Chapter 2

Chapter 2 - Fundamentals of the World Wide Web and Internet

    Independence day had just past yesterday and it is the beginning of a new month, September. Time flies, the year is already coming to an end. Today is a really special day, the 1st of September. It is our beloved lecturer Ms.Wan's birthday! Not to mention it is also my father's birthday today too, what a coincidence. The start of a  new month, the start of a new chapter. Today Ms.Wan had started and as well as covered the whole of chapter 2 already, amazing. 

Evolution of the Internet

    What is the internet? The internet is a worldwide collection of networks that links millions of business, government agencies, educational institutions, and individuals. The internet is what make the world whole. It connects people from different places around the world. The internet originated as ARPANET in September 1969 and had only two main goals, which are : 

• To allow scientist at different physical locations to share information and work together.  

• To function if part of the network were disabled or destroyed by a disaster. 

    Years after ARPANET becomes functional, ARPANET has become known as the Internet in 1986. Internet is formed when NSF connects NSFnet to ARPANET. In 1995, NSFnet terminated it;s netword on the Internet and resumed status as a research network. Internet2 is then been founded in 1996. Today, more than 550 million hosts connects to the Internet. How astonishing, such a great achievement achieved by mankind. 

    Have you ever heard of an access provider? Well not me, I had no idea where this word had even originated from. But an access provider is a type of business that provides individuals and organizations access to the Internet free or for a fee, how intriguing. There are 3 types of service providers that we have learnt about today. Which are, ISP (Internet Service Provider), OSP (Online Service Provider, and WISP (Wireless Internet Service Provider). 

• Regional ISP's provides internet access only to a specific geographical area, but national ISP's on the other hand provides internet access in cities and towns nationwide. 

• As for OSP, it contains many members-only features. Popular OSP's include AOL (America Online) and MSN (Microsoft Network) 

• Wireless Internet Service Providers provides wireless internet access to computers and mobile devices, although it may require a wireless modem in order to perform so. 

The World Wide Web

    The World Wide Web, or in others words just known as Web, consists of a worldwide collection of electronic documents (web pages). A Website is a collection of related Webpages and associated items. However, a Web server is a computer that delivers requested Webpages to your computer. Web 2.0 refers to Web sites that provide a means for users to interact. 

    Every Webpage  has a unique address known as a URL or a Web address. A few terms of the internet or maybe tricks includes tabbed browsing. Tabbed browsing allows you to open and view multiple Web pages in a single Web browser window. This'll help you organize your work and will make multitasking much more easier.

    Besides that, there are two different types of search tools which everyone that uses the Internet should be aware of, which are search engines and subject directories respectively. Search engines assists in finding information which are related to a specific topic whereas subject directories classifies Webpages in an organized set of categories. A search engine is helpful in locating items such as : 

• Images
• Videos
• Audio
• Publications 
• Maps 
• People or Business
• Blogs

    Did you know that some Web browsers contain an Instant Search box to eliminate the steps of displaying the search engine's Web page prior to entering the search text? These are some pretty interesting facts. There are up to thirteen types of Web sites, which includes :

    Multimedia refers to any applications that combines text with : 

• Graphics 
• Animation
• Audio
• Video
• Virtual Reality

Graphics is a digital representation of a non-text information. It's formats include BMP, GIF, JPEG, PNG, and TIFF. For example, a thumbnail is a small version of a larger graphic. 

Animation is the appearance of motion created by displaying a series of still images in sequence. Like a stop-motion, frame-by-frame kind of video. 

Audio inlcudes music, speech, or any other sound. An audio file is normally able to be compressed such that it would take up lesser space. 

Video consists of images displayed in motion.

Virtual reality is the use of computers to stimulate a real or imagined environment that appears as a three-dimensional space. 

    A plug-in is a program that extends the capability of Web browser. These also includes : 

Web publishing is the development and maintenance of Webpages.

These developments go from planning a Website to Maintaining It.

Firstly as always you'll have to plan what type of website would you want to publish. Next you should analyze and design it such that it would attract users and operate accordingly. Once that's done you could move forward and begin creating and deploying the Website. Lastly, to ensure this Website lasts you'll need to maintain it regularly. 

E-Commerce

    E-commerce is a business transaction that occurs over an electronic network. E-commerce includes Business-to-Business, Business-to-Consumer, and Consumer-to-Consumer.

