Internet-based CommunicationsIf you use the Internet, then you probably use Internet-based communications to contact family, friends or co-workers. From sending an instant message to a friend, to e-mailing co-workers, to placing phone calls, to conducting video conferences, the Internet offers a number of ways to communicate.The advantages of Internet-based communications are many. Since you're already paying for an Internet account (or your employer is), you can save money on phone calls by sending someone an instant message or by using V oIP instead of standard local telephone services. Of course, no technology is without a downside and Internet-based communications has plenty, such as viruses, privacy issues and spam. Like all technologies (and especially technology tied to the Internet), the way we can communicate online is constantly evolving . In this week's "Did You Know...?" article we'll take a look at some of the most popular forms of Internet-based communications.Instant MessagingOne of the fastest-growing forms of Internet communications is instant messaging, or IM. Think of IM as a text-based computer conference between two or more people. An IM communications service enables you to create a kind of private chat room with another individual in order to communicate in real-time over the Internet. Typically, the IM system alerts you whenever somebody on your buddy or contact list is online. You can then initiate a chat session with that particular individual.One reason that IM has become so popular is its real-time nature. Unlike e-mail, where you will wait for the recipient to check his or her e-mail and send a reply, if a person you want to reach is online and available in your IM contact list, your message appears instantly in a window on their screen.While IM is used by millions of Internet users to contact family and friends, it's also growing in popularity in the business world. Employees of a company can have instant access to managers and co-workers in different offices and can eliminate the need to place phone calls when information is required immediately. Overall, IM can save time for employees and help decrease the amount of money a business spends on communications.Key Terms To Understanding Internet-based Communications.SIPShort for Session Initiated Protocol, or Session Initiation Protocol, an application-layer control protocol; a signaling protocol for Internet Telephony. SIP can establish sessions for features such as audio/videoconferencing, interactive gaming, and call forwarding to be deployed over IP networks.WAPShort for the Wireless Application Protocol, a secure specification that allows users to access information instantly via handheld wireless devices such as mobile phones,pagers, two-way radios, smartphones and communicators.More Internet-based Communications TermsE-mailInstant MessagingV oIPV oWiFiInternet FaxMobile IPIP AddressWhile different IM clients offer slightly different features and benefits, the look and feel of an IM client is basically the same. Public IM clients and services available include ICQ, AOL Instant Messenger (AIM), Microsoft MSN Messenger, and Yahoo! Messenger. For businesses and enterprises looking for a more secure method of IM, there are enterprise IM packages available such as Microsoft Live Communication Server 2005 and IBM Lotus Instant Messaging. Third-party