The Internet

1. The Internet • Network of networks connected by gateways. • Wide Area Network Things you can do on the Internet : • FTP File transfer protocol • Online shopping • On-line banking • News groups or bulletin boards • Download software or data e.g. music, videos... • On-line chat rooms • Email • Video and teleconferencing etc

2. How to access a web page • Type in URL Type in the exact address of the website into the address bar • Web crawlers /search engines Type in a key word and select from given list • Boolean searches Type in key words with AND and OR etc to give more precise list • Use hyperlinks from other sites

3. How to navigate a website • Bookmarks to parts of the web page -Predefined links which take you directly to part or the page • Hotspots– click on graphic images • Key word searches -Type in a word and it will find it in the index • Drop down / pop up menus -Click and select from predefined list

4. E-commerce Businesses set up websites on the Internet because... • they can advertise. It enables people to find out what they do and what they sell. • people can email them with enquiries; orders; requests; • they can reach an international audience • More and more businesses are selling goods or services over the Internet. • Companies can advertise goods and services only • Companies sell goods and services e.g. Tesco's. music or making customised tea shirts. • Subscription services which sells information e.g. Metcheck or gives access to research papers e.g. Endnote • Interactive sites which encourages feedback on products. • Sites which allow users to bid for goods e.g. Ebay

5. What you must have to offer online interactive shopping • Maintaining a company web site and keeping prices etc up to date • Keeping a catalogue of stock for sale • Methods of secure payment • Database of customer’s orders. • Some sites allow you to keep track of the progress of your order.

6. Advantages to Companies • Overheads cut. Large savings on shops, warehouse and office space. • A wider catchment area for customers (the world is the limit!) • Customers can be kept in touch with by email and informed of new products etc. Money doesn’t have to be spent on normal business overheads like renting shops and paying employees. • Customers can be offered a much wider choice of goods because they can be ordered from suppliers as required rather than having to be kept available on the shelves all the time. Money is not tied up in unsold stock or wasted on products that aren’t popular. • Data about customers and their buying habits can be collected directly and used to offer a much more personalised service tailored to suit the needs of an individual customer.

7. Advantages to Customers : • there is no travelling - it can be done from home so saving in costs and time • Advantage disabled people who may not get to the shops • 365/24 shopping no sticking to shopping hours - it can be done 24 hours a day. • it is much quicker to check out a lot of different shops for the best price • obscure goods may be hunted for globally - your local shop may not stock it!

8. Disadvantages • Credit card fraud use secure payment methods or use of agreed words • Some websites are set up with the deliberate intention of taking customers money but never delivering the goods • Fake / copy cat websites such as those that copy a banks homepage – do not give personnel details such as bank account numbers over the Internet. • Fewer shops on the High Street needing fewer shop assistants. • People lack the social interaction of shopping becoming more isolated from society • Increase in commercial delivery transport.

9. How to cut down errors in online transactions Accuracy of the data • Customer :Verification procedures • Read data in forms carefully before submitting • Double entry keying • Company: Validation procedures • Range checks; presence checks; check digits; format checks; input masks etc

10. Distributed Databases • Distributed databases are different databases stored at different locations but linked together so they appear to be one large database.

11. Distributed computing using the Internet • Shared processing across the Internet • A distributed system is one where the processing is carried out by several physically separated computers on a network. Computers on this network can share resources and processing. Distributed databases are different databases stored at different locations but linked together so they appear to be one large database.

12. SETI research into radio signals. • e.g. SETI, or the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, is a scientific effort seeking to determine if there is intelligent life outside Earth. SETI researchers use many methods. One popular method, radio SETI, listens for artificial radio signals coming from other stars. SETI@home is a radio SETI project that lets anyone with a computer and an Internet connection participate

13. Distributed databases • e.g. A hotel chain may store details of guests booking on its local network but because each hotel is networked a distributed database can be used and staff in one hotel can see booking in another hotel and managers can monitor booking across the whole chain. Similarly for a chain of shops looking up stock

14. HEALTH SERVICE and distributed databases • Patients being treated for a new drug can record medical data e,g blood pressure, side effects at home and this data will be stored on a large central database which can be used for further medical research • Radiology databases can be distributed to world wide medical experts. • Patients can now ask to be sent to a hospital of their own choice. A hospital may store details of patients beds available on its local network but because each hotel is networked a distributed database can be used and staff in one hospital can see bed availability in another hospital and managers can monitor booking of beds across all the hospitals.

