About us...

This page basically gives you a little insight about the people who have helped create this blog. Also here we have listed the sources from which we have created this blog

The team

There's really not much to say here, as you can see from below we are basically a gaggle of students with different interests coming together to do a project. We are...

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Name: Aminath Samiyya.
Metric: 0814114
Interest's: I like watching animes,writing about stuff and talking about nothing and everything.
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Name: Hussain Yareesh
Metric: 0815505
Interests: Reading, Watching Movies & Hanging out with friends.
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Name: Mohamed Nisam Naseem
Metric: 0813143
Interests: Mostly the arts... drawing, writing that kind of stuff.

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If you have any problems with the information we have put in the blog, please feel free to e-mail us at shinartz@yahoo.com

Sources

http://knowledgemanagement.ittoolbox.com/topics/comcol/

http://www.shvoong.com/internet-and-technologies/1739206-internet-technology-means-communication/

http://www.freeonlineresearchpapers.com/internets-effect-interaction-communication-others/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_communication_technology

Thanks to flickr for the photo's and for DarkSahdow@deviantart.com for the pic above

The future

The internet of course has come a long way since its inception in 1990. So where does the future of the internet lead us. We'll take a brief look at this in this article.



The world of information technology is very dynamic. It has progressed rapidly and is becoming more and more wide spread. One particular reason for the growth in internet is the fact that the potential benefits of internet communication far outweigh those of its drawbacks. In a global community where profit is (sadly) the motive the result is ethical or morals values are tarnished to obtain the advantage in ease of communication and lower costs. The amusing part played by such people is that they often use internet as a means to confuse us. Many company's which are being advertised or told to us by the internet as safe or favorable or good, are sometimes merely using marketing tactics to put face, whilst its real operations are hidden.

In stating this, by no means am I saying that internet communications are 'evil'. In fact I believe in the exact opposite. The internet and its ability to communicate, is like many things in this world, a resource which has been inspired into human kind. A resource itself is neither good nor bad, it is up to us to use it in the proper manner. Thank fully there are people, places and corporations starting to do so. Particularly due to the fact that more and more people are increasingly becoming aware of how this resource is being misused.

Though this may be the case we are of course still a ways of from switching to using internet communication completely. Though internet communications is a wonderful treasure trove of knowledge, like all treasures it is ridden with threats and dangers. We have become aware of the internet, but we have yet to become aware of the dangers it poses to us. Once we accept this fact and begin to recognize that these threats are evolving we may be able to use internet communications in such a way that is absolute.

As such after much research our team found that it was truly impossible for us to find out about what the internet may evolve into the future and what it can do to communications. There were so many theories and so many possibilities that listing and explaining them out would be difficult in itself. Instead we are content to point to this peculiar link.

http://www.elon.edu/predictions/RecentSubmissions.aspx

Which provides a surprising array of possibilities regarding the internet and communication. Hopefully some of the more idealistic notions in this page will be implemented on an ethical and acceptable basis.



In the end however I cannot believe that internet communication will ever overtake conventional talking. Though we may be socially active online, and though the internet can bridge so long a distance, nothing and I mean truly nothing can compare to talking to your loved one face to face.

The benefits of internet communications

This page will give you a bit of insight into the merits of internet and using it as a means of communications.

Right and welcome to all of you.. Let me detail the merits of internet on communications today. Most of course can be figured out yourselves if you have a sense of basic reason but there are some merits that could surprise you.

To begin, let us start with the most basic merit of communicating via the internet, the speed of communication. The main reason why internet is slowly taking over post services is its ability to send messages to and fro in a matter of minutes (Or in the case of IM’s in mere seconds) Keeping in contact with associates has never been easier and quicker. You do not have to confine yourself with the various procedures regarding mail. Even finding people and information you require is as simple as opening a search engine. The second most obvious advantage of internet communications is of course that of scope. Since the internet is a world wide network, you can have contacts all over the world. This in itself has facilitated ease in transactions for many a business, deliveries, friendships and sometimes even relationships.

Surprise, surprise

Ahem… to continue, the world is literally a click away allowing many researchers to advance in their field, students to learn as they will and business to cut costs dramatically. One very interesting use of scope I found was that of video conferencing services or internet telephony. Certain leading doctors for example use it to help other people in the same field to perform medical operations through video conferencing, or to observe a patient in the case he or she cannot be there.

But of course this medium is not limited to doctors only….

….The third advantage I will list here is of availability of information. Many traditional forms of information such as books and laborious hours of research often disappear thanks to internet communications. We can research about almost anything we want on the net, and at times there are often people with expertise in our field readily contactable through certain websites or groups. You can also find many people on certain blogs or IRC’s that can help you with problems you are facing. (Turns toward Nisam) http://www.fixya.com/ for example is a site where other people might be able to answer problems you might have with your computer.

