Monday, December 15, 2008

Internet Tools exercise


The tool I used to trace how many routers are invoiced is visual route. It took 23 hops from Ashburn, Virginia to curtin university site.
Here is the analysis of the test.

File Transer Protocol task

Answer: CAPITALIZATION MATTERS!

I have had some minor experience in FTP servers in the past. Mainly when large files which needed to be uploaded to my work website wouldn't upload within the content management system we were using, so some smart guy came up with the idea of using an FTP server. I thought it was pretty hi-tech.

I still think it's pretty hi-tech actually! Yes it's simple, but it's so much more involved than ordinary internet users get their hands on. It gives you a better understanding that essentially, the information that we are viewing on the web are files, they are kept somewhere in the world on a server, and the fact that we can access them in a flash, with a click of a finger is pretty cool.

Soft furnishings for blogger

Would love to "spruce" up my blog. Perhaps change the background, add a few throw cushions here and there... Lets see how I get on over the next day or so.

Module 1 - Telnet task

What the? I had never heard of Telnet before, so I was a little confused by this exercise initially. But, as a faithful following student I did as instructed and searched for telnet for mac. I found a telnet client and downloaded, but I hadn't read the instructions properly so wasn't sure exactly how this little window was meant to work.

I then did another search for 'telnet for mac' and found that wikihow gave very simple instructions on how to use Terminal through the applications folder on my mac. Too easy!

Being a little behind has benefited me in this case because I read through the discussion board on webct where Ursuli explained that I needed to type 'telnet' then a space, then the library address.

The rest was pretty simple. I did however have to type a keyword of "The" in the hope that this would bring up a result for a Bennahum book. Got lucky and found two. Phew!

For some reason the interface of this telnet window reminds me of my own local library computer when I was at school. Perhaps it was a similar internet protocol to connect to the internal library server. I never knew how advanced I was being!

Falling behind is a drag.. literally

I'm sure you all know the feeling. Life gets in the way sometimes and before you know it you're confused and seem to be soooo behind. This is where I'm at now. I'm usually a very organised little button, so it is a little frustrating not being up to date.

My intention over the next few days is study hard, so that I can understand what the rest of you NET11-ers are talking about. ;)

I'll be around, no doubt late at night expanding my brain matter.

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

top five tips for new bloggers

I am relatively new to blogging, mainly as I don't think I have that much to say! But after some research I have found some good tips for new bloggers like myself.
  1. A great article written by Alex Cristach discusses the 10 commandments of blogging. Geez! Who would have thought it was so serious. But the skill of writing a good blog it seems, is very serious business. One of his great tips is to be helpful. Share your expertise in an area and that will attract people to read your blog.
  2. Make sure your spellnig is corrcet.
  3. If you're planning to get serious with your blog find some good blogging tools, such as design templates, tracking software such as google analytics or site meter to get an in-depth overview of what is being read, how long visitors are staying, and how many visitors you have had in a day, week etc.
  4. Find a niche topic, which sets you apart from all of the other "I had some toast for breakfast" bloggers out there. This ensures that readers return again and again.
  5. Try to make it interesting to your readers. Research what they like and try to look at it from their point of view. Short, consise sentences.