Introduction
Module 3 had no formal Group activities. There were however numerous invitations made via the module content to discuss within our own groups the issues raised. Unfortunately this was not explored to full advantage within our group; although three of us did have a brief foray into TCP/IP as the TMA approached. On reflection I feel that this lack of open discussion diminished the overall impact on what were very important subjects. Group discussion would have provided valuable confirmation of the content and deepened the learning experience.
Module Content
Module 3 introduced the workings of the Internet. We explored the folklore of ARPANET and learned how and why packet switching was developed. Network Protocols were a significant factor of Module 3. We also learned to question the nature of the information available on the Internet. This was significant, as a large amount of Module 3's content was to be found on the Internet. Finding Information on the Internet: A Tutorial from the University of California at Berkeley was an extremely useful asset provided by the module
The World Wide Web
For me the most striking aspect of Module 3 was Vannevar Bush's vision of information control. The similarities between his thoughts in 1933 and technology today are amazing. His influence on the work of people such as Engelbart seems profound. Would computers be using windows without Bush and Engelbart? My lasting impression of the people behind the origins of the web can be summed by the words of Engelbart taken from the course site:
I confess that I am a dreamer', he wrote in 1995. 'Someone once called me 'just a dreamer'. That offended me, the 'just' part; being a real dreamer is hard work. It really gets hard when you start believing in your dreams'.References
- Finding Information on the Internet: A Tutorial From UC Berkeley. 2/10/01
