*** Internet History ***

Internet Connection Options CONNECTION TYPESPEED Standard Telephone (Analog) Modem28.8 Kbps to 56.6 Kbps Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) Modem 56.6 Kbps to 128 Kbps Direct Broadcast Satellite Line400 Kbps for downloading; 28.8 Kbps for uploading Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) 6 Mbps for downloading; 640 Kbps for uploading Cable TV Modem500 Kbps to 10 Mbps

Internet Connection Problems The tremendous use of internet has two major problems: 1.It has led to the difficulty connecting to Internet Service Providers (ISPs). - Some ISPs believe that a ratio of about lines per subscriber is sufficient to provide reasonably swift access. 2. The more sophisticated features of the Internet have led to huge increases in the size of the web pages sent over the channels to Internet users. -More capacity is required to fit in images, animations, graphics, photographs and multimedia related features in a web page than that which contains only text. The major problem being the capacity of the channels that connect to an ISP, ISP to NSP and NSPs to each other. Connecting to an ISP with a modem that runs at 28.8 Kbps or 56.6 Kbps can become a bottleneck when the downloading of graphics-intensive web pages are in progress.

Internet Commerce The demand of Internet is especially high to Companies that sell their products to customers via related media, eg. catalog firms that use mail order and firms that use TV shopping program formats. Problems using e Commerce 1.Many Internet users are suspicious of purchasing over the net. 2.Internet reliability must be improved – The capacity of the system must be increased and the ability of one computer to contact another quickly and reliably must be assured. 3.Some customers prefer to purchase certain types of items in stores. This cultural bias may not last long by the time they get accustomed to it.

Intranet Communications Some Companies have opted to use Internet Technology within their organisations without connecting to the Internet. This system is called as Intranet. This is precisely used to avoid the entry of certain malicious codes in the systems which may cause hazards in the systems. It also reduces the chances of the computers on the network to be hacked. Intranets are designed to provide many of the same features and benefits of the Internet (e Mail, File Transfer, documenting browsing, electronic discussion groups) while avoiding some of the costs and risks.

Extranet Communications As the Intranet is confined to one organisation and the internet is open to the world, an Extranet lies somewhere between these extremes. A typical EXTRANET is an intranet that allows the organisation to connect to a wider group, such as an organisation’s customers and suppliers. The idea of an extranet is to let a select group of external entities, such as an organisation’s Website that are not open to general public. Organisations today are beginning to integrate the Internet with intranets and Extranets. eg. A nonprofit organisation may develop Internet web pages describing its charitable activities to current and potential donors, along with the means by which donors can contribute. It can also have an intranet for employees that provides information on current and potential donors, the status of current fund drives, internal memos and documents. Its Extranet may be designed for current donors and contain a newsletter, list of current donors, information about documents available at stores, air and car rentals, hotel and motel chains that donor status provides, and information about upcoming events to which donors are invited.

Office Communications

Steps in Manual SystemSteps in -based Workflow System 1. Manager fills out travel expense form in writing. 1. Manager completes and signs expenses form on computer 2. Manager places form in secretary’s in-basket 2. Workflow Automation Software verifies Calculations and completes and checks amounts against company guidelines, checks total against manager’s budget and places form in Superior’s e Mail box. 3. Secretary types expense form3. Superior signs form. 4. Secretary Verifies calculations.4. Workflow automation systems places signed form in Accounting Clerk’s e Mail Box 5. Secretary checks amounts spent against company guidelines. 5. Accounting Clerk initiates check. 6. Secretary places form on desk of manager for signature. 7. Manager signs forms and returns to secretary’s in basket. 8. Secretary places signed form in outbox. 9. Interoffice mail picks up, sorts and delivers form to accounting. 10. Form is placed in clerk’s in basket.

11. Clerk verifies calculations. 12. Clerk checks amounts against company guidelines 13. Clerk checks Total amount against Manager’s budget. 14. Clerk places form in outbox. 15. Interoffice mail picks up, sorts and delivers to superior. 16. Superior’s secretary opens and places on desk for reviews. 17. Superior reviews and signs form. 18. Superior’s secretary places in outbox. 19. Interoffice mail picks up sorts and delivers to accounting. 20. Clerk completes check

Paperless Office Many Technologies often are not deployed in an Office in such a way that the output of one technology provides input to another. Merging these technologies into an integrated information system to support office work is sometimes referred to as the Paperless Office. Comprehensive Information system architectures including IBM’s Systems Application Architecture (SAA), which provides among other things a common user interface for applications regardless of the computer platform through which a user encounters the applications, and HTML, which allows users to \share many types of documents, are important link for electronic information transfer within offices will be in place.

The Future MicroSOFT Corp. is coming up with a plan – MicroSoft at Work (MAW), which promises to add a new operating system for office machines, new communications software to link the machines, and common file formats is that the machines can easily exchange and use data. The office machinery that MAW plans to integrate includes faxes, printers, Personal Digital Assistants, Scanners, Copiers, and PCs.