Education 603 Technological Capabilities
Internet Tool Review
Criteria for Internet
Tools Evaluation & Term Definitions
The following is a list of criteria used to evaluate the various
internet tools. For specific description of the salient features and
definitions click here.
- Salient Features:
- 1. User access--server/client
2. Synchronous and Asychronous Communication
3. Threading of Conversations
4. User interface
5. Speed of information exchange
6. Platform and system requirements
7. Cross-platform robustness
8. Securtiy of files on a server
9. Security of transmission
10. Collaboration
11. Upgradability of Software
12. Ability to incorporate multimedia
- Source/Cost
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<<Terms
Defined>>
- Interface
- The vast majority of internet users use programs with
graphic interfaces which means tht you see only graphics,
buttons, scroll bars etc. With a graphic interface you can use
your mouse and familiar Windows actions instead of relying on
your keyboard.
- Client/Server
- Client is a general term for a computer or application that
can access and retrieve information from a server computer. A
web client is usually called a web browser. A browser is an
application used to display HTML documents. Some popular
browsers are Netscape Navigator and Mosaic. Server is a program
that handles certain types of requests on a continuous basis.
- Threading
- Threading allows you to receive a reply with the original
message. For example, individual posted messages under a
specific newsgroup look exactly like e-mail messages and
contain a particpants comment, opinon, text except, quote or
any other information. Most newsgroups continue and infinitum
in a continuous discussion-based format; these streams of
discussion are called threads.
- Synch/Asynch
- Synergy brying together the depth of the printed medium,
the interactivity of the computer medium, andthe intimacy of
face to face interaction. Intermedia synergy brings the
computer user "out" of the virtual world and allows them to
network face to face with groups of like-minded individuals, to
exchange services, goods and ideas, and to make friends.
Asychronous transfer mode is a method for the dynamic human
communication via internet any time or any place with a
computer.
- Security of transmission
- refers to how safe your data (e-mail correspondences, for
example) is transmitted or stored. Most security measures are
enforced by the use of passwords which should not be given to
other individuals for obvious reasons.
- Collaboration
- is the ability to share and discuss ideas and issues via a
medium such as the Internet or World Wide Web. Collaboration
allows individuals within a department, school, school
district, country, or even the world an opportunity to
disseminate information, to share ideas, to support teacher
efforts.
- Upgradability of Software
- describes whether the software distributor improves their
product usability and provides new versions in a timely
fashion. Often sample, trial versions of software can be
dowloaded from the WWW without a cost from the producers. These
trial (beta) versions may have some bugs in the software.
- Ability to incorporate multimedia
- ascertains whether additional media such as sound, video,
text, animation, and images can be incorporated to supplement
or to improve the document. The WWW is rapidly becoming a means
to incorporate a variety of media.
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