Module 2 - Lists Tasks

What are the pros and cons of email lists versus discussion boards?
Are there certain kinds of communication or purposes more suited to one than the other? (Allen et al. n.d.)

Honestly I never use email lists and discussion board before. The reason why I never use both of them because I think is boring and it is taking to long to get the answer or you might never get a answer. But I do use discussion board now because of my studies and I totally change my mind after using discuss board. It is actually quite good, you do get your answer, many people contribute to help and exchange some information and ideas.

Email lists and discuss board look quite the same to me but actually they are 2 different communication tools. I have tried to play around with some Yahoo! Groups. Some of them quite active and some of them are outdated, it is depend on what topics and some of them request to join and some don't. The email list to me look like a group of people are interested in the same topic by contribute the answers or asking questions. Actually it is kind of same as the discuss board, some people posting and some people receiving post from the thread. Both of them are open to public discussion for the topic they like.


Reference
Allen, M., et al. (n.d.). Module 2 Communicating in the Infosphere. Curtin University of Technology. Retrieved June 28, 2009, from http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_18825_1&content_id=_985241_1

Module 2 - Email Tasks

I have been using email for more than 10 years. Email is used to one of the communication tool for me to communicate with my families and friends. Basically I just write and read emails and never really care what others function does. When I start working and receive many emails from colleagues and clients then I start to think I really should organise the emails, then I realise it is much more easy to check the emails from clients or colleagues after organised. This is how I begin to organise my email, learn what is cc, bcc, attachment file, add signature, filter messages etc.

1. What information about a user's email, the origin of a message, and the path it took, can you glean from an email message? (Allen et al. n.d.)

• You can identified who is the sender and where it is from by looking the email address. For example if I receive a email from peter@xyzcompany.com.au, by looking the email address I know Peter send me a email from his XYZ Company in Australia.
• Subject will tell me what it is all about. It is a junk mail or email from families, friends, work or client.
• You can tell who the recipients by checking 'To' and 'CC', unless the person 'BCC' otherwise you will be see all the recipients.
• You also can see the email is actually send to you or forward to you by Re: and Fwd:.
• The body or text will give you the message from the sender.
• You know when was the email send to you by checking the time and date.

2. In what cases would you find it useful to use the 'cc', 'bcc' and 'reply all functions of email? (Allen et al. n.d.)

• CC is used for sending email to second important recipients or for information only to inform the recipients. For example you send the main email to the person in charge and cc to all the people who involve in this project.
• BCC is used for sending email to recipients without letting other recipients know. For example you send a quotation email to your clients and you doesn't want to let your client know who are the other people you sending to, so you bcc them.
• Reply all is used to replying email to all the recipients and let other recipients know who will receive. For example you receive email from friend about the reunion dinner so you can reply all to let them know whether you will be going or not.

3. In what ways can you ensure that an attachment you send will be easily opened by the receiver? (Allen et al. n.d.)

• To make sure all recipients can open the attachment, you have to send documents file as plain text (ASCII) or Rich Text File (RTF) or;
• Convert to pdf file. PDF is universal format, most of the computer will be able to open the file or;
• Email or call the recipients ask what format should you send for them make sure they can open the file.

4. What sorts of filters or rules do you have set up, and for what purpose? (Allen et al. n.d.)

• I have a spam filter set up. It automatic send suspected spam to my spam folder to make sure I don't get the spam.
• I have blocked some email address, mostly from the person I don't know or some online advertisement, it help me get rib of unwanted email.

5. How have you organised the folder structure of your email and why? (Allen et al. n.d.)

I have organised my folder structure to suit my personal need. Such as I have Families, freinds, studies, work folder etc. I do check my email few times a day, after reading it I will decide whether I should file or thrash it. This help me to organised my emails and also keep track of all my emails and never mix up with other.


Reference
Allen, M., et al. (n.d.). Module 2 Communicating in the Infosphere. Curtin University of Technology. Retrieved June 28, 2009, from http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_18825_1&content_id=_985241_1

Module 1 - Internet Tools

LOG ENTRY:
Record your outcome and reflections of your experiences and thoughts on this task in your learning log (Allen et al. n.d.)

I have try CentralOps, Network-tools.com and IPNetMonitorX, because I don't really know what are the trace route, hop and milliseconds... So I have to compare and learn it, and the result came out quite different.

CentralOps
The result for centralops.net are 18 hops with 4 time outs, the average time will be 267ms and the IP address is 134.7.179.56.


Network-tools.com
The result for network tools are 17 hops with 5 time outs, the average time will be 298ms and the IP address same as above, which is 134.7.179.56 (of course : ) ).


IPNetMonitorX
I also try to use this program to test. The result for IPNetMonitorX are 10 hops with 4 time outs, the average time will be 29ms (0.029 seconds) and the IP address same.


So it is very obvious that if I used trace route through internet it will take longer time to process and the program that I install into my computer (free trial) will be much more faster time, because it did not have to go through so many process.


Further Exploration

LOG ENTRY:
Record your outcome and reflections of your experiences and thoughts on this task in your learning log (Allen et al. n.d.)

