Future Tech – Artificial Intelligence

Greetings!

Below are the findings from my research on Artificial Intelligence. The research questions were:

  • Explain the tech; what is it, how does it work, what hardware, software, and network does it need?
    Is it currently available to the public?
  • Who (or what) invented or pioneered the technology?
  • What “problem” does it solve for its users?
  • Are there any potential drawbacks or dangers of using the tech?
  • Offer one example of how widespread adoption of this technology might impact society.

 

Artificial Intelligence refers to computers that are capable of performing complex tasks that previously in the past only humans could do, such as reasoning, making decisions, or solving problems. It works by using Machine Learning and Deep Learning to perform given tasks. Machine Learning uses algorithms trained on data sets to create self-learning models that are capable of predicting outcomes and classifying information without human intervention. Deep Learning is a branch of machine learning that is based on artificial neural network architecture; the artificial neural network uses layers of interconnected nodes that work together to process and learn from the input data. AI, but especially Deep Learning, requires powerful GPUs, large amounts of RAM, and fast storage to handle the data and perform the necessary computations. There are AI applications available to the public, but also some that are used in private organizations, and some only available to personal users.

 

Alan Turing is commonly known as the person who did the earliest known research of AI technology. He described in 1935 the “Turing Machine”, not a machine in the regular sense but rather a mathematical model that reduces the logical structure of any computing device to its essentials. This would become the basis for all subsequent digital computers. In 1950, he introduced the Turing Test, a practical test for determining computer intelligence, which is still a standard in determining computer intelligence today.

 

The biggest problems that AI solves for its users are:

Automating Tasks and Processes

AI is does extremely well handling mundane, repetitive tasks that are time-consuming and error-prone for humans. This includes data entry, scheduling, report generation, and even basic customer service inquiries.

Data Analysis and Insights

AI can analyze vast datasets to identify trends and patterns that would be difficult for humans to see, and even be used to make predictions about future events. This can be applied in many fields, but especially finance to detect fraudulent activity or in healthcare to identify potential disease outbreaks.

Communication and Interaction

Because AI can recognize human language, this can used in chatbots that can provide customer service or virtual assistants that can automate tasks based on spoken instructions. It can also tailor recommendations for websites, personalize learning experiences for students, and even generate different kinds of text content like poems or scripts.

 

There are a few potential drawbacks, and even dangers, of using AI. Some of these are:

  • Lack of Transparency – Particularly in deep learning models, which can be complex and difficult to interpret, lack of transparency is a critical issue. When people cannot see how the AI system came to its conclusions, it leads to distrust of the technology.
  • Bias and Discrimination – AI systems can inadvertently show biases of the data or the algorithmic design. To avoid this, the developers of the AI should be sure to train the AI with unbiased material.
  • Security Risks – As AI Technologies become more sophisticated, the security risks with their use and possible misuse also increase. Hackers and malicious actors can harness AI to develop more advanced cyberattacks, bypass security measures, and exploit system flaws.

 

One example of how widespread adoption of AI might impact society is improving learning experiences. It can personalize the learning experience for different individuals, provide specific recommendations for students, and even identify knowledge gaps to better improve academic outcomes.

I hope you enjoyed reading my final blog post. God bless you all!

~Katie

 

Sources:

https://www.coursera.org/articles/what-is-artificial-intelligence

https://www.forbes.com/advisor/in/business/software/what-is-ai/

https://www.coursera.org/articles/what-is-machine-learning

https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/introduction-deep-learning/

https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/hardware-requirements-for-artificial-intelligence/

https://www.makeuseof.com/public-ai-vs-private-ai-vs-personal-ai-whats-the-difference/

https://www.britannica.com/science/history-of-artificial-intelligence

https://www.britannica.com/technology/Turing-machine

https://stefanini.com/en/insights/news/what-problems-can-artificial-intelligence-help-us-solve

https://aiforsocialgood.ca/blog/the-impact-of-artificial-intelligence-on-society-challenges-and-opportunities

Comparing Two Popular Mobile Apps

Greetings!

Below are the findings from my research on two mobile apps. The research questions were:

  • What are they used for?
  • Who is the target audience?
  • What are the revenue streams for the publishers?
  • Can you offer your readers any tips, tricks, or hacks for getting the most out of the app?

