What it is and/or what it means
Broadband is a type of high-speed Internet access. “The FCC defines broadband service as data transmission speeds exceeding 200 kilobits per second (Kbps), or 200,000 bits per second, in at least one direction: downstream (from the Internet to the user’s computer) or upstream (from the user’s computer to the Internet)” —typically contrasted with dial-up access over a 56k modem.
· Dial-up modems are limited to a bitrates of less than 56 kbit/s (kilobits per second) and require the full use of a telephone line—whereas broadband technologies supply more than double this rate and generally without disrupting telephone use
Why is it important?
High data rate of Internet access, compared to old dial-up. Broadband services are so important because it provides one to have the capability to access many resources and services that will help ones everyday life. It gives people access to virtually any piece of information needed on the Internet.
To whom is it important?
Broadband services are important to many careers such as medicine, education, entertainment, security, and many more. Whoever can access a broadband service will benefit from it. Broadband is important to the medical field because doctors need information fast, so they can use broadband to access the information fast. Teachers use broadband services to connect with their students through e-mail. They also can post lectures on the Internet for the students. The entertainment business uses broadband Internet everyday because it is fast, effective and very informative. They use it for special effects, advertisements, etc.
Who should know about it?
Doctors, nurses, guards, gamers, musicians, artists, teachers, etc. everyone should know about and can benefit from broadband Internet.
http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/broadband.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broadband_Internet_access#Broadband_worldwide
What it is and/or what it means-
FiOS is an Internet, telephone, and TV service that is presently offered in some areas of the United States by Verizon. Verizon previously called the service FTTP ("Fiber To The Premises")
FiOS provides telephone, Internet and digital video services to the subscriber's premises. Some areas do not have service due to franchise agreements, and some can only receive the Internet access, also due to franchising. Other service providers (e.g. cable) limit fiber optics deployment to the network backbone, with the vast majority of distance traveled using a copper or coax medium.
Why is it important
Fiber Optic Internet speeds are up to 50 mbps is faster than traditional cable plans, which are more expensive with less speed
Services rated 50 times faster than ordinary cable and DSL connections
Powerful fiber optic cables that run directly to the premise instead of relying on traditional cables that uses the same technology as old landline phone systems.
To whom it is important
Customers who are interested in having one set bill (that includes TV, Internet, and Phone)
Video Gamers that require fast and secure internet connections (for graphic heavy games or for massive multiplayer online gaming)
Who should know about it
Verizon and their customers
Businesses, schools, and organizations that require faster connection speeds to either TV, Telephone, or Internet
Source
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verizon_FiOS#Television_.28FiOS_TV.29
http://www22.verizon.com/Residential/FiOSInternet/?LOBCode=C&PromoTCode=FIS21&PromoSrcCode=V&POEId=VU1SP&CMP=DMC-FIS21
Streaming is a technique to transfer data that can be processed at a steady and continues stream. Streaming is becoming very important because of the growth of the Internet. It lets individuals with large files to display data before the entire file is transmitted. Steaming is important because it something that everyone that watches video or listens to music on the internet. A person needs streaming to keep the flow of information in a video or music clip together.
Institutions and companies that send information for presenters’ and clients that need this data for their everyday lives. This is probably one the most used activities on the internet that everyone relies on but have not idea what streaming is.
Who should know about it
Those who work in television (also live tv), Radio stations, Internet service providers
Source
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streaming_medi
Definitions of streaming on the Web". Google.com/define. March,19, 2009 <http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&defl=en&q=define:streaming&ei=RmDCSZIa0rS3B_mUgPgK&sa=X&oi=glossary_definition&ct=title>.
