2.3.2a+Personal+&+Public+Communications

Henry Porter

2.3.2 Personal and public communications __Social and ethical issues__Students must study and evaluate the social and ethical issues involved in the use of personal and public communications. These may include: • the psychological consequences of people being in permanent contact • ethical considerations of control as the result of using communications technologies • social impact on health of the use of mobile devices • effect on personal productivity of personal communications devices • effect on the environment of personal communications device • social effects of telecommuting • social effects of the widespread use of teleconferencing and videoconferencing • social and environmental impact and ethical considerations of telecommuting • social impact and ethical considerations of: distance learning, digital entertainment, global media and public information systems.

__Knowledge of technology__ In order to study and evaluate the social and ethical issues involved in the use of personal and public communications, the student must have an understanding of related technological concepts. These may include: • key terms—convergence, teleconferencing, videoconferencing, telecommuting, digital television, push–pull technologies • mobile phone and associated services and uses • digital entertainment versus live entertainment • contents of digital entertainment, for example, violence, pornography and realism • features of telecommuting, for example, environmental aspects, flexibility, productivity, business and social relationships • face-to-face communications versus communications via technology • minimum requirements to enable realistic teleconferencing and videoconferencing • undetected intrusions into IT systems, for example, phone tapping • p ersonal mobile devices, for example, PDA, laptop • emerging technologies as the result of convergence of computers and communications technology • public information systems, for example, traffic control, security camera systems, public transfer, information systems

-Hardware- Networks enable people to share computer hardware resources, reducing costs and making it possible for more people to take better advantage of powerful equiptment. -Software- Networks enable people to share data and software programs, increasing efficiency and productivity. -People- Networks enable people to work together, or collaborate, in ways that are otherwise difficult or impossible.

__Key Terms:__ //convergence//-Convergence is the approach toward a definite value, a definite point, a common view or opinion, or toward a fixed or equilibrium state //teleconferencing//- A teleconference is the live exchange and mass articulation of information among several persons and machines remote from one another but linked by a telecommunications system //videoconferencing//- Face-to-face communication over long distances using video and computer technology //telecommuting//- Long-distance electronic communication in a variety of forms //digital television//- Digital television (DTV) is the sending and receiving of moving images and sound by discrete signals, in contrast to the analog signals used by analog TV //push technology//- Technology in which information is delivered automatically to a client computer. The user subscribes to a service and the server delivers that information periodically and unobtrusively. Contrast with pull technology. //pull technology//- Technology in which browsers on client computers pull information from server machines. The browser needs to initiate a request before any information is delivered

__Objectives__ You should be able to:
 * Describe the basic types of technology that make telecommunication possible
 * Describe the nature and function of local area networks and wide area networks
 * Discuss the uses and implications of email, instant messaging, teleconferencing, and other forms of online communication
 * Explain how wireless network technology is transforming the ways people work and communicate
 * Describe current and future trends in telecommunications and networking


