Not Whoops but OOPs
OOP stands for object-oriented programming. For instance – C++ and Java. Ever tried to use Microsofts Publisher instead of FrontPage? It’s done in OOP. It’s a program that handles a collection of individual objects that perform separate functions rather than as a sequence of statements that performs a specific task.
Just one of those ‘little’ things that make life interesting!
Paula
Netiquette
If you are new to the use of the Internet, please don’t forget the most important rule of Netiquette – don’t type in ALL CAPS. I see so many new people typing in all caps on chatboards or in their emails or blogs in caps. Please remember that this is considered to be Yelling or Shouting. We all know it’s easier to type in Caps than in upper or lowercase but please refrain from doing so. Just remember it’s Rude!
Paula
What the heck is a dotted quad?
Believe it or not, it just refers to an IP address. The dotted quad comes in because of the series of numbers, which is divided into four numbers, separated by a period, or ‘dot’. Each of the 4 numbers is between 0 and 255. Some numbers are reserved of course, but there are roughly 256 x 256 x 256 x 256 different IP addresses possible (Remember that an IP address is really a domain name). That comes out to approximately 4 billion. Will that be enough as time goes on? NO. So what are the powers that be doing about it? They are working on a system that will handle about 4 trillion addresses by using 128-bit address system. Instead of using the ‘dot’ and numbers, it will use hexadecimal numbers separated by ‘:’. Some ISPs in Japan are currently allocating these new addresses already.
Thought you might find it interesting to think that 4 trillion addresses might be needed since 4 billion won’t do the trick in the long run!
Paula
How does the Internet send my stuff?
To make it simple:
TCP/IP breaks your message into packets and sends each packet separately across the Internet. If a packet is lost, all your data does not need to be resent, TCP/IP only resends the missing packet. The destination computer collects the packets and reassembles them into your original data. Picture in your mind an ant. An ant has 3 body parts, the head, the middle, and the tail. TCP/IP breaks up your message (the ant) and codes the head part 1, the middle as part 2, and the tail as part 3 and sends it down the trail to a way station called the router. The router sends off part 1 in one direction, part 2 in another direction, and part 3 in another direction. The good thing is, all directions lead to Rome (your destination). Once there, part 1, 2, and 3 are reassembled and wha-la, you have the original ant. Since each section has been coded it will only reassemble with the original matching coded section. The router has determined the best path across the network so your trip is the quickest way possible to get where you’re going.
Paula
When was WWW created?
The World Wide Web came into being in March of 1989. Created by Tim Berners-Lee, who was a researcher at the Conseil Europeen pour la Rechereche Necleaire (CERN). (European Laboratory for Particle Physics in Geneva, Switzerland). He proposed a hypertext system that enabled scientists studying high energy physics to share information more efficiently.
They should create a holiday in his name!
Paula
Where would we be without DNS?
The Domain Name System (DNS) allows us to type in a NAME instead of a number. Example: I can type janedoexx.com instead of typing the real address which might look like this: 66.33.90.15
The average person can remember a few names but could not remember the numbers to every site they visit.
Pretty clever!
Paula
When was the internet created?
Formed in 1968, the Advanced Reasearch Projects Agency created the internet for the Department of Defense.
Bet you didn’t know it was so long ago!
Paula
The Top of the Line?
The most expensive website that had been created that I know about is one I saw here:
eternalegypt.org
Last time I heard about it, it had cost $10million.
Now that’s a lot of money! (It sure was a good site though!)
Paula
What do you need to have for a website?
Only 3 things.
1. Hosting space – think of it as a file cabinet. It’s a place to put things in. Like your website.
2. Domain Name- think of it as a label on your file cabinet. That way people can identify what’s in the file cabinet.
3. Web Page(s) – it’s what will fill your file cabinet.
Sometimes things we know, like file cabinets, are easy to understand.
Paula
Online User Tidbits
In the US and Canada, more than 51% of online users are between the ages of 21 and 40.
Males outnumber females two to one in Internet usage.
In the US, females outnumber males for online purchases.
Just a few tidbits to use as a baseline since the Internet continues to get bigger every single day!
Paula