- frequently asked questions; usually included in websites on various topics ranging from internet use and website navigation to general information like medical ailments and so on; depends on the topic of the site; usually is a link on the home page to the questions page
- FAQs are important because they are an easy way to get answers to common, and sometimes even very specific, questions. Therefore, anyone who uses a website for information, as a tool for communication, or anything else should know about this, because it is helpful to all internet users
4) Web 2.0 – Web 2.0 refers to the second generation of the internet, or World Wide Web. Web 2.0 is a term used to describe the overall new features and direction that the internet is taking. The internet used to be a more static system in which people came to it for information. Nowadays, websites involve users more and where the World Wide Web was once a place of sites to visit it is now a more dynamic grouping of sites that allow people to come even closer to together or keep up with things they couldn’t. Some of these improvements include the addition of blogs, wikis, social networking sites, and new web applications. An example would be the RSS feed, which brings website updates to you, or websites such as Twitter and Facebook, which are used to keep up with up to the minute info in groups, such as contacts between friends. It is important due to the revolution it has brought about for many Internet users. The World Wide Web has now become a more involved atmosphere and could lead to other new ideas or possibilities, for better or worst. Web 2.0 is important to all internet users who access its new features. Anyone who wishes to enrich their internet experience and wishes to be more involved with certain groups or sites should look more into the new capabilities and services offered by Web 2.0.
The people who should know most about Web 2.0 are its developers as well as those people trying to make further improvements on it.
Source: http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/a/oreilly/tim/news/2005/09/30/what-is-web-20.html & http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1192837/Web-20
http://www.techterms.com/definition/web20
This is a background program that operates unsupervised on the Internet. Bots often perform repetitive tasks — Web crawlers/spiders are the most common example of this — or provide automated responses.[1] Bots can often handle many tasks, including reporting weather, zip-code information, sports scores, converting currency or other units, etc. Others are used for entertainment, such as SmarterChild on AOL Instant Messenger and MSN Messenger and Jabberwacky on Yahoo! Messenger. Often times, bots are used in a malicious way, such as for spamming, phishing, or even identity theft. Other uses for bots even include cheating in online games. Everyone who is an internet-user should be aware of what a bot is, how it works, and should take measures against the more malicious ones.
Source: http://nortontoday.symantec.com/features/spotlight_on_bots.php & http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/R/robot.html
3) Spider (Internet)
Ÿ *An internet spider, or WebCrawler, is a type of program that searches and retrieves Web pages from the internet.
Ÿ They are most often used by search engines. It moves across the web searching for web pages and when a link is present, a spider obtains it. It is used by search engines to search the Web, examine sites and databases, and keep the search engine database of web pages up to date. Most large search engines operate several spiders at all times because the Web is so enormous that it can take six months for spiders to cover it.
Ÿ Spiders are important because they help keep search engines updated and they allow access to recent information. Thus they allow people to research any topic on the internet. The results of the search may include millions of websites, beginning with the most relevant results.
*Spiders are important to all internet users who wish to find websites whose addresses they do not know offhand. Also, they are important because they aid in research for students.
*Everyone who accesses the internet should know about internet spiders, or at least about the search engines that use them. More specifically, those interested in perfecting internet spiders and making them more effective at finding results on search engines are the people who should really know about spiders.
Source:
http://www.answers.com/topic/internet-spider
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/s/spider.html
http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/Glossary.html
http://www.topshareware.com/Internet-spider-download-download-15913.htm
. Blogs
A blog is short for “Web log,” which is a website in which people can post just about anything they want, such as stories about their lives. They are generally written by one person and arranged in chronological order by entry. Typically, a blog is written in plain text and not in html format. Blogs are important because they allow people to keep in touch with each other and share stories when they may not be able to otherwise. Any computer user should know about them, but they could be of special importance to employers. If someone has posted something on the Internet via a blog that does not show the company in the best light, the employer may have the employee remove it or fire the employee.
Sources:
http://www.pbs.org/teachers/learning.now/2006/05/what_exactly_is_a_blog_anyway.html
http://www.problogger.net/archives/2005/02/05/what-is-a-blog/
Threaded discussion: A kind of computer-mediated communication (CMC). It’s an online conversation made up of a series of linked messages. It can be used as a cognitive, teaching, and social tool. A common example would be a facebook thread used to communicate between large groups of people. Many users already use this tool. All users should know about this useful communication tool.
