In the first activity, I learned about point-to-point connections and multi-point unit. I also learned about retrieval services like FTP, Archie, Gopher, and VERONICA. I think it was very interesting to learn about point-to-point and multi-point units. I learned that point-to-point is just a connection between only two locations, whereas multi-point units are where there is one location which goes out to several locations. This can be helpful in the future to know because it’ll help with setting up conference calls and know which would be better (like are you only having a conference with one person or multiple people).
In the second activity, I learned about chat etiquette and Google Hangouts (I knew about and use Skype, WhatsApp, and SnapChat already). It was interesting to learn that using emoticons in chats were considered “etiquette”. I usually don’t use emoticons in chat, but one of the things I shouldn’t do (at least when chatting to someone like a co-worker or boss, or anything where emoticons would be considered excess) is use “chat lingo” or “chat slang”. I don’t typically use “chat slang” (like “ur”, “u”, “c”, etc). I also found it interesting that you shouldn’t send chats/messages to someone without asking because one of the things that you sometimes can’t do in the first place is asking because the only way you would be able to ask them is maybe by chatting. But I still found it interesting that you should ask them. The thing that I learned more about Google Hangouts is that there is also an extension and not just the desktop app. I wasn’t aware of that, and even though I don’t really use Google Hangouts, it was interesting to know there was an extension for Google Hangouts. The other thing I found interesting was that you were able to get SMS and voicemail. I didn’t know that you could get SMS and voicemails like Skype. I think this will be useful in the future because for etiquette you need to seem professional and not like you’re just chatting online casually (especially in important conversations; you also want to sound like you can spell/speak correctly). For Google Hangouts, I think it’s important to know because if in the future I ever need to know how to use Google Hangouts, how to access it, or set it up, it’ll be crucial to know how to do that.
In the fifth activity, I learned about piracy and what’s okay and what’s not okay. One of the things that I learned was that even just taking audio from a YouTube video by downloading an mp3 of it (by using a converter or something) can be/is illegal. I found it kind of shocking how even just doing that was illegal (but in ways it makes sense because you’re not buying it from the artist themselves so they aren’t making money off the download). I also found it interesting, and learned, that you’re able to make ways so that content on a CD/CD-R aren’t able to be copied/burned. This will be useful to know in the future because if I ever need to use music or have a CD with music on it, I will know what’s legal and not legal, as well as how I’m able to legally do the thing I need to do.