Communication over the Internet (All)

Communication over the internet

The internet was developed to help the U.S. Military’s search for a way to defend against a large area attack. They connected various computers together across the United States using physical media and it gradually developed into something called the ARPANET. As more and more computers connected to this network it grew and grew. Eventually the Internet was born on people's desires to be able to communicate with each other over long distances.

Because of the evolution of the internet, it now allows nearly everyone to share information and communicate to one another and has shaped the modern media uses into its own way, as now we can stream, share and download music and videos, all over the internet.

It also allows communication between one another cheaper and much easier with the right programs (Skype). We can send emails to friends and family with files attached, be it videos, music, or pictures, or maybe even a simple document. As all this seems like a huge advantage, it has its flaws, for example, Fishing is a common issue with the use of email. Fish is an anonymous user who disguises their emails to seem like a legitimate business, asking for money or giving unrealistically good offers to the receiver, tricking them into paying money. Also, an anonymous email sent to a receiver with a file attached could most likely be a virus or malware, with a disguised file name completely irrelevant to its actual purpose.
A less dangerous but important disadvantage caused by emailing is that it can sometimes not be instant, which could be an annoyance in a working environment where employees depend on email.

            On the topic of speed, an internet connection speed is very important as it can determine how your experience with the internet can be; an example of speed is the fact of having two ways to connect your devices to the network, Wi-Fi or cable. Cable is typically 3 -4 times faster than Wi-Fi, as it is a physical connection to the device and the router, whereas Wi-Fi is very dependent on your distance from the router, if you’re closer to the router internet will be noticeably stronger (but still not as strong as  cable), and vice versa. A faster internet connection can result in more efficient streaming of videos and music, and more likely to send instant Email.

            The internet slowly developed the WWW (World Wide Web) to store information on websites and allow users to browse through them to help answer their questions. Websites such as Wikipedia do a good job for this. Although, some information isn’t always truthful, as some websites such as wiki answers (where people ask questions and other users answer), because it is another person’s answer and they not even be right, or it may even be really biased and opinion based. The WWW has also led to websites that can be explicit for the younger audience, who can easily stumble across them if a typo is made. A way to prevent this issue is by having a security system installed or going into the browser’s settings and adding filters for child protection and parental control.
the WWW is also mobile, meaning mobile devices such as phones and tablets can connect to the internet in most public places. This is called 3G internet (there is also 4G,  which is more efficient, but more limited to specific areas). 3G internet is a connection to mobile devices that give you a mediocre connection to the internet anywhere, meaning it isn't very efficient, but still does its purpose well. The strength of the connection is dependant on where you are located (similar to signal), for example, a forest or out in the country side would not be an effective place for 3G, and more public places such as in town would be. In most contracts that you get with your phone/mobile device, it offers a limited amount of access for free, but will charge if you exceed, which is a disadvantage to this form of connecting.

The WWW has led to websites allowing communication to be easier and with less hassle (depending on internet strength); these are Social Network websites (Facebook, Twitter etc.). This genre of websites allows people to connect to one another and have their own virtual profile of themselves containing information and pictures of themselves, and to see other users. Most Social Networks allow IM (instant messaging), where two people, or even in groups, can chat to one another and also send files, putting it on par with the email system, if not better. This also relies heavily on internet connection, a stronger connection results in a higher success rate on how you messages and files will send/receive. Another disadvantage of this is that it can lead to social disasters (i.e. Cyber bullying) which are mostly a problem for the youth, people can again anonymously bully or take unwanted photos of someone and post them on the sites, with insulting captions. Social networks can also be a good source for advertising businesses, as people who like a certain brand, such as Coca Cola, can inform their friends on Facebook by "Liking" the page, notifying their friends that they like this brand, who may also like the fan page, leading on to a massive chain.

There are many ways to communicate over the internet, and many I have already mentioned, but another is VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol). VOIP is phone services via the internet that allow people to talk over networks, and doesn’t cost as much. Unfortunately, VOIP is yet to support emergency calls such as 911 or phone directory listings, although is soon to be added. It is also very connection dependent, as a more efficient connection allows a much faster experience.
 

More along the lines of browsing, shopping sites such as eBay and Amazon can be browsed with a whole range of different products, with home delivery from all across the world. even groceries can be shopped on the internet and delivered next day to your home. The only downfall with this is the fact of it causing laziness, how people no longer need to leave their homes in order to carry out every day tasks.

In conclusion, the internet has developed far from its initial use and has shaped communication and media in its own special way making it easier for us all. It has its advantages and very dangerous disadvantages, such as malware and virus' that can damage your computer or even get into more personal details, i.e. bank account or Facebook details. But with the right protection software, the internet is a safe place. Communication has evolved much more quickly with the aid of the internet, as programs can provide long distance calls with no additional cost, and emails and website with IM to keep in touch with people.