Farewell Mod 2

At last, on to Mod 4 - better get going ... think I will look at email as a topic of this unit for Ass 1- there are some great sites on that and I am interested!

Mod 2 - finding that ICQ number

I am also struggling to find the ICQ number for advanced netstudies ... but I am not the only one. So that's OK! Will record observations from tomorrows chat here.
Two days later: Didn't fare too well with that one!! More work needed.

Mod 2 tasks - ICQ chat

Well, that was fun. Not. Anyway now have ICQ chat - hopefully will be able to link up with others tomorrow evening. I have never used this stuff before - am I the only one??? Have added all the contacts I can find from the class list - watch this space!

Note for ass 1

Definitely want to do email as a topic - fascinating. Still believe many rules for traditional forms of written communication apply. ie

"Informational exchange consists in the content of messages but also the uses (intended or unintended) to which the information is put." from course material.

Mod 2 - email tasks

Well I got that first little popquiz - username & domain ... yes well, not going to get too involved in these quizzes - out of date as discussed in DB. And American and well ... good grief!
Right my answers:
1. What information about a user's email, the origin of a message, and the path it took, can you glean from an email message?
You can know what domain the email came from; you can know their username; you can tell whether it was just sent to you or others as well if it comes as bcc; what time & date; status - urgent, not urgent.
2. In what cases would you find it useful to use the 'cc', 'bcc' and 'reply all functions of email?
Use 'cc' to copy someone in to something that doesn't directly concern them but may be of interest.
'bcc' when you don't want anyone else on the email list to know who is getting the email. For reasons of privacy and confidentiality.
'Reply all' when your answer will be of interest and relevance to all the recipients of the original email.
3. In what ways can you ensure that an attachment you send will be easily opened by the receiver?
By ensuring it is encoded - in a commonly used form of code eg mime. Don't use a program to create it that you know may be beyond your audience's technological capabilities.
4. What sorts of filters or rules do you have set up, and for what purpose?
I don' t have any set up - but I think I need to - just to organise my email in a better way. I receive emails from three accounts into my outlook mailbox ... gets confusing. This perhaps is another topic i could pursue as I need ot know more. FILTERS - for what????
5. How have you organised the folder structure of your email and why?
I have my folder organised as shown - not sure if this is readable actually. It is organised basically on work/study/personal lines. those categories are divided into subgroups - I don't have too many sub sub directories - just gets too hard to find things. It works for me - I find I rarely need to go back to emails as I deal with them as they arrive.

Mod 2 - Newsgroups task

Omigod ... those newsgroups do leave a hell of a lot to be desired. Doing this Module after Mod 3 means I have sort of missed the DB - learned a lesson there although the notes said it wouldn't matter! But, I agree with all the comments. Newsgroups are difficult to filter through, they seem to attract a lot of loonies and abuse. I have however found one and posted a comment successfully.
The newsgroup I have joined has really only about 20 regular contributors and a few really mad ones.

Module 2 - Lists - Tasks

I subscribe to one list, but I have never posted to it. It really is just a source of info for me in an area I am interested in. So I am not really giving it anything. The reading suggests I should be. This list for me is sort like an up to date library of projects.
INVESTIGATE FURTHER PERHAPS FOR assignment 1 TOPIC.
More on this -

• What are the pros and cons of email lists versus discussion boards? Email lists are a bit more anonymous - I like that. For the purpose of over viewing information I am interested in - its great. Not too overwhelming and succinct. Discussion boards seem to easily go off topic. Like newsgroups. But still better than newsgroups - far more coherent. I think most forms of virtual communication would benefit from a mediator. There are too many people out there with zappy comms systems and time to waste abusing others.
  
• Are there certain kinds of communication or purposes more suited to one than the other? I think email lists may suit if you really want to be kept informed of developments and not really required to participate too much. DB's suit a more interactive approach - you want to have a discussion and you're not just asking questions and waiting for a response.