 

Two popular mobile apps are Instagram and Facebook Messenger. Both are owned by Meta (which also owns Facebook and WhatsApp).

Instagram is a social media app from Meta used for posting photos and videos. Users post things from day-to-day activities, art and fashion, to food, travel, and so much more. It also is a large hub for content, from following other users for fashion and art inspiration, to travel ideas, and even following large brands for staying up to date on their newest offerings.

Although people of all ages use Instagram, the main target audience is 18 to 24 years old, closely followed by 25 to 34 years old. As for gender, it is split quite evenly between who uses Instagram more. Males account for 51.8% of worldwide users, while females account for 48.2%. The most common revenue stream for Instagram is sponsored posts. This is when brands pay a user to create content that features their product or service and share it with their followers.

Facebook Messenger (often just referred to as Messenger) is an instant messaging service from Meta. You don’t have to have a Facebook account to use it, so anyone can use it. It can be used with Facebook on a computer, on Messenger.com, or the mobile app on iOS and Android devices.

The main target audience is millennials – people aged 25 to 34 years old. As for gender, 54.6% of Messenger users are females. For revenues streams, Messenger can be used for marketing purposes. A few ways to do this is to have a Messenger chatbot answer customer questions, using Messenger to directly send content to the target audience, and even using ads on Messenger.

As a final thought, I can give a couple tips for Facebook Messenger. One interesting feature you can do is add word effects to words and phrases. When you use this, you can choose an emoji to float up from the bottom of the screen to the top when you send a message. Another interesting feature is you can have a phone or video call from Messenger. This works on both mobile and desktop, and can be quite convenient if you don’t have cell signal, because all you need is an internet connection (like Wi-Fi!)

 

~Katie

 

Sources:

https://backlinko.com/most-popular-apps

https://www.rd.com/article/what-is-instagram/

https://blog.hootsuite.com/instagram-demographics/

https://wyomingllcattorney.com/Blog/Navigating-Instagram-As-A-Revenue-Stream

https://www.lifewire.com/facebook-messenger-4103719

https://blog.hootsuite.com/facebook-messenger-stats/

https://blog.hootsuite.com/facebook-messenger-marketing/

https://www.makeuseof.com/how-to-use-word-effects-facebook-messenger/

https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/cool-tricks-and-secret-gems-inside-facebook-messenger

The Cloud and Comparing Some Cloud Services

Greetings!

Below are the findings from my research on three cloud services I use. The research questions were:

  • Would this application/system work as well NOT in the cloud?
  • What are the advantages to having this system on a distributed network?
  • Do you have any security or privacy concerns when using this system?

 

Three Cloud based systems that I use are Dropbox, Adobe Creative Cloud, and iCloud.

Dropbox is a cloud-based service used for storing files and collaboration. Not only can you store your files there, but you can also connect the apps used for viewing the files so you don’t need to switch between apps; it is all on Dropbox. It has plans for both individuals and businesses (free and paid as well). Dropbox would not work as well (or at all!) if it wasn’t in the cloud. Its whole service is rooted in cloud file storage. The advantages of having this system on a distributed network is that you can access it anywhere you have internet, either from the app or online. As with any system, there are always privacy concerns. There was an incident earlier this year (2024 as of writing) where a hacker accessed customers’ passwords and other information.

Adobe Creative Cloud is a subscription service with the Adobe graphic design applications, plus cloud storage and other features.  All plans are paid, but there are different plans for individual, student, and business. Adobe Creative Cloud could work without the cloud (because you can save files locally), but there are several nice features that require the cloud to work (e.g., fonts, internet access, etc.). An advantage of having Adobe CC on a distributed network is that you can access it from anywhere – at home, on your laptop, or even on the internet for some apps. One privacy concern that I have with Adobe is that there was a controversy earlier this year (2024 as of this writing) that it implied that Adobe (the company) can see users’ work and use it for training AI.  The controversy seems to have been clarified by the company that they do not use it for training AI, but certain personal projects I still save to my local drive.

iCloud is a cloud-based service that comes with every Apple product, but can be upgraded to iCloud+ (paid versions). It includes photo/file storage, calendar, notes, internet bookmarks, passwords, and even device backups. Like Dropbox, this would not work without the cloud, since it is the basis of the service. It needs a way to store the user’s files, so the cloud needs to be a part of it (especially with a name like iCloud!) The advantage of having this system on a distributed network is that you can access it anywhere – this is especially useful since you can access your iCloud email and files from the internet (if you are working on a project, you can sign in on the internet if you don’t have an Apple device with you).  I have minor concerns about Apple, because they rarely get hacked, but they can see things you put on iCloud. You can update the security settings so they can’t see as much, but email, calendar, and contacts on iCloud will always be able to be seen by Apple.

