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The internet is defined as: “the publicly available worldwide system of interconnected computer networks that transmit data by packet switching over the Internet Protocol (IP). It is made up of thousands of other, smaller business, academic, and government networks that provide various information and services, such as by electronic mail, online chat, and on the graphical, interlinked World Wide Web. Because it is the largest, most extensive internet (with a small i) in the world, it is simply called the Internet (with a capital I)
Convergence is defined as: The process of coming together or the state of having come together toward a common point.
Thus, taken together, Convergence and the Internet means the incorporation of the wide reaching and linking aspects of the internet with other mediums, in order to lead the technology toward a common point. This convergence has led to the development of new forms of media technologies.
The Internet came into existence in the early 1960s, as a tool to be used in the communication of research and development, particularly in scientific and militaristic fields. It was the brainchild of J.C.R. Licklider of MIT, who first proposed a global network of computers in 1962, and later moved to the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) to develop it.
The Internet was originally designed to provide a communications network that would function even if the sites were destroyed in a nuclear attack. Needless to say, it was a radically different thing to what we are accustomed to today. In 1989, Tim Berners-Lee and several others developed a new protocol for information distribution, which was to become the World Wide Web, which is the current system that is based upon hypertext.
The present state of the Internet is that of a still-growing technology. From recent years have emerged the central issues of Convergence and the Internet. They are wide and varied, and with in the future, possibly limitless. Simply put, any multimedia technology available now can be combined with the internet to create a vastly different technology.
Some examples of the technologies that have been created and are in the process of being refined are:
Voice over IP: Erlanger (2004, pg. 47) states that the most obvious angle is enterprise collaboration, "where voice and data applications combine IM, presence, Web, and videoconferencing." His article focuses on VoIP, or Voice Over IP (Internet Protocol). Commonly referred to as Internet Telephony, which allows audio communication over internet lines, rather than through the dedicated transmission lines that regular phones use. The most obvious angle is enterprise collaboration, where voice and data applications combine IM, presence, Web, and videoconferencing. Pros: The advantage of VoIP technology is that by being connected to the internet, the user theoretically is connected to the rest of the world. By making use of the existing internet connection, the cost of VoIP is significantly less than that of regular telephony when it comes to making calls across the world.
Cons: The main disadvantage of VoIP is that, given the constant stream of data that must be sent, a fast internet connection is required otherwise packets may be lost and the transmission may be unreliable.
See also:
Convergence and Television - Internet TV: Hargittai (2000, pg. 50) points out the startling similarity between the Internet and that of radio. The two are both relatively new technological mediums in human history, and in their earliest forms, were conceived as one-on-one communication forms, and later emerged as broadcast mediums. Now, the lines have become even more blurred with the advent of Internet broadcasting. The flexibility of the Internet allows for it to incorporate other media, such as radio and TV.
Pros: Internet Broadcasting is a good alternative to commercial radio and TV. Generally there are more broadcasts that cater to more niche markets, allowing for greater diversity.
Cons: Disputes with copyright owners over royalty rates, a recession in the advertising economy, and the lack of longevity of internet station owners.
See also:
Wireless: Nowadays current and new mobile handsets are incorporated with GPRS technology, allowing internet access on a cellular phone. Its uses range from wireless gaming to that of information gathering. Buckler (2004, pg. 17) talks about another technology, Wi-Fi and incorporates that technology with Convergence and the Internet. “It would… mean that if you’re within range of a Wi-Fi network or hotspot, you’d be able to take advantage of Wi-Fi’s higher data transmission speed…� ostensibly to be used for communication over the internet.
Pros: The internet can be accessed from anywhere in the world.
Cons: Receiving such information through a cellular phone is currently pricey and cumbersome.
Convergence and the Internet is important because it is a new concept that will continue to grow in the future, incorporating and combining existing media forms and eventually will also foster the creation of entirely new forms of media.
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03. Erlanger, L. (2004, Aug. 16) “Calling All VoIP Apps� InfoWorld vol. 26 Iss. 33; p. 47
04. Wikipedia general content on VoIP (2004) retrieved September 09 2004, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voip VoIP
05. Hargittai, E. (2000, Jan.) “Radio’s lessons for the Internet� Association for Computing Machinery. Communications of the ACM vol. 43 Iss. 1; pg. 50
06. Buckler, G. (2004, Jul. 2) “Why Wi-Fi is coming to cell phones� Computer Dealer News vol. 20, Iss. 10; pg. 17
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Siang's email Siang Lu 02:02, 9 Sep 2004 (EST)
