_email
As this is a government website I would rely on the credibility of this website being acceptable. This site provides information on being connected to the internet and covers website functionality, training and resources. There are useful tips on sending and receiving email and also how to control the large volume of emails received. There is also information on instant messaging and chat rooms and spam or junk mail. I found this site covered a lot of information on the topic of email and the internet communications. Most of the content is up to date with some content static and not recently updated.
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References
Martin J. Eppler; Jeanne Mengis, Communication World; May/June 2009; 26, 3; ProQuest Telecommunications, p.38-40.
Ray Zambroski, Communication World; May/June 2006; 23, 3; ProQuest Telecommunications, p.4-5.
Craig Partridge, The Technical Development of Internet Email, IEEE Annals of the History of Computing, (2008), pp. 3-29.
Steven Bird & Gary Simons, Seven Dimensions of Portability for Language Documentation and Description, Language, Volume 79, Number 3 (2003), pp. 557-582.
Larry Hull, Accessibility: it’s not just for disabilities any more, Interactions, Volume11, Issue 2 (March + April 2004), pp 36-41.
http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=971270&dl=GUIDE&coll=GUIDE&CFID=47489685&CFTOKEN=97977768
Mary Frances Theofanos & Janice Redish, Bridging the gap: between accessibility and usability, Interactons, Volume 10, Issue 6 (November + December 2003), pp. 36-51.
http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=947227&dl=GUIDE&coll=GUIDE&CFID=47490075&CFTOKEN=85595175
Scott F. Midkiff & Luiz A. DaSilva, Leveraging the Web for Synchronous Versus Asynchronous Distance Learning, www.ineer.org, n.d.
http://www.ineer.org/Events/ICEE2000/Proceedings/papers/MD8-2.pdf
Steve Whittaker & Candace Sidner, Email overload: exploring personal information management of email, Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, Proceedings of the SIGCHI conference on Human factors in computing systems: common ground, 1996, pp.276-283.
http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=238386.238530
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Concept 5: The mobility of electronic digital data
“It is very easy, with forward for example, to simply 'pass on' information without processing it or, without processing the dynamics of the communicative relationship between you and the forwardee or without realising that you are establishing a third relationship - between the original sender and the final recipient.
Moreover, once people begin to use email and realise that information can be copied and forwarded very easily, there is a tendency for this 'mobility of data' to become a cultural given in which, routinely, we include more people within circuits of communication than are necessary; or include them in ways that are inappropriate.” (Allen, n.d.)
Information overload - have we gone too far and is it necessary
Email distribution is a powerful tool. Once you compose a message, it can be distributed around the world in a matter of seconds. Unfortunately, there is not much that can be done to retrieve an email once it has been sent, so it is important to ensure you have identified the recipients and checked the content is relevant for the recipients prior to clicking the send button.
This is just as important when composing emails as well as when an email is forwarded. Don’t forward emails lightly, take time to think about why you are forwarding the information, and who you are forwarding the email to - would the recipient find it useful, does the recipient need to act upon this information?
What additional information can you add or modify in the email to ensure the recipient makes use of the email effectively? If you are forwarding an email, is the subject still relevant or would it be more effective to add to it or change it completely? Take time to think about the subject of the email, would it be clear to the recipient you are forwarding the email to if you were to change or alter the subject. These are important questions you should answer before sending your email.
If you have a habit of forwarding emails to the same recipients it will lose its effect. If you are constantly forwarding emails to a recipient which includes irrelevant information, when there is something important you want them to take action on, the email may have gone astray.
Information overload is a common problem amongst email users. Eppler & Mengis (2009) talk about the IABC Research Foundation report examining email usage from the sender’s side and how to reduce information overload for recipients. One of the recommendations is to provide an overview of the email at the beginning of the communication so the recipient will know whether it is relevant or not. This is a useful way of ensuring your recipient is not wasting their time by ensuring the content is relevant.
Zambroksi (2006) also reiterates the need to think before you send emails. “Speed versus quality is an issue” (2006). With the need for getting things done quickly, there is a need for people to stop and think about what they are sending, not only because of sending the incorrect or misleading information, there is an issue with sensitive information being sent via email.
Another reason why you should think about your actions before forwarding emails is to ensure the email’s author has given permission for the email to be forwarded. The email may contain confidential information and was not intended to be forwarded to other people. Take a step back and think about the consequences before filling up people’s inboxes with unimportant emails.
It is possible to yield a lot of power with the send button but it is worthwhile to think before you send and contemplating the importance of the email and its recipients and what action if any is required from the recipient.
Annotation 1: Flying Solo
http://www.flyingsolo.com.au/p265208426_Email-overload-When-email-becomes-the-enemy.html
I found this website to be quite useful with interesting articles and information relating to managing email and other forms of communication. The website includes contact information, terms & conditions and a privacy policy which helps validate the credibility of the site. The articles give an insight into how emails are dealt with from both a sender and receiver viewpoint. Managing emails is an important part of job functions and it is important for this to be efficient to ensure users are not overwhelmed with email messages. There is also an article on confidential emails and how forwarding emails can be detrimental if not thought out before sending.
Annotation 2: Net Manners
http://www.netmanners.com
This website gives constructive advice on how to send and receive email successfully. There are some quite useful tips included and also some obvious suggestions however if you are new to sending email this site can be very helpful. It can also be regarded as a refresher to those who have sent email for years but need reminding of the importance of some rules which can be overlooked. The site is copyrighted and there are contact details of the author available. The content is regularly updated and users are able to leave comments to encourage participation and community.
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Concept 6: Reading the difference between ‘surface’ metadata and ‘implied’ metadata
“While email messages need certain key elements of metadata to make them sendable, and also routinely contain other key elements to make them useable, many websites do no really have good metadata and, with the URL, no-one needs that data. Furthermore, URLs are, rarely, much help as metadata in themselves, unless the site is carefully constructed in such a way as to make the URL communicate to you as well as to the computer. However, as you can see by looking at the metadata in websites, it is important for the proper functioning of search engines and other finding tools.” (Allen, n.d.)
Effective extraction of metadata and what we can learn from it
Until I started this course I didn’t think about metadata in emails but it is clearly evident. There is a lot of information to be gleaned from an email sitting in your inbox without even opening it. I will know the sender’s name, the topic of the email (presuming there is a subject message), the date and time it was received, if there are attachments included and the size of the email (which is important if there are large attachments).
Once a week I will look in my spam folder and without opening any of the emails, I will know instinctively if they are spam or not. Usually they will be from an unknown source, the subject will be generic, eg. ‘hello’ or ‘hi there’ or blank and usually they arrive at the same time.
Partridge (2008) looks at the history of internet email and how it has evolved over the years. Part of this evolution is the way email messages have been formatted and how the metadata has been an integral part of how emails appear in our inbox today. Partridge (2008) refers to the format of the email as the ‘envelope’ as it has all the information attached to it so it can be successfully delivered. This is true and is even more intuitive than an envelope as it contains even more information than a simple name and address.
Metadata is also used to describe websites. When searching in Google and a list of results appear, it is the metadata which will entice you to click on a particular search result. What is it that attracted you to that particular site? The wording of the description, the url looked familiar the url looked trustworthy or it was at the top of the list? Marketing Departments can spend a lot of money optimising their website to appear at the top of the list, so whilst the majority of the time the site is the most relevant, it also may be good marketing practices that put it there.
The url is not going to be of much help unless you are familiar with the company name. www.apple.com – if you didn’t know any better, you might start thinking of Granny Smith, Pink Lady, or Red Delicious, not iPhones, iPods, or iTunes. It is important to have the correct metadata when describing websites to ensure the appropriate people are visiting the site and time is not wasted.
As detailed by Bird & Simons (2003, p.573), “’Metadata’ is structured data about data – descriptive information about a physical object or a digital resource”. Metadata is the description of the content of the data. It is very effectively used in library resources. “Library card catalogs represent a well-established type of metadata, and they have served as collection management and resource-discovery tools for decades” (Bird & Simons, 2003, p.573). Metadata which is described correctly has an effective use and can inform users of as much information as possible regarding the subject matter.
Annotation 1: Australian Flexible Learning Framework
http://e-standards.flexiblelearning.net.au/background/metadata.htm
This website provides a simple explanation of metadata and what it is used for. It also includes some interesting resources in terms of how and why to include metadata in websites. It is also helpful in providing information on website standards and explains how useful and effective metadata can be with finding the correct resource when searching. Being a website associated with a Government organisation I would consider the information to be reliable and credible. The connection between metadata and educational resources is evident as the process to go through online educational resources for searching information is crucial to online learning.
Annotation 2: Search Engine Watch.com
http://searchenginewatch.com/2167931
If you are new to metadata and metatags then this article explains in detail the pros and cons of using metatags in websites. It gives a detailed description and shows examples of how to use metatags and how to write them. It also describes optimising metatags for successful search results and clarifies some myths about the use and influence metatags has within search engines. There are also related articles which are informative and relevant to the subject matter. The article is dated 2007 which may be slightly dated however a lot of the content is still relevant. The related articles are more up to date and the website has contact details, copyright statement and a privacy policy which makes it more credible.
