SMS Language

     I do not believe SMS language should be considered a language or taught in school.  The SMS language has not value for a person beyond eliminating characters in texts to allow for a longer message.  If students were taught this language in school the abbreviations used may start to show up in written school work.  In addition to this, there is no need to teach this language, kids will learn on their own how to use it as they texting and messaging applications. 

I'm so much cooler online

     I can only answer this question with assumptions.  I do not have any friends that I met online, only ones that I met in person and stay in touch with online.  However, I would guess an online friendship would differ from a physical one.  I believe people might be a little more open with a person they met online than they would with someone they met in person.  In addition, you can portray yourself as whoever you want to be online.  For instance I could be a billionaire astronaut online.  The point I am trying to make here is you would never really know the person you create a friendship online.  This and my reluctance to use social networking sites may be why I do not have any online friends. 

Social Networking

     Social networking has not changed how I communicate with friends and family significantly.  I do have a Face Book page but I do not update or check it regularly.  However, one aspect that has been helpful is reconnecting with old friends.  I have been able to find people that I have lost touch with over the years.  The actual communicating with family in friends I do over more traditional means such as email and phone.  I do not see social networking becoming a primary means of communication for me.

Network Tour

            It was interesting to see how an active network looked like.  The amount of wiring involved, although less than before, was still daunting.  It was intriguing to see the actual amount of servers that are needed to run the Edgewood network.  I had thoughts of racks and racks of servers, but the actually amount needed was a lot less than I would have thought.  The need for outsourcing was also interesting.  I would have thought that all of the work was done in house.  However, it does make sense that no one can be an expert at all things.  In all it was close to what I expected but not quite.  

Personal Networking Devices Impact

     The immediate impact that personal networking devices may have on the environment is the amount of pollution they cause.  This includes the toxic chemicals they contain ending up in landfills.  Another concern is the amount of energy that is required to manufacture them.  As they become more complex the energy cost will increase.  The long term effects of these devices could be linked to global warming or increased mining efforts.

Cell Phones

            As cellular phones have become more prevalent in our everyday lives the costs associated with them has fluctuated.  It is now cheaper than ever to acquire the initial service and device.  However, the cost of the service required to operate the device is growing.  Cell phone companies have realized profits come easier by essentially giving away phones and banking on the fees from the use of it.  The offering of more costly services, such as mobile internet, also adds to their profits.

Security

            Since nothing is ever entirely secure we need to consider what and how we send our sensitive information.  There is no way to tell who is tapping into your communication or what their intentions may be.  This is why we all must use caution when sending information that is sensitive.  There are precautions that we can use, such as encryption, and should use when sending the information.  However, it may not be practical to encrypt everything, so we must assess the need of security for the information we send.

What technology do you use to 'stay in touch' and why?

            I use a variety of technology to stay in touch.  I use internet services such as Skype, E-mail, Face Book, and instant messaging.  These all have a place in my communication.  Skype comes in handy for video calls.  E-mail is used when I want to send a somewhat more formal message.  Face Book is something that I regrettably got sucked into but still has its uses.  Instant messaging comes in handy while working online and doesn’t require a lot of attention to operate.  These all require an internet connection, and that goes into another layer of technology.

            In my home I use a wireless connection on my laptop to connect to my router.  My router uses DSL for a broad band connection.  I decided on DSL as it offered enough speed for me and was marketed at the right price.

            Another form of technology I use is a cell phone.  It is a smart phone so I have various uses for it.  Of course I use it for calls, which is convenient.  Text messaging is another thing I use every day.  It is very convenient to send text instead of talking.  The navigation also comes in handy on my phone on long trips.  It was easier to get a phone with navigation than to buy another piece of electronics that is only for navigation.  I also access the internet on my phone.  This is mostly done to read emails or check the weather.