Some final thoughts I have about the Cloud is that it seems like a lot of these services are able to see what you put onto the cloud. Personally, I keep personal files that have sensitive information off the cloud in case it can be seen or the companies happen to get hacked.

I hope you enjoyed reading my comparison between three cloud services. You’d be surprised at how many applications use the cloud!

~ Katie

 

Sources:

https://www.dropbox.com/features

https://www.apple.com/icloud/

https://www.dropbox.com/basic

https://www.forbes.com/sites/daveywinder/2024/05/02/dropbox-warns-hacker-accessed-customer-passwords-and-mfa-data/

https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud.html#pick-a-plan-to-start-creating

https://www.theverge.com/2024/6/7/24173838/adobe-tos-update-firefly-generative-ai-trust

https://www.ibm.com/topics/distributed-cloud

https://proton.me/blog/apple-icloud-privacy

Research on Social Media Demographics

Greetings!

Below are the findings from my research on the following questions. For each question’s answer I have the link below it from my research.

 

  1. What were the top three social media sites, in terms of traffic, in 22-23? List them in order of popularity. 

The top three social media sites in 2022-2023 were YouTube, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter). YouTube had 1.35 trillion visits, Facebook 216.4 billion visits, and X 112.9 billion visits.

Source: https://www.onfocus.news/most-visited-social-media-platforms-of-2023-led-by-youtube-facebook-twitter-instagram-reddit/

 

  1. Provide a brief summary of how each social media site works and why people use it. 

YouTube is a social media platform for sharing video content. People use it to watch videos online and to share their own content. Facebook is a social media platform used for social networking and posting a variety of content, like text, images, videos, and more. People use Facebook because it is user friendly and open to everyone. X (formerly Twitter) is a social media site where users communicate their thoughts in short messages. People use X for a variety of reasons, from attention, education, self-promotion, the list goes on!

Sources: https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/youtube/what-is-youtube/1/

https://www.lifewire.com/what-is-facebook-3486391

https://www.lifewire.com/what-exactly-is-twitter-2483331

  1. What are “demographics” and why is it important in social media?

“Demographics” in social media are different audiences that use social media platforms regularly. These are important to social media because it helps the user putting out content be able to target their audience better, whether it is a marketer for a business or a content creator.

Source: https://www.ocoya.com/blog/social-media-demographics-guide

  1. Explain any demographics that stand out among the three social media sites you listed above. (More popular with a specific age group, are majority of users male or female, married or single, employees or self-employed, etc.)

YouTube has a high demographic of users 25 to 34 years old, with this being 21.5% of all users. Facebook has a top demographic of users from India, with 349.7 million users. X has a high demographic of US users at 21.09%, but is followed by Japan at 10.3%.

Sources: https://www.oberlo.com/statistics/youtube-age-demographics

https://www.websiterating.com/blog/research/facebook-statistics/

https://explodingtopics.com/blog/x-user-stats#region

  1. On average, how much time do users spend on each social media site during a day, week or month? 

On average, users spend 143 minutes on social media as a whole every day. On YouTube, users spend about 46 minutes a day, 10 hours and 27 minutes a week, and 23 hours and 9 minutes a month. On Facebook, users spend about 39 minutes a day, 9 hours and 24 minutes a week, and 19 hours and 43 minutes a month. On X, users spend about 30.9 minutes a day, 3.6 hours a week, and 15 hours a month.

Sources: https://www.business2community.com/statistics-pages/average-time-spent-social-media

https://www.doofinder.com/en/statistics/time-spent-on-social-media

https://blog.hootsuite.com/twitter-statistics/

  1. Which of the three social media networks is growing the fastest? Why do you think that is? 

Of the three social media networks, Facebook seems to be growing the fastest. I believe that is because of its high variety of content and networking uses. Many businesses use Facebook to grow their business, which makes sense since it is one of the most used social media sites.