software is available to help businesses make using public IM services in the workplace more secure.Some problems and issues associated with IM include spim and virus propagation. Spim is the IM equivalent of spam and is perpetuated by bots that harvest IM screen names off of the Internet and simulate a human user by sending spim to the screen names via an instant message. The spim typically contains a link to a Web site that the spimmer is trying to market. Spim is a bit more intrusive than spam due to the nature of IM itself. These advertisements and junk messages will pop-up in your IM window and you need to deal with the messages immediately, where with e-mail you can usually filter a lot of it out and deal with it later. Additionally, viruses and Trojans can be spread through IM channels. These malicious programs are usually spread when an IM user receives a message that links to a Web site where the malicious code is downloaded. The message will appear to be from a known IM contact, which is why recipients re more likely to click the hyperlink and download the file. Using safe chat rules (such as never clicking the link) and keeping an updated anti-virus program on your system will help reduce the chances of becoming infected by malicious programs being spread through instant messaging.Internet Telephony & VoIPInternet telephony consists of a combination of hardware and software that enables you to use the Internet as the transmission medium for telephone calls. For users who have free, or fixed-price Internet access, Internet telephony software essentially provides free telephone calls anywhere in the world. In its simplest form, PC-to-PC Internet telephony can be as easy as hooking up a microphone to your computer and sending your voice through a cable modem to a person who has Internet telephony software that is compatible with yours. This basic form of Internet telephony is not without its problems, however. Connecting this way is slower than using a traditional telephone, and the quality of the voice transmissions is also not near the quality you would get when placing a regular phone call.Many Internet telephony applications are available. Some, such as CoolTalk andNetMeeting, come bundled with popular Web browsers. Others are stand-alone products. Internet telephony products are sometimes called IP telephony, V oice over the Internet (VOI) or V oice over IP (V oIP) products.V oIP is another Internet-based communications method which is growing in popularity. V oIP hardware and software work together to use the Internet to transmit telephone calls by sending voice data in packets using IP rather than by traditional circuit transmissions, called PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network). The voice traffic is converted into data packets then routed over the Internet, or any IP network, just as normal data packets would be transmitted. When the data packets reach their destination, they are converted back to voice data again for the recipient. Your telephone is connected to a V oIP phone adapter (considered the hardware aspect). This adapter is connected to your broadband Internet connection. The call is routed through the Internet to a regular phone jack, which is connected to the receiver's phone. Special hardware (the phone adapter) is required only for the sender.Much like finding an