Sam Myers

An Introduction to Podcasts

Fri, 07 Dec 2007 09:52:13 -0500

While not technically Web 2.0, podcasting is a phenomenon that began around the Web 2.0 revolution. In recent years I’ve had people ask me what a podcast is and what they’re used for, so in this post I’ll try to clear up some of the confusion surrounding podcasts.

Information Renaissance: The History of the Internet

Fri, 07 Dec 2007 00:20:21 -0500

In an earlier post, I wrote about the how Sir Tim Berners-Lee created the World Wide Web. Although today many use the phrases Internet and World Wide Web as synonymous terms, they are technically two different entities. The Internet is simply the giant interconnecting computer network that links millions of computers from all over the globe. It is comprised of the actual connections between the different computers, and different services operate on top of this interconnecting network. One such service is the World Wide Web, which runs on the internet and is a collection of documents that are linked via hypertext. Other examples of services that run on top of the Internet are e-mail and file sharing.

European Renaissance: The Polymath or Renaissance Man

Thu, 06 Dec 2007 23:28:53 -0500

The European Renaissance was a time of renewed learning, a time when classical knowledge from ancient Greek and Roman times were reintegrated into society. Some key figures in the Renaissance were called polymaths, also known as Renaissance Men or Homo Universalis (universal man). Polymaths had a wide variety of knowledge from many different fields of study.

Web 2.0: Yahoo's Kickstart

Thu, 06 Dec 2007 23:26:27 -0500

Social networking websites are key players in the Web 2.0 revolution. For those who aren’t familiar with the idea of social networking sites, they allow users to create a profile for themselves, usually users add a picture and list whatever information they feel comfortable sharing with others (age, interests, career info). Once a user creates a profile, he or she can access other user’s profiles, create a list of contacts, and communicate with those contacts. The two most famous examples of social networking websites are Facebook and MySpace, although there are many different sites attempting to differentiate themselves in order to attract users. One example that I learned about via Ars Technica is Yahoo’s Kickstart, which is aimed at connecting University students with alumni.

Security in the Information Age: An Overview of Security Threats

Wed, 05 Dec 2007 22:59:23 -0500

In recent years, many different varieties of attacks have been created in order to perform malicious acts on the computers of unsuspecting users. These attacks are capable of stealing data, corrupting or deleting files, and doing any other activities meant to disrupt a person’s normal computing activities. In order to defend against these attacks, Internet users need to be knowledgeable about any and all possible attacks to their systems. This post will examine some of the threats facing information systems today.

Commerce in the Information Age: E-Business

Wed, 05 Dec 2007 22:43:57 -0500

The introduction of the Internet in the mid 1990s changed the way the world communicated. People were suddenly able to access a wealth of information and websites from all around the world. The Internet has had a major effect on businesses, which had to adapt to the new challenges and opportunities offered by the Internet. The electronics industry in particular was drastically changed with the introduction of e-business practices. Retailers of electronic goods were faced with a vast increase in competition, and customers had the chance to purchase goods for the lowest possible price.

Information Technology: An Overview of IPTV

Wed, 05 Dec 2007 22:37:23 -0500

Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) is an emerging technology that is used to deliver digital television through an Internet network to a subscriber’s home. The television channels are sent to the subscriber’s premises via packets in the same way internet traffic is transported. This allows telephone companies such as AT&T to offer services to compete with cable and satellite television companies. Using IP technology is much more efficient on a network, and allows for companies like AT&T to deliver television service on their network.

People of the Information Renaissance: Sir Tim Berners-Lee

Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:57:37 -0500

Sir Tim Berners-Lee is the known as the man who invented the World Wide Web. Without his contributions, we would not have hyperlinks or webpages. For this fact alone he should be recognized as one of the key figures of the Information Renaissance. Today he is a Knight of the British Empire and works as the director for the World Wide Web Consortium, the main international standards organization for the World Wide Web which is responsible for overseeing the future development of the web.

Web 2.0: Google Documents

Wed, 05 Dec 2007 11:02:01 -0500

The term 'Web 2.0' is used to describe the new websites that bring about a greater level of interactivity, creativity, and collaboration amongst users. Web 2.0 websites offer more services than what was available in the Web 1.0 era. Google Documents is an example of a Web 2.0 application, and features on-line, browser based word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation capabilities. For this post I'll focus mainly on the word processing application in Google Docs.

European Renaissance: Johannes Gutenberg

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 15:07:47 -0500

Johannes Gutenberg was born in Germany around the year 1400. He is famous for inventing movable type, which revolutionized the bookmaking process in Europe. Gutenberg's invention played an important role in the European Renaissance by helping make information more accessible to more people.

Web 2.0: Online Video Hosting/Sharing Websites

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 16:12:22 -0500

Video hosting websites are a great example of Web 2.0. They act as a platform and let users from around the globe upload, share, and comment on a wide variety of video content. In this post I'll examine 3 major players in the online video market: YouTube, Break.com, and DailyMotion.

Human Communication Theory

Mon, 08 Oct 2007 14:11:04 -0500

Human communication can be defined as the processes and methods that are used to deliver information from one person to another. Examples of human communication can be anything that transmits information, including spoken word, text on a page, or symbols on a road sign. The purpose of human communication is to transmit information in a way that the recipient can understand. With this being the case, it is imperative that both parties participating in the communication are able to decipher the symbols that contain the information. If the receiving party cannot decode the message, then the message is not understood and the information is not successfully transmitted. Humans communicate in many different ways, including verbal, oral, and non-verbal forms of communication.