Concept 24 and Concept 12 / My thoughts ..

Client-server two-way interactions: Concept 24 (my thoughts :)

While FTP is different from HTTP, the two technologies often work closely together. An example of this is a HTTP based website used to contain the necessary information such as the server address and any associated username and passwords for accessing an FTP server.

FTP is used as the primary technology for uploading website files to a web server so in many ways HTTP expansion relies heavily on FTP.

The ability to upload and download files to FTP servers from any locations connected to the internet has been a huge enabler for business throughout the evolution of the internet. This tool is now widely relied upon by a large portion of businesses IT requirements. The ability to push a file from one location to many users and alternatively to allow many users to pull a file from a central location is great.

FTP being a client driven tool is good because it allows the client to be in charge of what material is delivered to their computer. In addition to a client to server interaction an FTP server can push a file to a client if the FTP server has the necessary credentials to access the client over the internet. In this way a user is responsible for the files that end up on their machine either by download directly from the server or by allowing their security credentials for their computer to be available to the person behind the FTP server.

The usability of newer FTP clients with their easy to digest graphical user interfaces has helped to expand cyberspace by allowing non-technical people to contribute to the internet. This is fantastic as it allows people who have perhaps different ideas and biases compared to those with technical knowledge to share their opinions and creative talent with cyberspace.

The same way people converse face to face has transferred to the internet in the way of two way communication. When people are speaking with one another they expect a response from the recievee of the communication (could also be referred to as data both verbal and non-verbal such as tone and body language). The Internet is built upon much the same expectation with most technologies. Some of the key tools used via the internet are communication mediums such as chat, email and forums as just a few examples.

There are many different ways of asynchronous communication both with people and with the internet devices themselves. When we upload a file to a server we would expect to see some confirmation that the file has been received. Generally this is just via something as little as seeing the file now appear in the file list on the FTP server. Something that can be very frustrating with internet tools is the lack of messages indicating that status of the task we are attempting to perform. Almost every task you undertake on the internet provides a two way street of information, you request information by sending data to a server or person and generally data is received back in some form or another (even the absence of data can be a communication in itself.)

Communication and Information are related: Concept 12 (my thoughts :)

Electronic communications allow us to create a message and send it forth into cyberspace with the necessary instructions for reaching its intended audience. The difference between written non-electronic communications ends here. Whilst a letter contains an address, during its travel its very unlikely and inconvenient to take a copy of the data within the letter. However, with electronic communications it is very easy to take a copy of the information and continue to send it on its way to its address without any evidence of it being copied.

Because the information in electronic communications are generally recorded this creates a need for having secure communication channels for much of the information.

The simplicity of storing communications received electronically is a huge part of being an internet user. An example of this can be seen with email. Because of the simplicity of sending electronic communication to many users much email is sent to recipients without necessarily a need. Many of our client side applications such as an email client are set to download a copy of this communication and store it. Without explicit instructions to delete this data it will remain stored in electronic format.

The use of client side tools can also make it very easy to recover electronic communications which can also be dangerous if these are not stored with some indication of the context the message was received in and also ensuring it contains the necessary information to know the origin of the communication and its reason.

The relationship between an electronic communication, its source and destination is much looser than many forms of non-electronic communication. Because of the distance in our electronic forms of communication this can cause problems with the accountability or at least the feeling of accountability for what is communicated. Most forms of common electronic communication, email, SMS etc lack the necessary non-verbal communication that is so relied upon in human interaction. Due to this the meaning of many messages can be distorted over the space it travels. In addition to the lack of non-verbal communication it can also be easier to communicate data to others via electronic means rather than traditional means as the response to this information is generally delayed and doesn’t contain that instant interaction with the other party. An example of this is a work colleague may feel more empowered whilst angry to flick an aggressive email to another colleague without the fear of an immediate response.

Because of the easy recording of electronic communications it is important to insure that information received via electronic means is stored in a way that allows us personally to interpret the information at a later date. The context of many electronic communications may get lost over time if not recorded properly. This is especially important in asynchronous communication via email as an example. When a vast amount of communications can be stored and recalled easily its important then when recalling this information the original context in which it was delivered can be retained. The information needed for this can be a subject, additional recipients of this information, the origin of the communication and the time it was sent.