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Concept 8: The invisibility of difference
“When you meet someone who you can see is hearing impaired, you tend to compensate (sometimes too much) for the mismatch between your 'communicative systems' – speech and hearing on both parts. But if you cannot see that the person you are emailing is using a low resolution, slow older computer running a simple ASCII text email program, then you tend to forget that there are such users out there and do not compensate. There are many differences between computers and computer users, but we tend to forget them when, positioned in front of our own computers, we are able to communicate rapidly and - apparently – effectively across time and distance.” (Allen, n.d.)
Inconsiderate, thoughtless, selfish or just ignorant. The difference between the have and have not's
With so many different browsers, operating systems, computers, and monitors available today it’s a wonder the internet can sustain such a wide variety of access. It is difficult when designing a website to have the resources to be able to test the outcome of every possible access route.
There are also security settings which differ between browsers. Looking at the web statistics for the website I administer, there are 17 varieties of browsers, 8 different operating systems, screen colours vary from 32-bit to 8-bit, screen resolution ranges from 800x600 to 1920x1200 and 45 versions of flash all used to access one website. Aside from this, there are also numerous plugins to download – pdf, flash, quicktime, etc., not to mention the latest hand held devices such as iphones. To also have to cater for hearing and/or sight impairment is usually the last thing web designers consider, if at all.
Larry Hull (2004) agrees, “people with older browsers, low bandwidth, mobility impairments, or cognitive disabilities – all these folks deserve access too”. Is it possible to cater for all the people, all the time? Is it up to the user to upgrade to the latest technology or fall behind? Most websites let users know the latest versions of software required to access the website, which leaves it up to the individual to upgrade their technology or be denied access.
There are other forms of access disabilities. As Hull (2004), identifies if all websites were accessible for everyone there are over 6,000 languages worldwide which would make each website be translated in every language. This is an impossible task and therefore even writing a website in one language has its problems.
Theofanos & Redish (2003) observed blind users and how they access the internet through screenreaders. The results are interesting and users get used to doing things a particular way. It seems that screenreaders are not user friendly and there are problems with reading the code within web pages. It gives an interesting insight into how screenreaders read web pages and how a lot of the information is repetitive. The software is not sophisticated enough to realise when menus are repeated on each page however this paper was written in 2003 so hopefully the software has been upgraded since then. Web developers need to realise this type of software is available to users and build their websites with this in mind. There should be a consideration for disability access to websites.
Another form of communication to consider is email. Can users read html email or is their email configures only for text email? When sending out html email this needs to be a consideration as it can be frustrating not to be able to view images in a html email. A version using text only need to be created as well to cater for these users. Also users bandwidth and the size of the mailbox. It is inconsiderate to send emails with large attachments as this can create problems for the receiver.
Annotation 1: Arch-Online.org
http://arch-online.org/disability-internet-access-legal-rights.htm
Disability and the internet is a sensitive topic and there are articles in this website which are objective and motivating. It covers other disability topics which some are related to internet disability. The website is informative and provides up to date news and facts of interest. The article looks at internet guidelines set out by W3.org and examines accessibility of commercial websites and provides results of their findings. The site includes contact information and a privacy policy which outlines the site is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
Annotation 2: W3
http://www.w3.org/WAI/
This site is the source of accessibility information on website design and implementation. The site is up to date and is regularly developed. The content is in accordance with W3 standards and is an invaluable source for website designers and developers. It includes user accessibility guidelines and defines website standards. It covers all types of internet accessibility from disabled users to aging users who have difficulty in accessing websites. There is a wide range of publications available and also lists events and presentations related to particular topics on website accessibility.
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Concept 13: Communication is not complete upon receipt
“A major disadvantage of email and similar asynchronous communications systems is that, often or sometimes, human users assume that when a message has been received, then it is automatically going to be acted upon or read or similar processed by the human(s) to which it was sent. While computers are very good at automatically processing information, humans are not.
The key to effective email management is to consistently and conscientiously respond to and act upon the email you receive, while recognising that others may not be as efficient as yourself.
Equally, a website is not complete when it is created and presented: it has to be used. Websites are, basically, a very indirect form of communication and so, if we wish to use the web effectively, we can apply the same lesson: simply visiting a website is not sufficient…doing something with it is what closes the circuit of communication.” (Allen, n.d.)
I have just built a website, what next?
The reason people build websites often varies. There may be some websites where the reason for it to be built is the satisfaction of having created a website. But the majority of websites are built for a purpose and one purpose is so the website receives visitors. There is not much point of people visiting a website if there is nothing for them to do. It is an important step in website implementation is knowing why the website is being built in the first place and why people will want to visit the website.
It is not good enough to build a website and then do nothing to promote it. How will users know the site exists and how will they find it? We want people to communicate effectively and building a website is the first step in communication. Being able to interact with users and promoting a network of people who can exchange information is a positive outcome and successful websites illustrate this.
There are now many forms of online interaction and with the ongoing popularity of discussion groups, online forums, instant messaging and social networking websites (ie. Facebook), it is becoming more of the norm to receive instant replies and action to messages.
As with websites, once a user clicks send on an email they automatically assume the receiver will immediately action the email and respond. However, this may not always be the case. The first question to consider is - did the receiver actually receive the message? There are numerous reasons why the email may not have ended up in the recipient’s inbox. The email could have been considered spam and sent directly to the recipient’s spam folder. This can sometimes happen if the sender’s email address is not in the recipient’s contact list. There are also particular words in the subject line that spam filters do not allow through, eg. free, offer, money, credit, click, discount, etc. An email address can also be typed incorrectly or the recipient may not be accessing emails for a number of reasons.
Another consideration is if the recipient finds the matter important and actions it immediately or if they have more important tasks to deal with before actioning the email. Also, the recipient hasn’t automatically deleted the email without even reading it. Unless there is an action item how does the recipient know they need to action the email?
As Whittaker & Sidner (1996) explain, “email applications were originally designed for asynchronous communication, but as our analysis will show, email has evolved to a point where it is now used for multiple purposes …”. Although I believe email communication is still the most important aspect of email, Whittaker & Sidner (1996) also look at filing and task management. It is difficult to continue asynchronous communication with inbox clutter and not being able to look back through email conversations like you can do with threading. Email clutter is a growing concern with the number of emails sent and received and can be a hindrance if not organised correctly.
Annotation 1: Read Write Web
http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/evolution_of_communication.php
This website looks at email versus other forms of communication and how effective it can be. It also looks at sites like Twitter and the different experiences users have. Technology is moving so fast it is difficult to keep up. The next best thing may have come and gone. It looks at the telephone as a form of communication which may have had its day. There are other articles which relate to online communication and the way of the future. The website looks authentic and includes up to date and informative content.
Annotation 2: Dept of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy
http://www.e-strategyguide.gov.au/make_email_work/effective_email
As this is a government website I would rely on the credibility of this website being acceptable. This site provides information on being connected to the internet and covers website functionality, training and resources. There are useful tips on sending and receiving email and also how to control the large volume of emails received. There is also information on instant messaging and chat rooms and spam or junk mail. I found this site covered a lot of information on the topic of email and the internet communications. Most of the content is up to date with some content static and not recently updated.
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References
Martin J. Eppler; Jeanne Mengis, Communication World; May/June 2009; 26, 3; ProQuest Telecommunications, p.38-40.
Ray Zambroski, Communication World; May/June 2006; 23, 3; ProQuest Telecommunications, p.4-5.
Craig Partridge, The Technical Development of Internet Email, IEEE Annals of the History of Computing, (2008), pp. 3-29.
Steven Bird & Gary Simons, Seven Dimensions of Portability for Language Documentation and Description, Language, Volume 79, Number 3 (2003), pp. 557-582.
Larry Hull, Accessibility: it’s not just for disabilities any more, Interactions, Volume11, Issue 2 (March + April 2004), pp 36-41.
http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=971270&dl=GUIDE&coll=GUIDE&CFID=47489685&CFTOKEN=97977768
Mary Frances Theofanos & Janice Redish, Bridging the gap: between accessibility and usability, Interactons, Volume 10, Issue 6 (November + December 2003), pp. 36-51.
http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=947227&dl=GUIDE&coll=GUIDE&CFID=47490075&CFTOKEN=85595175
Scott F. Midkiff & Luiz A. DaSilva, Leveraging the Web for Synchronous Versus Asynchronous Distance Learning, www.ineer.org, n.d.
http://www.ineer.org/Events/ICEE2000/Proceedings/papers/MD8-2.pdf
Steve Whittaker & Candace Sidner, Email overload: exploring personal information management of email, Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, Proceedings of the SIGCHI conference on Human factors in computing systems: common ground, 1996, pp.276-283.
http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=238386.238530
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Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Module 3 - Web 2.0
Now you've read about Web 2.0 what applications or "services" do you think are web 2.0 indicative? (Allen, M., n.d.)
