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Sambalhot - the online community to meet Asians for penpals, friendship, romance, love and marriage
Internet Communication Methods
Copyright 2004 Sharon Housley
How do we keep Internet communication simple?
Let's start by taking a look at the different methods used to communicate
on the web. It is important to understand the nuances and benefits
of the different forms.
Email
This is the most popular communication method.
Users typically use desktop software to receive, read and respond
to messages. Some users use web-based mail and manage messages in
a web browser like Internet Explorer. The downfall to email communication
is that anyone can send email messages to anyone else if they have
(or guess) the correct email address. This system's Achilles heel
is its simplicity and universal popularity.
Email accounts are often burdened by spam or unsolicited
email. Despite software developers having created complex spam filters
and legislators having introduced new anti-spam legislation, the
problem persists and spam continues to burden email as a messaging
medium.
Email Clients - http://www.messaging-software.net/e-mail-client-software.htm
Spam Software - http://www.email-software.org/spam-filter-software.htm
Instant Messaging
Instant messaging allows users to "chat" in real
time. Users can send text messages to anyone online and receive
instant replies if the user is also online. The "instant" fad gave
way to parental fears as children made "friends" online. With no
way to confirm if "friends" are who they represent themselves to
be, and multiple security holes, instant messaging has taken a back
seat in internet communication.
Instant Messaging - http://www.instant-messaging-software.com
Blogs
Online journals and daily diaries
have taken hold. Some blogs are interactive, allowing users to respond
and comment on posts. Locating topic-specific blogs that provide
r elevant and interesting content on a daily basis can be a challenge.
The nature of a blog is to contain fresh public content. As our
lives become more complicated blogs are often abandoned, as they
require constant updating.
Blog Connections - http://www.blog-connection.com
RSS
RSS is the latest messaging
medium and shows genuine promise as a means to communicate. RSS
files are produced as XML files and are designed to provide content
summaries of news or information. The biggest benefit to RSS is
that it does not have the spam issues inherent to email; users opt-in
to the RSS feeds that interest them.
RSS Specifications - http://www.rss-specifications.com
Forums / Newsgroups
A forum is an online discussion
group. Forums can be newsgroups, or they can be web-based discussion
groups. Forums have proven themselves as valuable business resources
- often creating communities of customers helping customers. Without
moderation and oversi ght they can potentially create an unfriendly
environment.
Message Board Software - http://www.messaging-software.net/message-board-software.htm
Listservs
Liststervs are mailing list programs
for communicating with other people who have subscribed to the same
list. Using e-mail, you can participate in listservs pertaining
to your topics of interest. When you submit a message to the server,
your message is relayed to all on the listserv. You receive messages
from other participants via e-mail.
Yahoo Groups - http://www.yahoogroups.com
What's Next?
Internet communication is intrinsically
tied to the hardware options available. Wireless technology has
accelerated the development of messaging software, opening the market
to a dizzying array of devices for web access. Where we were once
tied to a keyboard and mouse, we will soon be navigating the web
with our voices from a moving automobile, or browsing via screens
in our eyewear, with tiny cameras reading our eye movements to move
the cursor and make selections. Our interactive conversations will
include more and more participants at once. Evaluating the many
options and choosing what works best for you is the first step to
effectively communicating on the web.
This article is reprinted with
permission from www.WritingCareer.com
Sambalhot - the online community to meet Asians for penpals, friendship, romance, love and marriage
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