Task 1 - week1 study guide

Im on a roll people lol...heres Task 1...

Emails: Emails are a quick form of communiaction which enables you to send a message to anywhere in the world, quickly and for free (unlike telephone calls to say Australia). Emails can be sent to many people at a time so if you want to send the same message to many different people this can be done easily. I often use emails to communicate with people from back home like my parents and also my family in Canada because it costs a lot less than ringing them all the time!

Usenet and Bulletin Board Systems: I didn't actually know what these were so I had to research them. Im guessing that they are quite similar to forums? Anyway this is the definition I got of a Bulletin Board System when I researched it:

A Bulletin board system, or BBS, is a computer system running software that allows users to dial into the system over a phone line (or Telnet) and, using a terminal programme, perform functions such as downloading software and data, uploading data, reading news, and exchanging messages with other users.

Hmm they are only slightly similar to forums then because you can read news and exchange messages with other users. But this is a system where you can also download software and data. Hmm I am still a little confussed here. Any1 actually know what they are that can help me out?

IRL's, Chat rooms and messenger services: I know what these are lol. This is a form of instant communication (well if the person/people you are contacting or talking to are actually online at the same time as you). A popular form of messenger service is MSN Messenger. (I bet most of you have msn) On msn you can chat to your contacts instantly and its like being on the phone to them appart from you don't actually get to hear their voice, its text that appears on the screen in your 'converstaion window'. I use msn all the time! Its a good way of chatting to my friends and family back home or my other uni mates who don't actually live with me. On msn you can play games with each other, send each other pictures and files. Its great!

MUDs and MOOs: Again, I didn't have a clue what these things were so I had to research online to get some answers and I also had a nosey at other peoples blogs to see if they knew and thankfully a few of you did :) MUDs are otherwise known as Mutli-user Domain. And MOOs are MUD Object Orientated. This means that people can online game and also chat to the other users online at the same time. (This can be found in a few Xbox 360 games I think cause Im pretty sure my friend is always playing games where this is a feature). I have never actually played a game like this or used this myself but I have seen somebody play a game where this was a feature.

Websites: There are millions of websites! Websites can be used to do lots of things. You can find out information, chat to others in chat room websites, find out TV schedules on websites like Channel4.com, play online games, discuss things in forum, listen to the radio online, you can now even shop online. Websites are surely the basis of new media cultures? I use websites all the time. They're great. I mainly spend my time shopping online, downloading music online, streaming TV shows from websites...you can practically do everything!

Well thats about all my knowledge for task 1. If any1 can help me understand better what Usenet and Bulletin Board Systems are then please comment me.

Thank youuuuu,

Emily x