In my week 3 RMIT tutorial for networked media, I was introduced to something that I never thought I would have to encounter in my life – HTML coding. I knew there was an assessment on it during my professional communications degree, but I tried not to think about it. Why? Because like several others in my course, I was honestly afraid of the idea of having to learn another language, let alone a new computer language. I already tried to learn French for several YEARS in high school and I can barely speak any of it.

Luckily this tutorial proved that there was really nothing to fear. Of course as with all new things, there will be some degree of difficulty at the beginning, but it is easy to get over. We went over the absolute basics starting with the types of software we have to download and use for HTML tasks including TextWrangler and Fetch. We went over the basic set-up and what we are required to need and know for the in-class HTML exam. For example, I did not even know that HTML tags look like this: < > and that they mark the beginning of a piece of coding.

Prior to the lesson on HTML, I felt somewhat “threatened” and overwhelmed by the very sight of HTML text. So much so that I did not even take the time to really learn to even recognise what HTML was. As soon as a web page would appear with anything that looked like this “<article> <header> <h1>Internet Explorer 9</h1>” I would close it straight away and assume the page or link was broken. Times have definitely changed now, and I am actually taking the time to learn what these symbols and words mean when combined and what this translates to when put onto a webpage. A very useful website that has helped me do this can be found here.

“Connected-world” by Junior Melo – Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

The Internet – it’s something that you and I use everyday and has become a staple in our normal daily routines. But…do people actually know what the Internet is and how it works? When I was asked this in my tutorial at RMIT for Networked Media, I could form pretty basic and mostly incorrect assumptions on what it was and how it worked, but I did not know for certain.

The first version of the Internet which formed the basis for what we use today was known as the ARPANET, and was expanded in 1981. From then until 1990, this was when Internet technologies that we still use today such as the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) was introduced.

The Internet really had an impact on our society and culture ever since the mid 90s, and has continued to grow since then. The first form of somewhat “instant” communication was developed in the form of E-Mail, then some would say a legitimate instant messaging solution was introduced with online chat applications (I’m sure we all remember the MSN-using days).

I hope you all know that The World Wide Web (the www.) is not solely the Internet! It is quite simply – a web. A system of hypertext documents that are available through the Internet. You are viewing this page on an Internet browser, where web pages that contain a vast amount of media, text, and other elements can be viewed. These web pages are created through the use of programming, or, a computer language. There are several different programming options, including HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) for example, or C++.

By textbook definition, the Internet in the utmost basic of terms is a global, international system of networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite and packet data to link billions of devices to an online dimension. This has linked people altogether from around the world and has helped us communicate in ways never before imagined possible.

However as with anything, there are apparent drawbacks. Firstly, if ANYONE can post pretty much ANYTHING in this digital space that is available to over 2.5 billion people, doesn’t that invite the menacing and “evil” people of our world to launch an attack of some sort? Of course.

All hail the Internet, where online assassinations, drugs, sex, government-banned material, top-secret government material, live online suicide recordings, computer viruses that steal all of your personal data, free pirated movies, softwares, games, and several more juicy goodies can be accessed with little to no real hassle at all. The line between what is morally and ethically suitable between our online world and our physical world are very different. What applies here, may not apply there.

This was a pretty basic explanation, but have fun surfing.

Ever since the recently labelled “notorious” YouTube star Justin Bieber was discovered online, society has realised the potential of such media platforms in terms of advertising oneself and being recognised. As mentioned in previous posts, the convenience and ease of the Internet has allowed people from all around the world to showcase their talent on one platform.

As difficult as it may be for some to believe, even famous and important people sit at home and surf the web (when they have the time). This is re-iterated with Justin Bieber’s case as Hip-Hop superstar Usher came across his videos while browsing YouTube. With several worldwide online media platforms available to anyone who has a device that can browse the web, people are uploading what they have to share and are putting themselves up for evaluation by the Internet, perhaps an even harsher judge than Simon Cowell. The most commonly visited sites include YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, 9gag, the list is endless.

These websites have formed communities that have dedicated and consistent viewers, and anyone who is looking to showcase their talent can upload a media file to demonstrate what they have to show. Although people see this as a positive element with the Internet, there are of course exceptions to such an idea. We all remember that song by Rebecca Black I am sure, well soon after uploading her music video of her song “Friday” on YouTube, she received umpteen amounts of hate mail and death threats. People must remember that because society is hidden behind a screen, anyone can remain anonymous online and say whatever they like without any hesitation. Of course the story would be different in real life, but this is the digital world.

All in all, the Internet and these online communities play an amazing role in allowing people from all places to connect with one another and present their talent. Taking the step to start showcasing your passions online and in different methods is a great way to try something new, build a reputation, and start making a name for yourself. If Justin Bieber could do it, so can you.