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3 CHaPTeR Evolution of People-to-People

Communications

T HE NATURE OF COMMUNICATION has changed greatly in the past 20 years. The changes continue unabated, particularly in the realm of people-to- people communications. People-to-people communications include instant

messaging, microblogging, social networking, and various forms of real-time communication. These are the new face of interpersonal communications. In the same way that e-mail revolutionized personal and business applications, these new communication technologies are changing the way people communicate. Today’s communication technologies are all about convenience and short messages exchanged in real time.

This chapter explores some of the common methods of communication used today. The chapter reviews how these methods fi t in both business and personal use and highlights aspects of social networking.

Chapter 3 Topics

This chapter covers the following topics and concepts:

• What personal and business communication technologies are

• How communications have evolved

• What social media and social networking are

• What acceptable online social behavior is

• What the limitations of liability of Web site owners are

Chapter 3 Goals

When you complete this chapter, you will be able to:

• Identify communication tools used for both business and personal use

• Understand the function of voice messaging

• Identify fax and e-mail features

• Understand how unifi ed communication works

• Understand VoIP/SIP applications

• Defi ne social media and social networking

• Understand the features of online groups and virtual communities

• Identify the function of VoIP/SIP (UC)-enabled Web sites

Personal Versus Business Communications

Technology continues to have a huge impact on communication. This holds true both in the workplace and for personal use. Many of the current communication technologies overlap, having both personal and business applications. Today, many of these technologies are largely for personal use and have yet to see widespread application in a corporate environment. However, as communication technologies develop and gain widespread acceptance, they may gradually be incorporated into a business environment. This section explores some of the common communication methods used today and their practicality as business applications.

E-mail E-mail continues to be a strong communication medium both for personal use and for business. For businesses, e-mail provides a record of communication and a convenient method of archiving, transaction, and transmission. Companies of all sizes recognize e-mail as a viable and trusted business communication tool. E-mail is also widely used by consumers for personal communications, and, while the technology is the same, the policies and procedures between personal and business vary somewhat.

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Nearly all companies have policies dictating e-mail etiquette and company procedures for e-mail structure and content. This is both for protection of the company reputation and for legal reasons. Personal e-mails have no such regulations, but e-mail etiquette is present. Despite the popularity of e-mail for both businesses and personal applications, it is losing some ground as instant messaging (IM), social networks, and other real-time communications fi nd a greater foothold.

Voice over Internet Protocol Many companies now offer Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) packages for both corporate and home customers. Many large corporations reduce long-distance costs by incorporating VoIP into their business practices. However, VoIP is based on protocols that are inherently insecure, such as Internet Protocol (IP). This forces users to adopt security strategies to mitigate the risks. Despite potential security issues, VoIP has had widespread deployment in businesses both small and large for several reasons. The most obvious is the cost savings achieved by leveraging the infrastructure of the Internet to reduce most long distance and phone charges. Over the long term, VoIP may also facilitate team collaboration through reduced phone charges that allow for greater communication with geographically separated colleagues.

Real-Time Communications IM and other real-time technologies were originally designed for person-to-person personal chats. IM and real-time communication are so widely accepted for personal use that companies such as Google, Yahoo, Facebook, and Twitter all offer forms of instant messaging. In recent years, IM has found its way into the workplace; in fact, IM threatens the popularity of both e-mail and the phone. IM and real-time communication can increase collaboration and communication between customers and clients.

As IM and real-time communications move into the workplace, there are some best practices to consider:

• Separate business and personal contacts to prevent accidental communications

• Do not use IM to transmit sensitive data and information

• Remember that instant messages can be tracked and stored by the administrator

• Keep messages brief and to the point

• Develop company IM usage polices

• Be aware of liabilities

NOTE

Did you know that, in most cases, e-mail sent to and from work is the property of the employer? The company typically owns all communications made from a company-owned computer or terminal, and the employer can review their contents. You may want to consider that if you mix personal and business messages.

