Reading for Sept 3

This reading is about how the internet acts as a medium that connects us to other people and things. It allows people to interact with either one person, or hundreds of people. Therefore, it is a macromedium because it is able to reach such large audiences on a global scale. The internet has 6 keys qualities that change our communication patterns. I never realized how much I relied on these qualities whether it was for school or to gather information from my favorite website. I also never realized how much convergence the internet has between radio and television. This reading is about how the internet acts as a medium that connects us to other people and things. It allows people to interact with either one person, or hundreds of people either through instant messages, emails, or even chat rooms. Therefore, it is a macromedium because it is able to reach such large audiences on a global scale. Now a day, people are able to listen to the radio on their computer, or even watch some of their favorite television moments on the computer, like on you tube. The internet has evolved so much since it was first established and always looking to improve and get better. I also didn't realize how much easier hypertext has made the internet and people's lives. It allows you to multitask between documents, pictures, and even audio/video clips. The internet is also asynchronous, meaning that we can exchange communication but have time to think in between. An example of this is emails. I know for a fact that sometimes if I get an email that requires me to make a big decision, its nice to know I have all the time in the world to get back to the other person and not put on the spot like on a telephone.

This reading gave me a different interpretation of how to view the internet. I usually see the internet as a source of information or communication, but this chapter opened up my mind to the vast opportunities that the interne holds. Although it seems the internet can not be more advanced or improved, everyday people are working on ways to make it more reliable, faster, and able to reach any and everyone. I felt a little embarrassed after reading this because I realized how much of the internet I do not use and do not even know how to use! When the reading talked about burning CD’s, I realized how I didn’t even know how to do that and how I had to get one of my friends to teach me how to use an MP3 player. I was actually confused during some of the reading when it talked about bits about bits and the technical stuff. However, I plan on learning a lot about the internet through this class so I can take advantage of this wonderful opportunity and not let it go to waste.