When I first saw the term web 2.0, I wasn’t sure what it was. Although it seems there is no correct answer there is an indication the web is moving on and further enhancing itself. Even starting this unit, when I saw web 2.0 I thought I would find all the answers, although there is no real definition of web 2.0.
I believe Web 2.0 is a combination of the introduction of social networking sites, blogging, and shared content. The web is now being controlled by the users and the users are creating content and interacting.
Take a look at the Internet Communications Diigo social bookmarking list we have set up for you as a bookmark site - compared to html version think about the format and usability of a website/html written list with this same information. (Allen, M., n.d.)
I preferred the Diigo version of the website. It was easier to read, clearer, the information is dated which helps know the content is current. There is also a link to terms of service, a copyright licence and privacy policy which indicates the content may be more trustworthy than the html version which has no other information apart from the links.
References:
Allen, M.. (n.d.). "Module 3 Contributing to the Infosphere". Retrieved July 15, 2009 from http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_18825_1&content_id=_985242_1
When I first saw the term web 2.0, I wasn’t sure what it was. Although it seems there is no correct answer there is an indication the web is moving on and further enhancing itself. Even starting this unit, when I saw web 2.0 I thought I would find all the answers, although there is no real definition of web 2.0.
I believe Web 2.0 is a combination of the introduction of social networking sites, blogging, and shared content. The web is now being controlled by the users and the users are creating content and interacting.
Take a look at the Internet Communications Diigo social bookmarking list we have set up for you as a bookmark site - compared to html version think about the format and usability of a website/html written list with this same information. (Allen, M., n.d.)
I preferred the Diigo version of the website. It was easier to read, clearer, the information is dated which helps know the content is current. There is also a link to terms of service, a copyright licence and privacy policy which indicates the content may be more trustworthy than the html version which has no other information apart from the links.
References:
Allen, M.. (n.d.). "Module 3 Contributing to the Infosphere". Retrieved July 15, 2009 from http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_18825_1&content_id=_985242_1
Module 3 - Blogs
I have never really considered writing a blog before this unit. I have built websites previously but mainly for assignments for study or for work. I am very impressed with blogging software and think I will continue my blog after I have finished this unit.
I have accessed blogs previously to review purchases or find information I am researching and find it is very helpful. Other people’s opinions whether you agree with them or not are helpful in obtaining a more objective view on topics.
It is important when writing a blog to keep the blog updated constantly. It is like having an unseen audience and you need to keep them interested and engrossed in what you have to say.
There have been a few blogs I have followed which include blogs from journalists in war torn countries which are remarkable and it is a great way to hear a different view on current issues. It also gives an insight into a soldiers view on war torn zones and shows more of a human side of reporting rather than the standard news items.
I have accessed blogs previously to review purchases or find information I am researching and find it is very helpful. Other people’s opinions whether you agree with them or not are helpful in obtaining a more objective view on topics.
It is important when writing a blog to keep the blog updated constantly. It is like having an unseen audience and you need to keep them interested and engrossed in what you have to say.
There have been a few blogs I have followed which include blogs from journalists in war torn countries which are remarkable and it is a great way to hear a different view on current issues. It also gives an insight into a soldiers view on war torn zones and shows more of a human side of reporting rather than the standard news items.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Module 3 - Standard Task 3
This task is about copyright what protection, if any, do you have regarding your website content.
Have you used images or words on your web page or website that contravene copyright laws? (Allen, M., n.d.)
On my webpage I have used a photograph that I have taken myself and therefore am not contravening any copyright laws. If someone were to download this image and use it themselves, would they be contravening copyright laws? I don’t have any conditions on my website in relation to copyright so I would presume anyone could use this image without seeking permission. Morally, anyone wanting to use this image should ask permission first and I also should have terms and conditions on my website relating to copyright and the use of content.
Would you be in breach of copyright if you put the Curtin logo at the top of your web page for an assignment? This information may be difficult to find so be prepared for a search and some independent thought! (Allen, M., n.d.)
I initially thought that as I was a student at Curtin University and was using the logo for an assignment that there would be no issue with the use of the log. Then I thought about the company I work for and for an external company to use the logo, they have to make a request in writing and it has to be approved by our Marketing/Branding department.
So in light of this I do think I would be in breach of copyright if I were to use the Curtin logo.
I found the following information on the Curtin website:
"5.5.1 The logo as a registered trademark is protected from unauthorised use.
5.5.2 The logo may only be released for use by another agency, upon approval by University Marketing.
5.5.3 External requests for the use of the logo must be addressed to University Marketing in writing. In making a case the applicant for the use of the logo must state:
• the purpose of the use of the logo;
• the proposed format of the use of the logo; and
• the date(s) or periods when the logo will be used.
5.5.4 Permission to use the logo is usually granted within two days of the request being received by University Marketing.
5.5.6 University Marketing must sight and approve the artwork where the logo is to be applied. Approval or further requests for alteration are usually granted within two days of the artwork being received by University Marketing." (Curtin University of Technology website, 2008)
References:
Allen, M.. (n.d.). "Module 3 Contributing to the Infosphere". Retrieved July 14, 2009 from http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_18825_1&content_id=_985242_1
Curtin University of Technology website, Logo Use Procedues. Retrieved July 14, 2009 from http://policies.curtin.edu.au/policies/viewpolicy.cfm?id=959f55ad-fec2-11dc-b6c5-253dc30d60f2
Have you used images or words on your web page or website that contravene copyright laws? (Allen, M., n.d.)
On my webpage I have used a photograph that I have taken myself and therefore am not contravening any copyright laws. If someone were to download this image and use it themselves, would they be contravening copyright laws? I don’t have any conditions on my website in relation to copyright so I would presume anyone could use this image without seeking permission. Morally, anyone wanting to use this image should ask permission first and I also should have terms and conditions on my website relating to copyright and the use of content.
Would you be in breach of copyright if you put the Curtin logo at the top of your web page for an assignment? This information may be difficult to find so be prepared for a search and some independent thought! (Allen, M., n.d.)
I initially thought that as I was a student at Curtin University and was using the logo for an assignment that there would be no issue with the use of the log. Then I thought about the company I work for and for an external company to use the logo, they have to make a request in writing and it has to be approved by our Marketing/Branding department.
So in light of this I do think I would be in breach of copyright if I were to use the Curtin logo.
I found the following information on the Curtin website:
"5.5.1 The logo as a registered trademark is protected from unauthorised use.
5.5.2 The logo may only be released for use by another agency, upon approval by University Marketing.
5.5.3 External requests for the use of the logo must be addressed to University Marketing in writing. In making a case the applicant for the use of the logo must state:
• the purpose of the use of the logo;
• the proposed format of the use of the logo; and
• the date(s) or periods when the logo will be used.
5.5.4 Permission to use the logo is usually granted within two days of the request being received by University Marketing.
5.5.6 University Marketing must sight and approve the artwork where the logo is to be applied. Approval or further requests for alteration are usually granted within two days of the artwork being received by University Marketing." (Curtin University of Technology website, 2008)
References:
Allen, M.. (n.d.). "Module 3 Contributing to the Infosphere". Retrieved July 14, 2009 from http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_18825_1&content_id=_985242_1
Curtin University of Technology website, Logo Use Procedues. Retrieved July 14, 2009 from http://policies.curtin.edu.au/policies/viewpolicy.cfm?id=959f55ad-fec2-11dc-b6c5-253dc30d60f2
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Module 3 - Standard Task 2
This task required me to test the webpage I created for the “html tags” task according to W3C standards using their ‘validator’ (http://validator.w3.org). This is a useful tool if you want to ensure your website is up to standard.
There was 1 error and 4 warnings in my page. The error was that I didn’t have a document type declaration at the beginning of my page. Normally pages I create I use a template which includes this tag, however, it should have been something I remember to add to all pages. If you are using a web editor this tag is automatically added to the page.
The code that should have been added inside the header tag. The error is below:
Line 1, Column 1: no document type declaration; implying ""
The checked page did not contain a document type ("DOCTYPE") declaration. The Validator has tried to validate with a fallback DTD, but this is quite likely to be incorrect and will generate a large number of incorrect error messages. It is highly recommended that you insert the proper DOCTYPE declaration in your document -- instructions for doing this are given above -- and it is necessary to have this declaration before the page can be declared to be valid.
The warnings also relate to the same tag:
1. No Character Encoding Found! Falling back to UTF-8.
None of the standards sources gave any information on the character encoding labeling for this document. Without encoding information it is impossible to reliably validate the document. As a fallback solution, the "UTF-8" encoding was used to read the content and attempt to perform the validation, but this is likely to fail for all non-trivial documents.
2. Unable to Determine Parse Mode!
The validator can process documents either as XML (for document types such as XHTML, SVG, etc.) or SGML (for HTML 4.01 and prior versions). For this document, the information available was not sufficient to determine the parsing mode unambiguously, because:
* the MIME Media Type (text/html) can be used for XML or SGML document types
* No known Document Type could be detected
* No XML declaration (e.g ) could be found at the beginning of the document.
* No XML namespace (e.g ) could be found at the root of the document.
As a default, the validator is falling back to SGML mode.