Internet service provider (ISP) for your Internet connection, you will need to use a V oIP provider. Some service providers may offer plans that include free calls to other subscribers on their network and charge flat rates for other V oIP calls based on a fixed number of calling minutes. You most likely will pay additional fees when you call long distance using V oIP. While this sounds a lot like regular telephone service, it is less expensive than traditional voice communications, starting with the fact that you will no longer need to pay for extras on your monthly phone bill.E-mailShort for electronic mail, e-mail is the transmission of messages over communications networks. The messages can be notes entered from the keyboard or electronic files stored on disk. Most mainframes, minicomputers and computer networks have an e-mail system. Some e-mail systems are confined to a single computer system or network, but others have gateways to other computer systems, enabling you to send electronic mail anywhere in the world.Using an e-mail client (software such as Microsoft Outlook or Eudora), you can compose an e-mail message and send it to another person anywhere, as long as you know the recipient e-mail address. All online services and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) offer e-mail, and support gateways so that you can exchange e-mail with users of other systems. Usually, it takes only a few seconds for an e-mail to arrive at its destination. This is a particularly effective way to communicate with a group because you can broadcast a message or document to everyone in the group at once.One of the biggest black clouds hanging over e-mail is spam. Though definitions vary, spam can be considered any electronic junk mail (generally e-mail advertising for some product) that is sent out to thousands, if not millions, of people. Often spam perpetrates the spread of e-mail Trojans and viruses. For this reason, it's important to use an updated anti-virus program, which will scan your incoming and outgoing e-mail for viruses.For more information on e-mail, see "Deciphering Internet E-mail", a WebopediaQuick Reference.IRCShort for Internet Relay Chat, IRC is a multi-user chat system that allows to people gather on "channels" or "rooms" to talk in groups or privately. IRC is based on a client/server model. That is, to join an IRC discussion, you need an IRC client (such a mIRC) and Internet access. The IRC client is a program that runs on your computer and sends and receives messages to and from an IRC server. The IRC server, in turn, is responsible for making sure that all messages are broadcast to everyone participating in a discussion. There can be many discussions going on at once and each one is assigned a unique channel. Once you have joined an IRC chat room (chatroom discussions are designated by topics), you can type your messages in the public chatroom where all participants will see it, or you can send a private message to a single participant. With many IRC clients you can easily create your own chatroom and invite others to join your channel. You can also password protect your chatroom to allow for a more private discussion with just people whom you invite. Once you become familiar with your IRC client you'll find many options available to help you moderate and take part in a channel. One problem commonly