15. The Care Portal The Care Portal is defined as any port of entry tele-linked to a medical network and database. The Docking Station The Docking Station is the site where the medical expert provides consulting services, education and collaborative input over the medical network. The Bridge The Bridge is an intelligent medical communication hub which optimizes the flow of information between the Care Portals and the Docking Stations.. HCI The interface is a key component. For example, when designing the interface for a Care Portal, considerations should include some knowledge about the specific needs and knowledge level of the users which are most likely to use it.

16. Advantages of distributed databases • Allows the local processor to be used to share processing when not being used for other activities • Data used locally can be stored locally and network traffic kept to a minimum • If data lost on central site it could be reduplicated from local site • Allows sharing of data and of the results of processing of the data. • New locations can be added to the database without the need for rewriting the entire database.

17. Disadvantages of distributed databases • Complex software involved than a centralised database system • Because data is transferred it presents more of a security risk by hackers • As all the data is not stored in one location if a local site does not have location adequate backup then this data might be lost to the others. • If data is stored and updated in more than one place there is an increased chance of data inconsistency

18. Video Conferencing (Tele-conferencing). • With a small video camera fixed to your microcomputer, your image can be sent down the network to another user (and vice versa). Digital cameras send digital images and Audio signals are picked up by a microphone and are also sent. Companies can set up meetings with face to face communication between people who are not in the same room, building or even country! Advantages • Video conferencing allows regular meeting to take place between employees or companies located in different places. • Employees especially those abroad can get together for regular meetings without wasting time and money travelling

19. Disadvantages • Cost of setting up a videoconferencing room and purchase and maintenance of hardware • Subtle communications between people e.g. face and body language can be lost because not picked up by cameras and microphones or lost on the compression of data when being sent. • Technical, compression and signal problems can occur. Pictures are a bit 'jittery' at the moment but advancing technology such as fast broadband connection will improve quality of pictures In the health service • Skin /dermatology conditions can be remotely seen by an expert • Facial injuries can be examined and treatment planned before patients have to travel • Remote meetings of doctors and health service administrators.

20. Moral, Social and Ethical Issues associated with the Internet

21. Censorship Issues • No-one owns the Internet. It is international. Material which would be illegal if published in hard copy form is freely available on the Internet e.g. racist propaganda, bomb making instructions, pornography. Some say the Internet should be censored but who will do the censoring and how can centralised control be implemented

22. Accuracy of information There is no guarantee that any information on the Internet is accurate or true. Some web sites giving medical advice have been known to give wrong information but they are not held liable. Magazines can write untrue stories. Individuals can spread malicious rumours about people in emails.

23. Privacy • It is relatively easy to capture internet traffic. • Do we have the right to the privacy of our emails and data files? • Do we have the right to encrypt our data? • In the light of the increase in Internet crime, security scares and increased terrorist activity should the security services be allowed to monitor all Internet traffic?

24. Effects upon communities • Some argue that the Internet has increased; • the number of valuable interactions e.g. keeping people in touch with families whilst travelling using Internet cafes. • increased awareness of geographically separated cultures • Others argue that it has led to a lack of individual social interaction by frequent Internet users e.g. you can work, shop or bank from home without ever having to mix with others. This could cause small local business to go out of business thus increasing social isolation.

25. Ownership and control • Who owns the Internet? • Who controls the Internet • Because of the increased commercial value of activities on the internet will a few media giants take control and effectively determine content? • The law of individual countries is beginning to address some of the legal issues such as intellectual property rights on the Internet but laws only apply to the country which passed them. International laws may go some way to address misuse of the Internet but this is still along way off.