3. No DOCTYPE found! Checking with default HTML 4.01 Transitional Document Type.
No DOCTYPE Declaration could be found or recognized in this document. This generally means that the document is not declaring its Document Type at the top. It can also mean that the DOCTYPE declaration contains a spelling error, or that it is not using the correct syntax.
The document was checked using a default "fallback" Document Type Definition that closely resembles “HTML 4.01 Transitional”.
4. No Character encoding declared at document level
No character encoding information was found within the document, either in an HTML meta element or an XML declaration. It is often recommended to declare the character encoding in the document itself, especially if there is a chance that the document will be read from or saved to disk, CD, etc.
Validation Output: 1 Error
The checked page did not contain a document type ("DOCTYPE") declaration. The Validator has tried to validate with a fallback DTD, but this is quite likely to be incorrect and will generate a large number of incorrect error messages. It is highly recommended that you insert the proper DOCTYPE declaration in your document -- instructions for doing this are given above -- and it is necessary to have this declaration before the page can be declared to be valid.
Once I added these tags, the page was successfully checked as XHTML 1.0 Transitional. In the image below note the tag at the top of the page and the meta tag inside the header tag.
There was 1 error and 4 warnings in my page. The error was that I didn’t have a document type declaration at the beginning of my page. Normally pages I create I use a template which includes this tag, however, it should have been something I remember to add to all pages. If you are using a web editor this tag is automatically added to the page.
The code that should have been added inside the header tag. The error is below:
Line 1, Column 1: no document type declaration; implying ""
The checked page did not contain a document type ("DOCTYPE") declaration. The Validator has tried to validate with a fallback DTD, but this is quite likely to be incorrect and will generate a large number of incorrect error messages. It is highly recommended that you insert the proper DOCTYPE declaration in your document -- instructions for doing this are given above -- and it is necessary to have this declaration before the page can be declared to be valid.
The warnings also relate to the same tag:
1. No Character Encoding Found! Falling back to UTF-8.
None of the standards sources gave any information on the character encoding labeling for this document. Without encoding information it is impossible to reliably validate the document. As a fallback solution, the "UTF-8" encoding was used to read the content and attempt to perform the validation, but this is likely to fail for all non-trivial documents.
2. Unable to Determine Parse Mode!
The validator can process documents either as XML (for document types such as XHTML, SVG, etc.) or SGML (for HTML 4.01 and prior versions). For this document, the information available was not sufficient to determine the parsing mode unambiguously, because:
* the MIME Media Type (text/html) can be used for XML or SGML document types
* No known Document Type could be detected
* No XML declaration (e.g ) could be found at the beginning of the document.
* No XML namespace (e.g ) could be found at the root of the document.
As a default, the validator is falling back to SGML mode.
3. No DOCTYPE found! Checking with default HTML 4.01 Transitional Document Type.
No DOCTYPE Declaration could be found or recognized in this document. This generally means that the document is not declaring its Document Type at the top. It can also mean that the DOCTYPE declaration contains a spelling error, or that it is not using the correct syntax.
The document was checked using a default "fallback" Document Type Definition that closely resembles “HTML 4.01 Transitional”.
4. No Character encoding declared at document level
No character encoding information was found within the document, either in an HTML meta element or an XML declaration. It is often recommended to declare the character encoding in the document itself, especially if there is a chance that the document will be read from or saved to disk, CD, etc.
Validation Output: 1 Error
The checked page did not contain a document type ("DOCTYPE") declaration. The Validator has tried to validate with a fallback DTD, but this is quite likely to be incorrect and will generate a large number of incorrect error messages. It is highly recommended that you insert the proper DOCTYPE declaration in your document -- instructions for doing this are given above -- and it is necessary to have this declaration before the page can be declared to be valid.
Once I added these tags, the page was successfully checked as XHTML 1.0 Transitional. In the image below note the tag at the top of the page and the meta tag inside the header tag.
References:
Allen, M.. (n.d.). "Module 3 Contributing to the Infosphere". Retrieved July 12, 2009 from http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_18825_1&content_id=_985242_1
Module 3 - Standard Task 1
The 5 most important ‘rules’ I believe for writing online are:
Allen, M.. (n.d.). "Module 3 Contributing to the Infosphere". Retrieved July 12, 2009 from http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_18825_1&content_id=_985242_1
- Trustworthy/credible – the website needs to be trustworthy otherwise users have no way of knowing whether to believe the content and will move to another site.
- Consistent navigation – users not being able to navigate around your site can be disastrous. If users cannot find the information they are after, they will find it elsewhere.
- Usability/simple design – users need to be able to view the website without any hindrances. If flash or other types of movement is required on your site, then go for it. However, if the site is for information purposes only, then there is no need for users to have to download large images or have movement when it is not required.
- Currency – there is nothing worse than visiting a website that hasn’t been updated for months or even years.
- Be concise – web users read pages differently from printed versions. Users scan pages to see if the content is relevant so it is important to highlight keywords, use subheadings, lists, etc to ensure users know the content is relevant.
Allen, M.. (n.d.). "Module 3 Contributing to the Infosphere". Retrieved July 12, 2009 from http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_18825_1&content_id=_985242_1
Module 3 - HTML Tags
This task was to create a html page using Notepad instead of using a html editor like Dreamweaver or FrontPage.
Having an understanding of the code when creating html pages is helpful in case there are any errors and it helps understand how the code works.
If you do create code using an editor, I would recommend also looking at the code to help familiarise yourself with what different tags mean. There are plenty of advantages in using an editor and one of them is spell checking. Unfortunately Notepad does not have a spell checker and this can be useful if you are typing a lot of content.
This was an interesting task as I use html daily and use both Notepad and a html editor to create web pages. Although some of the task was basic, the tutorial was well written and simplified.
The image below is the code I created in Notepad. If you are visiting a website it can be useful to look at the code of the page. Using Firefox if you choose the menu item View>PageSource it will show you the code of the page you are visiting. Some websites have very complex code which can look intimidating however it can be helpful to gain a better understanding of the code used.
The image below is the webpage which the code above has created.
Unfortunately, I am unable to enter code into this blog to show you what some tags mean. There is the option of using html while creating this blog which I find useful when adding links as I find it easier to create the code myself.
I think a blog is very much suited to typing entries on your thoughts and ideas that you want to post so others can read it. There are some limitations as far as layouts and page styles however there are plenty of options available. If you want more control over how the blog is displayed then it might be worthwhile creating a website where you can manipulate the content and styles.
References:
Allen, M.. (n.d.). "Module 3 Contributing to the Infosphere". Retrieved July 12, 2009 from http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_18825_1&content_id=_985242_1
Having an understanding of the code when creating html pages is helpful in case there are any errors and it helps understand how the code works.
If you do create code using an editor, I would recommend also looking at the code to help familiarise yourself with what different tags mean. There are plenty of advantages in using an editor and one of them is spell checking. Unfortunately Notepad does not have a spell checker and this can be useful if you are typing a lot of content.
This was an interesting task as I use html daily and use both Notepad and a html editor to create web pages. Although some of the task was basic, the tutorial was well written and simplified.
When I first started using html, we used tables a lot to format pages, however, now CSS (cascading style sheets) are used more commonly for this task.
There are plenty of tutorials on the web to show you how to create a basic web page using html. The one that we looked at through NET11 is www.pagetutor.com.
Good luck!
The image below is the code I created in Notepad. If you are visiting a website it can be useful to look at the code of the page. Using Firefox if you choose the menu item View>PageSource it will show you the code of the page you are visiting. Some websites have very complex code which can look intimidating however it can be helpful to gain a better understanding of the code used.
The image below is the webpage which the code above has created.
Unfortunately, I am unable to enter code into this blog to show you what some tags mean. There is the option of using html while creating this blog which I find useful when adding links as I find it easier to create the code myself.
I think a blog is very much suited to typing entries on your thoughts and ideas that you want to post so others can read it. There are some limitations as far as layouts and page styles however there are plenty of options available. If you want more control over how the blog is displayed then it might be worthwhile creating a website where you can manipulate the content and styles.
References:
Allen, M.. (n.d.). "Module 3 Contributing to the Infosphere". Retrieved July 12, 2009 from http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_18825_1&content_id=_985242_1
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Module 2 - Group Chat Task
I chose Yahoo chat as my chosen chat tool when doing the group chat. I did try to use mIRC but had difficulty accessing the room. I chatted with Scott Dimitri on Yahoo.
Talk about which chat service you prefer. (Allen, M., n.d.)
We both realised that the service we prefer is the one we first started to use and I think its the one we are familiar with. I use Skype so am used to chatting on Skype and Scott uses MSN so he preferred to use it and thought it was easier to use. However, we both found it easy to download and use Yahoo so I think a lot of these chat services have similar features.
We both also downloaded mIRC but had a bit more difficulty in using it. I tried to get into the NET11 room on the weekend but had difficulty once I entered the room and kept getting disconnected.
What forms of communication chat is most useful for? (Allen, M., n.d.)