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Real-Time Communication with Video Person-to-person calls using technologies such as Skype offer teleconferencing over the Internet. This technology has been available for some time but video lag time has hampered its widespread deployment. However, with the development of higher speed hardware, streamlined protocols, and faster transmission media such as fiber optic cabling, lag times have been reduced.

As technologies advance, face-to-face video over the Internet will be commonplace for both personal and business applications. Real-time video conferencing for businesses is an older, but more expensive, option. Applications such as Skype offer a less-expensive alternative.

Blogging Blogging has become commonplace on the Web, and it has both a personal and business application. Blogging is a tool commonly used by business to promote and market services and products. Businesses use blogging to keep Web site content fresh and frequently updated, which is a strong search engine optimization (SEO) strategy. Individuals use personal blogs to inform, express opinions, and keep in touch with friends and colleagues.

For businesses, there are several reasons to include a blog to the online marketing efforts:

• �No�technical�knowledge�required—One of the great things about blogging is that it requires very little technical knowledge. Once the blog is set up, you simply log on and type away. There aren’t any monthly fees or third-party expertise required. A blog is also very easy to use because you can write using a Word type of interface, which means that you do not need a Web designer to put information on the blog.

• �Interactive�medium—Blogs allow for two-way communication. That is, you can type information and your readers can respond by leaving comments. This back- and-forth communication enables you to establish relationships with your visitors.

• �Search�engine�marketing—Regular posts and dynamic content attract search engines and help your ranking with search results. This means that your site is displayed higher on search returns.

• �Distribution�of�information—Blogs allow you to give out information to your clients and potential clients. This information can be of a personal nature, such as your work ethic, listings and more.

Social Networking Many individuals have subscribed to a social networking site to keep track of friends and family. The large number of people on these sites has caught the attention of business and now businesses too are active participants in the social networking phenomenon. Businesses often advertise on social networking sites, set up groups, and pursue other social networking avenues for branding and product awareness. You’ll learn more about social networking later in this chapter.

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Evolution of Communications

Communication evolved from pictograph to alphabet to telephone to VoIP. All has changed the way in which communication occurs. Today, communication technologies change so rapidly that it is not easy for companies to keep pace with them. From IM to mobile devices to social networking, the evolution of communication continues at a staggering pace. Table 3-1 highlights some of the developments in communication.

These are just a few of the recent changes in communication technologies. New technologies are being developed as faster and more robust protocols and hardware are introduced. It is difficult to predict where the evolution of communication will go in the next few years. For now, person-to-person communication is getting faster, more conve- nient, and delivered inexpensively via the Internet and cellular infrastructure. Blogs are replacing traditional print media, and social networking updates such as Twitter seem to be here for a while.

Voice: Analog, Digital, VoIP All networks use some form of media to transmit data and voice communications. This media includes copper-based cable, fiber-optic, and wireless media. Communication signals are sent in analog or digital form over this media, and each has its advantages and disadvantages. However, digital communications are preferred today.

The public switched telephone network (PSTN) has traditionally been used to support analog telephone voice service. Today’s PSTN is largely digital; however, analog connections remain between homes and the local phone exchange. One of the main problems with analog signals is that they degrade as they travel through the copper media. Digital encoding was the answer to poor analog voice transmissions.

The Difference Between Analog and Digital Transmissions

Analog transmissions use a continuous signal that varies in frequency, amplitude, and range. An example of analog communication is a record or videocassette that reads information sequentially and continuously.

Digital transmissions are far more common on today’s networks. With digital communications, data signals such as voice are converted in binary code and sent through the media. With binary numbers, letters are encoded and replaced with their binary equivalent. Sounds are encoded digitally as a series of numbers that represent pitch and volume at each instant in time. The receiving computer decodes this information by converting the digital signals back into letters, sounds, or images.

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`` Table�3-1� Developments in communication.

CommuniCation DesCription

Snail mail Traditional mail by postal service, snail mail is comparatively slow and expensive. Both in personal and business use, electronic mail often satisfies a need once performed by snail mail.

