Semiotics in Cyberspace

807 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The history of the development of computers

Semiotics in Cyberspace

We are seeing one of the most historically significant changes in the way we share information. Electronic communication devices have been with us since the beginning of the 20th century. Radio provided ways to share sounds with distant people simultaneously. The telephone added the ability to inter-communicate with others. Cinematography captured images and created the illusion of motion. Television added the ability to send sounds and moving images to masses of distant people simultaneously.

Computers started out being number crunching machines. However, as time passed these machines were interconnected and they started to provide yet another medium to deliver information. First it was only text, then some low resolution graphics and images with limited amount of colors were added. In only a few decades of computer technology development we are already seeing systems that can deliver all possible combinations of electronic media. Presently, computers can deliver text (and other machine codes), sounds, graphics, still images and video (another name for television images). You can have all of those varieties of media stored in magnetic and optical devices for archiving or to be used as alternative delivery systems. Also, it is possible to deliver all kinds of computer data and electronic media through your telephone or "local area network".

Radio and television were initially dependent on the use of magnetic radio waves to deliver messages. These two particular media dramatically extended their reach when cable and satellite technologies emerged. Cable and satellite technologies have been in fact responsible for the development of the concept of global information networks.

Computers have also played a role in the development of information networks using cable and satellite technologies. The Internet is one of those global information networks. Through this network, computers are currently sending all kinds of electronic media formats to other computers around the world. These computers are interconnected to a network that does not have a beginning or an end. Connections can happen in any direction at any time. Trying to build a map of computer locations and possible interconnections among them will only produce something that looks more like a web. Hence the name of one of the most impressive information sharing environments of our days: The World Wide Web.

The World Wide Web (WWW) provides the ability to combine all kinds of electronic media into one interactive presentation that can be delivered anywhere around the world instantaneously. WWW documents are hypermedia documents.

Show More
Related

  • Abolish Electoral College Essay

    774 Words  | 2 Pages

    The author argues that without the use of an Electoral College that every vote by an American citizen would still create a big outcome in the election for a candidate. Instead of telling electors who citizens wished to cast their vote for, citizens would be able to really vote for the candidate in which they feel will be most effective for the country. The author believes that the Electoral College has soiled our elections and that we should make a better way in which we can make the elections more efficient and equal for each and every citizen in

    Read More

  • The Industrial Revolution's Impact On The American World

    1024 Words  | 3 Pages

    Consider for example, the radio and television. The radio and television (before the advent of the internet) were monumental in their effects on transmitting culture, products, and ideas accross vast distances of the United States. Suddenly American’s could relate to the horrors of war overseas, as well as they could learn of each other’s culture, or product. Of course, this was not the same as being able to transport them there, though newer, better, faster forms of mass transit would be developed to help facilitate just this. But all of these developments pale in comparison to almost a half-century later, with the rise of the internet, and with the increasing array uses for it, in the modern day. +++====

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of The Electoral College

    548 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Electoral College while very controversial, should be kept in place for several reasons that will be covered in this paper. Our countries founders put the Electoral College in place for a reason. The original idea was for the most knowledgeable and informed individuals from each state to select the president and represent the entire state. These ideas can be dated all the way back into Rome, where the same type of system was utilized. While the Electoral College has certainly developed over the years it’s the same basic idea. Each state is represented by its chosen leaders. The number of Electoral votes that a state receives depends on the number of US Representatives plus 2 senators. Politicians generally base their campaigns around so called “swing states” that could go either way. The controversy arises with the fact that it’s possible for a candidate to win the popular vote, however lose in the Electoral College, and therefor lose the election.

    Read More

  • Thomas Paine And Common Sense

    496 Words  | 1 Pages

    Thomas Paine, born in 1737 in Thetford, England, came to America in 1774 after meeting Benjamin Franklin and receiving a letter of recommendation. Once he reached the colonies, he became the editor of the “Pennsylvania Magazine” as well as began his career as a political pamphleteer. Paine grew as a major political voice through his works, including, “The American Crisis” and “Common Sense”. Both of which addressed what the colonists were fighting for, a fresh start as a society, and political institution free from European corruption.

    Read More

  • The Influence Of The Electoral College

    1174 Words  | 3 Pages

    On the first Tuesday in November, voters cast their ballots for a presidential candidate. These votes count towards a group of electors who pledge a vote for a specific candidate in the Electoral College. Acknowledging the strong regional interests and loyalties which have played a large part in American history, proponents argue that the Electoral College system contributes to the unity of the country by requiring a distribution of popular support in order for a candidate to be elected president. Without such system, the president of the United States would be chosen through the domination of large urban areas over rural areas. As a result, residents in Idaho and Wyoming would be ignored in favor of California and Texas, leaving rural areas and small towns marginalized. Thus, the Electoral College system enhances minority status. Even though the Electoral College protects minority interests, the candidate that the majority of American citizens want as their president will not necessarily win over the presidency. Because each state gets two electors for its senators regardless of population, less populated states are overrepresented. One of the key reasons that George W. Bush won the Electoral College vote against Al Gore in the 2000 election without winning the popular vote was that he did better in the smaller states. Bush narrowly won the election, with 271 electoral votes to Gore’s 266, but lost the popular vote. In the recent election of 2016, despite the fact that Hillary Clinton won almost three million more votes in the general election than Donald Trump, Trump won the Electoral College and the presidency. Just as in 2000 when George W. Bush received fewer nationwide popular votes than Al Gore, Donald Trump will serve as the President of the United States despite being supported by fewer

    Read More

  • The Medium is the Message

    1077 Words  | 3 Pages

    Currently, our society is changing again with the onslaught of electric media, namely computers and the Internet. We must continue to analyze this technology with the realization that the medium is the message, or else we will never fully understand our culture or the effect of technology on it and on our lives.