RSS: Short for really simple syndication (previously RDF site summary or rich site summary), RSS is a feed that tells the reader when new material such as a news article or video clip has been published on the Web site. On a web site’s server there are a set of instructions (= an RSS feed) which are sent to a subscriber’s aggregator. The aggregator monitors, organizes and displays the new material. The user then has one source for the latest information. Feeds are written in the web language of XML. It is a simple standard, so even a small-scale site can easily incorporate it as a feature. Only developers and system administrators really need to know about this. The average user just needs it to work without knowing how.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RSS_(file_format)
A package of multimedia files that can be downloaded from the Internet and played on a computer or a mobile device. The first podcasts were of music tracks that could be played on MP3 players; the technique was subsequently generalized to include other audio content and then additional file types, in particular images and video. New podcasts are generally advertised by web feeds, then downloaded automatically to subscribers' computers and, if appropriate, transferred to portable player. Established broadcasting organizations are now making their television and radio output available as podcasts.[2]
- this is important because it is a way for anyone to globally distribute one’s ideas, and gain a fan base, like an instant radio star. Since it is a rising tool for internet users, many people should know about it, but especially any business person trying to advertise, any person attempting to “start a movement” and get ideas flowing, or any person trying to become a star, etc.
- http://www.entrepreneurs-journey.com/230/what-is-a-podcast/. Starak, Yaro. What is a P{odcast and how can I use one?. 2005-2009.
The term mash-up refers to a new breed of Web-based applications. A "mash-up" combines services from different web sites into a single web site.
A mash-up, for example, could overlay traffic data from one source on the Internet over maps from Yahoo, Microsoft, Google or any content provider. The term mash-up comes from the hip-hop music practice of mixing two or more songs.
· This is important because they give exceptional customer service to the reader by combining the best of two worlds.
· Mash-ups are important to programmers.
· People that use the internet, facebook or similar websites, or Microsoft windows (a mash-up) should know about them.
· http://netforbeginners.about.com/od/m/f/whatismashup.htm
- a “commercial mailing list management system that allows you to subscribe to or create, manage, and control an electronic mailing list.” Mailing lists function through email, and any member subscribed to a list receives a copy of every message sent to that list.
- it is important because it is an easy way to keep large groups informed and in contact. Therefore, organizations, whether companies, unions, campus groups, or so on should know about this.
- http://listserv.buffalo.edu/. Listserv. 2008. University at Buffalo.
Concept: recommender systems
Definition: an interface that acts as a virtual community, which through the process of information filtering, attempts to present items that may be of interest to the user. This virtual community is a resource in which people influence other’s decisions without actually interacting; a guide to make successful decisions by filtering out potentially bad choices and emphasizing potentially good choices.
The recommender system often devises a user profile which is made up of the user’s characteristics and preferences and then tries to present information that would be of interest to that user or in an order that would be appealing. For example, after making a purchase at an online store, the store will often send you a list of recommended products they feel you will enjoy based on your previous purchases. This is an important tool for making the internet more user friendly on a personal level.
Importance: recommender systems are aimed at helping users to find things that they will like with minimal search effort. The idea is that people without first-hand knowledge that would like to make a decision can be provided with a guide from an interface that has the ability to recommend items of interest to a group of people.
To whom it is important: recommender systems are important to businesses that employ them. A few examples are: Amazon- the online retailer provides product recommendations based on items recently purchased by the user; Reddit- a news recommendation system and Apple iTunes and iTunes Genius- an online music and movies service that provides recommendations based on music or movies recently purchased, listened to, or watched consistently.
Who should know about it: System administrators ,developers and all general computer users that need help with making a decision should know about recommender systems. It is also important to the people who develop the site because often times, suggestions, especially in the shopping world are a large way to make more money for the company. This tool can be very helpful for all users including those who devise the sites and those who use them on a regular basis.