associated with IRC is lag. IRC relies on the connections between the servers, and the connections or the servers can slow down. If you're in a discussion and people do not respond, or you notice that people are responding to things you types several minutes ago, then you can attribute this to lag. If you continue to experience lag, you can try connecting to the IRC network on a different server.VideoconferencingVideoconferencing is a conference between two or more participants at different sites by using computer networks to transmit audio and video data. Each participant has a video camera, microphone and speakers connected on his or her computer. As the two participants speak to one another, their voices are carried over the network and delivered to the other's speakers, and whatever images appear in front of the video camera appear in a window on the other participant's monitor.In order for videoconferencing to work, the conference participants must use the same client or compatible software. Many freeware and shareware videoconferencing tools are available online for download, and most Web cameras also come bundled with videoconferencing software. Many newer videoconferencing packages can also be integrated with public IM clients for multipoint conferencing and collaboration.In recent years, videoconferencing has become a popular form of distance communication in classrooms, allowing for a cost efficient way to provide distance learning, guest speakers, and multi-school collaboration projects. Many feel that videoconferencing provides a visual connection and interaction that cannot be achieved with standard IM or e-mail communications.SMS & Wireless CommunicationsShort message service (SMS) is a global wireless service that enables the transmissionof alphanumeric messages between mobile subscribers and external systems such as e-mail, paging and voice-mail systems. Messages can be no longer than 160 alpha-numeric characters and must contain no images or graphics. Once a message is sent, it is received by a Short Message Service Center (SMSC), which must then get it to the appropriate mobile device or system. As wireless services evolved, Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) was introduced and provided a way to send messages comprising a combination of text, sounds, images and video to MMS capable handsets.Communication on wireless devices such as mobile phones and PDAs is frequently changing. Today you can use your wireless device to not only make phone calls, but to send and receive e-mail and IM. While you can use e-mail, IRC or IM for free if you have an Internet account, you will end up paying fees to you mobile carrier to use these services on a wireless device.网络通讯如果你使用互联网,那么你可能通过因特网与家人朋友或同事通讯联系.网上提供多种沟通方式,如向一位朋友送即时讯息,或发送电子邮件给同事,拨打网络电话,召开视频会议.基于因特网通信优点有很多. 如果你是已付费的网络用户(或者是您的雇主),你就可以利用网络发送即时讯息或者使用网络电话代替标准本地电话服务. 当然,任何技术都是有负面的.基于因特网内的通讯.上有很多沟通,如病毒、垃圾邮件、隐私问题.像所有的技术(特别是因特网技术系)都是在不断演变才使得我们能网上沟通. 这篇文章中我们会介绍一些最流行的基于因特网的通信.即时信息增长最快的网络通讯方式莫过于即时信息,简称IM. IM的思想是基于两台或多台计算机之间的文本传输.通过因特网,IM通讯服务器就能够为你建造一个个性化的私人聊天室,你可以在个人列表中选择他人与你进行实时对话.通常,IM 系统允许你随时与你的联系列表中的某个朋友在线联络.你也可以新加入其它朋友一起,进行多人交谈.IM如此受欢迎的其中一个原因是它本身的实时性.不同于电子邮件,你只能等待接收他或她的电子邮件查阅后并回复.如果一个人要与你在线联系,就必须获得你的IM联系名,你的上线消息就会立即出现在他们的屏幕上的一个窗口中.当千百万网民利用IM与家人和朋友联系的同时,在商业领域也同样成为新宠.在公司中,当员工需要立即与其它办公室的主管或同事索取信息资料时,就无需拨打本地电话了.总而言之,IM既可以为员工节省时间,又有助于降低商务间的通讯开支.关键词在于理解基于因特网的通信.