Summary Chapter 10
Chapter 10 provides insight regarding how the internet mass communication has become more and more personal. The author contends that mass communication is gradually being influenced by social, cultural, and personal factors. The chapter begins by highlighting the search and social aspects of the internet. As a social and a search tool, it is apparent that the internet has become an important factor in allowing more face-to-face communication at the global level. It has also played an important role in searching for answers to various questions. According to the chapter, the presence of automated and interpersonal tools helps people to meet their informational needs regardless of their location at any given time.
It is also important to note that the chapter provides a definition of what the internet is as well as the way it has developed in terms of compatibility of computers, information sharing, and maintenance of communication even after the nuclear war. Consequently, the chapter provides information regarding the development of packet switching by looking at the work by Paul Baran who was responsible for the development of decentralized computer network for the air force in 1964. There is also informative information regarding the way packet switching works and the incorporation of a diagram makes it easier to understand the whole concept. From the foregoing information, one learns of the way messages are broken into small packets that are then sent independently from one network to another while the recipient computer reassembles the message. Further, the chapter provides information regarding the Pentagon’s Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPAnet) regarding the networking of incompatible computers throughout the country. According to the chapter, the ARPAnet ushered in the multiple packet-switching networks. It also informs about the way these networks link by acknowledging the development of rules for networks to communicate with each other by Bob Kahn and Vint Cerf.
In addition, the chapter provides information regarding the development of the components such as Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol, which assist in the transmission of data while allowing computers to locate each other. On the interpersonal communication on the internet, the chapter considers various communication tools such as the electronic mail (commonly referred to as e-mail) and instant messaging platforms. Regarding group communication on internet, the author takes into consideration the listservs, which entails an internet discussion group that consists of the subscribers who make use of e-mail to exchange information among the group members, as well as the Newsgroups, which are online bulletin boards that cover a wide range of topics. Notably, the Newsgroups are generally web-based. The chapter considers the role of hypertext as the predecessor of the Web, noting that the former entails materials packaged in a format that contains links that allow readers to move from one section to another and also from a document to the next.
It is also important to note that the chapter considers the role that Tim Berners-Lee and the Web play in enabling the sharing of the documents that can be found on computers from any place in the world. In this regard, the chapter looks at the manner in which the World Wide Web came into existence. Accordingly, there is educative information on the components of the Web, in particular the Uniform resource locator (URL), Hypertext transfer protocol (http), and Hypertext markup language (HTML). The chapter also goes ahead to explain key web principles, accessibility of the Web, as well as the conception of social media and video games as platforms of mass communication. Further, the chapter considers and explains the hacker ethic and the concept of cyberspace with regard to the conflicts that arise from the use of digital media.