I find it handy when you are studying and the discussion board can seem a bit stagnant. Its reassuing to know I am not that far behind and you can get instant replies to questions.
Scott also thought the social aspect of chat was useful: "On the social side of things, it is great to get a group of friends online at the same time and organise a date for an outing I use this a lot for facebook when it shows we are all online together. I have used MSN messenger for my studies for group assignments where we had to do write a speech together and this was great to get instant replies".
How does the method you are familiar with appear to differ from other chat or messaging such as ICQ, MSN or AIM? (Allen, M., n.d.)
We thought most of the chart services were similar in functionality and timliness. We were comfortable using Yahoo as neither of us had used it before but found no problems in chatting and using the tools available.
References:
Allen, M.. (n.d.). "Module 2 Communicating in the Infosphere". Retrieved July 9, 2009 from
http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_18825_1&content_id=_985241_1
Talk about which chat service you prefer. (Allen, M., n.d.)
We both realised that the service we prefer is the one we first started to use and I think its the one we are familiar with. I use Skype so am used to chatting on Skype and Scott uses MSN so he preferred to use it and thought it was easier to use. However, we both found it easy to download and use Yahoo so I think a lot of these chat services have similar features.
We both also downloaded mIRC but had a bit more difficulty in using it. I tried to get into the NET11 room on the weekend but had difficulty once I entered the room and kept getting disconnected.
What forms of communication chat is most useful for? (Allen, M., n.d.)
I find it handy when you are studying and the discussion board can seem a bit stagnant. Its reassuing to know I am not that far behind and you can get instant replies to questions.
Scott also thought the social aspect of chat was useful: "On the social side of things, it is great to get a group of friends online at the same time and organise a date for an outing I use this a lot for facebook when it shows we are all online together. I have used MSN messenger for my studies for group assignments where we had to do write a speech together and this was great to get instant replies".
How does the method you are familiar with appear to differ from other chat or messaging such as ICQ, MSN or AIM? (Allen, M., n.d.)
We thought most of the chart services were similar in functionality and timliness. We were comfortable using Yahoo as neither of us had used it before but found no problems in chatting and using the tools available.
References:
Allen, M.. (n.d.). "Module 2 Communicating in the Infosphere". Retrieved July 9, 2009 from
http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_18825_1&content_id=_985241_1
Module 2 - Newsgroups
I found this task difficult and time consuming. I tried to join a newsgroup using ww.newzbot.com but found the website difficult to navigate and difficult to a find newsgroup to join. I was then going to join another newsgroup however found that many groups charge a fee to join.
What is a Newsgroup?
A usenet newsgroup is a repository usually within the Usenet system, for messages posted from many users in different locations. The term may be confusing to some, because it is usually a discussion group. Newsgroups are technically distinct from, but functionally similar to, discussion forums on the World Wide Web. Newsreader software is used to read newsgroups.
Source: Wikepedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File_Transfer_Protocol)
References:
Allen, M.. (n.d.). "Module 2 Communicating in the Infosphere". Retrieved June 8, 2009 from
http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_18825_1&content_id=_985241_1
What is a Newsgroup?
A usenet newsgroup is a repository usually within the Usenet system, for messages posted from many users in different locations. The term may be confusing to some, because it is usually a discussion group. Newsgroups are technically distinct from, but functionally similar to, discussion forums on the World Wide Web. Newsreader software is used to read newsgroups.
Source: Wikepedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File_Transfer_Protocol)
References:
Allen, M.. (n.d.). "Module 2 Communicating in the Infosphere". Retrieved June 8, 2009 from
http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_18825_1&content_id=_985241_1
Module 2 - Internet Relay Chat
I downloaded mIRC (www.mirc.com) and proceeded to connect to an AustNet Random AU Server.
Once connected I searched for the channel #NET11 and to my surprise I found it. Unfortunately, I have been the only person in the room on numerous occasions and have left messages.
There is a panel on the right hand side of the screen so I can see if there is anyone else in the room.
I did try to connect when we were to have a group discussion but the connection kept dropping out.
I will continue to try but I wouldn't use this type of communication again as it seems to be a bit hit and miss.
What is mIRC?
mIRC is a full featured Internet Relay Chat client for Windows that can be used to communicate, share, play or work with others on IRC networks around the world, either in multi-user group conferences or in one-to-one private discussions.
It has a clean, practical interface that is highly configurable and supports features such as buddy lists, file transfers, multi-server connections, SSL encryption, proxy support, UTF-8 display, customizable sounds, spoken messages, tray notifications, message logging, and more.
mIRC also has a powerful scripting language that can be used both to automate mIRC and to create applications that perform a wide range of functions from network communications to playing games.
If you are new to mIRC, the first few sections of the mIRC help file will introduce you to the basic features of mIRC and IRC. They will also guide you through the first few steps of Connecting to a server, Joining a channel, and Chatting.
Once you have learned how to use the basic features of mIRC and IRC, you can move on to the more complex features, such as configuring mIRC for your own particular needs, or learning how to create scripts and popups.
If you ever need help, remember that you can visit the mIRC Website for a wide range of help resources and guides as well as the latest version of mIRC.
Source: mIRC Help Channel www.mirc.com
References:
Allen, M.. (n.d.). "Module 2 Communicating in the Infosphere". Retrieved July 9, 2009 from
http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_18825_1&content_id=_985241_1
Once connected I searched for the channel #NET11 and to my surprise I found it. Unfortunately, I have been the only person in the room on numerous occasions and have left messages.
There is a panel on the right hand side of the screen so I can see if there is anyone else in the room.
I did try to connect when we were to have a group discussion but the connection kept dropping out.
I will continue to try but I wouldn't use this type of communication again as it seems to be a bit hit and miss.
What is mIRC?
mIRC is a full featured Internet Relay Chat client for Windows that can be used to communicate, share, play or work with others on IRC networks around the world, either in multi-user group conferences or in one-to-one private discussions.
It has a clean, practical interface that is highly configurable and supports features such as buddy lists, file transfers, multi-server connections, SSL encryption, proxy support, UTF-8 display, customizable sounds, spoken messages, tray notifications, message logging, and more.
mIRC also has a powerful scripting language that can be used both to automate mIRC and to create applications that perform a wide range of functions from network communications to playing games.
If you are new to mIRC, the first few sections of the mIRC help file will introduce you to the basic features of mIRC and IRC. They will also guide you through the first few steps of Connecting to a server, Joining a channel, and Chatting.
Once you have learned how to use the basic features of mIRC and IRC, you can move on to the more complex features, such as configuring mIRC for your own particular needs, or learning how to create scripts and popups.
If you ever need help, remember that you can visit the mIRC Website for a wide range of help resources and guides as well as the latest version of mIRC.
Source: mIRC Help Channel www.mirc.com
References:
Allen, M.. (n.d.). "Module 2 Communicating in the Infosphere". Retrieved July 9, 2009 from
http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_18825_1&content_id=_985241_1
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Module 2 - Lists vs Discussion Boards
Lists
Email lists automatically send mail to people who have requested to receive messages from a particular group and in return can send emails to the group.I joined a list in Yahoo for Webmasters which sent me an email daily which included a message each day. Unfortunately that message was the same each day and was spam “earn $20, $50, even $100 per hour working from their home”. Not quite what I was expecting as the list mentioned there was new activity daily.
I also joined Topica to a list named Linky & Dinky (reviews of useful – and bizarre – web sites). I’ll add to this post when I start receiving emails from this list. Well, I have started to receive emails from this list and at first they went to my spam folder so I wasn't aware I was receiving them. They are mainly spam and I have since unsubscribed from this list.
And, I also joined Freecycle which is another I have yet to receive any emails from. I have also started receiving emails from Freecycle which I find useful. They list different items for free in a particular are, although they can quickly fill up your inbox if not kept up to date.
Discussion Boards
Discussion boards are a community of likeminded people who post topics for discussion and people can comment on each others messages.What are the pros and cons of email lists versus discussion boards? (Allen, M., n.d.)
I contribute to discussion boards regularly. Mainly through my work if I am using software I am unfamiliar with or am trying something new, I will search for relevant discussion boards and post questions. Usually, I receive a reply, sometimes within a day, other times it may take a week. If you need an immediate response, then a discussion board can be limiting however I find there is a sense of community and others who are more informed are more than willing to help.
Are there certain kinds of communication or purposes more suited to one than the other? (Allen, M., n.d.)
Depending on what you want to receive or whether you want to be more active in your posting, both forms can be of use. The lists seem to be a bit outdated and has been superceded. Discussion boards are more active and have more of a community feel about them.
References:
Allen, M.. (n.d.). "Module 2 Communicating in the Infosphere". Retrieved June 30, 2009 from
http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_18825_1&content_id=_985241_1
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Module 2 - Email
It is quite interesting to look into something I do everyday without thought. I use Outlook at work and use a web based email at home - Yahoo. I chose Yahoo as I have changed internet providers over the years and it is annoying to have to change email addresses each time.
1. What information about a user's email, the origin of a message, and the path it took, can you glean from an email message? (Allen, M., n.d.)