E-mail Introduced with the Internet, e-mail is quick and inexpensive, and many features are automatic. E-mail is the communication leader for both business and personal use, allowing attachments and quick retrieval of information.

Phone For decades, the phone has been the primary way for person-to-person communication. The public switched telephone network (PSTN) is stable, inexpensive, and in nearly every home.

Real-time chatting (instant messaging)

As Internet technologies become faster, chatting allowed for real-time communication. While largely a personal communication medium, chatting cut into the popularity of e-mail. Chatting became increasingly popular with social networking sites and, with its real-time capability, replaced many phone conversations.

Real-time video conferencing

Software such as Skype allows real-time face-to-face conversations over the Internet. Completely free, such software eliminates the need for phone-to-phone calls, replacing them with computer-to-computer video calls.

Texting Texting replaces many phone calls. High cell phone costs as well as the ease and brevity of a text message make it very popular.

Blogging Communication from a single person to many is easily accomplished using blogging. Blogs enable anyone to post reviews, thoughts, and opinions on virtually any topic.

Social networking Sites like Twitter and Facebook are examples. Facebook allows instant updates for different text and media. Largely used as a personal communication method, these sites employ a “chinking” style of writing. In relatively few characters, you can update your friends or associates on what you’re doing, reading, or working on. Casual and quick, it’s the way hundreds of millions communicate to their social groups.

VoIP Threatening the existence of the PSTN and traditional phone landline is VoIP. VoIP uses the Internet infrastructure as the transmission media. Near zero-usage costs position VoIP as a potential new standard replacing traditional phone lines for both personal and business communications.

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Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is another form of voice communication similar to PSTN. Unlike traditional telephones, VoIP uses the Internet and TCP/IP as its transport mechanism. VoIP has roots to the 1970s; however, the networking technology of the day could not reliably support VoIP applications. Today, VoIP is fast becoming the preferred option for sending voice and even data communications. VoIP leverages the existing Internet infrastructure, making implementation relatively inexpensive and reliable.

With VoIP, communication is divided much like any Web page or media on the Web. Your voice is converted into a digital binary form, and then divided into a series of IP packets. These packets are routed through the network towards its destination. Once at the destination, the message is reassembled and rebroadcast as your voice.

VoIP has gained so much popularity that traditional PSTN communication systems are falling out of favor. Traditional analog systems cannot compete with VoIP cost effectiveness, ease of use and the integration of voice and data on a single medium. This is especially true for global communication, both business and personal.

Packet and Circuit Switching For any system to communicate on a network, it must have a data path between the ending and receiving devices. This is the function of switching; it establishes the path between devices and routes the information between communication ends. Two common forms are circuit switching and packet switching.

Circuit switching requires a dedicated physical route that connects the sending and receiving devices. The route (or channel) is decided upon immediately before communi- cation starts. Communication stays on that channel only throughout the transmission. The sending system establishes a physical connection, the data is transmitted between the two, and the channel is closed when the transmission is complete. Figure 3-1 shows a circuit-switching network.

Message

Packet 1 Packet 3

Packet 2

Packet 1 Packet 3

Packet 2

Packet 1 Packet 3

Packet 2

Packet 1 Packet 3

Packet 2

Router

Sending Computer

Receiving Computer

Message Fragments

Message

Message Reassembled

FIGURe�3-1

A circuit-switching network.

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An example of circuit switching is a traditional phone conversation. One party initiates the call, data is routed to the receiving device, and, when answered, a dedicated link is established between the two devices. Only when one party hangs up is the connection broken.

With packet switching, messages are broken down into small data packets and routed independently from the sending to receiving devices. Independent routing allows for a better use of available bandwidth by letting packets travel different routes through the network, avoiding high-traffi c areas. Independent routing also allows packets to take an alternate route if a route is unavailable or not optimal, even during the communication. In this way, message delivery is more reliable if an unexpected outage happens between devices. Packet switching is the most popular switching method for networks and is used on most local area networks (LANs). Figure 3-2 shows an example of a packet-switching network.

