The Internet bridging the divide

To bridge the gap in respect to the digital divide, it is necessary to define and show in its context what certain computer related terms mean. The digital divide refers to the illiteracy that exists in relation to computer and the fear that grips many in computer usage. This has been beautifully defined by (Roberts, n.d.) of the Stanford University. One of the contributory factors behind this divide and fear is the fact those who oversee teaching or familiarizing novices to this ease of access, complicate matters by making the information so complex. Information is not broken down. It is assumed that all should automatically get a concept and educators of the subject surmise that because they have the knowledge of computer down pat, then surely all others should immediately grasp what is being said. It is hoped that in this blog some of the fear is taken away and the divide is bridged, shedding light on a wonderful invention that makes life so much easier for many.

What is the Internet and how old is it? It is a global network of millions of computers. These connected computers communicate together to make possible sending and receiving emails also browsing/surfing. This network is gaining information from right across the globe at the click of a mouse or by the request relayed by information you give by means of a keyboard. The information is stored on databases and servers and is accessed by these commands and transferred from one computer to another. This network can be compared to a postal system or a library. The details of the work carried out behind your getting a mail or the how you get a book is not necessarily known, but that mail or book is made available. The transfer of information sent and received is digitally done, hence the speed. The concept is based off what is called Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol or TCP/IP. Each person using the Internet has an Internet Protocol address. This allows for a computer to be traced as to direction that information is being generated or sent. It is interesting to note that the technology of the Internet in its developed form has been around from the 1960’s when it was used by the US Defense Department’s Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPAnet). The use of the Internet has spread from being an exclusive one to millions of users globally.

The best way to access information from the Internet is to use a Web Browser. It is so programmed to access websites and keeps a history of pages that you have visited. Examples of browsers are Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari. A web browser being a software/program that facilitates one in the ease of access in getting information from the network of computers. In other word it helps to access the world wide web. The world wide web not to be confused with the Internet. The web is made of webpages that are to be found on the Internet identified by hyperlinks. The web was created by Tim Berners-Lee a British scientist in 1989. He it is that made it possible for documents to be linked together using technologies where all computers would understand each other. Thus, they understand each other by means of Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Uniform Resource Locator (URL) and Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP).

Having the Internet assists in an easier and cheaper means of communication. It has aided in globalization. Information can be transferred from country to country in record time with minimum of delay. News media has taken advantage of it in relaying information not just by the conventional means, but by making both delayed and live streaming news available to their viewers. Let me shoot you an email is said often. Information that is already typed can be attached and sent without delay as a telephone conversation is in progress. This video or audio call can be carried out while the emailing is being done. There are programs make it possible as your computer multitask in making communication a breeze.

Online schooling is commonplace today because there is information at the tip of one’s fingertip. By means of a webcast there is streaming information with a professor directing a class and having active participation. Podcasts are prepared and can be used by whomever wishes to be instructed by that method. Research is carried out via the Internet.

It is rather fascinating to think that this information is being shared as a web log (blog). The ideas of an individual being presented for others to read if interested. There may be followers if the information is useful and not boring. There are also wikis which is a quicker means of sharing, however with collaboration. Others can edit or add to the information that is there on the website.

Then there is the delight of many social networking. It can be usual in the case of using websites that can assist in getting jobs or upgrading one’s skills along with sourcing reliable clients for your business. There are the sites that can be more relaxed and time consuming in meddling. However, the Internet is for all, the use of your time in utilizing the many facets of this technology is personal and can be gratifying.

There is the opportunity to work from home or expand one’s business online. This is called Electronic commerce, (e-commerce), there is also Mobile commerce (M-commerce). This is seen as in the case of big business such as Amazon, Ebay, Wish and others who will take your order online and have your products delivered to your door. There are many companies who are following suit, despite having large department stores have found it viable to also go the way of e-commerce. Paying for one’s goods and services using a credit card, debit card or a third-party payment such as PayPal that was set up for paying online. Mobile banking which is using one’s smartphone to conduct business is not as comfortable considering the size of the phone and trying to see an item on the web. However it is being used as in the case of companies who use applications and offer deals such as Starbucks; just using a barcode and the information is read from the phone to the company’s optical reading machine.

References

Bing.com. (n.d.). Retrieved from MSN.com: https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=Q41r6kiY&id=00298827498811FD91767708337CE87158DB1B23&thid=OIP.Q41r6kiYj_anfGo_9M7t5wHaFj&mediaurl=http%3a%2f%2fwww.athlan.eu%2fwp-content%2fuploads%2f2015%2f02%2f1411142966_Look_Up1.png&exph=300&expw=4

Roberts, E. (n.d.). Stanford University. Retrieved from https://cs.stanford.edu/people/eroberts/cs201/projects/digital-divide/start.html

Webwise Team. (October 2012). Retrieved from BBC.co.uk: http://www.bbc.co.uk/webwise/guides/what-is-the-internet