Looking at the emails I receive, I can find the following information without opening the email: who it is from, the subject of the email, date it was received, file size, attachments (if any).
If the subject field had "Re:" before the subject, I would automatically know this is a reply to a previous email I have sent to the recipient.
This is quite a lot of information without opening the email.
Upon opening the email, I can see the email address consists of a username, an "@" symbol, and a domain name. If I didn't know who the email was from, the domain name provides a lot of information.
The domain name can be a comany name, business name, individual's name, internet service provider, etc. The domain name extension can also be useful to determine where the email has come from: .com, .net, .org, .gov, .edu. These extensions can represent companies, government departments, education services, etc. They can also represent countries where the email has originated: .com.au, .co.uk, .co.nz, etc.
You will also be able to tell if the email has been copied (cc'd) to anyone else and, if the email has been forwarded many times over, there is usually a trail of email addresses that the email has left if you were to follow the breadcrumbs.
2. In what cases would you find it useful to use the 'cc', 'bcc' and 'reply all functions of email? (Allen, M., n.d.)
Cc
I use cc in many emails at work and a few from home. If I think a topic is of interest to other people but not necessarily an action for them, I will cc them in on the email. It is primarily used for information purposes.
Bcc
I very rarely use this function but it can be worthwhile. It is primarily used for sending group emails or newsletters when you don’t want recipients to know each other’s email address. It is illegal to send an email to a group of recipients and display all email addresses.
It can also be used when you want to inform someone of an email’s contents but you don’t want the recipient to know you have sent it to someone else. This can be used to 'cover your back' however it can be risky and can backfire. Be careful when using this function for this purpose and ensure the person you are bcc’ing in the email is aware of why you are using this function.
Reply all
If I was to receive an email which was sent to other recipients and I wanted to reply, I would take into consideration the message and whether everyone on the address lists need to see my reply. If it is only necessary to reply to the sender, then I will only reply to the sender. If, however, I think it is necessary to advise everyone of my response, then I will reply to all.
Usually, the original email and its contents will enable me to make a decision on whether to reply all. Normally, with work emails I will tend to reply to all as the sender would like everyone informed when replying. If I were to send an email to multiple email addresses and it is not necessary for anyone to reply, I will add FYI (for your information) at the beginning of the email so everyone knows they don’t have to respond.
3. In what ways can you ensure that an attachment you send will be easily opened by the receiver? (Allen, M., n.d.)
I have received attachments in email that I cannot open as I didn’t have the correct version of the software. It is important to make files compatible for the end user when sending attachments. It is frustrating and annoying having to ask the sender to resend the email in the correct format.
Also, sending Macintosh or Windows files to recipients who use a different operating system are unable to be opened by users.
Normally within my work environment everyone uses Windows so it is not usually a problem. However, the graphic designer we use has Macintosh and when I receive files sometimes they are not in the correct format for me to use.
If there are problems with users receiving attachments, you can send the document as a plain text (ASCII) format or a rich text file (RTF) format. The downside to sending these files is all formatting will be lost.
I usually state the files I have attached in the email in case I forget to attach them when sending so the user knows there should be an attachment(s).
Also, if I want to send many files or if the files are large, I will zip (compress) the file before sending. This ensures the recipient will not receive any large emails in their inbox. If I am sending photographs to family or friends, I will reduce the file size to ensure they will receive them and the download time is minimised.
Any exe or zip files I receive at work do not get through our firewall and need to be sent via our IT dept to scan for viruses. It is important to remember NOT to open any attachments from recipients you do not know. If you do know the recipient you still need to be cautious before you open any attachments as some viruses can be spread this way. Any attachments with exe extensions can be dangerous and should be opened with caution.
4. What sorts of filters or rules do you have set up, and for what purpose? (Allen, M., n.d.)
I use filtering quite extensively at work as it unclutters my inbox and saves time. I have registered for numerous newsletters as I create newsletters as part of my job and like to see how others are formatted.
For these newsletters I have a rule to place them in a folder automatically when received so I can view them at my leisure. I also have email I receive from an organisation which is for information purposes so I don’t necessarily need to read as soon as they come in so they are also put in a particular folder.
The filters I use are by email address as I know the email addresses they are distributed from however there are many ways you can filter email. You can filter by keywords, subject messages, and email addresses to help you manage your inbox.
It is a good idea to experiment first to see what your email software is capable of.
5. How have you organised the folder structure of your email and why? (Allen, M., n.d.)
I have created folders for both my work and home email addresses for email I want to keep. It can get confusing if there are emails that relate to many subjects. It is important to plan the structure before creating the folders. It is like any filing system which needs to be planned out to achieve the best result.
It can also be useful to keep sent emails in these folders as it can be time consuming and frustrating to sort through sent emails.
If space is an issue, emails can also be saved to your computer for ease of access. I keep my folder structure on my computer similar to my email folders which helps me keep organized.
References:
Allen, M.. (n.d.). "Module 2 Communicating in the Infosphere". Retrieved June 28, 2009 from
http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_18825_1&content_id=_985241_1
1. What information about a user's email, the origin of a message, and the path it took, can you glean from an email message? (Allen, M., n.d.)
Looking at the emails I receive, I can find the following information without opening the email: who it is from, the subject of the email, date it was received, file size, attachments (if any).
If the subject field had "Re:" before the subject, I would automatically know this is a reply to a previous email I have sent to the recipient.
This is quite a lot of information without opening the email.
Upon opening the email, I can see the email address consists of a username, an "@" symbol, and a domain name. If I didn't know who the email was from, the domain name provides a lot of information.
The domain name can be a comany name, business name, individual's name, internet service provider, etc. The domain name extension can also be useful to determine where the email has come from: .com, .net, .org, .gov, .edu. These extensions can represent companies, government departments, education services, etc. They can also represent countries where the email has originated: .com.au, .co.uk, .co.nz, etc.
You will also be able to tell if the email has been copied (cc'd) to anyone else and, if the email has been forwarded many times over, there is usually a trail of email addresses that the email has left if you were to follow the breadcrumbs.
2. In what cases would you find it useful to use the 'cc', 'bcc' and 'reply all functions of email? (Allen, M., n.d.)
Cc
I use cc in many emails at work and a few from home. If I think a topic is of interest to other people but not necessarily an action for them, I will cc them in on the email. It is primarily used for information purposes.
Bcc
I very rarely use this function but it can be worthwhile. It is primarily used for sending group emails or newsletters when you don’t want recipients to know each other’s email address. It is illegal to send an email to a group of recipients and display all email addresses.
It can also be used when you want to inform someone of an email’s contents but you don’t want the recipient to know you have sent it to someone else. This can be used to 'cover your back' however it can be risky and can backfire. Be careful when using this function for this purpose and ensure the person you are bcc’ing in the email is aware of why you are using this function.
Reply all
If I was to receive an email which was sent to other recipients and I wanted to reply, I would take into consideration the message and whether everyone on the address lists need to see my reply. If it is only necessary to reply to the sender, then I will only reply to the sender. If, however, I think it is necessary to advise everyone of my response, then I will reply to all.
Usually, the original email and its contents will enable me to make a decision on whether to reply all. Normally, with work emails I will tend to reply to all as the sender would like everyone informed when replying. If I were to send an email to multiple email addresses and it is not necessary for anyone to reply, I will add FYI (for your information) at the beginning of the email so everyone knows they don’t have to respond.
3. In what ways can you ensure that an attachment you send will be easily opened by the receiver? (Allen, M., n.d.)
I have received attachments in email that I cannot open as I didn’t have the correct version of the software. It is important to make files compatible for the end user when sending attachments. It is frustrating and annoying having to ask the sender to resend the email in the correct format.
Also, sending Macintosh or Windows files to recipients who use a different operating system are unable to be opened by users.
Normally within my work environment everyone uses Windows so it is not usually a problem. However, the graphic designer we use has Macintosh and when I receive files sometimes they are not in the correct format for me to use.
If there are problems with users receiving attachments, you can send the document as a plain text (ASCII) format or a rich text file (RTF) format. The downside to sending these files is all formatting will be lost.
I usually state the files I have attached in the email in case I forget to attach them when sending so the user knows there should be an attachment(s).
Also, if I want to send many files or if the files are large, I will zip (compress) the file before sending. This ensures the recipient will not receive any large emails in their inbox. If I am sending photographs to family or friends, I will reduce the file size to ensure they will receive them and the download time is minimised.
Any exe or zip files I receive at work do not get through our firewall and need to be sent via our IT dept to scan for viruses. It is important to remember NOT to open any attachments from recipients you do not know. If you do know the recipient you still need to be cautious before you open any attachments as some viruses can be spread this way. Any attachments with exe extensions can be dangerous and should be opened with caution.
4. What sorts of filters or rules do you have set up, and for what purpose? (Allen, M., n.d.)
I use filtering quite extensively at work as it unclutters my inbox and saves time. I have registered for numerous newsletters as I create newsletters as part of my job and like to see how others are formatted.
For these newsletters I have a rule to place them in a folder automatically when received so I can view them at my leisure. I also have email I receive from an organisation which is for information purposes so I don’t necessarily need to read as soon as they come in so they are also put in a particular folder.