In the past hearing about the Gaza killings for example, would have been impossible for someone like me who lives in a remote island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean… but that was in the past, now we can obtain news and data about anything and anywhere in the world. What’s more with such a wide base of information it is now nearly impossible to hide the truth from an intelligent hand.

Or if an equally intelligent malice could hide it, the truth can eventually come to light.

Right… Now moving on to a more slowly growing merit of internet is that of security. Many people may have heard about threats to security via the internet, but few people actually know that internet communications can actually serve as a basis of protection against threats. An example perhaps will be more explanatory. A thief may try to steal into your house and rob you of your valuables whilst you are away, however a well placed camera can actually help you to catch the robber. There was one instance in the news in which a camera placed in a teddy bear connected to the internet allowed the police to catch a culprit. On another measure, internet communication can also prevent security threats; a house for example wired with cameras can be connected to the internet. The footage will be available at anytime and anywhere for one to monitor and you can even receive an alert via e-mail onto a hand held device when someone trespasses on your property. In itself the internet also gives access to information regarding software-

Some free, most not

-Which can help protect your own personal data. Some even give hints and ways on how to defend yourself in cases such as mugging or fire if in the cases it occurs.

The final merit I would like to point out is that of entertainment. Without a doubt communicating on the internet has become incredibly entertaining. It's common for example to find almost loads and loads of people on any communicating application on the web like Friendster or Facebook.

The main selling point is the fact that communicating has become easy… and quite dreadfully fun. Applications and others as mentioned above now provide various wacky knick knacks to make the process enjoyable. ‘Smiley’s’ and ‘wink’s’ are an example of this. Others include sending people trophies, personality quizzes or even a game of guess the sketch to keep you entertained in the process of IM. This in the end brings me to the end of this informative-

And equally boring

-page. The main point to remember however is; that the only way to experience these merits is if you try it yourselves. So better try communicating with the internet or perhaps placing a webcam in a secret place of your hostel. You never know what you might find out. And for a fact as cyberspace grows we will be able to bring forth new merits. Who knows perhaps cyber space can even be used to transfer messages to people at space even.

The darkside of internet communications

Although most people may not agree to the fact that the internet limits communication, in this page we will try to convince you otherwise. This can be seen in two ways. Firsts in the fact the internet itself is a limited form of communication. And second in the fact that certain protocols or aspects of the internet discourage communication.

When you consider the internet might discourage affective communication; the most interesting and notable affect would be the fact that the progress in internet communication has become a wall against conventional forms of communicating. Many people now prefer online conversation such as e-mails and particularly instant messaging over conventional talking and speaking. Despite the fact that we are not made to sit in front of a computer screen and punch away at the keyboard, many people are content do so. They become socially incapable in the real world and often find it difficult to interact with people on a regular day to day basis.

Also, while communication via the internet may be quite alright when moderated it can be cumbersome when people become addicted to such a form of conversation; spending day and night doing nothing but chatting online and updating their Friendster profiles. In many cases as it may turn out most people who are addicted to internet communication are also not that much aware of the risks of such a method. There are unaware that the manner in which internet communications take place is susceptible to being monitored. Many people even consider that internet communication itself is like sending a post card; anyone can see what’s written on it. This puts the sender and/or receiver at risk if they are not careful of what they write about and therefore discourages communication through the internet.

Another problem that the internet poses on communicating is the form of communication which can take place online. Sometimes the messages passed across cyberspace can be offensive and abusive. Though adults may be prepared or geared for such conversation, or information, we must not forget that almost anyone can access the internet and this includes children of a young age as well. Freedom of communication and access to information places them at a rather high risk in terms of ethicality. This is another reason why internet is restricted as a form of communication and a form of information itself.

Interestingly the remaining negative affects on communication one can think of relates to the way messages are composed online. Most conversations (except those which require formality) are composed in a matter which emphasizes speed over quality. Many a times, symbols and phrases are substituted in a message. This often leads to distortion of information, especially since different messages are interpreted differently all over the world. In one instance there was a case where the phrase ‘you’re awesome’ sent by an American in a internet based selling corporation, was interpreted as offensive by a women, a Russian co-worker. In the end messages were distorted so much so that everyone started back biting one another and the company was close to falling apart.

This in turn brings us to one problem that is not quite easily apparent for most internet users. Almost all of the information on the web is based on English. Language has long been barrier to effective communication. In this case we agree that the internet is a treasure trove of information and it can be used to communicate all over the world, but the truth is we can only communicate with others whom we can talk to properly. In many cases this happens to be those who know English.

From another perspective those who use the internet are limited only to those who can use text, speech or in some instances both. Most if not all communications via internet require an input on the part of the user. If a user is unable to do so, then he cannot communicate. With this in mind, it is rather easy to understand that the internet in itself is not a perfect form of communication.

