11 replies to this topic

[screen317]

Hey guys,


I'm doing a presentation for my AP US History class on basically the pros/cons & benefits/costs of the Internet.

I'm looking at breaking it down into:

Pros:

• Business expansion
• Information superhighway and all that jazz...
• Medium of communication...
• Entertainment:
• Gaming...
• Live Concerts
• etc...

Cons:

• Cyber Crimes:
• Pedophilia
  
• Identity Theft
• and ultimately, Malware

Are there any broad topics I seem to be missing?

Any other input would be much appreciated,


~screen317

[Budfred]

It is not clear what you mean by "Information superhighway and all that jazz", but the access to information and the democratization of that access is probably the most important, enduring and radical aspects of the internet... Along with that, the ability for almost anyone to report news/information...

As for threats, your list is very short... You need to include extortion, scams of all kinds, phishing, credit card theft (as distinct from identity theft), DDoS against various organizations, political terrorism, hate-mongering, taking over computers to distribute SPAM, SPAM overload, drug distribution and internet addiction... I would also argue that the unprecedented access to porn and gambling are bad...

I imagine I missed a few more...

[hornet777]

I would start out with two broad categories, namely social and technical, and perhaps make it a point to demonstrate that these aren't, and cannot be clear-cut distinctions, but are related and connected in many diverse ways.

One of these would be the sheer power it takes to keep it all going (electricity). Another might be how literally centuries of property ownership common law had to be overturned in order to provide for the possibility of not only the internet, but the software that runs it. There is also the issue of its commercial character now, as opposed to its originary mandate, just to mention three, in addition to budfred's

You have taken on quite a task, screen317; best wishes on the endeavour!

/spelling & grammar

Edited by hornet777, 27 May 2007 - 10:28 PM.

[screen317]

Thank you both, Budfred and hornet777.

It is not clear what you mean by "Information superhighway and all that jazz", but the access to information and the democratization of that access is probably the most important

Yes, the accessibility of information was primarily what I was referring to on that one.

As for threats, your list is very short...

Indeed it is. I just listed a few of the items I was planning on including, since they all fall under "Cyber Crimes," which is why I asked for more broad topics I could discuss. Thank you regardless for the list of threats; very helpful.

I would also argue that the unprecedented access to porn and gambling are bad...

Agreed.



Quick question Budfred, if you don't mind... Why is it that you always capitalize SPAM? ^_^

There is also the issue of its commercial character now, as opposed to its originary mandate

May I ask what exactly you mean here, hornet777?

You have taken on quite a task, screen317; best wishes on the endeavour!

Thank you; I'll try my best



~screen317

[Budfred]

I capitalize SPAM to emphasize it and because I get angry about it... Capitalizing online is shouting and that is how I feel about SPAM...

I believe hornet777 was referring to the fact that the internet (ARPnet) was originally created as a tool to help scientists around the country to communicate readily with each other and speed up the pace of research... It was government supported and intended to be mostly academic... Some programs were written to help this and eventually a graphic interface evolved and it exploded... Now the commercial interests dominate over the scientific, but it still serves as a powerful tool in research and the sharing of information...

One of the reasons I hate SPAM and malware so much is that they threaten to take down the internet... That is similar to burning the Library of Congress as far as I am concerned... Fortunately, I don't think they will be able to succeed, but they do interfere with the positive potential of the internet...

[hornet777]

what budfred said was adequate to elucidate my meaning

there was also the provision as a decentralised means of communication, should some catastrophe beset the nation that would still be functional, which I wonder about its status now...

Edited by hornet777, 28 May 2007 - 06:56 PM.

[Budfred]

there was also the provision as a decentralised means of communication, should some catastrophe beset the nation that would still be functional, which I wonder about its status now...

That is still there as was shown by a few emergencies in the last few years in which the internet was the main source of info when the established means broke down... However, that could be crippled by some of the criminal efforts as well...

[racooper]

Straight from Hormel...
[quote name='http://www.spam.com/legal/spam/']We do not object to use of this slang term to describe UCE, although we do object to the use of the word "spam" as a trademark and to the use of our product image in association with that term. Also, if the term is to be used, it should be used in all lower-case letters to distinguish it from our trademark SPAM, which should be used with all uppercase letters.[/quote]

[Budfred]

Straight from Hormel...

We do not object to use of this slang term to describe UCE, although we do object to the use of the word "spam" as a trademark and to the use of our product image in association with that term. Also, if the term is to be used, it should be used in all lower-case letters to distinguish it from our trademark SPAM, which should be used with all uppercase letters.

Yeah, I'm not too fond of Hormel either...

[hornet777]

I was unclear as to how that stood since the backbones switched to commercial hands. In any case, if the "catastrophe" involved anything like an electromagnetic pulse, the only thing left would be amateur phone and CW, with valve/tube equipment, so the Alfred E. Newman dictum applies I suppose...

Be sure and let us know how it comes out, ok screen317? Might be cool to read it too!

[screen317]

Be sure and let us know how it comes out, ok screen317? Might be cool to read it too!

Hey guys


The presentation was today, and I believe it went well overall


Regarding something to read, hornet...


For this assignment, there are two parts: the presentation, and a twelve page research paper.


Research paper due on the 7th of June. I'll be sure to let you guys read it as soon as I've finished.


~screen317

[hornet777]

sweet!