E-Content of

INTERNET TECHNOLOGY AND WEB DESIGN

Chapter : 7.2 Current Trends On Internet

Topic : 7.2.5 Collaborative Computing

Collaborative Computing
30. Collaborative Computing is the term that will replace the traditional idea of
"groupware".

31. Groupware as focuses on the asynchronous aspect of human collaboration.

32. E-Mail, Discussion List, list servers, and similar software products help people to
electronically exchange information.

33. In other words, these products electronically extend a letter, a fax, and a filing
cabinet.

34. Collaborative Computing is a term describing a variety of activities where people

interact with one another using desktops, laptops, palmtops, and sophisticated
digital cellular phones.

35. As computers are best at handling data and representing information, person-to-
person communication is enriched by an ability to share, modify, or
collaboratively create data and information.
Podcasting
36. A Podcast is a series of digital media files, usually either digital audio or video
that is made available for download via web syndication.
37. The syndication aspect of the delivery is what differentiates podcasts from other
ways of accessing files, such as simple download or streaming.
38. Streaming means that special client software applications known as podcatchers
(such as Apple Inc.'s iTunes or Nullsoft's Winamp) can automatically identify and
retrieve new files in a series when they are made available, by accessing a
centrally-maintained web feed that lists all files currently associated with that
particular podcast.

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39. The files thus are automatically downloaded, then stored locally on the user's
computer or other device for offline use.
40. Like the term broadcast, podcast can refer either to the content itself or the
method by which the content is syndicate the latter is also called podcasting. A
podcaster is the person who creates the content.
41. Podcasting began to catch hold in late 2004, though the ability to distribute audio
and video files easily has been around since before the dawn of the Internet.
42. Many individuals and groups contributed to the emergence and popularity of
podcasts.
43. The first audio file format used was MP3. It is still widely used while better
(smaller files with same sound quality) format exist.
44. The term podcasting derives its name from Apple's iPod, but to create a podcast
or even to listen to one, user don't need to own an iPod, or any portable music
player for that matter.
45. In a nutshell, Podcasting is a new type of online media delivery. User publish
selected audio files via the Internet and allow their users to subscribe via an RSS
feed to automatically receive new files.

Video Conferencing
46. A video conference (also known as a video-tele-conference) is a set of interactive
telecommunication technology which allows two or more locations to interact via
two-way video and audio transmissions simultaneously.
47. It has also been called visual collaboration and is type of a group ware.

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FIG 7.12 Video Conferencing

48. Components required for video tele-conferencing are:
 Video input - Video camera or web camera
 Video output - Computer monitor, television, projector
 Audio Input - Microphones
 Data Transfer media - Telephone Networks, LAN, Internet
Wireless Communication
49. Few technology prospects are as much attractive to mobile professionals as the
idea of any-place-any-time Internet access.

50. Quite recently, securing data without the use of wires was difficult.

51. But, improvements in wireless interconnect technologies have changed the

scenario.

52. The first is the mobile computing device itself. Pagers, cellphones, palm PCs,
hand-held PCs, and notebook PCs can all serve as platforms for wireless data
communications.

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