    E-Retailing consists of 8 respective steps. Step 1, the customer displays the e-retailer's electronic storefront. Step 2, the customer collects purchases in an electronic shopping cart. Step 3, the customer enters payment information on a secure Website. The e-retailer the sends financial information to a bank. Step 4, the bank performs security checks and sends authorization back to the e-retailer. Step 5, the e-retailer's Web server sends confirmation to the customer, processes the order, and then sends it to the fulfillment center. Step 6, the fulfillment center packages the order, prepares it for shipment, and then sends a report to the server where records are updated. Step 7, while the order travels to the customer, shipping information is posted on the Web. And for the final step, step 8,  the order will be delivered to the customer, who may be required to sign a handheld computer or document to acknowledge the receipt. 

Other Internet Services

• E-mail is the transmission of messages and files via a computer network.
• An e-mail program allows you to create, send, receive, forward, store, print, and delete e-mail messages. 

An e-mail message is traveled from a sender to a receiver through a couple of easy steps. Firstly it after it has been instructed to send, it will contact a software on your service provider's outgoing mail server. After that, the software on that particular server will determine the best route for the data and then sends the message. When the recipient finally checks the e-mail message, the message transfers from the incoming mail servers to the recipient's computer. 

  

    A mailing list is a group of e-mail names and address given a single name. For instance, subscribing adds your email name and address whereas unsubscribing removes it. 

    Instant messaging (IM) is a real- time Internet communications service. On the other hand, a chat is a real-time typed conversation that takes place on a computer. A chat room instead is a location on an Internet server that permits users to chat with each other. 

    VoIP (Voice over IP) enables users to speak to other users over the Internet. In other words also know as Internet Telephony. 

    A newsgroup is an online area in which users have written discussion about a particular subject. A message board is a Web-based type of discussion group. 

    Lastly we have FTP  (File Transfer Protocol), FTP is an Internet standard that permits file uploading and downloading with other computers on the Internet. Surprisingly, many operating systems include FTP capabilities. Moreover, an FTP server is a computer that allows users to upload and/or download files using FTP.

Netiquette

    Netiquette is the code of acceptable Internet behavior. 

    The lesson had eventually came to an end, we've covered so much in one day. I'm really surprised. Although all these might be a little hard to be absorbed in my brain for a day but I believe I would be able to get in down eventually. There is still so much to learn! I would not give up that easily. 

    And to Ms.Wan, if you are still reading this blog on the 1st of September, and hopefully you are, I wish you a happy and cheerful life ahead! Live every moment, today and always!! Happy Birthday!! 

 

    Chapter 1 - Basic Introduction of Computers 

( Part 2 ) 

    This morning when I woke up, through my window I couldn't help but to notice the darkness outside. The sky was darker as the cloud gets thicker. I must say, this isn't a morning I'd normally find myself waking up to. Despite the fact that I couldn't resist to not get out of bed, but I really didn't want to skip my second day of class. The drive to college was terrifying, as the rain gets heavier the traffic as well have gotten worse. In the end I've made it to college in time anyways, and I was grateful for that. 

    Today in class Ms.Wan resumed the topic we were discussing yesterday, Chapter 1 - Basic Introduction to Computers. I find this course pretty interesting as I have not ever studied nor have I ever paid much attention to technologies around me much before. Although I am unfamiliar with technologies and systems, and despite the fact that many of my friends understands this better than me, the motivation in me have not died out yet. 

    In today's lesson Ms.Wan taught us about computers software. A software, of in other words a program, instructs the computer to perform certain tasks as well as how to perform them. A software is normally installed in order to work with the computer, printer, and other hardware.

    Besides that, I have also learnt and have been able to differentiate the categories of computers. Such as below:

    A personal computer can perform all of it's input, processing, output, and storage activities by itself. Two popular architectures are the PC and the Apple.

    A mobile computers and mobile devices. A mobile computer is a personal computer that you can carry around from place to place. For example, a notebook, laptops, ultra-thins, and tablet PC's. A mobile device on the other hand, is a small computing device small enough to be hold in your hand. Examples are smartphones, PDA's, media players, and digital cameras. 

    Game consoles are a mobile computing device designed for single-player or even multiplayer video games. 

    The servers are the one that controls access to the hardware, software, and other resource on a network. It basically provides a centralized storage area for programs, data, and information. 

    Mainframes, are large, expensive, powerful computers that can simultaneously handle hundreds or even thousands of users as long as it's connected together. 

    I was quite interested in supercomputers though, i had never studied about this before and it sounded cool to me. I found that during class that supercomputers are the fastest and most powerful computer in the world. It is said that the fastest supercomputers are capable of processing more than one quadrillion instructions in a single second. How amazing and unbelievable is that. 

