Module 2 Tasks Contd.

List Tasks

What are the pros and cons of email lists versus discussion boards?

Pros of using emails lists:

1. You can receive a great deal of information from members of the list with similar interests.
2. It can be set up as a community involved list, where all the members can submit and read information, or it can be set up for one way communication to members providing them with information.
3. You do not need to be online all the time and can respond to messages at a later date when suitable for you.


Cons of using an email list:

1. You may receive emails that are not related to the interests you have.
2. The email lists may not be what they advertise. You subscribe to a list that provides different information than what you need.
3. Emails can get very long and messy, making it harder to find information you require.
4. More at risk of spam


Pros of using discussion boards:

1. Can be organised to form sub forums and forums, making it easier to find the information you are after.
2. It is good for forming a community group, and discussions are usually quicker than with email lists.
3. Do not have to subscribe to a list of emails, reducing the chance of SPAM emails.
4. You do not need to be online all the time. You can respond later.
5. Get a wealth of information on a particular topic efficiently.

Cons of using discussion boards:

1. Information can get messy if not managed well
2. Not good if you need instant information.


Are there certain kinds of communication or purposes more suited to one than the other?

These days discussion boards and forums are a lot more friendly in terms of finding information efficiently. They can be used for many things such as University studies, product reviews, product support, clubs, hobbies and general topics of interest. Discussion boards are good at providing a community feel online and can be set up with forums and sub forums making it easier for the members to find information they need.

Emails lists in my opinion, are better used for providing one to many information. Particularly companies wanting to release new information to their members, such as newsletters etc. Email lists that i have been apart of have become messy and very long, making it hard to find information.


Chat Tasks

I used ICQ for many years when i first started using the internet. I eventually moved to MSN Messenger as it was more efficient. I currently use MSN Messenger for both private and work use. I prefer this as it is very easy to share files if needed.

I installed ICQ and added 'advanced nestudies to my list'.

The ICQ number is: 257-853-416.

It was set so the contact was authorised immediately.

The note in the about us section was: This is the ICQ identity I use just for my 'advanced internet use' students!

All of the answers were correct according to the self test.

I also asked the question about ICQ to the students in my course about ICQ to get their thoughts:

Message no. 661
Author: Jeremy Neyman
Date: Tuesday, March 13, 2007 20:32

"Arrange with other students in the unit to meet up for a chat,
using either ICQ, yahoo chat or webct chat. Talk about which chat
service you prefer, and what forms of communication chat is most useful
for."

Hi everyone,


Just in regards to the above for module 2, i was wondering what
everyones thoughts were on chat programs?

I use MSN messenger for home and work quite alot as it is very user
friendly and i find it easy to share files. I used to use ICQ years ago,
but found that is dropped out alot, and even with this task it was hard
to find the 'advanced netstudies' nickname.

Just wondering what everyone thought about the chat programs and what
they are most useful for. (webct is a great example of a chat program
for study communication)

We can record our conversation in our learning logs too!

Chat to you soon.

Jeremy