会话发起协议SIP是会话发起协议的简称,或者会话启动协议,是一个应用层控制协议;也是一项互联网技术的信令协议. SIP能创建特色会话,如音频/视频会议、互动游戏、以及部署在IP网络的呼叫转移. 安全规格,使用户能够通过即时信息接入设备.无线应用协议WAP是无线应用协议的简称,是一项准许用户通过无线手持设备获取即时信息的安全规格说明书 ,如用手持无线移动电话、寻呼机、收发两用无线电设备、智能电话与他人沟通.更多基于因特网的通信术语如下:e-mail电子邮件instant messaging即时消息VoIP 网络电话VoWiFi 无限网络电话Internet fax网络传真mobile IP IP电话IP address IP地址不同的IM客户端的特点和优势也不近相同,但基本功能还是大体相近. 大众普遍使用的IM包括ICQ 、AOL的即时通、MSN、雅虎通. 而商业和企业则使用一种更为安全的企业级的即时通讯包,如微软05版生活沟通服务器,IBM莲花即时通. 第三方软件使得商人在工作场合使用大众IM时更为安全有效.伴随IM而来的还有恶意垃圾电子邮件和病毒的繁殖等矛盾性问题. Spim 的意思是即时通讯中的垃圾邮件,更确切说,它是即时讯息成果中永久的蠕虫,它冒充真实的人类使用昵称向用户发送带病毒的即时讯息.恶意垃圾邮件通常包含一个链接网址,它为撰写垃圾邮件者建造了市场.对于即时讯息本身, 恶意垃圾邮件比垃圾邮件更具侵害性. 这些广告和垃圾信息在你的即时通讯工具窗口弹出,你需要立即处理这些信息,通常你都要先过滤掉大量垃圾邮件后再去处理那些你的电子邮件.另外,木马病毒可以通过即时讯息的渠道传播.这些恶意程式的散布通常是当一个即时讯息用户接收一条需要点击一个网址的信息时,就会下载恶意代码. 这个信息将会出现在一个已知的即时通讯中, 这就是为什么更多的接收者如此相似的去点击超级链接并下载文件的原因.利用聊天安全规则(如没点击链接),并保持最新的反病毒程序,将会有帮助于你的系统减少感染机会,并通过即时讯息传染恶意程式.互联网电话及网络电话互联网电话由硬件和软件结合组成,让能够用互联网作为传输介质进行电话呼叫. 用户可以免费或者只需要支付固定上网费用,通过网络电话软件本身所提供的免费电话就可呼叫世界上的任何用户. 这种使用计算机--计算机拨打网络电话的形式,只需要在你的计算机上配置一个麦克风,通过调制解调器,那么和你安装了相同网络电话软件的一方就能听到你透过麦克风向他传话的声音了.然而,这种网络电话的基本形式仍存在一定问题.这种方式相对于使用传统电话来说速度较慢,并且话音的质量也不能保证像付费电话那样清晰.某些网络电话程序是可以获得的,诸如cooltalk和NetMeeting,它们与当前流行的浏览器捆绑.另外的就都自成一体化产品. 互联网电话产品有时称为IP 电话、语音跨越在因特网(VOI)或IP语音产品(VoIP).VoIP是另一个越来越受欢迎基于互联网的通讯方式. VoIP的硬件和软件一起利用互联网进行电话交流,通过IP发送语音数据包,而非传统的电路传输. 称为PSTN(大众网络电话首选).语音转换成数据包然后路由在互联网,或者一些IP 网络,如同正常的数据包一样被传送. 当数据包抵达目的地后,它们又把接收者语音数据返回.您的电话是连接在VoIP电话适配器上(硬件组成方面).这个适配器是让你通过连接宽频上网. 电话是经由当地电话网上定期杰克,连接接收机的电话.就像为你连接网络寻找一个因特网服务供应商(ISP),你需要一个网络电话的供应商. 一些服务供应商推出了各种方案,可能包括提供免费呼叫某些单位的网络, 或者收取基于网络电话拨打固定电话呼叫时间的收费比率.当你使用的VoIP拨打长途电话时,最可能将为此付出额外的费用.尽管听起来不完全和普通电话一样,但它比传统的语音通讯要便宜的多,从此你不再需要在你每月电话单中支付额外费用.电子邮件E-Mail是电子邮件简称,它是通过网络来传递文本信息的.信息可以来自于键盘敲入或储存在磁盘中的电子文档. 很多巨型计算机,微型计算机都有电子邮件系统. 一些电子邮件系统是局限于单一的计算机系统或网络,但是有部分电脑系统等门户,让你在世界任何地方发送电子邮件.利用电子邮件客户端(如微软的Outlook或Eudora软件),你可以谱写一封电子邮件并发送到任何地方的人,只要你知道收件人的电子邮件地址. 所有在线服务和互联网服务供应商(ISPs)提供了电子邮件和支持网关,那么就可以用电子邮件与他们系统的用户交流. 通常,只需几秒钟电子邮件就能到达目的地. 这是一个特别有效的集体交流方式,让你可以一次性与集体每一位发送信息或文档.恶意垃圾邮件像一个巨大无比的黑云把电子邮件所笼罩.. 尽管定义多变,恶意垃圾邮件仍可以被认定为是上千封的电子垃圾信件(通常是一些产品广告), 如果没有数以万计的客户的话. 垃圾邮件照样常常被电子邮件木马、病毒所蔓延.为此,它的重要使用最新的反病毒程序,您将扫描收支电子邮件病毒. 因此,使用最新的反病毒程序尤为重要,它会扫描你发送和接收的电子邮件是否存在病毒.更多关于电子邮件信息,请见"互联网电子邮件破译",这是计算机与网络名词的在线查询字典的参考.因特网中继聊天IRC是因特网中继聊天的简称,IRC是多用户、多频道的群聊系统，许多用户可以在一个被称为“channel”或"房间"的地方就某一话题交谈或私谈.IRC是基于客户端/服务器端的模式.即参加室内讨论.你需要一个IRC的客户软件(如mIRC)和网络.IRC客户端程序运行在你的电脑与IRC服务器端做信息传递.而另一端也就是IRC服务器,它是负责确保所有信息传播给讨论组中的每一个成员.它可以让讨论者同时进行群聊,也可以彼此单独开设了通道.一旦加入一个IRC 聊天室(聊天室讨论主题由对话者决定),你可以在某个公共聊天室的公开讨论并让所有成员看到你信息内容,另外你也可以发送私人讯息给某个参与者.有了IRC 客户端你可以轻易创造自己的聊天室并邀请他人加入你的频道.在你想进行更私人对话时.也可以使用密码保护的方式,只允许你所邀请的人进入聊天室.一旦你熟悉了IRC的顾客,你就会在渠道里找到一些愿意参与并帮助你解决问题的人.与IRC伴随的一个普遍问题是滞后. IRC依赖于彼此相连的主机导致速度变慢.如果你所在的讨论组无人响应,或者你通知的那个人在几分钟以后才答复你,那么可以归结为这是滞后.如果你有多次滞后的经历,那么你可以尝试连接不同的IRC服务器.视频会议视像会议是由两个或多人在不同地点的与会者,利用电脑网络传送语音、录像资料的工具. 每位与会者都要将摄像头,麦克风和听筒与他/她的电脑连接.如果双方会议要给另一方知道,那么他们的声音将透过网络传到给另一个对话者,并且瞄准摄像头的画面也将会呈现在其它会议群的监视者.为了让工作视频会议有序,与会人员必须使用相同客户端或兼容的软件.许多免费软件和共享视频工具提供网上下载,绝大部分的在线影院都捆绑了视频会议的软件.一些新颖的视频会议将大众即时讯息客户端整合成套装,可以用作多方会议和项目.近年来,视频会议已成为一种流行的远程交流的教室,为远程学习,宾客讨论以及多媒体学校合作项目提供了高效的方式. 许多人都认为视频会议提供了一个标准即时信息软件或者电子邮件所不能完成的可视化互动连接.短讯及无线通讯短信服务(SMS)是全球无线服务,使的移动用户与外部系统之间可以传递任何的字母数字信息,如系统电子邮件、传呼、语音邮件系统. 信息可以不再超过160字母数字字符、图象或图形必须包含无. 一旦讯息被发送,就会被对应的移动设备或系统的某个短信服务中心接收.作为无线服务的演变,多媒体信息服务(彩信MMS)被推广,它提供了多种传递讯息方式,包括文字、声音、以手机彩信和视频图象集于一体的能力.无线通讯设备如移动电话、掌上电脑(PDA)等是时常革新的. 如今你所使用的无线设备并不仅限于电话呼叫,还可以收发电子邮件和即时信息. 如果你有一个因特网帐户,那么你使用的电子邮件、网络聊天室或即时讯息是免费的,不过,如果你用无线设备来完成服务,你仍需付费给你的移动运营商.。