What’s more perhaps the most annoying and noticeable aspect of internet communication is that of spam. Unsolicited information tends to filter into our mail in the thousands and tend to cost us all greatly in time which in itself can be translated into money. The frustrating part is that creating spam in itself is relatively simple and inexpensive, which in turn puts a barrier to communication on the internet. At this point I’d like to point out that bots, programs that send false messages, viruses are all also barriers to communication on the internet.

SO… as one can see, communicating via the internet is not as effective or as useful as we mentioned before.

Rise of the internet

Before any discussion can begin we first need to define a few terms in the context. No doubt, you all reading this already know what the terms ‘communication’ and the ‘internet’ are, but please humor me for the sake of procedure and let us first take a look at what ‘communication’ is.

Communication can be defined as the process of sending and receiving messages to and from one medium to another (i.e. a sender and a receiver). This can be in the form of written messages, verbal messages or even gestures. The point is they get a message across through the use of an intermediary of sorts it is impossible otherwise (if you can do it however do tell me).

The internet on the other hand is a global network of sorts; A mass connection of computers all across the world which has been growing steadily since its creation. ‘And when exactly did this device come into being’ you ask. I can answer this of course (truly), but unfortunately dedicating numerous pages to this topic is not the purpose of creating this blog (nor is the thought in the slightest bit amusing) so I will make it easy... (on myself) and point to this link

www.isoc.org/internet/history

Aren’t I helpful? Now all those who are interested can proceed, and those who dislike history (like me) can continue on.

Which in turn brings us to the question what then is internet communication and why is it significant? In this page we will look at only what internet communications are and some types of internet communication. The other pages and my other group members will take you through the rest, so kick back and enjoy this flow of information (which more than likely you already know about)

Alright, coming back to our definitions of communication and internet, one can deduce what internet communications is. Simply put internet communication is the process of sending messages and or content using a computer on the global internet network. In other words Internet communication is communicating via the internet using mediums of sorts. For example this blog is a form of internet communication. Right now as you read these words, we, are communicating with you.

In any case a blog is not the only way to communicate on the internet. They are many ways to do so, the most popular being e-mail and instant messaging. Of course there are also chat rooms, groups one can join, internet telephony and even various applications such as face-book which one can use to send and receive messages in many forms on the internet. The rest of this page as I mentioned before will be dedicated to given a brief introduction into what these mediums of internet communication are.

E-mail

To begin e-mail/electronic mail is an application which you can use to send and receive messages and even certain files such as pictures. It has grown so much so, that having it is crucial to almost any individual from students to large corporations. The process is very simple, all you have to do is register for the service using certain the web and you are simply a click away from sending and receiving messages. Some examples of e-mail service providers are yahoo, Hotmail and even g-mail.

Instant messaging

Instant messaging or IM is basically software which allows you to converse in real time with someone you know, by alerting you to their presence. IM services today also include nifty applications which can allow you to plan your appointments and even receive news feeds. One significant difference between IM and e-mail is the fact that IM is not inter-operable. Meaning you can only send instant messages using the same IM software, though some IM’s are overcoming this problem. And perhaps an interesting fact is that most e-mail service providers also provide IM services (an indication of the wonders of competition in our dynamic world, perhaps).

IRC (internet relay chat)

Like e-mail IRC is an internet service, but in this case you are actually put into a specific channel or as I like to think of it inside a ‘virtual room’ with various other people whom you can only recognize as something like ‘shinartz’ ‘wandering star’ or other nicknames. You can generally communicate with everyone inside that virtual room. These ‘rooms’ are more or less labeled according to the topic under discussion, making sure that entering a ‘room’ with a label that interests you would not lead to a loss of things to say (more or less)

Before we move on I would like to point out that the above mentioned three forms of internet communication is not limited only to the internet. It can be used in almost any network, whether home or office intranets. Moving on…

Internet Telephony

Internet telephony or video conferencing as it is more widely known as is a set of interactive telecommunication technologies (meaning at its simplest a web-cam along with the usual computers) which allow two people in two different places to communicate using both video and audio at the same time. At the time this writing video conferencing is readily available to the public, but due to some problems such as video quality and all, we have yet to see it progress to a more commonly used form of communication.

Some other applications

A growing trend into the world of internet communication is that of communication applications like facebook, hi-5, freindster and so on. Most of these applications are thought of a means to make contact on a societal or group level. Their growth has also been fueled by the fact that they incorporate message sending on a basis similar to e-mail, IM, chat rooms and even blogs in some cases. Moreover they provide more applications to keep the user entertained than other forms can use.

Without a doubt, there are of course other means of communication one can use on the internet. However for the purposes of our analysis we will be focusing specifically on these means of internet communication, their merits and demerits and how we, the students in IIUM use these services.

But… more on that on other pages, so until than I bit you adieu and hope that you find this information refreshing. Refreshing in the sense that we know that most (if not all) of you know about these services already.