Source: (Will Hill)
Source: Recommender System: Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recommender_system
What is it? What does it mean?
It is business to business, it is the exchange of products, services, or information between businesses.
Why is it important?
It is important because it is a way for businesses to connect, sell, and buy different products and information with other businesses without coming face to face and exchanging products in person. This revenue that B2B brings is in far more than business to costumers. This makes it easier for businesses to obtain products to different businesses far away.
To whom is it important?
It is important to all consumers and businesses. Without businesses exchanging products and information, many products would be unavailable to consumers.
Who should know about it?
Business owners should know about B2b E-commerce because without it, there would be less products, and not as much advancing because there would less exchanging of information and products.
Source: http://searchcio.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid182_gci214411,00.html
Concept 4: Domain Name
v A domain name is something that is used to identify o name organizations and addresses on the internet.
v Domain names are important because it provides a recognizable name to mostly numerically addressed Internet resources.
v The domain name of a website is important to anyone that would like to create a website. To create a website a person needs to create a domain name that make a website accessible to normal internet users for example www.ebay.com.
v WebMediaBrands Inc, "domain name". Internet.com. March,19, 2009 <http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/D/domain_name.html>.
An IP Address, or Internet Protocol Address, is a unique identification number for each device within a network, such as computers, servers, and routers. It consists of dotted decimal numbers which represent binary code. It is important not only because it allows each device to be identified, but also because it allows the devices to share information with each other. IP addresses can be considered important to everyone because without them, things such as the Internet could not be used because websites require IP. Because IP addresses are so important, it may be in everyone’s best interest to know about them. People such as larger business owners and government agencies may find IP Addresses especially important, because they may have their own group of addresses which would make monitoring computer use by employees simpler. Network administrators would most likely be the ones to monitor and track use. IP addresses can also be important to business owners, police, and common citizens in cases of identity theft. In such instances, a discrepancy in IP address could be used to indicate the victim was not the one purchasing items over the Internet, and could be used in conjunction with other information to track down the culprit.
Sources:
http://www.onestopsolver.com/What-is-an-IP-Address.shtml
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/question549.htm
http://www.identity-theft-information-for-victims.com/fraud-department.html
Sources:
“IP address" Oxford University Press, The Oxford Dictionary of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology http://www.oxfordreference.com/views/ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t219.e10314>
"IP address" Oxford University Press, A Dictionary of the Internet. http://www.oxfordreference.com/views/ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t12.e1757
Concept 5: DNS (Domain Name System)
v A DNS is “Internet service that translates domain names into IP addresses”.
v The domain name system is essential in the translation of a domain name into IP addresses, in other words it helps a person connect to a web site without having to manually type in the web IP address.
v The DN system is important to the average person because it simplifies an IP address so that a person only has to type in a domain name rather than a combination of forgetful numbers.
v WebMediaBrands Inc, "DNS". Internet.com. March,19, 2009 <http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/D/DNS.html>.
A mirror site is an exact replica of the original site and is usually updated frequently to ensure that it reflects the content of the original site. Mirror sites are used to make access faster when the original site may be geographically distant (for example, a much-used Web site in Germany may arrange to have a mirror site in the United States). In some cases, the original site (for example, on a small university server) may not have a high-speed connection to the Internet and may arrange for a mirror site at a larger site with higher-speed connection and perhaps closer proximity to a large audience. It is important because they are set up for backup and disaster recovery as well as to balance the traffic load for numerous download requests on the Web.
http://searchsoa.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid26_gci214011,00.html
http://dictionary.zdnet.com/definition/mirror+site.html, http://searchstorage.techtarget.com/dictionary/definition/212579/mirror.html,
· A computer program that is added to a user interface that interacts with a host application to provide specific functions to the user, such as displaying video. These specific functions cannot be completed without the plug in installation
· Plug- ins are important in completing a wide variety of tasks for users: encrypting and decrypting emails, video and game display and even increasing functionality. These are just a few of the wide array of functions that plug- ins support.
