MODULE : TWO
The Internet
The Internet
This module two will be reflecting on discussion of the Internet evaluating the social and cultural implications.
The various aspects of Internet, from the history where the Internet was first introduced and the time the Internet became widely popular and widespread.
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Introduction
From the time when the Internet breakthrough as a mass medium, it has become a topic of discussion because of its implications for society
At one extreme, one finds those who only see great benefits and consider the Internet a tool for freedom, commerce, connectivity, and other societal benefits
At the other extreme, one finds those who lament the harms and disadvantages of the Internet, and who consider it a grave danger to existing social structures and institutions, to culture, morality and human relations.
In between one finds the majority, those who recognize both benefits and harms in the Internet, as it currently exists and who recognize its practicality while worrying about some of its negative impacts (Brey, P.1999).
What is the Internet?
The Internet is a massive public spider-web
of computer connections. The Internet connects personal computers, mainframes,
cell phones, GPS units, music players, soda pop machines, car alarms, and even
dog collars. All of these computer connections exist for the sake of free
information sharing.
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History
The Internet is a broadcast medium for the every person. It built with the same freedom-of-messaging motivation as HAM radio of the 1970’s; the modern Internet is a daily tool for millions of people to trade signals with each other.
The Internet (or 'Net') is built on a chaotic mishmash of hardware, governed by minimal standards and even fewer rules.
Thousands of different software packages broadcast on the Net, connecting millions of users each day. During the Clinton administration, the Internet was nicknamed "The Information Superhighway", a term which has now become grossly inadequate to describe the sheer magnitude of the Internet's reach today( Etzioni, A. 1998).
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The Internet's hardware is vast: it is a chaotic combination of high-speed optic fiber cables, regular network cables, wireless transmitters, and satellite connections. No single organization owns the Internet's hardware; no single
organization governs its use. The Internet
truly is a marvel of free broadcasting and amateur publishing.
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Anyone can use the Internet. As long as you have a computer, cell phone, or other internet-enabled device, you simply find a free or paid place to connect to the Internet. Once you are connected (sometimes called 'logged on'), you can broadcast and receive all kinds of signals.
The Internet is named for "interconnection of computer networks". It is a massive hardware combination of millions of personal, business, and governmental computers, all connected like roads and highways. The Internet started in the 1960's under the original name "ARPAnet". ARPAnet was originally an experiment in how the US military could maintain communications in case of a possible nuclear strike. With time, ARPAnet became a civilian experiment, connecting university mainframe computers for academic purposes. As personal computers became more mainstream in the 1980's and 1990's, the Internet grew exponentially as more users plugged their computers into the massive network. Today, the Internet has grown into a public spider-web of millions of personal, government, and commercial computers, all connected by cables and by wireless signals.
No single person owns the Internet. No single government has authority over its operations. Some technical rules and hardware and software standards enforce how people plug into the Internet, but for the most part, the Internet is a free and open broadcast medium of hardware networking.
Field of Health Care
Health Synergistic discoveries and instant scientific collaborations between researchers working on areas as diverse as hereditary neurologic diseases and the basic biology of microorganisms all happening thanks to the Internet. Telemedicine allows medical specialists in Boston to diagnose and treat patients around the world. How will the Internet affect two aspects of "medicine, fundamental research and medical care? “One of the impacts of the Internet on our society in the field of medicine is the research capability it affords the general public, or the empowerment it affords patients and their families (Castells, M. 2001).
Once the patient or his family, were afforded just one second opinion. Those that could (and still can afford it) can go to as many doctors that they deem necessary. On the whole, the general public can see one "extra" specialist. Today, with the vast knowledge presented on the "Internet" one can glean great sources of information.
The patient is much better informed to discuss his case with his doctor, understand alternatives, side affects, the latest treatments available and the statistical probabilities of success
Field of Business
The way people conduct business has vastly changed with the wide use of the Internet. Many businesses have websites that allow people to conduct business "on line". This is afield that all experts say will grow and advance greatly in the years to come, not just in the United States but in other countries around the world too. "Books and C.D's" are bought mainly through Amazon, a virtual book and music store with no stores, just an excellent website, and large warehouses
Home shopping options are many and varied and changing all the time. Most major supermarkets are now on-line, offering home delivery of goods and increasingly, the major high street stores are also competing for on-line trading. The Internet lends itself to shops selling goods, which are easily portable, such as CDs and books
Impact of the Internet on Our Economy
The age of information communication technology is here, at the close of the 20thcentury. The Internet epitomizes it. The Internet provides many information communication services such as browsing of information, search engines, electronic mail, file transfer, Newsgroups, remote access via telnet, and bulletin boards, and the means to post and retrieve textual sound, video, image information from Web pages.