 * Chapter 8 **


 * ** analog signal ** || A continuous wave. ||
 * ** asynchronous communication ** || Delayed communication, such as that used for newsgroups and mailing lists, where the sender and the recipients don't have to be logged in at the same time. ||
 * ** attachments ** || A way to send formatted word processor documents, pictures, and other multimedia files via email. ||
 * ** bandwidth ** || The quantity of information that can be transmitted through a communication medium in a given amount of time. ||
 * ** bits per second (bps) ** || The standard unit of measure for modem speed. ||
 * ** Bluetooth ** || A type of wireless technology that enables mobile phones, handheld computers, and PCs to communicate with each other regardless of operating system. ||
 * ** bounce ** || The automatic return of an undeliverable email message to its sender. ||
 * ** bridges ** || Hardware devices that can pass messages between networks. ||
 * ** chat room ** || Public real-time teleconference. ||
 * ** client/server model ** || For a local-area network, a hierarchical model in which one or more computers act as dedicated servers and all the remaining computers act as clients. The server fills requests from clients for data and other resources. ||
 * ** communication software ** || Software that enables computers to interact with each other over a phone line or other network. ||
 * ** digital signal ** || A stream of bits. ||
 * ** direct connection ** || A dedicated, direct connection to the Internet through a LAN, with the computer having its own IP address. ||
 * ** download ** || To copy software from an online source to a local computer. ||
 * ** electronic mail (email) ** || Allows Internet users to send mail messages, data files, and software programs to other Internet users and to users of most commercial networks and online services. ||
 * ** Ethernet ** || A popular networking architecture developed in 1976 at Xerox. ||
 * ** FAQs (frequently asked questions) ** || Posted lists of common queries and their answers. ||
 * ** fiber-optic cable ** || High-capacity cable that uses light waves to carry information at blinding speeds. ||
 * ** file server ** || In a LAN, a computer used as a storehouse for software and data that are shared by several users. ||
 * ** gateways ** || Computers connected to two networks that translate communication protocols and transfer information between the two. ||
 * ** Global Positioning System (GPS) ** || A Defense Department system with 24 satellites that can pinpoint any location on the Earth. ||
 * ** host system ** || A computer that provides services to multiple users. ||
 * ** instant messaging ** || A technology that enables users to create buddy lists, check for buddies who are logged in, and exchange typed messages and files with those who are. ||
 * ** Internet telephony (IP telephony) ** || A combination of software and hardware technology that enables the Internet to, in effect, serve as a telephone network. Internet telephony systems can use standard telephones, computers, or both to send and receive voice messages. ||
 * ** local area network (LAN) ** || Multiple personal computers connected on a network. ||
 * ** mailing lists ** || Email discussion groups on special-interest topics. All subscribers receive messages sent to the group's mailing address. ||
 * ** modem ** || Modulator/demodulator. A hardware device that connects a computer to a telephone line. ||
 * ** netiquette ** || Rules of etiquette that apply to Internet communication. ||
 * ** network interface card (NIC) ** || Card that adds an additional serial port to a computer. The port is especially designed for a direct network connection. ||
 * ** network license ** || License for multiple copies or removing restrictions on software copying and use at a network site. ||
 * ** network operating system (NOS) ** || Server operating system software for a local-area network. ||
 * ** newsgroups ** || Ongoing public discussions on a particular subject consisting of notes written to a central Internet site and redistributed through a worldwide newsgroup network called Usenet. You can check into and out of them whenever you want; all messages are posted on virtual bulletin boards for anyone to read anytime. ||
 * ** peer-to-peer model ** || A LAN model that allows every computer on the network to be both client and server. ||
 * ** port ** || Socket that allows information to pass in and out. ||
 * ** protocol ** || A set of rules for the exchange of data between a terminal and a computer or between two computers. ||
 * ** real-time communication ** || Internet communication that enables you to communicate with other users who are logged on at the same time. ||
 * ** remote access ** || Network access via phone line, TV cable system, or wireless link. ||
 * ** routers ** || Programs or devices that decide how to route Internet transmissions. ||
 * ** server ** || A computer especially designed to provide software and other resources to other computers over a network. ||
 * ** site license ** || License for multiple copies or removing restrictions on software copying and use at a network site. ||
 * ** spam ** || Internet junk mail. ||
 * ** TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) ** || Protocols developed as an experiment in internetworking, now the language of the Internet, allowing cross-network communication for almost every type of computer and network. ||
 * ** telecommunication ** || Long-distance electronic communication in a variety of forms. ||
 * ** telephony ** || Technology that enables computers to serve as speakerphones, answering machines, and complete voice mail systems. ||
 * ** terminal emulation software ** || Software that allows a PC to act as a dumb terminal-an input/output device that enables the user to send commands to and view information on the host computer. ||
 * ** upload ** || To post software or documents to an online source so they're available for others. ||
 * ** video teleconference ** || Face-to-face communication over long distances using video and computer technology. ||
 * ** voicemail ** || A telephone-based messaging system with many of the features of an email system. ||
 * ** wide area network (WAN) ** || A network that extends over a long distance. Each network site is a node on the network. ||
 * ** Wi-Fi ** || A popular wireless LAN technology that allows multiple computers to connect to a LAN through a base station up to 150 feet away. Often referred to as 802.11b. ||
 * ** wireless network ** || A network in which a node has a tiny radio or infrared transmitter connected to its network port so it can send and receive data through the air rather than through cables. ||

End of Chapter Summary Networking is one of the most important trends in computing today. Computer networks are growing in popularity because they allow computers to share hardware, and to send software and data back and forth. They enable people to work together in ways that would be difficult or impossible without networks. LANs are made up of computers that are close enough to be directly connected with cables or wireless radio transmitters/receivers. Most LANs include shared printers and file servers. WANs are made up of computers separated by a considerable distance. The computers are connected to each other through the telephone network, which includes cables, microwave transmission towers, and communication satellites. Many computer networks are connected together through the Internet so messages and data can pass back and forth among them. Some specialized networks serve unique functions, including global positioning systems and financial systems. Most computer networks today use the Ethernet architecture; an Ethernet port is a standard feature on most modern PCs. Computers can be directly connected to networks through Ethernet ports. When high-speed direct connections aren’t possible, a PC can transmit and receive signals over standard phone lines with a modem. The modem converts the PC’s digital signals to analog so they can travel through standard phone lines. Broadband connections offer much more bandwidth than standard modem connections do, so they can transmit large amounts of information more quickly. These include DSL, which uses standard phone lines; cable modems, which use cable TV lines; satellite, which uses TV satellite dishes; and Wi-Fi, which uses short-range wireless 802.11 transmitters. Wi-Fi is a type of wireless network technology that’s exploding in popularity because of its potential for providing universal Internet access. All of these technologies offer connections to Internet backbones, many of which transmit astronomical amounts of data quickly through fiber-optic cables. Communication software takes care of the details of communication between machines—details like protocols that determine how signals will be sent and received. Network operating systems typically handle the mechanics of LAN communication. Many popular PC operating systems include peer-to-peer networking software, so any PC or Mac on a network can serve as a server as well as a client. Terminal programs enable personal computers to function as character-based terminals when connected to other PCs or to timesharing computers. Other types of specialized client programs have graphical user interfaces and additional functionality. Timesharing operating systems enable multiuser computers to communicate with several terminals at a time. Email, instant messaging, and teleconferencing are the most common forms of communication between people on computer networks. They offer many advantages over traditional mail and telephone communication and can shorten or eliminate many meetings. But because of several important limitations, email and teleconferencing cannot completely replace older communication media. People who communicate with these new media should follow simple rules of netiquette and exercise a degree of caution to avoid many of the most common problems.

__Bibliography :__ -Computer Confluence Beekman Ed7 Book -Computer Confluence Beekman Ed7 Website [] -www.wikipedia.com