Day 2 - History of the internet

The internet didn't just happen, nor did computers just appear. From the beginning of computers there has been a long line of individuals who have contributed to the devlopment of the computer and the internet. Computers work on the same basic mathematical principles as calculators which way back in the 1700's used simple bead counting boards. So basically a computer is like a calculator! After computers were developed as early as 1940's, they went under many changes in size and shape. In the 60's and 70's companies distributed kit's for people to make computers, they were not already assembled. The people who put together computers were known as "computer hackers" which is different term to how we view the hackers now.

In 1966 the first 3 computers were linked together, this new form of communicating was distributed to buyers and the computers were learning and being programmed to communicate to eachother. But a few years later, in 1969 was when computers started to really take shape and their capabilities and complexities were improving rapidly. Frome 1969 We move to 1970 which was when arpanet was around. (It is important not to mix the internet with the world wide web, they are 2 different things. The world wide web is just part of the internet, like one of the "internets" capabilities). Arpanet was originally long text commands, these text commands would be typed into the computer which would tell the computer to do something, like if we were to use the mouse now. Here is a quick visual example of sending a file by code in visual basic which is a text command programming language.


Public Sub SendFile(SocketObject As Variant, ByVal FilePath As String, ByVal PacketSize As Long)
Dim lonFF As Long, bytData() As Byte
Dim lonCurByte As Long, lonSize As Long
Dim lonPrevSize As Long

On Error GoTo ErrorHandler

lonSize = FileLen(FilePath)

Open FilePath For Binary Access Read As #lonFF

ReDim bytData(1 To PacketSize) As Byte

Do Until (lonSize - lonCurByte) < PacketSize
Get #lonFF, lonCurByte + 1, bytData()
lonCurByte = lonCurByte + PacketSize
SocketObject.senddata bytData()
DoEvents
Loop
( retrieved from http://www.vbforums.com/showthread.php?t=331990 BY digiRev ).


Than after just plain coding to use the computer, computers moved onto using mouses and simpler ways of interacting with intereacting and performing functions, especially home computers. In 1979 MUD's were developed, these are text based games where gameplay was by typing and reading rather than stunning visuals with seizure inducing lights. Also in 1979, usenet had email and message discussion systems where people could post topics and reply to topics about anything! Now commonly known as forums. 1982 showed the first emoticon which really started to show personality and individuality on computers :-) <-- Like that little fellow there. The last era to quickly note about was 1988 - the irc chat system! These are chat rooms where people can discuss topics about anything, in live time!

Computers are fascinating pieces of technology. It is interesting to learn where they came from and how we as a tech savvy generation, can play our part in either, using the internet for personal use, helping us understand it's culture and how it impacts our lives, or being really geeky and pushing the boundaries of the internet or computer technology.

Here is a picture of a text game. image retrieved from GOOGLE Images.

























PART 1 of tute on DAY 2
Here is a video of the history of the internet that you may find of interest!


Part 2 of tute on DAY 2
Here are some questions I am going to answer;
How long have you been using these communication technologies?
I have been using new communication technologies now for about 10 years now. My first computer was with windows 3.1 and a dirty homer simpson mouse pad. I thought I was king, all that pixelated goodness in my cheese and tomato sauce filled room. Heres a thought, it's interesting to see how we have become so visually biased especially when it comes to video games. Is Space Invaders honestly not fun anymore?? I think they are...
Move = Left and Right arrow Key. Shoot = SpaceBar // Press I understand to play

Space Invaders made by Neave Games

What influenced you to start using these particular technologies? How did you find out about them?
It was the unknown that interested me and as an inquisitive young whipper snapper, I would learn not just to bite peoples ankles in the real world, but also on this screen in front of me! It was amazing to see computers and all the things you could do on them (limited compared now days)! I can't really remember how I discovered new communication technologies such as computers and mobile phones, I think I was always just asking "whats that!, whats that!" and eventually I pointed at a computer

Is privacy an issue for you when using new technologies? What do you think of companies like Facebook and Google who collect information about their users? (How do you deal with issues around privacy?)
Privacy is defiantly an issue, especially when you put your credit card information on the world wide web and when you see people humiliated at parties for being drunk, being teased online and an example like the star wars kid... >Click here who has been rediculed for just having some fun....
The companies that collect my personal information had better have some awesome security, but with most things they do let us know of some of the risks of singing up to there services and I believe people these days not everyone understands what they are getting themselves into when they interact online. My personal approach to many privacy issues is I just don't use services like facebook, my space and many of those other social networks, for me personally they aren't that interesting. But with other services like Ebay, I have to trust and hope that my information stays safe.

Do you have friends whom you know only from the internet and have never met in person? Is this different to people that you know in person? Describe the difference.
I have met people online before, however not through facebook but more online video games (X-Box live, MMORPG's, Gunz). The connections you develop with these people can be quite strong, especially when you are both running around fragging noobs together and just laughing all the time through the microphones. Usually talks I found are always very superficial. Real world friends though are there in mind body and spirit, people in the real world are "sharing" the expierence together. That doesn't mean online friends are bad, because sometimes we might be to nervous or shameful to open up to people in in the real world. But when opening up emotionally online, it is always advised to take great caution, especially if they can record you!