Voice Messaging Voice messaging is almost like e-mail but with voice instead of text. Voice messaging refers to the storage of private voice messages. These messages are stored in a message box for convenient retrieval. Voice messaging is not the same as voice mail often used in a home environment. Regular voice mail is typically accessed after failing to connect with a person on the phone. With voice messaging, the intent is to leave a voice message, not talk directly to a person.

Voice-messaging systems allow users to retrieve messages from anywhere in the world as you would with e-mail. In application, voice messaging uses an IP-based structure that consists of a message store and directory. Many third-party companies offer voice- messaging services.

Message

Packet 1 Packet 3

Packet 2

Packet 1

Packet 3 Packet 3

Packet 1 Packet 3

Packet 2

Router

Sending Computer

Receiving Computer

Message Fragments

Message

Message Reassembled

Packet 2

Packet 1

Packet 2

Packet 1

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FIGURe�3-2�

A packet-switching network.

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For businesses, voice messaging improves communication both internally and externally. It allows for another form of reliable communication and reduces costs of taking messages. Some of the advantages of voice messaging include the following:

• Can boost job productivity by not having to stop to answer every phone call

• Provides a means of archiving messages

• Allows for messages to be sent to multiple recipients

• Allows customers and clients access to the system 24 hours per day

• Reduces message-taking costs

• Makes it easy to transfer messages between departments

On the other hand, there are several disadvantages of voice messaging:

• Many clients and customers would rather speak to a person.

• Training may be required to effectively use voice-messaging systems.

• Some customers may be concerned about the privacy of the message and how it may be used.

• A voice-messaging system may not be economically feasible for smaller companies.

Faxing Even though e-mail is now the communications method of choice for many organiza- tions, faxing still remains necessary when signatures and hard copy are required. Small to mid-sized companies may use a dedicated fax machine while other larger corporations may use a fax server.

The ability to send faxes has not escaped the need for more effi ciency and cost effec- tiveness. Faxing from a centrally located fax machine has given way to faxing directly from the desktop. To do this, a fax server must be set up, which involves both hardware and software.

To make the network fax system as easy to use as possible, most network fax systems appear as a network printer. To send a fax, users simply send their “print” jobs to the network fax system. When the job is sent, the fax system asks the user for the destination phone number and the fax is sent. One advantage of this kind of faxing is that trans- mission quality is very high as there is no scanning involved.

Regarding hardware, the server must have a fax/modem installed to answer incoming faxes and send outgoing faxes. If the server has multiple fax lines, an add-in communications board will often be required. As for software, the server must have software installed to receive faxes. The software handles the acceptance and formatting of the fax. The fax server software either stores the faxes locally for retrieval or more

NOTE

Remember that business voice messaging is essentially a voice substitute for e-mail and is intentionally recorded. It is not recorded simply because a recipient was unavailable.

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often forwards the fax to an e-mail system. The communication with the e-mail system requires a physical connection between the e-mail system and some kind of “gateway” system for delivering faxes to users’ mailboxes.

Fax communications were originally designed to travel through the PSTN fi rst in analog then in digital form. Today’s faxes have limited support with VoIP as fax communication is not designed to work with IP transmissions. However, Fax over IP (FOIP) using the T.38 protocol was developed as a way to permit faxes to be transported across IP networks between analog fax machines.

E-mail For organizational and personal use, e-mail has become the communication method of choice. E-mail is fast, secure, trackable, affordable, and dependable. It is now very uncommon for an organization not to have an e-mail address for the company, if not for every employee.

A server acting as the network’s e-mail server is essentially a post offi ce. The role of this server is to manage incoming and outgoing mail. The mail server handles all of the e-mail for the network users, often providing the capability to send and receive e-mail to corporate users in other locations. Novell’s GroupWise and Microsoft’s Exchange Server are examples of software used for mail servers, but there are many others. Many modern e-mail server products provide scheduling features that allow functions such as shared calendars to be used. Systems that offer this function in tandem with e-mail are referred to as Groupware applications.