When looking at an electronic communication the meta data such as who it was sent by, at what time, which servers it was handled by etc can be completely irrelevant to the message that electronic communication is attempting to deliver. The subject of the information is far more important. An example of this is an electronic communication that is sent containing a set of instructions. Without knowing what these instructions are relating to they can be come completely useless.

The use of filing systems for electronic communications is just as important as filing systems used for non-electronic communication methods if not more so due the easiness to record and distribute information via electronic means. Many ways exist to store the information an example of this is using email folders to contain different messages. An advanced internet use may for example use a detailed filing system for their inbox which allows them to store communications into different subject folders. This can be taken to another step by having automatic processes interpret certain parts of incoming communications and file these automatically for the user allowing them to read the communications in the correct context upon receipt. For example, a system administrator of a computer network may have automatic updates sent to him in the case of a critical system failure with their network. In this case they may have an email sent to their email address. This email communication is downloaded by their client and read by an inbox rule that searches for who the email is from and any important keywords in the subject line. This message may then dropped into a specified mail folder that is setup to alert the systems administrator via SMS that a problem has occurred. This allows the necessary communication of the urgency in the message to be delivered to the receiver of this data.

Much of the information available on the internet is repetitive. An example of this is its like having the same website in different languages. We all interpret what we see differently and it can be more efficient for us to have our information arranged in a way that allows us to quickly find what we are looking for. Another good example is you might have two websites one lobbying for an idea and one against which contain identical links to 10 reports. The information on each site which puts this link into context will vary differently between the two sites but the collection of data on the site is similar in addition to this due to the contexts this link is delivered in may have an impact on the way you read the information in the reports.

MODULE 1 – FTP Task

For the FTP task I decided to use windows XP’s built in FTP client. I opened explorer and browsed to the address ftp://recall.curtin.edu.au/ when there I was shown the root directory for the anonymous users FTP login. The great thing about this is that I can browse the remote FTP server as if it were a local drive on my computer.

There were two folders, rob and MSC. I looked in the Rob folder and did not find what I was looking for only some random photos .. So clicking on MSC I can see the readme.txt file I was looking for. Hooray. Double clicking on this file downloaded it to my temporary internet files and allowed me to open the document to discover that CAPITALIZATION matters.

MODULE 1 – TASK B – Telnet:

I used telnet to connect to towel.blinkenlights.nl. This is extremely entertaining! The use of ASCII art to create an entire movie viewable through telnet is awesome and not an application of telnet I would have considered existed.

While telnet is a great tool for command line applications and remote control of servers it can be seen that society has grown far beyond the days of enjoying a simple text based computer game.

One of my first experiences of using telnet was using it to play online multi-player games (MUD’s). These allowed online users to interact whilst playing and were the pioneer for many of the online graphical based multiplayer games today such as world of warcraft and the like. Here is a great example of how a fantastically entertaining idea, utilising the technology of the time has prospered over the years to create a new movement in computer gaming, almost all computer games released today include a multiplayer component.

These old systems where not only bland and unattractive but also required technical knowledge to operate and experience and would be frustrating for those without this intimate knowledge of technology.

Much of the technological advancement in recent times has been the simplifying of technologies to allow more people to be involved. An example of this is previously the need to understand the HTML language to create websites and understanding of using FTP to upload these to your web hosting providers. There are now point and click software applications that make it possible for people with no understanding of these technologies to publish websites, post blogs and have an online presence.

A benefit of this involvement by the masses in these activities is the expansion of knowledge and ideas exposed to technology. Once these tools have been mastered by the many the few push forward with more technical ideas and creations pulling the mass behind them in an ever evolving technical world.

R2D2’s father was a Jedi?

Well I watched it though it only gets to where they free the princess. What a shame!

MODULE 1 - Task A - Telnet:

For the telnet task I decided to use the Putty freeware telnet/SSH client for windows. This software is quite familiar to me as we currently use telnet at work to operate some legacy systems and SSH for a UNIX based email server. The telnet task actually came at a good time as my broadband has just been shaped.

Opening the putty program I selected the telnet option and entered the servers address.

Once I opened the connection to the server I was asked the following questions:

Not quite sure what type of client I was using I decided to look up the details on the documentation provided with my software. I discovered I wanted to use the VT100 terminal as this is the most commonly used for windows systems.

Once past this snag the following screen was displayed.