The original link not available from Mac: IPNet Monitor, so I found another one IPNet MonitorX instead. It is a latest version and free to try to.


After comparing with the net tools site, surprisingly the install version (IPNetMonitorX) is much more faster then the net tools site. The average result is 0.025 seconds, which mean 25 milliseconds from IPNetMonitorX. Net tools site average time over 10 pings is 302.4 milliseconds = 0.3024 seconds.


The reason would be Curtin Blackboard (located in Perth) and computer (located in Geraldton) are physically close to each (both located in Australia) and the net tools site located in Oversea, so the closer would be the faster.

After trace route and compare to both of the hops, IPNetMonitorX came with 6 hops and the original net tools site is 12 hops.

The differences observations are the hops lesser and the timing faster. Because of IPNetMonitorX directly go through router and search then come back directly. If using Net tools site for search, it will be go to net tools site then to server and search then come back through server again then come back to computer. Which mean more process and taking longer time to do it.


Reference
Allen, M., et al. (n.d.). Module 1 introduction to Internet Communications. Curtin University of Technology. Retrieved June 17, 2009, from http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_18825_1&content_id=_985240_1

Module 1 - FTP

LOG ENTRY:
Record your outcome and reflections of your experiences and thoughts on this task in your learning log (Allen et al. n.d.)

The answer is CAPITALIZATION MATTERS!

Finally manage to completed this task without having to much of trouble. The program is quite a user friendly, even like the first time learner also can do it. What I did is just follow the instruction will do.

I used FTP before to upload quite a large files to the printer (but I have no idea what is FTP then). it usually took a quite same time to transfer the files. It is about a minute for 1 MB (I count it myself), I am not sure it is my company's internet slow or any other reason.

FTP look like very convenience to transfer the file/s to anywhere of the world, but I just not sure how fast can it be. Me and my colleague have an experienced before by sending some files to the printer at the same time and it is very slow, it look like both of our files are fighting to get through, because of the dateline I have to stop and let my colleague send first.


Reference
Allen, M., et al. (n.d.). Module 1 introduction to Internet Communications. Curtin University of Technology. Retrieved June 13, 2009, from http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_18825_1&content_id=_985240_1

Module 1 - Telnet - Tasks B (Star Wars)

LOG ENTRY: Record your reflections of your experiences and thoughts about blinkinlights in your learning log! What do you think about Telnet now? Think about histories and creativity - think about technical needs or technical issues and problems... and how they might mutate to produce new applications, new needs or movements! (Allen et al. n.d.)

What can I say, I am fan of Star Wars (since young til now). The Telnet Star Wars is Awesome! It is really hit me when I saw it from my screen. It is hard to imagine how long does the creator took to create this and how he did it back then? Maybe some of you know how to do it, but to me (new to this course) it is a new experience.

You can definitely imagine how smart and creative can people do. From this Telnet Star Wars to latest Star Wars movie, from the simple things developed to the latest technology, from flat 2D to colourful 3D, from no sound to digital sound etc. The world moving and changing very fast, people learn from the mistakes, things improving everyday, so we have to pick up very fast too, maybe not everything but some relevant to you.

Creative is the core of everything (this is what I always think). You have to be creative to create things, it may be fail for many times but it is not impossible to have it one day, it just sooner or later.

Screen capture from Star Wars, towel.blinkenlights.nl

Reference
Allen, M., et al. (n.d.). Module 1 introduction to Internet Communications. Curtin University of Technology. Retrieved June 13, 2009, from http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_18825_1&content_id=_985240_1

Module 1 - Telnet - Tasks A

LOG ENTRY:

Record your outcome and reflections of your experiences and thoughts on this task in your learning log (Allen et al. n.d.)

I took a while to figure out how to use telnet in my Mac. Finally found out need to key in telnet before start to do anything.

I am also lucky enough to follow the instruction (without having any problem) and completed the Task A. To new people like me it is kind a torture to understand what telnet is and other terms. But I am starting to get a bit of idea how internet work.


Reference
Allen, M., et al. (n.d.). Module 1 introduction to Internet Communications. Curtin University of Technology. Retrieved June 12, 2009, from http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_18825_1&content_id=_985240_1

My First Blog

What should I do for the blog!

This is the first question pop into my mind. Well, this is my first blog and I have never been to a blog before but I do see people doing blog on TV, I just thinking it that really fun? Now I have to set up one for myself, because I am taking a course (NET11 from OUA) require me to do so, so I hope I will understand why people like to blog by doing this course and enjoy it.

Top Five Tips For New Bloggers

LOG ENTRY:
In your learning log, record your first entry considering the topic "top five tips for new bloggers" - what are your top 5 tips? (Allen et al. n.d.)

1. It is very important to read the instructions first before you set your own blog.

2. Pick a design you like for your blog.

3. Keep your blog updated on regular basis.

4. Take your time to make your blog look as good as possible.

5. Make sure for spelling check


Reference
Allen, M., et al. (n.d.). Assignment details. Curtin University of Technology. Retrieved June 10, 2009, from http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_18825_1&content_id=_985245_1