Source: https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/fastest-growing-social-media-platforms

 

  1. How are the majority of visitors accessing these three sites (computer, mobile device, tablet)?

YouTube is being accessed by mobile devices the most, with it being 70% of all YouTube views. Facebook also is accessed by mobile devices the most, with 84.5% of Facebook users. X, like the other two, is accessed the most by mobile devices, with 80% of X users.

Sources: https://thynxlabs.com/blog/youtube-user-statistics-2023

https://www.businessofapps.com/data/facebook-statistics/

https://www.reliablesoft.net/twitter-statistics/

 

I hope you enjoyed reading this interesting information about the social media demographics! Feel free to comment with any thoughts or questions.

~Katie

Cybersecurity Incident Example and How To Learn From It

After some research, I found one concrete example of very “bad behavior” in the online space, although this example should probably be defined as much more than “bad behavior”. This example is the ransomware attack on the USA’s largest healthcare payment system, Change Healthcare. This incident began on February 21, 2024.

Who was involved?

The victim was Change Healthcare, a company that provides a widely used program that healthcare providers use to manage customer payments and insurance claims. The users across the country, especially small-sized and medium-sized businesses, were also affected. The cybercriminals were the cybercriminal gang “ALPHV/BlackCat”, which is a known Russian-speaking ransomware-as-a-service gang.

What was the outcome?

After confirming that Change Healthcare had been hit by a ransomware gang on February 29th, UnitedHealth paid a ransom of $22 million to the hackers around March 3rd-5th. The ALPHV cybercriminal gang then vanished.  Still, for several months, there was widespread disruption across the USA healthcare system. Then in April, a new ransom gang was formed by a ALPHV affiliate and threatened to publish the data stolen unless another ransom was paid from UnitedHealth. It was later revealed on May 1st that Change Healthcare’s cybersecurity system was broken into because of a single set password on a user’s account not protected with multi-factor authentication. Finally, after nearly six months after the first incident, Change Healthcare began notifying known affected individuals by letter.

Was there financial loss or damage to someone’s reputation?

There was at least one known ransom paid by UnitedHealth, which was $22 million. There was a second ransom paid, but UnitedHealth would not disclose how much the ransom was or how many ransoms it ultimately paid. Many people (though the number of people affected is still unknown) had highly sensitive information stolen, including medical records and health information, diagnoses, medications, test results, imaging and care and treatment plans, and other personal information including social security numbers.

Were the criminals held accountable?

The cybercriminals have not been caught yet. The US government has a bounty of $10 million for anyone who can identify or locate the individuals behind the gang.

What practical lessons can we learn as a result of this?

The biggest lesson we can learn is to have a higher account security strength. The cybercriminals were able to break in because of one account that only used a single password and not multi-factor authentication. Because of one account’s lack of security, information for possibly tens of millions of people was stolen. After learning about this nationwide cybersecurity incident, I won’t resent having to read an authentication code from my phone or email to get into my COTC account!

Sources:

https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/security/ransomware-attack-us-health-care-payment-processor-serious-incident-ki-rcna141322

https://techcrunch.com/2024/08/17/how-the-ransomware-attack-at-change-healthcare-went-down-a-timeline/?guccounter=1

Privacy, Security, Hacks, and Leaks (Midterm Research Project)

As the IT supervisor of a gourmet food retailer, my job is to prevent and manage cyber threats to the company. With its three stores, online e-commerce marketplace, and more than 35,000 customers with approximately $1 million in sales each year, the company can have many different cyber threats from a multitude of areas. In this post, I will describe five sources of digital threats to the company, five digital systems that could be exploited, and five recommendations to better protect the company’s assets.

 

Know your enemy: What are 5 sources/types of potential digital threats to your organization.