A corporate-wide e-mail system is often not confi ned to a single server but instead has components located on many different servers. This approach enables administrators to place users close to their respective part of the e-mail system. It also allows for the administration of the e-mail system to be distributed among the network staff.

In smaller networks, a single physical server dedicated to e-mail often cannot be justifi ed. However, as a network grows and companies become increasingly dependant upon e-mail for both outside and interoffi ce communication, dedicated mail servers are becoming more common.

Most e-mail systems can send and receive e-mails to the Internet, which means that the mail server must be able to access the Internet either to receive messages directly or from a mail relay host. Messages are received through the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) and then are translated into the native format of the mail system being used. Servers also typically support access by client in a variety of methods.

NOTE

Faxes are less popular than they once were, but there are times when company letterhead must be received in hard copy or hand-written signatures are required. Faxes still have a place.

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Generally speaking, businesses use the native client that is supplied with the product, although many modern mail systems also have the ability to provide a Web-based interface to users, and in many cases can also support wireless access.

E-mail remains the most popular person-to-person communication method used today for good reason. Consider the following:

• E-mail delivery is almost instantaneous; sent messages are quickly received.

• Sending e-mails does not cost anything.

• E-mail supports a range of attachments-pictures, videos, text and more.

• With proven e-mail protocols, delivery is almost guaranteed; letters do not get lost in the mail.

• E-mails can be formal as well as informal, depending on business or personal needs.

• Storing and managing e-mails within an e-mail client is easy and user friendly.

Unified Messaging Next in the evolutionary process of communications is the unification of communi- cations. Unified messaging (UM), as the name suggests, is the integration of various media-fax, voice, pager messages, e-mail, and more—into a single interface for message submission, transportation, and retrieval. All faxes, e-mails, and voice-mails are present in one convenient inbox. This contrasts to the past, when each form of communication had a separate interface and transmission method.

The most common strategy to deploy unified messaging is a common message store (CMS). All messages —voice, fax, and e-mail —are placed in the user’s e-mail message store.

Unified messages are retrieved through a telephone user interface (TUI) or secure Web-based interface. Users can listen to and respond to any message in their inbox, whether voice, fax, or e-mail. Inside the network, messages are accessed through the client graphical user interface (GUI).

Protecting from E-mail Risks

Many companies use e-mail vetting software to guard against the risk of viruses carried by e-mail and the loss of productivity attributed to non-business and junk e-mail. This software detects viruses in the e-mail and any attachments and can block e-mails based on a variety of criteria, including sender, receiver, and contents. Some products can do a “lexical scan” for key words and block or forward the mail depending on the configuration.

Although the greatest risk is most likely external, many products check the outgoing messages as well as the incoming. This prevents viruses from being sent and can prevent “undesirable” e-mails from originating within the company. In addition, most vetting products provide the ability to add a legal disclaimer and signature information to mail.

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Some advantages of unified messaging include:

• Reduced�hardware—Networks are not required to have fax machines and answering machines, which reduces hardware costs.

• �Single�point�of�message�access—Traditionally, users needed a fax machine, their e-mail client, and the voice mail system. Now all types of messages are centrally stored and accessed through one system.

• Increased�security—Centralized storage of messages makes it easier to control security compared with messages stored in various locations on the network.

• Message�notifications—Users can be alerted when messages arrive. The system sends notifications via phone, e-mail, pager, or other means.

• Remote�access—Users can retrieve messages from more locations over phones, wireless devices, Web interface, and any computer device anywhere in the world.

Unified Communications Unified communications services combine “fire and forget” communication, such as e-mail and video, and add real-time, full two-way communications, such as IM or video conferencing. Unified communications refers to both real-time and non-real-time delivery of communications. Unified messaging systems collect messages from several sources but hold those messages for retrieval at a later time.

