LIS2004: Internet Communication

Blogs

A blog is a website that allows a web author to simply and easily share thoughts and ideas with other web users. The word blog comes from weblog, which refers to a log of dated postings by a particular author or group of authors. Blogs can cover any topic or can just be someone’s daily, weekly, or occasional diary of thoughts and opinions. Blogs can be interactive when readers add comments and a discussion is created. Many blogs are topic specific, such as the SCOUTUS Blog or Smitten Kitchen. You can find blogs on almost any topic. Technorati is one of many directories that can help you find blogs that may be of interest to you.

RSS Feeds

RSS is an acronym for several phrases; the most common is Really Simple Syndication, but it is sometimes referred to as Rich Site Summary, or RDF Site Summary. An RSS feed allows you to track new content on a website or blog or to keep up with the latest news stories. An RSS reader or browser is required for you to read the headlines or updates.

1. An RSS aggregator or reader is a special software program installed on your computer. It provides a window on your computer screen so that each time a site to which you subscribe is updated, it displays a headline (called a news feed) and a short summary or abstract of the new content.  If the headline is of interest, you may follow a link to the website.  If you're not interested, you just delete the headline.  An update is sent to your aggregator each time new content is added.
2. Some browsers, such as Opera, Firefox, and Safari, have built-in RSS capability.
3. Web-based readers, such as Bloglines or Feedly, allow you to check your feeds with your web browser.
4. Apps are available so that you can view RSS feeds on your mobile device.
5. You can also subscribe to services that deliver headlines and updates to your e-mail address. 

Websites with RSS feeds usually indicate their RSS feed with one of the following icons:

Some websites also provide a selection of “chicklets,” or icons associated with specific RSS readers (see CNN's examples below). To subscribe to the feed, you would click the chicklet that corresponds to the RSS reader you use. Like CNN, some larger news sites let you choose to only subscribe to a subset of their feed, so you only recieve the information that will be useful to you.  

There are many other sites that provide access to feeds, such as Newsisfree, Syndic8, and Feedroll.

Increasingly, web users are finding that social media sites such as Twitter can be used in place of RSS readers. Since many news sites and blogs tweet links to their latest posts, you can simply follow them on Twitter to keep track of new content.

Podcasting

 A podcast is a series of computer files, usually in audio or video format, to which a user can subscribe via an RSS feed. It is helpful to think of a podcast as being similar to a radio or television series, but instead of having to remember to tune in at a particular time to listen to or watch your favorite program, a podcast is a program to which you can subscribe, and have each episode automatically delivered to your computer. An RSS aggregator that supports multimedia (also called a “podcatcher”) is needed to subscribe to and receive podcasts. iTunes is an example of software that can be used as a podcatcher. Other popular podcatchers include gPodder and Juice, and Stitcher, which also has a mobile application for smartphones and tablets. iTunes is also a good place to search for podcasts that might be of interest to you.  You can also find many podcast directories on the web, including Digital Podcast and Podcast Alley. As with blogs, there are podcasts on almost every conceivable topic. 

There are differing opinions as to the origin of the word “podcast.” Some say it is a combination of the words “iPod” and “broadcast.” According to others, it comes from the acronym P.O.D., which stands for “portable on demand,” or “personal on demand.” This refers to the fact that podcast episodes are available on the web for users to consume at their convenience.  It is important to note that you do not have to have an iPod in order to receive or create podcasts. Podcasts can, however, be downloaded to iPods and other mobile devices for listening on the go.

 Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike 3.0 License

 A wiki is a collaboratively developed website that allows users to edit the site’s content using a web browser. The most famous example of a wiki is the Wikipedia, an online encyclopedia that is continuously maintained by a worldwide community of tens of thousands of volunteer contributors. Many businesses, educational institutions, and social groups use wiki software to collaborate on various projects.

The first wiki software, known as “WikiWikiWeb,” was invented by computer programmer Ward Cunningham in 1995. He chose the word “wiki,” which in Hawaiian means “quick,” because of the ease with which users can edit wiki sites.

When communicating on the internet, it is essential to observe certain rules of behavior. Effective communications are governed by “netiquette” (internet etiquette). Actually, netiquette refers to rules of behavior governing the use of all internet services, including communicating with discussion groups, creation of web pages, and blogging.