· Plug -ins are important to all computer users because it is almost impossible not to encounter the necessity of a plug in when using a computer. Internet browsers, Adobe Reader, and many computer games require the installation of a plug so most if not all users will encounter a plug in.
· Although it would be beneficial for all users to understand what a plug in is, it is possible to operate a computer successfully without knowing about plug ins. Computer programmers should know what a plug in is in order to increase functionality and usability of their programs. Some types of programs that would benefit from plug -ins are video games, video streaming, and internet Browsers.
· http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plug-in_(computing)
What is it/What it means?
It is file transfer protocol. It is a way to transfer files from one computer to another through a network, and is most commonly used to download a file from a server using the Internet or to upload a file to a server. An FTP site is a place where a person can go to upload or download files. An FTP Client is software designed to transfer files back-and-forth between two computers over the Internet; needs to be installed on your computer and can only be used with a live connection to the Internet. FTP is important to the user in many ways. For example it is one of the things that supports the MP3 music craze and is vital to most online auction and game enthusiasts. Also the ability to transfer files back-and-forth makes FTP essential for anyone creating a web page (amateurs and professionals).
Who should know about it?
Computer developers should know about this. They need to know how to work it on each computer because it connects one computer to another
Source: http://www.ftpplanet.com/ftpresources/basics.htm
Sources: http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/F/FTP.html, http://www.ftpplanet.com/ftpresources/basics.htm
Creative Commons License is a license that builds upon traditional copyright practices. It dictates how often others may use your work. This allows you to keep your copyright but others are allowed to copy and distribute your work provided they give you credit. Individuals that have published articles on the inter net, professors, doctors, lawyers and common individuals that have posted important documents.
ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) is the private (non-government) non-profit corporation with responsibility for IP address space allocation, protocol parameter assignment, domain name system management, and root server system management functions. (ICANN is usually pronounced EYE-can")
The need to internationalize the governing of the Internet (among other concerns) led the U.S. government to recommend the origin of ICANN as a global, government-independent entity to manage the systems and protocols that keep the Internet going. The U.S. government is essentially turning over control of the Internet to ICANN although domain name registration performed by Network Solutions, Inc. will continue to be under U.S. government contract for a limited time.
Since its beginning, ICANN has had to deal with controversial issues (such as what new top-level domain names should be permitted and whether alternative root server systems should be allowed).
http://searchsoa.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid26_gci214011,00.html
JavaScript is a scripting language widely used for client-side web development. JavaScript was influenced by many languages and was designed to look like Java, but be easier for non-programmers to work with.[1][2]
Although best known for its use in websites (as client-side JavaScript), JavaScript is also used to enable scripting access to objects embedded in other applications.
JavaScript, despite the name, is essentially unrelated to the Java programming language, although both have the common C syntax, and JavaScript copies many Java names and naming conventions. The language's name is the result of a co-marketing deal between Netscape and Sun, in exchange for Netscape bundling Sun's Java runtime with their then-dominant browser.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Javascript
· Php is a server-scripting language for creating websites. Php is perfectly suited for web development. Php is software that can be downloaded and is a way to develop a web page. The main people who use Php are Professional web designers and also common people may use it as long as they can understand how it functions.
· http://www.w3schools.com/PHP/DEfaULT.asP
5) XML – XML is a type of markup language used for sites that contain a specific structured information. In appearance it is similar to HTML but they are not the same. HTML is a sort of guide that determines the appearance of a websites and its navigation while XML is more of an organizer for any sets of information. It is a flexible system that allows for the user to edit tags in order to make a site’s information more readily available to work with and manage. It is important for websites that want to put out more information and may be limited by HTML and its system. XML is a knowledge that is only useful to computer programmers who work extensively with creating and maintaining websites. A majority of computers users don’t need to know it, however, they do benefit from XML.
Source: http://www.xml.com/pub/a/98/10/guide0.html?page=2#AEN66 & http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1086474/XML
What is it? What does it mean?