Much of the philosophy behind unified communications focuses on presence and availability. Unified messages provide methods to reach people and contacts quickly through a variety of media. Unified communication encompasses:

• �Unified�messaging—Unified messaging is a component of unified communications. Unified messaging allows users to access e-mail, voice mail, and fax messages through a single in-box either via the telephone or through a Web interface.

• �One-number�contact—Instead of multiple contact methods and numbers, unified communication enables calls and faxes through a single phone number— a personal, toll-free number and/or a local phone number.

• �Real-time�forwarding—Users have the option to accept incoming calls or forward them to voice mail in real time.

• �Multiple�message�notification—Call notification can be configured to arrive through a variety of methods, including voice mail, e-mail, pager, or other mobile device. Urgent calls are never missed.

• �Integration�of�communication�devices—With unified communications, it is possible to retrieve voice messages with a cell phone or e-mail client. Communications are not bound by a specific technology.

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VoIP/SIP-Enabled Applications Flexibility, scalability and ease of implementation make VoIP the preferred method of telecommunications for many organizations. VoIP is a robust system for managing voice communications over the IP network, allowing companies to leverage the Internet to reduce costs and maintain critical applications securely and professionally.

The protocol behind VoIP is the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), which establishes communication sessions in an IP network. This communication could be a two-way telephone call (VoIP) or it could be a collaborative, multimedia, video conference session. SIP provides a way to set up real-time multimedia sessions between groups of participants. For example, in addition to simple telephone calls, SIP can set up video and audio multicast meetings or instant messaging conferences.

SIP is a client server application, managing requests from clients and responses from servers. A special SIP uniform resource identifi er (URI)-an addressing scheme unique to SIP-identifi es a SIP user. In other words, a SIP URI is a user’s SIP phone number. Examples of SIP URIs include:

sip: Paige @109.87.23.45 sip:[email protected]

If you want to talk to Paige, you would select her SIP address and the SIP-enabled device with which you wish to communicate. A communication session would be established with the communication device deemed best for Paige, whether video, e-mail, IM, or more. The presence agent would determine the readiness of a device. Presence is discussed in the next section.

SIP client requests use two main protocols for transport-User Datagram Protocol (UDP) or Transmission Control Protocol (TCP). SIP determines the end system to be used for the session, the communication media and media parameters, and the called party’s desire to engage in the communication. Once these are assured, SIP establishes call parameters at each end and handles call transfer and termination.

Presence/Availability In the world of VoIP and data communications, presence refers to the state of a remote object—typically a person with whom you would like to communicate. That is, presence is the mechanisms used to determine if the person you are trying to reach is available. There are two parts to establishing presence. First, the principle object is responsible for announcing its state to the Presence User Agent (PUA). The object, whether an IM, cell phone or other device, sends its state information to the PUA, which forwards presence information.

In a sense, presence technology is either a productivity tool or an invasion of privacy. Companies that adopt presence awareness technologies have the ability to track the availability of employees. In addition, presence system devices broadcast their state,

NOTE

While VoIP has become a key to enabling communication on the IP network, there are some concerns. VoIP uses the existing IP network and inherits its vulnerabilities. Any application using VoIP or IP networks must take security considerations seriously.

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displaying whether you are online, typing an e-mail, sending an IM, and more. For business, this is an ideal situation—no more phone tag or missed calls as the employee is never out of reach.

With a unifi ed communications system that ties e-mail, chat, VoIP, SMS, calendaring, and conferencing and the integration of presence systems, employers will be able to reach their employees as never before. Instant messaging/ IM chat (instant messaging chat) enables text-based commu- nication in real time between two or more parties over a network connection. IM is typically an Internet-based GUI from which there are many to choose. Today, free e-mail providers, such as Google and Yahoo, offer free IM, while MSN, Facebook, and Twitter all have a form of IM service available. IM has become more than just a text-based chat session; it has grown to include Web conferencing, video communications, desktop sharing and more. With this real-time ability, it’s not surprising that IM has caught on.