The filters I use are by email address as I know the email addresses they are distributed from however there are many ways you can filter email. You can filter by keywords, subject messages, and email addresses to help you manage your inbox.
It is a good idea to experiment first to see what your email software is capable of.
5. How have you organised the folder structure of your email and why? (Allen, M., n.d.)
I have created folders for both my work and home email addresses for email I want to keep. It can get confusing if there are emails that relate to many subjects. It is important to plan the structure before creating the folders. It is like any filing system which needs to be planned out to achieve the best result.
It can also be useful to keep sent emails in these folders as it can be time consuming and frustrating to sort through sent emails.
If space is an issue, emails can also be saved to your computer for ease of access. I keep my folder structure on my computer similar to my email folders which helps me keep organized.
References:
Allen, M.. (n.d.). "Module 2 Communicating in the Infosphere". Retrieved June 28, 2009 from
http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_18825_1&content_id=_985241_1
Monday, June 8, 2009
Module 1 - Internet Tools
For this task we were asked look at the traceroute tool and the ping tool.
I used Network-Tools.com to traceroute to curtin.edu.au. Details are below:
134.7.179.56 is from Australia(AU) in region Oceana
TraceRoute to 134.7.179.56 [curtin.edu.au]
Hop (ms) (ms) (ms) IP Address Host name
1 11 6 6 72.249.134.177 -
2 9 7 6 8.9.232.73 xe-5-3-0.edge3.dallas1.level3.net
3 8 14 16 4.68.19.126 vlan79.csw2.dallas1.level3.net
4 17 17 18 4.69.136.157 ae-73-73.ebr3.dallas1.level3.net
5 54 55 49 4.69.132.77 ae-3.ebr2.losangeles1.level3.net
6 52 42 42 4.69.144.9 ae-1-60.edge3.losangeles1.level3.net
7 40 50 40 4.78.195.202 singapore-t.edge3.losangeles1.level3.net
8 191 195 188 203.208.148.18 -
9 Timed out Timed out Timed out -
10 Timed out Timed out Timed out -
11 308 296 296 61.88.166.134 aarnet.o6ssc76fe.optus.net.au
12 296 293 293 202.158.198.6 -
13 295 292 293 202.158.198.178 -
14 299 301 301 202.158.198.186 gw1.er1.curtin.cpe.aarnet.net.au
15 Timed out Timed out Timed out -
16 Timed out Timed out Timed out -
17 Timed out Timed out Timed out -
18 300 295 299 134.7.179.56 -
Trace complete
Looks like a lot of gibberish to me and it doesn't make it easy when it is formatted like the text above. But basically there are 6 columns. The first column which is numbered from 1-18 are the number of hops it has taken to get from my destination to the Curtin server. It took 18!
The next 3 columns are the responses from the router and how long it took (in milliseconds). Each hop is tested 3 times. Where it says "Timed out" there was no response from the router so it tried a different router.
The fifth and sixth columns are the IP Address and Host Name of the routers we had to pass through to get to the Curtin server.
Using the 3 millisecond figures for the last traceroute, the average time in milliseconds from the tools site to the Curtin server was 298ms.
I then tried to Ping the Curtin website using Network-Tools.com. Details are below:
Ping 134.7.179.56
[curtin.edu.au]
Round trip time to 134.7.179.56: 309 ms
Round trip time to 134.7.179.56: 298 ms
Round trip time to 134.7.179.56: 308 ms
Round trip time to 134.7.179.56: 295 ms
Round trip time to 134.7.179.56: 296 ms
Round trip time to 134.7.179.56: 295 ms
Round trip time to 134.7.179.56: 295 ms
Round trip time to 134.7.179.56: 298 ms
Round trip time to 134.7.179.56: 298 ms
Round trip time to 134.7.179.56: 296 ms
Average time over 10 pings: 298.8 ms
Interestingly, both traceroute and pinging took about the same time to locate the server. Traceroute seems to supply more information as to what servers it has passed to get to the destination so may be a more reliable.
The IP number for the Curtin server is 134.7.179.56
I also downloaded A-ToolBar from the Tucows website (http://www.tucows.com/preview/323577) and tried pinging the Curtin server and it pinged it in 5 hops. I then tried to trace cutin.edu.au using A-ToolBar and it only took 1 hop. I'm not sure if this result is correct so it is worthwhile to try out different applications as you may get different resuls.
They are both quite handy tools if you had a website hosted externally and you were unable to access it. Using both of these tools you would be able to find the exact place where the connection is dropping out.
Below is a screen shot of A-ToolBar when I pinged the Curin server in 5 hops:
What is Traceroute ...?
traceroute is a computer network tool used to determine the route taken by packets across an IP network.
Source: Wikepedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traceroute)
Still confused? Me too!
Traceroute is a command which can show you the path a packet of information takes from your computer to one you specify. It will list all the routers it passes through until it reaches its destination, or fails to and is discarded. In addition to this, it will tell you how long each 'hop' from router to router takes.
Source: MediacCllege.com (http://www.mediacollege.com/internet/troubleshooter/traceroute.html)
What is Ping ...?
Ping (Ping referred as Packet Internet Grouper) is a computer network tool used to test whether a particular host is reachable across an IP network; it is also used to self test the network interface card of the computer, or as a speed test. It works by sending ICMP “echo request” packets to the target host and listening for ICMP “echo response” replies. Ping measures the round-trip time[1] and records any packet loss, and prints when finished a statistical summary of the echo response packets received, the minimum, mean, max and in some versions the standard deviation of the round trip time.
Source: Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ping)
References:
Allen, M.. (n.d.). "Module 1 Introduction to Internet Communications". Retrieved June 8, 2009 from
http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_18825_1&content_id=_985240_1
I used Network-Tools.com to traceroute to curtin.edu.au. Details are below:
134.7.179.56 is from Australia(AU) in region Oceana
TraceRoute to 134.7.179.56 [curtin.edu.au]
Hop (ms) (ms) (ms) IP Address Host name
1 11 6 6 72.249.134.177 -
2 9 7 6 8.9.232.73 xe-5-3-0.edge3.dallas1.level3.net
3 8 14 16 4.68.19.126 vlan79.csw2.dallas1.level3.net
4 17 17 18 4.69.136.157 ae-73-73.ebr3.dallas1.level3.net
5 54 55 49 4.69.132.77 ae-3.ebr2.losangeles1.level3.net
6 52 42 42 4.69.144.9 ae-1-60.edge3.losangeles1.level3.net
7 40 50 40 4.78.195.202 singapore-t.edge3.losangeles1.level3.net
8 191 195 188 203.208.148.18 -
9 Timed out Timed out Timed out -
10 Timed out Timed out Timed out -
11 308 296 296 61.88.166.134 aarnet.o6ssc76fe.optus.net.au
12 296 293 293 202.158.198.6 -
13 295 292 293 202.158.198.178 -
14 299 301 301 202.158.198.186 gw1.er1.curtin.cpe.aarnet.net.au
15 Timed out Timed out Timed out -
16 Timed out Timed out Timed out -
17 Timed out Timed out Timed out -
18 300 295 299 134.7.179.56 -
Trace complete
Looks like a lot of gibberish to me and it doesn't make it easy when it is formatted like the text above. But basically there are 6 columns. The first column which is numbered from 1-18 are the number of hops it has taken to get from my destination to the Curtin server. It took 18!
The next 3 columns are the responses from the router and how long it took (in milliseconds). Each hop is tested 3 times. Where it says "Timed out" there was no response from the router so it tried a different router.
The fifth and sixth columns are the IP Address and Host Name of the routers we had to pass through to get to the Curtin server.
Using the 3 millisecond figures for the last traceroute, the average time in milliseconds from the tools site to the Curtin server was 298ms.
I then tried to Ping the Curtin website using Network-Tools.com. Details are below:
Ping 134.7.179.56
[curtin.edu.au]
Round trip time to 134.7.179.56: 309 ms
Round trip time to 134.7.179.56: 298 ms
Round trip time to 134.7.179.56: 308 ms
Round trip time to 134.7.179.56: 295 ms
Round trip time to 134.7.179.56: 296 ms
Round trip time to 134.7.179.56: 295 ms
Round trip time to 134.7.179.56: 295 ms
Round trip time to 134.7.179.56: 298 ms
Round trip time to 134.7.179.56: 298 ms
Round trip time to 134.7.179.56: 296 ms
Average time over 10 pings: 298.8 ms
Interestingly, both traceroute and pinging took about the same time to locate the server. Traceroute seems to supply more information as to what servers it has passed to get to the destination so may be a more reliable.
The IP number for the Curtin server is 134.7.179.56
I also downloaded A-ToolBar from the Tucows website (http://www.tucows.com/preview/323577) and tried pinging the Curtin server and it pinged it in 5 hops. I then tried to trace cutin.edu.au using A-ToolBar and it only took 1 hop. I'm not sure if this result is correct so it is worthwhile to try out different applications as you may get different resuls.
