Remaining Readings Assignment

Chapter 5 of the text starts with discussing Portals. A portal is an access point on the web that gives access to a variety of web content. There are several types of portals to include:

• Consumer
• Vertical
• Hyperlocal
• Industry

A Consumer Portal consists of either a General or Personal configuration. A General Consumer Portal will be comprised of search tools, news, weather, stocks, sports, and more. A Personal Consumer Portal, also called a Horizontal Portal, will have the same features as a General one but will allow a user to customize the portal to meet their needs.

 

A Vertical Portal, or Vortal, is a gateway for users with more specific interests such as a particular sport, or gardening. A Hyperlocal Portal is geared towards a particular region or location such as state or township.

 

Chapter 4 Readings – Components of E-mail Systems

Email has become the dominant way of communication between friends, businesses, co-workers, for advertising, and much more. In chapter 4 of the text, it discusses that the number of email messages sent daily far exceeds the number of parcels of paper mail handled by the postal system. The popularity of email can be attributed to the speed of delivery, relatively low cost of email, accessibility, convenience, and ease of management.

For an email to be delivered correctly, like a paper letter, you need to know the address of the recipient. An email address is comprised of two parts. The first part is the User ID which is a unique identifier and the second part is the host name. For example: someuser@somehost.com .

Now that you know the email address, how do you send it? Well you need an email client. An email client is a program that is used to create, send, and receive email messages. The email client connects to an email server that utilizes TCP/IP to transmit the message over the internet. The client utilizes a number of protocols such as POP, SMTP, IMAP, and HTTP.

Final Presentation - Computers (from the inside out)

Greetings Everyone!!! It is the end of the semester and we all know what this means - THAT'S RIGHT!!!!! It is time for the final presentation. I put together a prezi presentation about the components that make up a computer. The presentation can be found HERE.

I would have embedded the presentation but I couldn't figure out how to. Sorry for that. But, I have built an excellent PLN or Personal Learning Network using Web 2.0 tools such as twitter and LinkedIn. I follow several things to do with Microsoft and other Learning Institutions. I have found online resources that I never have experienced before.

I hope that you have had fun reading my Blogs all semester. I am really enjoying this.... so, I may just keep on Blogging!

My first Sound Cloud...

Audio Recording on Sunday afternoon

Google Docs - Forms

A really cool feature within Google Docs is Google Forms! You can create a form to be filled out and the results can automatically be placed into a spreadsheet to be analyzed.

Google has a great video that explains Google Forms from YouTube: 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=IzgaUOW6GIs

I created a simple test form and had my wife fill it out just to see how it works.  Here is a link to the form: Questionnaire. If you click on the link you should see a form that looks like:

When the form is filled out and submitted you will have the results in a spreadsheet that looks something like this:

This can be used for so many different things. The first that comes to mind is quizzes for students online or surveys of student responses in a classroom. You can even use it for parents to give feedback on their thoughts of progress for their children.

You can also even create a game show experience for students to prepare for course work or tests.

Let me know what you can dream up for a use...

Google Docs...

Google Doc is now Google Drive. Google Drive is a cool way for us to create, store, access, and collaborate on documents from one online location. With a simple Google account you can create a document similar to Word. You can edit text, bold, italicize, underline, and format text. You can insert links and images. After you create your document, save it to the drive online. This will allow you to access your file from anywhere with an Internet connection. You can also share your document with others to collaborate on a project.

LinkedIn Assignment

I have just recently joined linkedin for the purpose of this assignment. I see this as a decent tool for seeking employment and networking with colleagues. I am finding some value in this site as I connect with some industry experts and find advice on certain topics that are assisting me with my PLN and my job duties within my career.

Here is a YouTube video about what LinkedIn is:

I do have a few concerns as the trend has become where employers are following their employees on social media sites, I do not want my employer to think that I am searching for a new position elsewhere! I also have concerns that I am being linked with contacts that I do not know in groups that I want to join. I also am concerned in the way the site constantly wants me to grant access to my contacts in my email client. I know that I can choose not to use this but it is irritating!

From an academic view point, there is some value as you can connect to groups and other contacts that will offer assistance and advice, but this is not the true intention of LinkedIn.

These are just my thoughts. What are yours?

Mobile Device Assignment - Hello, Hello... Excuse me, I have to take this!

 

“Hello, Hello.. Excuse me I have to take this!” How many times have we heard this in meetings, conferences, even at the dinner table?

Mobile Devices have become an intricate part of our daily lives and even our work environment. These devices offer convenience and on-demand access to information like never before seen. When these devices are used properly, they can bring a greater sense of productivity. But, there are some other issues that are coming to light as well.

Chapter 3 - Searching the Web - Specialized Searches

It is possible to do specialized searches for people, news, magazine or journal articles, video, blogs and other social media, products, or services. When searching for a person or a business we can use a specialized directory called white pages directory or yellow pages directory.