  1. Ransomware – Ransomware comes in many different forms, but it all has the same concept: you have to pay a ransom to keep your data. Ransomware is typically the final step in a cyberattack process. The payment request is deployed after the attacker gains access to the victim’s network and data. The first step into the company’s network and data is usually a form of phishing, social engineering, or web application attack. As soon as the cybercriminal has access to the company’s data, they can begin to deploy ransomware everywhere they are able to reach in the company.
  1. Security Misconfigurations – Security misconfigurations arise when security settings are not defined or implemented, or when they are set at the default settings. Often, this means the security configuration settings do not comply with the industry standards, such as CIS Benchmarks or OWASP Top 10. Misconfigurations are often seen as an easy target, since they can be easily detected by cybercriminals. Some of the most common misconfigurations are unpatched systems, broken access control, sensitive data exposure and vulnerable and outdated components.
  1. Credential Stuffing – Credential stuffing happens when an attacker uses stolen credentials from one company to access user accounts in another system or at another company. The credentials are typically obtained from the dark web or in a data breach. This type of cyber threat simply involves logging into a victim’s account with their own username and password. Unfortunately, because this kind of attack is so easy, it is becoming more and more popular. The success of these attacks relies on personal password reuse by an organization’s employees. A 2019 Google survey found that 65% of people reuse passwords on multiple accounts, if not all of them. This only makes the likelihood of an attack higher.
  1. Social Engineering – Social engineering is not necessarily a digital system compromise, but instead the compromise of a person, which causes them to unknowingly release confidential information to a cybercriminal. Typically, this is the first step in a multistep cybercriminal attack. Social engineering most commonly takes place in an email phishing attack, where the victim is tricked into downloading malware or giving up credentials. The most concerning factor is that many social engineering and phishing incidents are discovered by external parties. This means that when employees are falling for the cybercriminal’s tricks, they usually don’t even realize it.
  1. Phishing – Phishing can happen in many ways, but it comes down to a common premise: a cybercriminal pretending to be someone you know with a message that looks real and urgent, and either asking to click a link or asking for some information (like log in credentials for an account). Maybe it looks like it is from your bank asking for your account credentials, or your manager asking for a password. Unfortunately, it is easy to spoof logos and create fake email addresses that can look real. If the victim acquiesces to the request, it can be like giving the hacker the key to the front door to the company’s data.

 

Know yourself: Identify at least 5 digital processes, systems, and/or functions your company has in place.

  1. Email Accounts – Email accounts could be exploited by a cybercriminal using the emails (either by phishing, social engineering, etc.) to get into more digital areas of the company.
  1. E-commerce Site – The e-commerce site could be exploited by hacking the site to gather sensitive information from both the consumer and the company.
  1. Security System – Whether for the company’s data, the retail stores, or the website, the security systems could be compromised by cybercriminals, especially if they are older or in the default settings.
  1. Store Payment Systems (Point of Sale) – Cybercriminals can do many acts with a Point of Sale, like steal customer’s data, change prices to their advantage, and even make it that their purchase goes onto the next customer’s card.
  1. Databases (Private Dedicated Servers and Cloud Servers) – Many Private Dedicated or Cloud Servers, can be hacked through phishing, weak passwords, etc., and both company and customer information can be stolen and exploited.

 

Develop your strategy: As the chief technology executive, make 5 recommendations that your company should adopt to be more safe, secure, and reliable.

  1. Educate employees – One of the biggest things we can do in the company is to educate our employees about what they should do to prevent digital threats from penetrating into the company. Requiring cybersecurity training and creating an atmosphere of encouraging security and digital safety can help prevent digital threats in the future.
  1. Regularly Update Security Systems – Not only for the security systems in the company, but also updates for computers, phones, and other devices to prevent breaches. Even missing small updates for a computer can create a hole in the security system that an intruder can use to gain access.
  1. Use Strong Passwords – Making sure all passwords are strong (and also not used repeatedly) can make the company’s digital security even stronger.
  1. Secure Wi-Fi Networks – Wi-Fi networks are often a common entry point for cyberattacks, so we should take steps to secure them, from using strong passwords, using the latest encryption standards, and even hiding the network to make it less visible to attackers.
  1. Conduct Regular Security Audits – From within offices, to the e-commerce sites, to within the stores, we should be doing regular security audits. This can ensure that there are not any holes in digital security, and can even help make sure we stay compliant with laws and regulations.

In summary, although there are many threats to our company, there are also many ways to prevent and combat these attackers. From educating our employees and keeping a strong security, we can and will have a safe digital environment.

Sources:

https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/common-cyber-security-threats/\

https://www.malwarebytes.com/phishing

https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/small-businesses/cybersecurity/phishing

https://cyberguy.com/security/cybercriminal-access-to-your-email-address/

https://thehackernews.com/2023/08/cyberattacks-targeting-e-commerce.html

https://www.securityweek.com/pos-flaws-allow-hackers-steal-card-data-change-prices/

https://proton.me/blog/cloud-hacked

https://www.portnox.com/blog/security-trends/five-easy-tips-to-help-employees-prevent-cyber-attacks/

https://futuramo.com/blog/top-ten-ways-businesses-can-increase-digital-security/

https://contabo.com/blog/how-to-protect-your-server-from-getting-hacked/

Reviewing Sources on Where To Turn To For Help in Graphic Design/Web Design

Greetings!

