Chapter 8: Networking and Digital Communication: Reading and RQs

2. Give three reasons for the importance of computer networking.

• Networks let people to share computer hardware resources, reducing costs, and making it possible for more people to take better advantage of powerful computer equipment.
• Networks let people to share data and software programs, increasing efficiency and productivity.
• Networks let people to work together in ways that are otherwise difficult or impossible.

5. Under what circumstances is a modem necessary f0r connecting computers in networks? What does the modem do?

• When one uses the telephone network to to connect remote computers. The modem connects a computer to a telephone line.

6. Describe least two different kinds of communication software.

• Network Operating System(NOS)- for those who work exclusively on local area networks. It shields the user from the hardware and software details of routine communication between machines.
• Terminal emulation software- this is outside of LAN. It lets a computer function as a character-based terminal - a simple input and output device for sending messages to and receiving messages from the host computer.

8. What are the differences between email and instant messaging systems?

• Mailing lists and newsgroups use asynchronous communication while instant messaging uses real-time communication.

9. Describe some things you can do with email that you cannot do with regular mail.

• One thing is that you can send your mail instantly and receive it instantly, while with regular mail you have to deliver your mail to the post office or mail box and the least amount of time it takes for you to receive it or for the recipient to receive it is one day. Another thing is that on email you can attach files but with regular mail you cannot. Attaching files is a lot easier than having to print out the document you wish to send.

10. Describe several potential problems associated with email and teleconferencing.

• Well one thing could be spam because it slows you down and sometimes can cause viruses on your computer. Also, these are easy to hack into and if someone displays too much personal information, it could lead to identity theft.

11. "Money is just another form of information." explain this statement and describe how it relates to communication technology.

• This statement is basically inferring that in the technological world money is just information shared or retrieved or what not. It relates to communication technology because for example nowadays people can easily check their account balances from their mobile phones in which they are communicating with their bank. Also, for business purposes, people can communicate through groupware or even email on budget updates and commerce increases.

12. Wi-fi and Bluetooth wireless technologies are designed to serve different purposes than mobile phone technology does. Explain this statement.

• Well this statement much sums up that these technologies each have different purposes. Wi-fi's purpose is to connect wireless handheld computers and devices. While the purpose of Bluetooth is to overcome the differences between mobile phones, handheld computers and PCs so that they can all communicate with each other regardless of the operating system.