If we want to search for news and current events we could use portal sites such as MSN and Yahoo! or one of the major wire services like the Associated Press (AP), United Press International (UPI), or Reuters.

We can also search for video content using search engines such as Google Video, ClipBlast, and Yahoo! Video.

Chapter 3 - Searching the Web - Search Queries

Search query for Internet searches is very similar in nature to SQL. Essentially when searching through a search engine you are searching a database of either primary or meta searches. A search query utilizes a key word to find information on the web for the topic you are inquiring about.

Chapter 3 - Searching the Web - Search Engines

To search the web we need to use a search tool. The decision comes down to what search tool to use. There are many to choose from such as Google, Yahoo, Alta Vista, Lycos, Ask, and many more. So, what one do we use?

First we need to know some of the differences. According to Professor Richard E. Peterson of the
University of Hawaii, there exists four types of Internet search engines. The four types or categories of search engines that he suggests are Primary, Mega-indexes, Parallel Mega-index, and Niche.

We access the search engines by typing the URL into a browser. When the site opens, we use a search query to search for the information we are seeking.
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Bibliography

Peterson, Professor Richard E. INTERNET SEARCH ENGINES. Unknown Unknown Unknown. 09 03 2013 <http://www2.hawaii.edu/~rpeterso/engine_.htm>.

My First Go Animate!

I have just created my first ever GoAnimate! Now I just have to learn how to insert it into my Blogs!!!! The animation is at http://goanimate.com/videos/0dGcl7jvFd6k?utm_source=linkshare

Pleas enjoy!

Twitter here, Twitter there, Twitter EVERYWHERE...

It seems like you can't go anywhere or turn your TV on without hearing about Twitter. Twitter is something I have avoided until now. This mainstream media is a source to keep people up to date with the latest and greatest thing you are doing this moment. For celebrities it seems just another medium to promote their products. Very rarely do you learn anything of substance from this media.

Symba-WHO? It is Symbaloo!!!

Symbaloo is an excellent alternative to iGoogle. It seems that iGoogle will no longer exist after November 1st, 2013.

Browsing the Web – Chapter 2 Reading Assignment

In chapter 2 of the text “Discovering the Internet”, I read about the characteristics of a web page, the role of IP addresses, how to use a web browser and how to change the options of a web browser, and the risks with safeguards of web browsing.

PLN Assignment

So, what exactly is a PLN or Personal Learning Network?

A Personal Learning Network is a way that we can extend our own knowledge far beyond a typical classroom setting. A PLN also extends beyond the face-to-face setting of networking that has been the norm up until now.

Net Neutrality

Greetings Everyone,

Net Neutrality...... What is it all about?

I have been learning about net neutrality this week. Once again, it seems that regulations can't keep up with the rate at which technology advances and the way that it can be taken advantage of.

Net neutrality is the ideology that an ISP should not be allowed to block or limit access to content over the Internet to force subscribers to use a different application or only view content in a way the ISP wishes you to.

Why would an ISP try to do this you may ask??? Good question. Try to imagine that an ISP has its own phone book that allows users to find a business phone listing online. Now imagine that this phone book only lists businesses that have paid a fee to be listed. Further this by the ISP now blocking its subscribers from viewing or searching any other phone book site other than the one that the ISP owns. Thus the ISP is now forcing the users to use their phone book which the ISP is making money on.

My thoughts... I believe that the FCC and legislators need to first determine the authority to govern the ISPs the same as other utilities. The subscribers pay for the physical connection to the Internet. The content is free!!! The Internet has become such an ingrained part of our life, culture, society - that it needs to be deemed a utility such as electricity or cable. It is possible for someone to choose a different supplier as long as the fees are paid to the owner of the lines... one power company who may own the power lines in an area can't dictate which other power companies can have access to their power lines, they can only request a few for the connection. Why should it be any different for the Internet?

I will post again soon.....

Wordle Assignment

Greetings Everyone,

I would like to start of by saying that I have learned something new today - JING!!! Jing is a screen capture tool that also allows you to capture video. I am posting to first show that I have installed this for my professor. So here is the first screen capture using Jing:

Discovering the Internet Assignment

Greetings Everyone,

How often do we get online and start surfing the web without taking a moment to really think about the Internet and the World Wide Web? What actually is the Internet? What can we actually do on the Internet? Where did the Internet come from? Or, how do we connect to the Internet? These questions are what I am studying for this post.

Blog Assignment

Greetings Everyone,

For my first Blog post ever, I have been asked to summarize the readings that were assigned by Professor Kenneth Ferree in my Web 2.0 Tools course at Empire State College. I am a student and have been assigned to maintain a Blog for this semester.