Below are my answers to the questions based on my reviews of three sources for information/advice for graphic design/web design.

My three sources reviewed:

Canva Learn – https://www.canva.com/learn/

LinkedIn Learning – https://www.linkedin.com/learning/

Creatnprocess (YouTube channel) – https://www.youtube.com/@creatnprocess

 

Technology changes very rapidly, how current is the information you found? 

Of the three sources I found, Canva seems to have current articles, LinkedIn Learning has graphic design courses that were released within months of this writing, and Creatnprocess is a YouTube channel continually putting out content. Depending on the kind of information (design tips vs software instruction), it is possible to be able to use older information, like for design layout and general design rules, but for software specific things, it would be best to have the most recent information as possible.

Who is posting the information? Are they an authority on the matter? How can you tell?

Canva is an actual organization putting out articles written by staff, LinkedIn Learning is similar to YouTube in a way that you can search for specific courses/tutorials, and Creatnprocess is a YouTube channel who seems to specialize in putting out videos for learning Adobe software. All three are authorities on the matter (Canva, because it is a graphic design software company, Creatnprocess, because they are a graphic designer, and LinkedIn Learning because you can see if the person putting out the course is a specialist in the subject).

What types of gatekeeping mechanisms are in place for the source you found? (i.e., is there an editor or are posts up/downvoted democratically?)

For each source:

  • Creatnprocess has comments sections open for discussion and questions and can easily see if people liked the video (though with YouTube’s recent update you can’t see dislikes on any videos now).
  • Canva has multiple writers for their articles so there isn’t one person’s opinion in all their articles.
  • LinkedIn Learning has reviews on their courses to see how many stars they were rated and people’s comments on them.

Discuss the quality of the information. Is it well written, clear, and easy to follow?

All three are clear and easy to follow. The Canva articles are well written and get to the point without any confusion. Both the LinkedIn Learning courses and Creatnprocess usually have good instructions that are easy to follow and show what is being done on screen (And can use subtitles if you so wish!)

Finally, is this a resource you might use in the future, and if so, why?

All these are resources I may use in the future. Canva has lots of articles that may have the answer to my problem or question, LinkedIn Learning has lots of choices for information, and Creatnprocess has up to date video so there are minimal worries about whether the information is current.

 

Check out these sources! I personally found them very helpful.

~Katie

Research On Content Management Systems

Greetings!

Below are the findings from my research on the following questions. For each question’s answer I have the link below it from my research.

 

Briefly define what we mean by “content management system.” Is it just for websites?

A content management system (CMS) is a software that “helps users create, manage, store, and modify their digital content”, according to an article on ibm.com. It is important to not confuse this with digital asset management (DAM), which complements CMS but the terms are not interchangeable. DAM software is just the system for organizing and storing the website’s digital files, while CMS builds and manages the content. A CMS is mainly used for websites.

Compare and contrast building a website using a CMS and coding a website by hand using HTML/CSS. What are the benefits and drawbacks of each? What is the current best practice when it comes to making a website?

Between building a website with either HTML/CSS or a CMS, there are both pros and cons, and it really depends on your preferences. With HTML, you can have more customization and complete control over your website’s functionality; but it requires coding knowledge and skills, and can be difficult to update and maintain. Conversely, with a CMS, it is easy to use, even if you are not well versed in how to make a website. CMS is also faster than coding a website, but although there are many templates available, there is less customization in design and functionality, and may require ongoing maintenance and updates. It really depends on what your needs are for the website.

How do CMSs impact the web design industry? Are they taking away jobs from web developers? 

Because web presence is crucial for almost any business or organization to succeed, websites need to be able to manage lots of content easily. CMSs make this achievable. By using a CMS, businesses do not need to be as tech savvy to create/edit websites to have the most current info, therefore not needing a professional web designer for minor updates. However, this does not necessarily take jobs away from web designers, as many businesses will hire CMS website designers to get the most benefits from their web presence.

