Chapter 10
The Internet is built upon openness, robustness, and decentralization. How can online communities take advantage of these features? What lessons can be learned from communities that offer peer-to-peer computing, blogging, and open source modules?
The Internet is known for its openness, robustness and decentralization. Anyone who has a computer and phone jack has the capability to explore the World Wide Web. The Internet is so, robust that a person does not need a computer to access the web. Devices like cell phones, PDAs, or video game systems have capabilities to access the Internet. Online communities can create specific functions for members to take advantage of the many devices that are used to access the Internet. For example, creating a specific web page for cell phones and PDAs to access so members can check their community messages, or perhaps have a web client for community members that allow them to chat with other members using a cell phone, PDA, or any other small portable device that connects to the Internet. By default, online communities take advantage of the openness of the Internet. I say, ‘by default’ because the government or any other organization does not censor online communities. However, communities may have moderators or administrators that monitor the boards for vulgar remarks or comments that don’t have any value.
Online communities can benefit by from peer-to-peer computing, blogging, and using open source modules. When community members collaborate there will be times when they need to share files. When files are uploaded onto a central database and download by hundreds of people the bandwidth used for the transfers will become costly for community owners. Peer-to-peer computing can decrease the amount of bandwidth that the online community owners have to pay every month. Peer-to-peer works by members allowing other members to directly transfer a copy of the file from one computer to another. Blogging can help communities by members sharing ideas with each other. It provides a way for a person to elaborate on an idea without worrying about taking up too much space in an asynchronous message board environment. Lastly, online communities can use open source software as a means of setting the standards of sharable files in their communities. For example, free word processing software like Open Office could be a standard. Every member could download the software for free and not have to worry about compatibility issues.
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2 comments:
David, I think that the Open Source movement (is it a movement?) is going to really speed up the pace of online sharing, publishing, development, etc. In the last year I have downloaded and then promoted to friends and relatives all sorts of open source free software and online tools. It's at the point now that a school or organization can use very sophisticated software absolutely free - Moodle, OpenOffice, GIMP, FreeMind, Nvu, Google Earth, etc.
David you mentioned some very good technical aspects of peer interaction and software applications. I never knew that blogging could be an educational tool used by an instructor until I took this course. I just never paid much attention to blogs although I really want to learn more about internet cultures and social/educational platforms.
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