    Lastly we have embedded computers. An embedded computer is a special-purpose computer that is only programmed to carry out certain main tasks, nothing more. Embedded computers functions as a component in a larger product basically. 

    We even went through an interesting sub-topic regarding the elements of an information system. These include the hardware, software, data, people, and procedures. Ms.Wan suggested us these 5 elements and tested us to form a sentence that includes the elements of an information system. It was a good brainstorming session I would say, as it isn't as easy I'd thought it would be. This is an example of how the elements of an information system in an Enterprise might Interact. 

     The class then went on with the Example of Computer Usage. Ms.Wan made it clear to us about the different types of users around the world who are working with their laptops and computers. Today we have learnt 5 different types of user, each and every one of them different. 

    Firstly, there are home user. Home users are for more towards personal financial management, web access, communications, and even for entertainment. 

    Then there are small office or maybe home office user. These users mainly make telephone calls as well as send and receive email messages. They don't really need a big work space and work equipment such as a printer therefore they could proceed with their job anywhere regardless inside a home or  an office. 

    Next, there are mobile users. These users mainly rely on the convenience of the device. In other words, they treasure mobility. Users as such are normally more towards the entertainment side of the job. They listen to music, watch movies, and plays video games. They too connect to other computers on a network or the internet as well as transferring information between devices. 

    And then there are power user.  These users work with multimedia. They also uses embedded computers as it has to be industry-specific software. 

    For the final example we have the enterprise user. Users as such communicates among their employees more often as well as processing high volumes of transactions. These users normally work as a group, or a team. 

    The class today then ended of with the knowledge of computer applications in society. What are the computer applications that contributed to the society? You would be surprised how much the human nature now relies on technology. Computers are everywhere, from education to health care. Technologies are the future and the future is now. Take a look around us, our government system, finance such as banking, our manufacturing, all done only with the help of the technologies we have today. 

   This is a very enlightening chapter for me, since that never have I ever really studied thoroughly into the basic introductions of computer. I have learned many things in this particular topic, with the help of a great lecturer, Ms.Wan Irma, to help and guide me through this topic and understand more about technologies and computer.

     

Beginning of a fresh semester.

Chapter 1Basic Introduction to Computers

August 28, 2016. Monday.

Today was my first day of class, a start of a new semester. We had a really nice teacher for this particular subject, her name is Ms.Wan Irma. Ms.Wan wanted us to write a blog on each of her classes. To me I find this idea fairly interesting. Firstly, it's because I have never blogged before, it is always fun trying out new things and learning methods.  And second, I think it's something none other lecturers would've suggest, it is something different. Although this would be my first ever blog to be written, I really look forward to it and hoping to learn more about blogging in the future. 

During class, Ms.Wan briefed us about the overall course outline as well as the teaching plan for this current  semester. Besides that, she also have began teaching topic 1 of our syllabus. In this topic that we have went through together today, I have learnt more about the digital world that we currently live in. The fact that computers are everywhere.

"What is a computer?" asked Ms.Wan today. Then it struck me, because computers are so common today everybody basically have one computer of their own. But then what defines a computer, how would you put it in a way as an solid explanation. I totally had no idea at all. But after Ms.Wan went through the lesson with us, only I had finally understand. A computer is actually defined as an electronic device, operating under the control of instructions stored on its own memory. This is what i have found out today in class. 

The components of a computer varies, it contains many electric, electronic, and mechanical components know as hardware. Hardware consists of many device, such as an input and an output device, a system unit, storage device, and lastly a communications device. All of this put together creates a functional computer. 

Moreover, Ms.Wan had also discuss about the advantages and disadvantages of using computers. Advantages include the speed, or in other words the efficiency, of completing task such as complicated calculations and many more. The reliability of it. The consistency of the program. And lastly the storage and the communications a computer provides us with. Speaking of which, there are many disadvantages as well. Some of them includes health risk, such as the radiation from a computer. Violation of privacy and public safety, such as the dangers from the social media. And also the impact of labor force and on the environment. 

In today's class, I've also learnt the art of green computing. Which it basically involves reducing the electricity consumed and environmental waste generated when using a computer. Strategies of such may include, recycling, regulating manufacturing processes, extending the life of computers, and donating or properly disposing of replaced computers. 

We had also discussed about the networks and internet. For example, a network is a collection of computers and devices connected together, often wirelessly, via communications devices and transmission media. On the other hand, the internet is a worldwide collection of networks that connects millions of business, government agencies, educational institutions, and individual.  People today uses the internet for a variety of reasons, such as to communicate, to do research and to access information, to do online banking and investments, to download videos, and many many more.