Week 7 Reading

1.) How Internet Infrastructure Works

The internet is a collection of networks, and every computer connected to the Internet is a part of a network. Most large communication companies have a Point of Presence (POP) where users connect to the company's network. High level networks connect to each other through Network Access Points. Routers are specialized computers that send information where it needs to go. Every machine on the Internet has a unique IP Address. Initially one needed to know the IP Address of the computer they wished to connect with, however in 1983 the University of Wisconsin developed the Domain Name System. For example to connect with How Stuff Works one only needs to remember www.howstuffworks.com instead of remembering their IP Address. Machines that provide services to other machines are known as servers, and machines used to connect to those services are clients. I found this article pretty confusing overall.

2.)Dismantling Integrated Library Systems

This article was very confusing to me. I am in the archives track and am unfamiliar with the issues in ILS with changing technologies. I feel that the reader had to have an understanding of the present systems and challenges being faced in order to really comprehend this article.

3.)Inside the Google Machine

I love learning about Google and found this video very interesting. It's always nice to see a company that is so successful really value every employee's ideas. It's great how they let employees work on their own ideas and projects for the company and foster such a creative community. I had never seen the visual of the Earth showing Google traffic. Visuals of Internet activities can help people grasp a concept that is so difficult to wrap their head around. After watching this video I want to download the Google desk bar to try. Google has been so successful in bringing information on the Internet to their users, and this is a challengethat librarians and archivists are facing as well.