Computer Communications Channels and Equipment and the Internet and World Wide Web

Communicating with a computer is becoming the standard today for both business and personal use. The communications channels are constantly being upgraded in order to send information faster. Communications technologies have changed the way people interact through the use of e-mail, videoconferencing, and the Internet.

Many vendors sell network versions of their software. The network version resides on the network server and can be accessed by each computer on the network. When a network version is purchased, a site license is obtained from the vendor. The fee for the site license, usually based on the number of computers on the network, is less than the purchase of individual packages for each computer.

The number of people using the Internet is growing by 5% each month. Paul Moritz, a vice president at Microsoft, maintains that, "In the long run, it's hard to exaggerate the importance of the Internet." The Web, an innovation of Tim Berners-Lee, debuted in 1989. Since then, the Web has experienced astounding growth. Some experts claim that the size of the Web doubles every 60 days. Using links to move from one document to another often is called surfing the Web. Two popular Web browsers are Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer.

How to Purchase, Install, and Maintain a Computer

At some point in your life, you will probably decide to purchase a computer. Aside from understanding the components discussed earlier, it also is important to be able to find the computer that best fits your needs. For example, most new computers come with application software already installed. If you do not use this software, then it is of no value even though you got it for "free." There are several things to look for when purchasing a new computer. If possible, speak to someone who is familiar with the purchasing process and can guide you along.

For most people, buying a computer is an expensive experience. Despite this, many people are woefully uninformed when they set out to purchase a computer. Although desktop computer systems remain popular, since 1993 sales of laptop, notebook, and smaller computers have rivalled sales of larger systems, partly because of their enhanced capabilities and increased use by field sales forces. Be careful when setting up a computer system. Failure to follow health guidelines can lead to painful, and even permanent, disabilities. Government studies indicate repetitive stress disorder (RSI) and cumulative trauma disorder (CTD), the most commonly reported problems associated with prolonged keyboard use, are responsible for half of work-related illnesses. Computer security is an increasingly important issue. A survey of American companies with more than 200 personal computers showed that over 60% had suffered at least one virus attack. Two of the major sources of viruses, free software and illegally copied software, more commonly are used by small companies and private individuals, so the percentage of PC users affected by viruses may be much higher. E-mail attachments have been the carriers of several recent virus attacks that have infected both business and home computer users.

E-Commerce

Conducting business online is known as electronic commerce, or e-commerce, and includes such commercial activities as shopping and investing. The three types of e-commerce that exist today are business to consumer (B2C), consumer to consumer (C2C), and business to business (B2B).

If you have access to a computer, an Internet connection, and a means to pay for products or services, you can participate in e-commerce. Today, users can participate in e-commerce not only through desktop computers, but also through mobile devices such as laptop and handheld computers, pagers, and cellular phones. M-commerce (mobile commerce) is the term some people use to describe e-commerce activities that take place using mobile devices.

The more popular uses of e-commerce include shopping and investing. On the Web, you can buy and sell stocks, order flowers, purchase groceries and airline tickets, and even buy a car!

Three types of e-commerce exist: business to consumer (B2C), consumer to consumer (C2C), and business to business (B2B). Of the three, most e-commerce takes place between businesses, making B2B e-commerce transactions the most common.