 Email Netiquette

• Never say anything you don't want made public. Think before you post a message; always make sure you really want to send what you have written. Messages may easily be forwarded to others or saved for retrieval later. E-mail messages are not secure. Most organizations archive all e-mail messages that pass through their servers, and messages may also be intercepted en route.
• Don't use e-mail when you are emotional. If you are angry, you can sound abusive or threatening. Be careful when expressing humor and sarcasm because it can be misinterpreted. With most systems, you can't get the message back after you click the send button.
• Use emoticons (smileys) to help express emotion. Standard emoticons include:

• Emoticons may not be appropriate in business or professional correspondence. A large collection of emoticons is available from The Unofficial Smiley Dictionary on the Electronic Freedom Foundation's Extended Guide to the Internet.
• Use informative, carefully phrased subject headings. Many people get a hundred or so pieces of e-mail a day. If you want your message to be read, give your messages concise and informative subject headers.
• DON'T USE ALL UPPERCASE LETTERS! IT'S EQUIVALENT TO SHOUTING. Don't use all lower case either. It's much easier to read a mixture of upper and lower case letters, especially if you need to use proper nouns or names such as Mary Smith, United States, NASA, etc.
• Keep the sentence and paragraph length reasonably short. Some systems break up lines longer than 65 characters. If the note is forwarded, it might be indented by tab or may be strangely formatted by other mail systems. Sometimes strange characters are inserted at the ends of lines, which makes reading long sentences difficult.
• Some writers feel standards of grammar, spelling, style, and document form no longer apply when communicating online, but this isn't true. You should use the same courtesy with electronic message readers as with print readers. Make an effort to spell words correctly, use correct grammar, use capital letters correctly, and space between paragraphs. You will make a better impression on the recipient.
• Netiquette observed in a particular e-mail environment (work, school, businesses, etc.) may not apply to your e-mail communication with your friends.
• The internet is an international network made up of people with differing characteristics, including ethnicity, race, age, and sexual orientation. Be sensitive to these differences, and be careful with slang.
• Avoid local abbreviations and acronyms, or define the ones you use.
• When replying to an e-mail message or discussion group posting, include at least a thread of the original e-mail you are replying to just to remind the recipient of the original subject discussed, but don't include the entire message to which you are replying. Edit out all the irrelevant material.
• Don't redistribute private e-mail sent to you without first asking the originator's permission.
• Avoid sending messages to large numbers of users unless you have a valid reason to do so. E-mail sent to many recipients may be considered spam. Never send chain letters via electronic mail. Chain letters spread misinformation, clog mail servers, and reduce bandwidth on the internet. Sending chain letters can result in network privileges being revoked.  Notify your local system administrator if you receive one. Some chain letters perpetuate hoaxes, and you should take care to identify them. “Phishing” is also a common problem in e-mail communication. Phishing occurs when someone sends you an e-mail message pretending to be your bank, credit card company, or other official entity. They typically try to frighten you by saying that your account has been compromised in some way, and then try to trick you into giving them your account number or other sensitive information. The following websites provide information on chain letters, phishing scams, and internet hoaxes:Sign your e-mail messages. Be sure to include your name and address, or organization, if appropriate. You can create a signature file ahead of time and add it to the end of your messages.
  • Hoax Warnings
  • Hoaxbusters
  • Snopes.com

One of the best web sites providing a broad view of the rules of netiquette is the online version of Virginia Shea's book Netiquette. Others include Email Etiquette and NetManners.com.

Your Digital Footprint

The internet has the ability to track your online behavior. Every time you download software from the web, “like” something on a social network, or purchase something from an online merchant, you leave a “digitial footprint” behind. If you say something online, it can hang around in cyberspace forever – even if you delete it, and can potentially be seen your employer or someone else who you might not want to see it. Avoid revealing private information about yourself or about others. This may include things as simple as your whereabouts. For example, geo-location based social media applications like Foursquare are lots of fun, but they’re also a really efficient way of letting people know you’re not home. Use caution and common sense when interacting with others online, and when entering sensitive information such as bank account numbers and social security numbers. When creating a password, try to make it difficult for others to guess. Safeguard your passwords and avoid sharing them with others. Most importantly, when you sign up for a social network or other online service, make sure you read and understand the privacy settings associated with that service.

Additional Guidelines

• Respect copyright. Give credit to other people’s work when appropriate, and avoid posting copyrighted material (images, videos, etc.)
• Fight cyberbullying. According to the U.S. Government's website on bullying, cyberbullying is a problem that affects 21% of American teens. Cyberbullying is a crime, and should never be practiced. If you or someone you know becomes a victim of cyberbullying, Wired Safety is a website that contains information on what you can do.
• Be authentic. Even though some social networks allow you to use pseudonyms or create fictitious avatars, it can still be important to be honest, and avoid misrepresenting yourself. While role-playing can be interesting and fun, and is certainly appropriate in some online environments, you might find social interaction on the web more meaningful if you just be yourself.