I hope you enjoyed reading this interesting information about the content management systems! Feel free to comment with any thoughts or questions.

~Katie

Research on Recent Evolution of the Web

Greetings!

Below are the findings from my research on the following questions. For each question’s answer I have the link(s) below it from my research.

 

  1. Today, do more people access the web using computers or mobile devices?

            According to a statistic, more than 9 in 10 users (92.3%) prefer to use a mobile device. In contrast, 65.6% of internet users use a laptop or desktop computer to access the internet.

https://whatsthebigdata.com/mobile-internet-traffic/

 

  1. Who controls the World Wide Web? What is it made up of?

            No single person or company controls the World Wide Web, but everyone technically owns part of it (telephone poles, cable, satellites, routers, datacenters, etc.) as people and companies have to make all the pieces that work together to be able to access the internet. The World Wide Web itself is made up of 3 parts – URL (uniform resource locator), which is the addressing scheme to find a document; HTTP (hypertext transfer protocol), which connects computers together; and HTML (hypertext markup language), which formats pages containing hypertext links.

https://www.elitegroup.com/resources/blogs/who-owns-the-internet/

https://artsandculture.google.com/story/the-world-wide-web-the-invention-that-connected-the-world/ogVR4WcKh7UBIQ?hl=en#

 

  1. Who is Tim Berners Lee? What is he best known for?

            Tim Berners Lee is a British computer scientist. He is best known for inventing the World Wide Web while working at CERN in 1989.

https://home.cern/science/computing/birth-web

 

  1. What is a blog? What is it used for?

            A blog is a type of regularly updated website that provides insight into a certain topic. It is typically run by an individual or small group, and written in an informal or conversational style. The word blog is actually a combination of the words “web” and “log”. A blog is used for providing a platform where individuals or organizations can share information, ideas, and thoughts with a wider audience.

https://www.wix.com/blog/what-is-a-blog

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/purpose-blog-tpjobsofficial-n8hyc/

 

  1. What is a “responsive” website design?

            A responsive website design means “creating web pages that are consistent in quality across a variety of devices and screen sizes”, according to Adobe. It is visually appealing, functional, and usable no matter what device the user is accessing the website from. Since many users switch from several devices throughout the day, website designers should focus on responsive design and functionality, because if the website is slow, hard to navigate, or visually unappealing when accessed from different devices, users/consumers will quickly lose interest.

https://business.adobe.com/blog/basics/responsive-web-design

 

  1. Why are “responsive” website designs necessary?

            Responsive website design is necessary because users view content on different devices all day, and web designers need to plan their web content for that in order to succeed.

https://business.adobe.com/blog/basics/responsive-web-design

 

  1. What is SEO, and why should website owners/managers be concerned with SEO?

            SEO stands for “search engine optimization”.  Simply, SEO is the process of improving websites to increase their visibility in search engines. Website owners/managers should be concerned with SEO because it helps attract website visitors who will keep coming back to become customers, clients, or an audience.

https://searchengineland.com/guide/what-is-seo

 

  1. What is dynamic content?

            Dynamic content refers to a website that changes dynamically based on various factors. These factors can include user preferences, location, time of day, and other contextual information. Unlike static content, which remains the same for all users, dynamic content is unique for each user.

https://foundationinc.co/learn/dynamic-content/

 

  1. What is a content management system? You work with one, what is its name?

            A content management system is a web application or software that manages digital content (often contained in a database), and allows multiple contributors to easily create, edit and publish from a single dashboard. One of the most popular (and the one that I am using for this blog!) is WordPress.

https://www.optimizely.com/optimization-glossary/content-management-system/

 

  1. What is a YouTube channel? Who might want to start one?

            A YouTube channel is a member’s personal presence on YouTube, similar other to social media sites. Anyone might want to start one, whether to create content for fun, to promote their business, or to even make a career out of it.

https://www.lifewire.com/channel-youtube-1616635#:~:text=A%20channel%20is%20a%20member%27s,visit%20that%20person%27s%20personal%20channel.

https://www.ericjkuhns.com/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-starting-a-youtube-channel-in-2023#:~:text=Starting%20a%20YouTube%20channel%20can,know%20before%20you%20get%20started.

 

I hope you enjoyed reading these interesting information about the internet! Feel free to comment with any thoughts or questions.

~Katie

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