Its quite easy to see the similarities between DOS and the screens presented in telnet. The fact that you are remotely running a command line based program is very cool and is often much simpler then using a graphical remote control program such as Remote desktop connection or VNC. At work we use the remote command line to perform many functions as it is much quicker and can be scripted (automated) more easily.

Once I looked through the list I decided I wanted to search by author so I entered “A”. After entering the surname the following details were presented.

As the details in the task did not specify which book I selected the first one in the list by entering the number '1'. I then selected ‘additional options’ by pressing + and then selected print. I was then shown the following options:

I selected 2 > email printer and entered my Curtin email address. I followed the same steps and also printed to email the second entry.

Result..

After checking my email, there they are, the details of the two books currently listed as being at DU MELB. In the emails I received were the below details on each book:

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Entry 1: TITLE Managed care : financial, legal, and ethical issues / edited by David A. Bennahum.

PUBLISHED Cleveland, OH : Pilgrim Press, 1999.PHYS DESCR p. cm.

SERIES The Pilgrim library of ethics.CONTENTS 1. The Crisis Called Managed Care / David A. Bennahum -- Pt. 1. Legal Issues. 2. The Historical Roots of Managed Care / Jake Spidle. 3. How Law and Regulation Shape Managed Care / Robert L. Schwartz. 4. Implications for Vulnerable Populations / Jay A. Jacobson -- Pt. 2. Financial Issues. 5. The Economics of Managed Care / Max D. Bennett. 6. Financial Incentives to Physicians / David H. Johnson. 7. Impacts on Medicaid and the Uninsured / Daniel J. Derksen, Saverio Sava and Arthur Kaufman. 8. Impacts on Public Teaching Hospitals / Stephen W. McKernan. 9. Impacts on Biomedical Research / Laura Weiss Roberts, Janet L. Brody and Teddy D. Warner / [et al.] -- Pt. 3. Ethical Issues. 10. The Ethics of Managed Care / Joan McIver Gibson. 11. Gatekeepers and Gatekeeping / Richard H. Rubin. 12. Futility and Extraordinary Care / Lawrence J. Schneiderman. 13. Persons with HIV Disease / Bruce Williams. 14. Persons with Mental Illness / Laura Weiss Roberts, Kathryn Fraser and Diana Quinn / [et al.]. 15. Religion and Pastoral Care / B. Gail Joralemon and David Hartenberger. 16. What Does the Future Hold for Managed Care? / Mary Anderlik -- App. Managed Care Information Resources / Kirsten R. Shelstad.

SUMMARY "Managed Care takes a hard, balanced look at the realities of managed health care, assembling the key decision makers in the Albuquerque, New Mexico, health care area - from the CEO of the hospital system to the director of managed care, a home health care specialist, a lawyer, chaplains, and professors at the medical school - to examine the critical issues facing managed care today."--BOOK JACKET.NOTES Includes bibliographical references.

SUBJECT Managed care plans (Medical care) Managed care plans (Medical care) -- Economic aspects. Managed care plans (Medical care) -- Moral and ethical aspects.OTHER AUTH Bennahum, David A., 1936- LOCATION CALL NO. STATUS1 > DU MELB 362.104258 Ben/Mcf AVAILABLE

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Entry 2: AUTHOR Congress on Research in Dance. Conference (2005 : Tallahassee, Fla.)

TITLE Dance & community : Congress on Research in Dance, Spring 2005 conference, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida / [Ninotchka Bennahum & Tresa M. Randall, co-editors]

PUBLISHED New York, NY : Produced by the Print Center, Inc., c2005.PHYS DESCR 278 p. : ill. ; 28 cm.NOTES Conference papers from a proceeding held Mar. 7-10, 2005, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Dept. of Dance. Includes bibliographical references.

SUBJECT Dance -- Social aspects -- Congresses. Dance -- Study and teaching -- Congresses. Dance -- Research -- Congresses. Dance -- Congresses.OTHER AUTH Bennahum, Ninotchka. Randall, Tresa. Congress on Research in Dance.OTHER TI Dance and community. Congress on Research in Dance, Spring 2005 conference. LOCATION CALL NO. STATUS1 > DU MELB 792.8 Cor/Idc 2005 AVAILABLE

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Overall I have to say I am a HUGE fan of telnet. The simplicity and potential is amazing. I have not used telnet to browse library records before but it was much as I expected. The most fun I have had with telnet was hosting an eggdrop bot on an IRC server back in the day. You used telnet to connect to a UNIX shell where you could run the application and control the bots functions.