    Read More

  • Conflict Management

    818 Words  | 2 Pages

    This model distinguishes six possible sources of conflict that may arise: incompatible goals, differentiation, interdependence, scarce resources, ambiguous rules, and communication problem (McShane and Von Glinow 332-333). Incompatible goals involves that “the goal of one person or department seem to interfere with another person’s or department’s goal” (McShane and Von Glinow 333). Differentiation is described as the “difference among people, departments, and other entities regarding their training, values, beliefs, and experiences” (McShane and Von Glinow 333). Interdependence “occurs where individuals operate interdependently except for reliance on a common source or authority” (McShane and Von Glinow 335). Scarce Resources are a source of conflict when several persons or units require the same recourse to fulfill their goals. Ambiguous Rules occur as a source of conflict because “uncertainty increases the risk that one party intends to interfere with the other party’s goals” (McShane and Von Glinow 335). Communication Problems are a source of conflict “due to the lack of opportunity, ability, or motivation to communicate effectively” (McShane and Von Glinow 333).

    Read More

  • Internet Regulation

    1274 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Internet is a global network connecting millions of personal, institutional and company computers. The number of computers used by the internet is growing rapidly. The United States is connected with over 100 countries worldwide and linked together to exchange of data, news and opinions. The Internet is decentralized design. This means that there isn't just one computer that stores all of the information from the Internet. There are many independent host servers located throughout the US and the world that store the information made available to the global Internet community.

    Read More

  • Semiotics

    1285 Words  | 3 Pages

    For each of us and for organisations in general the effective use of information is a critical success factor. You only need to think of the assignments you need to complete and the demand for a diverse and unified communication of information being required.

    Read More

  • The Internet Is Becoming The Town Square For The Global Village Of Tomorrow

    734 Words  | 2 Pages

    “The Internet is becoming the town square for the global village of tomorrow.” Bill Gates. The Internet is vast and is just getting bigger. It has its own community that is open to the public. The Internet is becoming a platform all on its own. It is a stepping-stone in a direction that is unknown. The Internet has become so vast that there are now different versions of it. The different versions of the web are Web 1.0, Web 2.0, the main focus of this paper, and Web 3.0. Web 1.0 is all about sharing information. It is very bland and just gets the point across of what was needed. This how the Internet had started. Web 2.0 is sharing information with interaction. To me this means social media in some fashion. The website that was accessed has a way of interacting with the users whether it be through comments or giveaways on the web. Web 3.0 is the server interacting with the individual on a particular website. Amazon is the best example of Web 3.0 because it gives recommendations based on items that have been searched. “Among American adults 87% use the web, 68% connect...

    Read More

  • Why Study Computer Science Essay

    880 Words  | 2 Pages

    The World Turning Digital: computer is seen in virtually all aspects of our lives. From the mobile phones we use, the Television we watch etc. Makes it pretty interesting to found out how this work.

    Read More

  • Exploring The Internet

    1067 Words  | 3 Pages

    Exploring The Internet The Internet is like a network of networks where any computer can link up to information stored within it. It is accessed by a telecommunications line and a modulator-demodulator (MODEM). It is brought to your computer screen by converting analogue telephone signals into digital computer signals. There are many advantages and disadvantages on the Internet.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Social Media And Traditional Media

    894 Words  | 2 Pages

    Title: Compare and contrast the presentation of visual information in two different types of media today, focusing on how effectively the information is communicated.

    Read More

  • The Effects of Computers on Everyday Life

    806 Words  | 2 Pages

    Another big change that computers have made in our everyday lives is that with the internet we can now access information about just about anything, at any time, and we can do this from the comfort of our own home. Credit cards can be used to do on-line shopping at virtually any store. E-mail has changed the way that people communicate, it is usually free of charge and mail is sent and received in minutes. Devices such as video phones and web-cams make video conferencing possible. This allows people to see who they are talking to in “real-time” even if they are on opposite ends of the map.

    Read More

  • Evolution of Mass Communications

    1147 Words  | 3 Pages

    The evolution of mass communications has gone through major developments; from etching the beginnings of an alphabet into a rock the size of a standard dinner table to letting a computer recognize words spoken into a speaker as it types away what it hears. Dating back to around 1700 B.C. when the first alphabet was said to come into existence, society has come far in different fields of communications. Nothing made as large of an impact in the world of communications as the revolution of the Internet. Although the impact has been large, the Internet was certainly not the first to revolutionize communications. When many cities started to arise and become industrial-based, there became a need for more technological advancements. When there was one change in the way of living, a domino effect occurred and many more advancements and developments took place. The mass communications of writing, printing, mass media and entertainment have all influenced how we use the Internet and new technology developments today.

    Read More

More about Semiotics in Cyberspace

Open Document