They are both quite handy tools if you had a website hosted externally and you were unable to access it. Using both of these tools you would be able to find the exact place where the connection is dropping out.
Below is a screen shot of A-ToolBar when I pinged the Curin server in 5 hops:
What is Traceroute ...?
traceroute is a computer network tool used to determine the route taken by packets across an IP network.
Source: Wikepedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traceroute)
Still confused? Me too!
Traceroute is a command which can show you the path a packet of information takes from your computer to one you specify. It will list all the routers it passes through until it reaches its destination, or fails to and is discarded. In addition to this, it will tell you how long each 'hop' from router to router takes.
Source: MediacCllege.com (http://www.mediacollege.com/internet/troubleshooter/traceroute.html)
What is Ping ...?
Ping (Ping referred as Packet Internet Grouper) is a computer network tool used to test whether a particular host is reachable across an IP network; it is also used to self test the network interface card of the computer, or as a speed test. It works by sending ICMP “echo request” packets to the target host and listening for ICMP “echo response” replies. Ping measures the round-trip time[1] and records any packet loss, and prints when finished a statistical summary of the echo response packets received, the minimum, mean, max and in some versions the standard deviation of the round trip time.
Source: Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ping)
References:
Allen, M.. (n.d.). "Module 1 Introduction to Internet Communications". Retrieved June 8, 2009 from
http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_18825_1&content_id=_985240_1
Module 1 - FTP Task
For this task I downloaded an FTP client for my computer - I used FileZilla (http://filezilla-project.org/).
FTP to the Curtin ftp site and download a file readme.txt and complete the sentence.
This server runs on a unix platform, so CAPITALISATION MATTERS! (sorry had to change the spelling)
I use FTP with work, mainly for transferring large files to printers, graphic designers and any other provider who does design work for us. I also use ftp to upload files on an external website.
I found it easy to download the software and as I was familiar with FTP applications, finding the file and downloading it was no problem.
The FTP client I use at work I have set up so depending on who I am FTPing, the directory structure appears. So for this exercise, trying to locate a directory I wanted to download was the only issue. Once I found a directory to download the file, I dragged and dropped the file to the directory.
What is FTP...?
File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a standard network protocol used to exchange and manipulate files over an Internet Protocol computer network, such as the Internet. FTP is built on a client-server architecture and utilizes separate control and data connections between the client and server applications. Client applications were originally interactive command-line tools with a standardized command syntax, but graphical user interfaces have been developed for all desktop operating systems in use today. FTP is also often used as an application component to automatically transfer files for program internal functions. FTP can be used with user-based password authentication or with anonymous user access. The Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) is a similar, but simplified, not interoperable, and unauthenticated version of FTP.
Source: Wikepedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File_Transfer_Protocol)
References:
Allen, M.. (n.d.). "Module 1 Introduction to Internet Communications". Retrieved June 8, 2009 from
http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_18825_1&content_id=_985240_1
FTP to the Curtin ftp site and download a file readme.txt and complete the sentence.
This server runs on a unix platform, so CAPITALISATION MATTERS! (sorry had to change the spelling)
I use FTP with work, mainly for transferring large files to printers, graphic designers and any other provider who does design work for us. I also use ftp to upload files on an external website.
I found it easy to download the software and as I was familiar with FTP applications, finding the file and downloading it was no problem.
The FTP client I use at work I have set up so depending on who I am FTPing, the directory structure appears. So for this exercise, trying to locate a directory I wanted to download was the only issue. Once I found a directory to download the file, I dragged and dropped the file to the directory.
What is FTP...?
File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a standard network protocol used to exchange and manipulate files over an Internet Protocol computer network, such as the Internet. FTP is built on a client-server architecture and utilizes separate control and data connections between the client and server applications. Client applications were originally interactive command-line tools with a standardized command syntax, but graphical user interfaces have been developed for all desktop operating systems in use today. FTP is also often used as an application component to automatically transfer files for program internal functions. FTP can be used with user-based password authentication or with anonymous user access. The Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) is a similar, but simplified, not interoperable, and unauthenticated version of FTP.
Source: Wikepedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File_Transfer_Protocol)
References:
Allen, M.. (n.d.). "Module 1 Introduction to Internet Communications". Retrieved June 8, 2009 from
http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_18825_1&content_id=_985240_1
Module 1 - Telnet Tasks
For this task we were asked to download Telnet and 'telnet' to the following address:
Telnet reminds me of DOS prompts and I was always getting my commands mixed up when using DOS.
In searching for the author Bennahum there were a series of commands we had to input to find the results and then were asked to email the results to ourselves.
The email contained the following information:
You searched for the AUTHOR: bennahum
2 AUTHORS found, with 2 entries; AUTHORS 1-2 are:
1 Bennahum David A 1936 ................................. 1 entry
2 Bennahum Ninotchka .................................... 1 entry
It also gives some insight into how much further we have gone using the internet and technologies.
Being able to use earlier technologies we can see how the internet has evolved. The company I worked for 10 years ago had a website which was a portal to download files. Users would either ftp or http to the site to download reports on a daily basis. The site consisted of no other content.
There has always been a need to create applications purely for pleasure as blinkenlights shows. The internet has produced a lot of useful applications and technologies but there is also a creative side which focuses on user experience.
The technology now used to search the internet is sophisticated and constantly changing to produce the best experience for users. User experience is top priority and with so many choices the competition is fierce. This can only benefit users who are spoilt for choice.
What is Telnet ...?
Telnet (Teletype network) is a network protocol used on the Internet or local area networks to provide a bidirectional interactive communications facility. Typically, telnet provides access to a command-line interface on a remote host via a virtual terminal connection which consists of an 8-bit byte oriented data connection over the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP). User data is interspersed in-band with TELNET control information.
Source: Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telnet)
References:
Allen, M.. (n.d.). "Module 1 Introduction to Internet Communications". Retrieved June 8, 2009 from
http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_18825_1&content_id=_985240_1
telnet://library.deakin.edu.au
I found telnet quick and easy to use. If I used it more often and was familiar with the commands then would find it more comfortable, however, I prefer to use a web-based interface as there are more options and related links.Telnet reminds me of DOS prompts and I was always getting my commands mixed up when using DOS.
In searching for the author Bennahum there were a series of commands we had to input to find the results and then were asked to email the results to ourselves.
The email contained the following information:
You searched for the AUTHOR: bennahum
2 AUTHORS found, with 2 entries; AUTHORS 1-2 are:
1 Bennahum David A 1936 ................................. 1 entry
2 Bennahum Ninotchka .................................... 1 entry
We also looked at telnet://towel.blinkenlights.nl
Wow - someone sure had a lot of free time. Star Wars fans should watch this although it might be quicker to watch the movie. Its a fun way to see how Telnet can operate and its capabilities.It also gives some insight into how much further we have gone using the internet and technologies.
Being able to use earlier technologies we can see how the internet has evolved. The company I worked for 10 years ago had a website which was a portal to download files. Users would either ftp or http to the site to download reports on a daily basis. The site consisted of no other content.
There has always been a need to create applications purely for pleasure as blinkenlights shows. The internet has produced a lot of useful applications and technologies but there is also a creative side which focuses on user experience.
The technology now used to search the internet is sophisticated and constantly changing to produce the best experience for users. User experience is top priority and with so many choices the competition is fierce. This can only benefit users who are spoilt for choice.
What is Telnet ...?
Telnet (Teletype network) is a network protocol used on the Internet or local area networks to provide a bidirectional interactive communications facility. Typically, telnet provides access to a command-line interface on a remote host via a virtual terminal connection which consists of an 8-bit byte oriented data connection over the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP). User data is interspersed in-band with TELNET control information.
Source: Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telnet)
References:
Allen, M.. (n.d.). "Module 1 Introduction to Internet Communications". Retrieved June 8, 2009 from
http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_18825_1&content_id=_985240_1
Top 5 tips for new bloggers
My top 5 tips for new bloggers are:
After trial and error in creating my blog I have found a few more helpful tips:
- research the blogging platform you are going to use to ensure it has the capabilities you require.
- have a look around the blogging platform to find handy tools and information on how to change settings, layout, etc.
- update your blog regularly.
- don't be afraid to be yourself.
- have fun!
After trial and error in creating my blog I have found a few more helpful tips:
- I'm not sure whether this is for all blogs but it is helpful if you are typing up your blog entries in word and then copy and pasting into your blog to use Notepad. Copying into Notepad and then copying again into your blog will stop unwanted code in your html. Unfortunately you will have to then re enter any links or other formatting.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
My first Blog ....
It's a bit overwhelming really, considering potentially millions of people could be reading this. Realistically, I'll be lucky to get more than one person reading my blog which makes it a bit easier to write.
This year I have started my my BA Internet Communications and this unit is NET11 The Internet - Communications. This blog is part of the unit's assessment so will be adding some tasks and writing reflections on the unit.
Stay tuned!
This year I have started my my BA Internet Communications and this unit is NET11 The Internet - Communications. This blog is part of the unit's assessment so will be adding some tasks and writing reflections on the unit.
Stay tuned!
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