Internet/Computer Review Questions

a) Why is it hard to determine how big the Internet is today? Give several reasons.
--Billions of people have access to the internet, so as long as they're able to contribute to the growth of the internet (which most people do), then the growth of the Internet cannot be calculated. We can't really tell how big the Internet is, today, because of how many people are using it. People make their own websites, leave comments and links, share ideas, make their own blogs, and advertise for their own companies. While ideas are shared, people learn new things and want to inform others about these new ideas, concepts, terms, and such.
The possibilities are endless.

b) Why are TCP/IP protocols so important to the functioning of the Internet? What do they do?
--TCP/IP protocols are very important to the functioning of the Internet because they are used for internet CONNECTIONS. So, without them, there might not be many people who HAVE any internet access.

Internet Doamins--Links

20+ Domains and Links

.aero--For the air-transport industry

.biz--Reserved for businesses 


.com--For businesses, commercial enterprises, or online services like America Online. Most companies use this extension.
google.com 


.coop--Reserved for cooperatives 

directory.coop

.edu--For educational institutions and universities 

arc.losrios.edu

.gov--Reserved for United States government agencies 

science.gov

.info--For all uses 

irrepressible.info

.int--For organizations established by international treaties 



.mil--For the United States military
defencelink.mil


.museum--For use by museums



.name--For use by individuals 



.net--For networks; usually reserved for organizations such as Internet service providers
teachers.net


.org--For non-commercial organizations 

wikipedia.org

.pro--For use by professionals, such as attorneys and physicians


.mx—Mexico domain

.in--India Domain

.us
mon.itor.us

.co.uk
easily.co.uk

.ae
dubai.ae

.net.br
telefonica.net.br

.gs

Multiple Choice Questions/Answers pg. 30

Multiple Choice

1- C) 1960s
2- D) Photographs
3- D) All of the Above
4-
5- C) World War II
6- B) IBM
7- D) Vacuum tube, transistor, silicon chip
8- B) Became faster
9- B) The Space Race
10- B) Mainframe computer
11- E) Timesharing
12- B) Silicon Valley
13-

Discussion Questions: Whither the Renaissance Man?

Discussion Questions/Answers:

1- The author suggests that people "invest in knowledge that won't wear out." What kinds of knowledge do you think he is referring to?

A: The knowledge that he refers to that "won't wear out" is knowledge that is acquired by students to its core. When someone specializes in a certain subject, reviewing the material, constantly connecting things to his/her subject, it's bound to stick with them for life. This knowledge is the knowledge that "won't wear out".

2- How could you make your own undergraduate studies more of an exploration and less of a routine?

A: Share what you learn on the Internet so other people can contribute to your knowledge of your profession and you can get a more broad view on things and can think of things in different terms, let alone the fact that you can learn something new in a whole new way.

Mainframes and Microcomputers

Mainframe Computers: Very large computers that are super speedy compared to the regular everyday computer. They are the size of refrigerators, which definitely takes up more room than a regular computer. They are very high-speed and fragile. Not just anyone can use them.

Microcomputers:Computers with microprocessors as its main processing unit. They are much smaller compared to mainframe computers. Some can be used as personal computers, some not.

Tech Refltect--Technological Inventions and How they Effect Modern Society

Before the 19th century, life was simple. Without modern technology, days went by slowly, things weren't as efficient as they are nowadays, and people worked harder to do things that can be done in minutes in the modern world. Two of the world's most common modern technologies are automobiles and television sets. Now that these two were invented and are in use, our way of life has changed drastically. Instead of walking to places, we can now drive, which definitely takes more than three quarters of the amount of time it would originally take. we can get around places nowadays, and it makes it a lot easier for us to get many tasks done in one day. Maybe, back then, by the time one person would send some food, a gift, or even do any regular daily task, that would be enough to wear US out. With cars, now we can get around and do things in less than half the time which makes it not only easier but also more efficient and less tiring. Television is also another invention that helped us improve and become more connected with our community, in a sense. Now that's not only because of the news we hear/see on TV, but it's also a form of entertainment and education. Young children and even adults can watch their own shows, others can host their own shows/games on TV, and some can just get their news from it.
People used to get news either by hearing it from one person and passing it on or by mail. Now, we can get it by watching the news on television, checking our e-mails, or even browsing the web, which brings us to our next modern technology: the computer. Yes, they had radio back then, but even then it's limited to just audio. You'd hear the news, but there isn't much interaction going on between the person giving the news and the one recieving it. With modern technology, we can now contact them via e-mail, comment, or even by posting things on their websites. Computers have made things so much simpler for us. So on TV we get access to news and shows and whatnot, and radio too, but a computer is an "on-demand" type of thing. "With a click of a button" you can do almost anything from searching for a job to looking up recipes to typing up an essay and researching on a certain topic. You can even go back to old files and other things you've kept safe on your computer in case you wanted to keep it with you for a very long time. These new technologies have been so beneficial to our societies, but then again they also have their own downsides.
Cars cause pollution; computers and television sets are very distracting if one doesn't know how to manage their time wisely. And if one DOES know how to manage his/her time wisely, still other problems can come from both TV's and computers. People can get misinformed about something on the internet if they're researching some kind of article or post. What if the person who posted a certain blog was biased and started ridiculing a certain race/gender/religion? It's so easy for people to register to a certain website and just add things to it or to their own profiles that almost anyone can see. Also, what if someone saves something on their own computer and then it crashes and suddenly everything that was "saved" on it is now gone? The possibilities of things going wrong with modern technologies are endless, but they're useful, too. We just need to understand how to use them and how to deal with problems if they ever should happen.