Chapter 7

Question 1

Time-space compression

Answer 1

The idea that electronic communication has essentially reduced distances between people because of nearly instantaneous communication, which has also “sped up” our notions of time

Question 2

Circuit switching

Answer 2

The original system used for telephony, in which circuits connected 2 people communicating. Once the circuit was connected, or “on,” the people on either end of the circuit used the whole circuit exclusively, even if they didn’t speak. When they hung up, the circuit was disconnected by an operator and available for others to use

Question 3

Packet switching

Answer 3

A type of switching within a network, in which information is divided up into pieces, or packets, and transported as separate packets using the least congested routes. At the end of the route the packets are reassembled in their proper order and delivered over the telephone line or Internet

Question 4

Transmission control protocol (TCP)

Answer 4

A part of the main protocol for the Internet that allows for computers to easily communicate with each other over a network

Question 5

Hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP)

Answer 5

A Web protocol that enables standardized transfer of text, audio, and video files from one address to another

Question 6

Hypertext markup language (HTML)

Answer 6

A coding format that describe how information should look on the Web

Question 7

Extensible markup language (XML)

Answer 7

A coding format similar to HTML but which permits easy sharing of information and data about the information on the Web, not only how it looks

Question 8

Freemium

Answer 8

A partial-subscription based model used by web services and media companies that provides basic access for free but charges for what is considered premium content

Question 9

Network neutrality

Answer 9

A principle that states that broadband networks should be free if restrictions on content, platforms, or equipment and that certain types of content, platforms, or equipment should not get preferential treatment on the network

Question 10

Broadband

Answer 10

A network connection that enables a large amount of bandwidth to be transmitted, allowing for more information to be sent in a shorter period of time

Question 11

Narrowband

Answer 11

A network connection that does not provide very much bandwidth, thus receiving and sending information more slowly than broadband connections. Dial-up modems and some of the early wireless connections with speeds of 56 kHz or under are considered narrowband

Question 12

Sarnoff’s Law

Answer 12

Created by RCA executive David Sarnoff, it states that the value of a network increase linearly with the number of people on it

Question 13

Metcalfe’s Law

Answer 13

The value of a network rises in proportion to the square of the number of people in that network. In other words, the more people who are connected to a network on which they can communicate with each other, such as the Internet, the more valuable that network becomes

Question 14

Reed’s Law

Answer 14

The utility or value of an interactive communications network with N members increases exponentially, or 2 to the Nth power

Question 15

Modem

Answer 15

Derived from the terms modulate-demodulate; a device that converts digital signals from a computer to analog signals for transmission over a phone line, as well as converting transmitted analog signals to digital signals

Question 16

Peer-to-peer network (P2P)

Answer 16

A network in which all computers on the network are considered equal (peers) and can send and receive information equally well. This is the basis of file-sharing services

Question 17

Spam

Answer 17

Unwanted email sent out by advertisers as a mass mailing

Question 18

Client/server

Answer 18

A network model, predominant in the Internet today, that relies on a centralized computer, or server, that stores content that the audience, or clients, access

Question 19

Astroturf

Answer 19

The practice of creating a movement or campaign so that it looks like it was created by concerned citizens as a grassroots movement, but was actually created or controlled by a large organization or group

Question 20

Fair use

Answer 20

An exception to copyright law that allows someone to use an excerpt of a work without paying for its use. Reviews of works or their use in commentary or criticism are examples of fair use

Question 21

Open source

Answer 21

Any program whose source code the programmer allows others to see. This lets others modify and improve it. Most proprietary software programs do not allow the public to see their source code

Question 22

Swarming

Answer 22

The process used by some P2P systems in which multiple downloaders of the same file are temporarily coordinated in order to speed up the downloading process

Question 23

Distributed computing

Answer 23

Individual, autonomous computers that work together toward a common goal, typically a large, complex project that requires more computing power than any individual computer could have

Question 24

Watermark

Answer 24

A symbol or mark embedded in a photograph that identifies who owns the copyright for that photograph. With digital media, any piece of content can be watermarked, and the watermark, itself digital, can be completely invisible

Question 25

Viral marketing

Answer 25

Spreading news and information about media content through word of mouth, usually via online discussion groups, chats, and emails, without utilizing traditional advertising and marketing methods