Concept 23 and Concept 27 / My thoughts ..

    I Began reading the information in module 1 and through my experience in the IT support realm much of this is second nature to me, however when I opened the "Concepts: The persistence of history" this took me down a bit of a rabbit hole looking at the programs I use everyday at work and home and how many of these do simply use quite an apparently ‘outdated’ protocol which a much prettier GUI.

The persistence of history: concept 27 (my thoughts :) Its important that as internet technologies continue to develop and drive forward that we remember that the internet is constantly built upon foundations. Many current internet functions are underpinned by the originally designed protocols and tools used at the birth of the internet. Much of the change on the internet is brought about by optimising and combining current existing technologies in a new way. Much the same concept as putting a camera into a mobile phone, the two existed before, but much more useful put together.

Looking at bit torrent which using existing ideas (albeit new technology the idea already existed) developed a new way of transferring large files around the internet has had a huge impact on the way the internet is used by distribution companies and home users. Technology such as this can be seen to be using around 18% of all broadband traffic, which is a fantastic indicator of the potential that a new idea can have on the internet and the current untapped potential of this tool. Are our networks ready for the next big thing? (“BitTorrent’s Swarms Have a Deadly Bite On Broadband Nets”, Ellis, 2008)

Human Computer interfaces: Concept 23 (my thoughts :) interfacing with computers for many hours every day for almost ¾ of my life and using this experience to digest the information put forward in this concept it’s easy to see how the lines of communication can become blurred.

Many different systems on the internet that are emerging play on our vulnerabilities as humans to want to network and interface with our environments and fellow man. This can be seen with the current surge in social networking sites that allow us to utilise technology (that turns quite a hefty profit through its operators) to indulge our needs to interface with humans. Are these companies providing a much needed service to humanity or simply exploiting our needs to further their own financial gains?

The ability to interact with people overseas, people whom we have not seen in many years or even having much deeper and varied interactions with people we see everyday has created a feeling of closeness amongst society and makes me think that the world is not so large anymore.

When looking at these social networking sites as an example of this human-technology-human interaction, what is so different between these and simple Email?? Is the process not the same? I Believe what we have found is a collaboration of existing tools - instant messaging, emailing, online gaming, newsgroups all in one place.. all of these tools have existed for many years, some from the birth of the internet, they are now brought together to form a tool that through its shear usability is now worth vast amounts of money, Facebook alone was valued at $15 billion dollars in 2007 and accounts for large amounts of the worlds internet usage. (“Facebook Got Its $15 Billion Valuation — Now What?”, Sloane, 2007)

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Leslie Ellis (2008), “BitTorrent’s Swarms Have a Deadly Bite On Broadband Nets”,
Retrieved June 5, 2008, from http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6332098.html

Julie Sloane (2007), “Facebook Got Its $15 Billion Valuation — Now What?”, Retrieved June 5, 2008, from http://www.wired.com/techbiz/startups/news/2007/10/facebook_future

Top 5 tips for blogging

To post about my top five tips for blogging after using a pre-designed template and a single post! Why not, im basically an expert now:

I think if people are going to be reading your blog and this is a public space where, as we can see from our famous celebrity bloggers, you can be torn to shreds for simple mistakes both in grammer and style the following rules may help to avoid any blogging society faux pas:

1. Never substitute numbers for letters. Being l33t might assist in helping frag count, but has no place in blogs. Your words should be interesting enough!
2. Dont be afraid of letting your inner thoughts out. Sometimes you might surprise yourself.
3. Dont take yourself too seriously. . . (Unless you want to be a Fantastic! blogger in which case doubt every word you say and check each post meticulously, your fans *cough* will appreciate your astute attention to detail)
4. Late night blogging will usually tend toward melodrama. Caffeine helps.
5. View many blogs for inspiration. Thanks to the ever expanding human database known as the internet we now have access to not only a never ending supply of information but also access to countless internal thoughts and emotions.

Theres a start...

It Begins . . .

Well, I have created my blog for my first assignment of my first unit for my first uni degree. So far so good. Blogger.com is really well laid out.. i am impressed (just as a side thought).