Why is it hard to determine how big the Internet is today? Give several reasons.

The Internet connects millions of computers all over the world. Every year, millions of new users join the Internet and new connections are added all the time. The Internet does not have one main control center that has access to all user activity and all happenings. There are no boundaries to the Internet. There are many different ways of connecting to the Internet, each way with its own class of service and degree of interactivity.

Why are TCP/IP protocols so important to the functioning of the Internet? What do they do?

TCP/IP protocols are protocols that allow the transfer of information between different networks and computers. The TCP protocol works as a sort of postal system, transferring information in packets across connections and networks, until they reach their destination. The IP protocol is the address system of the Internet. Each computer has its own unique IP address. Computers are recognized by these. This is how the information that the TCP protocol transfers knows where to go.

Different Domain Names

1. www.google.com
2. www.bbc.co.uk
3. www.alarqamislamicschool.org
4. www.cia.gov
5. www.comcast.net
6. www.letour.fr
7. www.ucdavis.edu
8. www.informationarchitects.jp
9. www.nic.tm
10. www.verisign.tv
11. www.neustarregistry.biz
12. www.info.info
13. www.airventure.air.museum
14. www.sita.aero
15. www.whois.nic.name
16. www.ica.coop
17. http://registry.pro
18. http://programming.nu
19. www.tonic.to
20. www.hon.ch

Cookies

HOW STUFF WORKS: Cookies

What is a cookie?

A cookie is a piece of text that a web server stores on a user's hard disk. They allow a web site to store information on a user's machine and later retrieve it. The information is stored as a name-value pair. A name-value pair is just a named piece of data. It cannot do anything. A website retrieves the information that it has placed on your machine.

How does a cookie work?

Basically, cookie data is the mane-value pairs stored on your hard disk. A website stores the data and later takes it back. Websites cannot look at any other cookie or take any other information from the machine. This is how it works. When you type a Website URL into the browser, the browser sends a request to the website for the page. When the browser does this, it looks on the machine for a cookie file for that website. If it finds a cookie file, the browser sends all of the name-calue pairs to the server. If it doesnt find a cookie, then it doesnt send any data. You can set an option in your browser so that it informs you everytime a site sends name-value pairs. They can be accepted or denied.

How do websites use cookies?

-To determine how many people actually visit the site

They can also see how many visitors arrive, how many are new vs. repeat visitors, and how often a visitor visits.

-To store user perferences

-Shopping sites can use shopping carts and quick checkout options

Problems with Cookies:

-People often share machines. If you use an online store, the store will leave a cookie on teh machine and someone could try to buy something under your account.

-Cookies get erased

-People use more than one machine in a day.

Privacy Issues:

-When you buy something from a catologue, the company has your name and address, and knowledge of the items purchased. This information can then be sold to telemarketers. On a website, everything you do is tracked down. This makes the information sold to telemarketers a lot more precise. Each site has its own policy.

-Cross-site profiling: when a company, such as DoubleClick, puts small GIF files on a site that load cookies onto your machine. DoubleClick can then track your movement across multiple sites, including things you type in search engines. Profiles are then formed with all the information collected.

Multiple Choice ?'s

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. D


2. D


3. D


4. B


5. C


6. D


7. D


8. B


9. B


10. B


11. E


12. A


13. C


14. C


15. B

Whither the Renaissance Man Discussion Questions

Discussion Questions:

1. The author suggests that people "invest in knowledge that won't wear out." What kinds of knowledge do you think he is referring to?

The author is referring to knowledge that will always be useful. This can be knowledge about basics, or it can be more specialized knowledge. This way, if all the books in the world disappeared, the knowledge would still be passed down through the generations. Knowledge that won't wear out is knowledge that will always be useful no matter what happens. For example, knowing how to cook, to build, to sew, is knowledge that won't wear out. People will always need to know how to do these things.

2. How could you make your own undergraduate studies more of an exploration and less of a routine?

To make your undergraduate studies more of an exploration rather than a routine, we should take classes in other subjects we are interested in, rather than only the ones we are specializing in. We should take the opportunity to take random classes and discover new things.

Mainframes and Microcomputers

A Mainframe is a giant room-sized machine used for big computing jobs. Mainframe computers can communicate with several users simultaneously. They are used by banks. For example, when you make a deposit, a mainframe does the transaction.

A Microcomputer is basically a personal computer. It is based on a microprocessor and is meant to be used by one person at a time, unlike mainframes. They cannot perform functions and calculations as great as the mainframe can.

TechReflect

TechReflect: What major events before the twentieth century influenced the development of the computer?

Before the invention of the computer, humans had to do all mathematical calculations. These calculations took many hours to produce, and they were filled with mistakes. Two British visionaries imagined the building of a mechanical computers that would do these calculations faster, and with no mistakes. However, it would take another 125 years before this vision became a reality.

Automobile:
Positive:

1. Travel is made easier.
2. We can go longer distances in shorter times.
3. The car industry provided many new jobs for people.
4. The assembly line was invented.

Negative:

1. We have become lazy and drive everywhere instead of walking or biking.
2. Most cars run on gasoline, whose exhaust harms the environment.
3. Natural gas is running out because of excessive use by cars.
4. Many people die due to car accidents.

Television:

Positive:

1. We can see the news happening all over the world.
2. It provides us with entertainment.
3. There are several educational channels that can teach us many new things about the world around us.

Negative:

1. Inappropriate and objectionable content is often shown on TV.
2. We become lazy and gain weight from watching too much television.
3. From the many shows and programs, people can gain an unrealistic view on life and be living with their heads in the clouds.

As a result of the invention of these machines, our lives have, no doubt, changed very much. However, whether it was for the positive or negative can be argued. I think that the invention of the automobile was very beneficial. Before the car was invented, people traveled around on animals, and in carriages. Travel was limited by how fast and how far an animal could take you. The car made it easier for people to travel farther distances in shorter amounts of time. People are now able to drive from one coast to the other in about a week. Before, it might have taken months or even years. The car allows us to visit family and friends whom we might otherwise not be able to visit. The television, is both positive and negative. Through it, we can view events that are happening around the world. We can also watch shows that will keep us entertained. However, these shows often contain foul language and inappropriate content. I think that as Muslims, the harms of the television outweigh the benefits. While our life has benefitted from the car, I don't think that the television has benefitted our life as much.

The Computer has many positive and negative effects. Among the positive is that through computers, we can access the internet. We have email through which we can talk to relatives and good friends who may live far away in a timely manner. We can also research information for projects or out of curiosity. Their are programs on the computer that allow us to type up papers instead of handwriting them, making them faster to write and easier to edit. However, once the computer is in our life, we become dependent on it. The computer may crash, or have viruses, destroying our work and not letting us do anything else with it. Also, through the internet, we may gain incorrect information and inappropriate content.