The huge potential of these services has attracted the attention of the business world, and today more and more business is transacted via the Internet. The impact of this trend is explored on the local, national, and global level by specific examples and some statistical facts.
Advantages of the Internet
The benefits of home shopping to the
customer include:
You
can avoid long queues, save time and shop from the comfort of your own home.
You
do not have to travel into city centers or pay for car parking costs.
You
can shop around for the best prices and shop abroad for cheaper goods.
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People
who are housebound have the ability to shop and have goods delivered.
The possible drawbacks of home shopping
include:
Security
worries about payment by credit card over the Internet.
You
do not get to see the goods before purchase, which may be defective.
You
may worry that the goods will never arrive!
There
may be concerns over retailers collecting details about the buying habits of
customers.
Benefits to the company include:
It
opens the market to customers nationally and internationally.
It
enables smaller companies to compete with larger companies.
There
may be a possible reduction in staffing and/or shopping outlets, thereby
reducing costs.
You
can offer 24 hour shopping at minimum cost.
Disadvantages about the Internet
The Internet and freedom of speech
No
one owns the Internet so anybody can post anything on it.
The
Internet is a great source of information but it has also become the home of
political propaganda, racism, pornography and other controversial or illegal
material.
Apart
from physically restricting access the only control is through some form of
filtering software.
Increasingly
individuals and authorities are recommending some sort of control.
Arguments for control
To
prevent illegal material being readily available, e.g. political propaganda,
racism and pornography.
To
prevent young children accessing unsuitable material.
To
make the Web more efficient - at present there is too much useless information.
To
ensure copyright laws are maintained.
Arguments against control
The
aim of the Internet is to be a free source of information.
Unsuitable
material is easily available in other ways.
Control
would cost money and users would have to pay.
Control
would be very difficult to enforce.
Conclusion
From all the above we can see that the Internet is a whole new world emerging at the conclusion of the 20th century. Everyday, the Internet expands by the social, political, and economic activities of people all over the world, and its impact growth exponentially.
Some of this growth in impact has been described here. In this new world there is no geographical separation and there are no borders, and all people are encouraged to participate and contribute drawing on their experiences and resources. In cyberspace actions and reactions are essentially instantaneous, and this is why the Internet is so gratifying and attractive.
This is why it has impacted our society in almost all areas of human endeavor. In this report we touched on the positive aspects of the influence of the Internet on our society. As in any other field in life there are the negative aspects too. In the field of education children can gain access to areas that are not suitable and dangerous, (Littleton Colorado, April 1999)
References
Flamm, Kenneth. Creating the Computer. Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution, 1988.
http://www.computerhistory.org/internet_history/full_size_images/tx-2.jpg
Forman, Paul. “Behind quantum electronics: National security as basis for physical research in the United States, 1940-1960.” Historical Studies in the Physical and Biological Sciences 18 (1 1987): 150-183.
Forrester, Jay W., Hugh R. Boyd, Robert E. Everett, and Harris Fahnestock. A Plan for Digital Information Handling Equipment in the Military. MIT Servomechanisms Laboratory, 1948. Project DIC 6345.
ttp://www.computerhistory.org/internet_history/full_size_images/pdp-8.jpg
Forrester, Jay W. Computation Books 1946-48. MIT Archives, Cambridge MA.
Forman, Paul. “Behind quantum electronics: National security as basis for physical research in the United States, 1940-1960.” Historical Studies in the Physical and Biological Sciences 18 (1 1987): 150-183.
Forrester, Jay W., Hugh R. Boyd, Robert E. Everett, and Harris Fahnestock. A Plan for Digital Information Handling Equipment in the Military. MIT Servomechanisms Laboratory, 1948. Project DIC 6345.
ttp://www.computerhistory.org/internet_history/full_size_images/pdp-8.jpg
Castells, M. (2001). The Internet Galaxy. Reflections on Internet, Business, and Society. Oxford University Press.
Internet,' Ethics and Information Technology 1: 15-21. Dreyfus, H. (2001). On the Internet. Routledge.
Brey, P. (1999). 'Worker Autonomy and the Drama of Digital Networks in Organizations, ' Journal of Business Ethics 22: 15-25.
Dijk, J. van (1999). The Network Society . Sage.
Dreyfus, H. (1999). 'Anonymity versus Commitment: the Dangers of Education on the
Etzioni, A. (1998), 'Voluntary Simplicity: Characterization, Select Psychological Implications, and Societal Consequences,' Journal of Economic Psychology 19, 619-43.
http://www.computerhistory.org/internet_history/
