------------------------------------------------------------------------ Computer-Mediated Communication Practicum John December Lesson 3: A detailed look at NIR tools and CMC forums 7 Feb 94 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Introduction The basis for communicating on the Internet is the tools for Network Information Retrieval (NIR) and Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) that can operate on the Internet. The kinds of tools on the Internet has expanded rapidly with the growth of the Internet. New tools and variations are coming into existence all the time. In this lesson, we'll use my "Internet Tools Summary" as a basis for exploring these tools and forums further. Core Skills: you will o gain familiarity with many Internet Tools. o explore a tool in detail and report back to the class about it. Key concepts to understand o Network tools vary in complexity, purpose, function, and interface. Many NIR tools are based on an underlying protocol (ftp, gopher, http). Some tools, like Mosaic, are really just interfaces (clients). o The "basic 3" Internet tools are email, ftp, and telnet. o Many tools are based on client/server model. Setup for lesson: 1. Login to a Unix workstation using your userid and password. 2. Bring up Mosaic 2.0 (see lesson 2 for details if you don't remember how to do this.) Lesson: 1. Go to the course web page, open the Internet Web Text, and then open the Internet Tools Summary (hammer icon.) 2. We will go through this list, discussing each tool and forum and looking at demonstrations and documentation on each. 3. Bring up the References at the bottom of the Internet Tools Summary web page. 4. By the end of the class period, talk to me about which tool or forum you would like to study in detail. It needn't be on this Internet Tools Summary (there are more tools and variations not listed here.) See the homework assigned (below). 5. NOTE: some of these tools require you to operate them outside of Mosaic (e.g., IRC, MUDS, etc.). ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Extras" (Optional): o Create your own categorization of tools or forums. ************************************************************************ HOMEWORK 3: ======================================================================== Choose an NIR tool or CMC forum, and explore it in detail. (Sign up with me what tool or forum you will cover; you can work in groups of two people, if you would like.) You can use one of the tools/forums in the tools summary list or find some others. Write a description of what you find. Talk about what the tools is used for and how useful you think it is. What other applications might it have? Also, what critiques can you make about it? (50 lines or so.) Turn in this homework by posting it to the course discussion list no later than class time next week. ************************************************************************ Comments: In the final lesson, we'll look at survival skills--- what happens when things go wrong, how to find out more, and how to thrive on the Internet. ........................................................................ Copyright (c) 1994 John December