Key Terms

· Network: A computer system that links two or more computers

Networks can be useful in communicating with others and sharing or accessing information, however, there are issues that may arise with networks. Privacy and Security come into question because being connected to other computers means they can steal or access personal information, Computers that aren’t connected to certain networks cannot attain all the information that computers that are a apart oft he network can.
Areas of Impact: Business and Employment, networks can be useful in "networking", allowing people to find jobs and employees.
· Wireless Network: A network in which a node has a tiny radio or infrared transmitter connected to its network port so it can send and receive data through the air rather than through cables.
This can allow for easier connection to networks, allowing for more to access or become a part of networks that are further or larger. It lowers the issues of equality of access.
Areas of Impact: Business and Employment: Can allow for easier job searching, can allow employees to communicate. Education: students and teachers are given access to more information.
· Ethernet: A popular networking architecture developed in 1976 at Xerox.
WiFi: A popular wireless LAN technology that allows multiple computers to connect to a LAN through a base station up to 150 feet away. Often referred to as 802.11b.
Wireless Access Point: is a device that allows wireless communication devices to connect to a wireless network using Wi-Fi
This technology allows for people to easily access the internet no matter where they are, if the area has a wireless access point for WiFi. It lowers issues of equality of access and allows people to work wherever they may be. They can search for any information necessary via internet at various locations.
Areas of Impact: Education-students can work on assignments and conduct research when they’re not necessarily at school or at home. Entertainment and Leisure- People may entertain themselves via internet wherever they are.
· Node: A component of a network.
Communications Media: How Nodes are linked.
Client: Any part of the network that receives data

Host: Any part of a network that gives or provides data.
Servers: Any tool that offers a lot of users access to various networks
These components make up the network system, be it a LAN, WAN, or MAN. Network systems allow communication and globalization because they make information easy to share. One can access reliable information from experts of a field by communicating with them via networks, in some networks the hosts and clients work both jobs, so everyone can share files.
Areas of Impact: leisure and Entertainment- People share music and movies in networks for entertainment. Science-People share ideas and conduct research using this technology.

· Network Interface Card: A card you can add to your computer that helps one to a connect to various networks.
This allows more access to people and since it is inside the computer, it allows one to access networks anywhere, making sending messages to others and researching a snap form any location. This can make the gap between people and machines smaller because people may start to depend on technology too much and wont be able to survive without it.
Areas of Impact: Education-Students can research wherever they are. Business- Employees and Employers can attend meetings from any location.
· Protocol: How data is sent, formatted, received
Topology: Design Layout (physical and logical)
These are responsible for the format and look of a website, which can determine how understandable and effective a website is. This can affect who will understand and can access the website.
Areas of Interaction: Business and Employment: The design of a website or online business can affect who will visits the website and whose attention it will catch.

· LAN: Multiple personal computers connected on a network.

MAN: A service that links two or more LANs within a city


WAN: A network that extends over a long distance. Each network site is a node on the network.


FiberOptic Cable: a cable made of optical fibers that can transmit large amounts of information at the speed of light.

These are networks that help computers connect to communicate and share information. WANs allow the largest networks and one can connect to them wirelessly. LANs are sometimes connected via fiber optic cables. These networks cant always be reliable, due to connection issues, and the information gathered from it, such as the info from the internet is not always the most reliable. Being connected to a network also brings up security issues, because a computer can access the information of other computers in the same network.
Areas of Interaction: Science: Research information can be shared. Politics and Government: Politicians can use networks to network for campaigns and keep their followers
· Access: Physical proximity to a person, or knowledge about that person, a common theme in privacy discussions.

· SPAM: Internet junk mail.
Phishing: The use of a deceptive email message or Web site to lure a person into divulging credit card numbers or other sensitive information.
These are possible scams that one can run into on the internet, especially when dealing with emails. It brings up serious security and privacy issues, because companies and online scammers can gather important information and possibly steal the identities of people attached to a network.
Areas of Interaction: Entertainment and Leisure: affects people who use email for entertainment or any other reason. Business: People can lose their financial information to others who will abuse it.
· Login: A one-word name that you type to identify yourself when connecting—logging in—to a secure computer system, network, or email account. Sometimes called login name or alias.
Password: The most common security tools used to restrict access to computer systems
Firewall: a security system consisting of a combination of hardware and software that limits the exposure of a computer or computer network to attack from crackers; commonly used on local area networks that are connected to the internet
These are very important precautions that decrease the chances of privacy and security issues when dealing on networks.
Areas of Interaction: Education: Students can keep their identities safe on the internet and be safe from inappropriate or potentially dangerous websites.
· VPN:A network that uses encryption software to create secure “tunnels” through the public Internet or between intranets; a method an organization can use to set up an extranet.

· UPS:A hardware device that protects computers from data loss during power failures.
Increases reliability on this technology because people are less likely to lose their work or have their intellectual property stolen or lost,

· Blog: Short for Web log, a personal Web page that often carries diary-like entries or political commentaries. Blogs are fast proliferating as new software allows users to create Web pages without having to learn the technical details of HTML and Web authoring.
This allows for people to publish their ideas and thoughts online and allows others to read each other’s ideas. This is very helpful, and it attributes to globalization through the spread of cultures and ideas everywhere.
Areas of Interaction: Education: Individuals can learn to be more open-minded and global by learning of others ideas and how to post their own ideas without offending any culture.

· GPS: A defense department system with 24 satellites that can pinpoint any location on the Earth.
Very helpful in finding your way around an area and learning about places, however, it can cause people and machine issues, because people can become too dependent on technology and lose their sense of direction.
· Internet Telephony: combination of software and hardware technology that enables the Internet to, in effect, serve as a telephone network. Internet telephony systems can use standard telephones, computers, or both to send and receive voice messages.


· Video Teleconference: Face-to-face communication over long distances using video and computer technology.


· NOS: Server operating system software for a local-area network.

· Asynchronous Communication: Delayed communication, such as that used for newsgroups and mailing lists, where the sender and the recipients don’t have to be logged in at the same time.
Real TIme Communication: Internet communication that enables you to communicate with other users who are logged on at the same time.
Chat Room: Public real-time teleconference
IM: A technology that enables users to create buddy lists, check for buddies who are logged in, and exchange typed messages and files with those who are.
All these allow for individuals to communicate, some in real time, and others with delayed response. Either way, this allows for people to meet each other and handle any issues of just have a chat. Can breach ones privacy because they might reveal too much information to a stranger. Promotes globalization because it allows people to connect and share ideas.