It is an often-transparent graphic image, usually no larger than 1 pixel x 1 pixel, that is placed on a Web site or in an e-mail that is used to monitor the behavior of the user visiting the Web site or sending the e-mail.
Why is it important?
It is important because it monitors the users of sites and e-mails.
To whom is it important?
It is important to all computer users because it can monitor their behavior without their knowledge..
Who should know about it?
Web site designers should know about web beacons because they need to know how to install it. Regular users may want to disable cookies to disable Web Beacons
Source: http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/W/Web_beacon.html
Concept: secure socket layer
Definition: a protocol that has been adopted for the security of data in transit to have authenticated and reliable communication between a client and a server.
Importance: secure socket layers are used to ensure data integrity, data encryption and securing data privacy so that data in transit between the client and the server is protected from interception and can only be read by the intended recipient.
To whom it is important: authentication is important to all servers in use to ensure the reliability of the server and the protection of the client.
Who should know about it: Developers, power users, and system administrators should know about it. Users should know if a site is using it in order to know if their personal information can be intercepted.
Source: (Onyszko)
4. Information Pull
Information pull is a form of information flow in which a user is given the initiative to look for information. This means that computer users are actively searching for information, such as by visiting websites and search engines. It is important because without users searching for information, they may not know what is currently going on in the world. They may accept inaccurate information as true if they do not look for other sources. They may not know to look for deals on products, and may waste money. Therefore, information pull is important for anyone who uses a computer to find out what they want to know, such as for news or for shopping.
Source:
http://www.hermans.org/agents2/ch3_1_2.htm
Information pull is one way in which information can flow from source to consumer; the consumer or user takes (or is given) the initiative to get it and has been the most dominant force in the information market. A few years ago, it meant that consumers would take the initiative to visit a site and get information; casual browsing. As the number of sites and services began to rise dramatically, Information Pull began to lose appeal and power (became too time-consuming). Search engines and directory services (such as Yahoo) were able to restore most of Information Pull's appeal, but this effect is now gradually wearing off. Anyone who needs to search for information about a specific topic can make use of information pull. It is imperative that website owners, especially of businesses, know about it. This is because if they want people to search for their information, they must make it appealing, such as by advertisements or good word-of-mouth.
Sources: http://www.hermans.org/agents2/ch3_1_2.htm
Ÿ Information push is a concept where the initiative is taken to deliver information to someone before it is asked for
Ÿ It is if information is sent in anticipation of the user’s need or the response includes information not directly asked for
Ÿ Junk mail, television newscasts, and wirefeeds are examples of information push
Ÿ Information push is important because it can eliminate wasted time searching for information because it has predetermined that someone needs the information
Ÿ It can also give a person ideas that they were not previously thinking about
Ÿ With so much information on the Web it can help with the overload and narrow it down
Ÿ It can be important to all computer users searching the Web for information because it is designed to get the information to them faster
Ÿ http://www.citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary
The Internet Archive is a non-profit project that is working to compile an online library. This library provides unlimited access for researchers, historians and scholars. The resources now include texts, audio, moving images, software and archived web pages to provide access to historical collections in digital format. The Internet Archive began in 1996 in San Francisco and has been receiving information ever since from many institutions and sources. With time, the internet archive can be a resource that all computer users should be familiar with. The development of the internet archive is important to all computer users, but not necessarily accessible by all. As of right now, use of the archive requires programming skills, but the library intends for it to become user friendly for all computer users with time. Therefore, while we should all be aware of this resource, only those with the special programming skills can utilize the resource.
Source: Internet Archive
[1] "bot" A Dictionary of Computing. Ed John Daintith and Edmund Wright. Oxford University Press, 2008. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. LaSalle University. 16 March 2009 http://www.oxfordreference.com/views/ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t11.e6532
[2] "podcast" A Dictionary of Computing. Ed John Daintith and Edmund Wright. Oxford University Press, 2008. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. LaSalle University. 16 March 2009 http://www.oxfordreference.com/views/ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t11.e6435