Audio Conferencing Audio conferencing is certainly not new; it has been a staple for business with traditional analog phones and circuit-switching technologies. Traditionally, circuit-switching conferencing required the establishment of routes through interconnected switches. This circuit-switched environment enabled callers in the same offi ce to connect through the private branch exchange (PBX). With circuit-switching technologies, all connections stayed open as long as the call persists.

VoIP networks enable audio conferencing but do not use circuit switching. Instead, they use packet switching and the data, rather than traveling from switch to switch, travels across the Internet by the most effi cient path. With VoIP audio conferencing, it is possible to hold business conference calls over the computer with no cost. A standard computer system is all that’s needed for hardware, and the software is free or low cost. Businesses may need to pay commercial licensing fees, but total operational costs may still be far less than those of PSTN lines.

Audio conferencing has more applications than meetings. It can be used to provide customer service, train people in distant locations about how to use specifi c software, and give presentations. Key advantages of VoIP audio conferencing include:

• Organizations can realize signifi cant savings in infrastructure and travel.

• Organizations can arrange audio conferences with little notice. Traditionally, establishing conferences was time-consuming, and it was diffi cult to match schedules. With VoIP audio conferencing, it is possible to IM or e-mail conference details, which increases overall communication between employees.

NOTE

SIP is the preferred communications protocol for instant messaging, presence, VoIP telephony, and conferencing across the Internet. Widely used and accepted, SIP is a proven technology that is useful in a range of communications across the Internet. Keeping a standard protocol for establishing and delivering communications allows for the development of applications that take advantage of existing Internet technologies.

NOTE

Unlike traditional PSTN audio conferencing, VoIP has no long-distance charges, making it ideal for connecting all over the world.

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• Remote workers can enjoy increased collaboration.

• Audio conferences can increase access to better training by more personnel.

Video Conferencing Video conferencing takes audio conferencing one step further and adds video to voice. Video in conferences requires much more than audio conference in hardware and connection speeds. Technologies are advancing and now video can be used in a true conferencing situation.

There are several uses for video conferencing in business: online training seminars, working remotely on collaborative projects, meeting with people remotely (eliminating travel costs), and providing business presentations and workshops from a central location. The possibilities for communication are virtually endless, thanks to video conferencing technologies.

Video conferencing offers several advantages:

• Reduces travel times for employees

• Reduces hotel and food expenses

• Increases productivity because employees are in the office more

• Increases communication—because video conference and meetings can occur anytime

• Increases ability to share and produce digital data collaboratively; allows collaborative projects despite geographic separation

• Makes it easier to train remote employees

• Enhances face-to-face discussions

It is not all positive for video conferencing. Technical difficulties and lag times in trans- missions can increase frustrations and limit effectiveness. Supporting video conferencing can increase costs of support and infrastructure. Video conferencing has come a long way, but it does not provide the hands-on personal touch of live communication. Still, video conferencing will remain a valuable business tool and will augment traditional business practices.

Collaborative Communications Collaborative communication means groupware or group software that enables staff to work together. A team may work on a project, a drawing, or a document in real-time or passing it in turn among themselves. The collaborative solution may be Web-based or over an internal network. Groupware restricted to an internal network is visible only to one company’s employees on an intranet. Web-based groupware allows collaboration between people who may be in different companies. Popular collaborative software is sometimes tied together with audio and video conferencing software.

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In networks. the term unifi ed collaborative communications (UCC) describes the integration of voice, video, and Web or data conferencing. UCC provides full, multimedia services to collaborative projects. UCC also allows employees, regardless of geographical location, to meet and work, as if in the same offi ce. Collaborative communications make business project development and decision-making a distributed venture.

Social Media and Social Networking

Blogs. Twitter. Facebook. These relative newcomers to the World Wide Web are making a huge impact on the way people communicate. Individuals spend hours on social media and social networking sites, and businesses try to capitalize on these sites’ popularity as a business and marketing tool.

Social networking Web sites are online communities designed for people with similar interests. Members follow the activities of others and communicate with them through online channels such as e-mail and bulletin board posts. The activities within these communities satisfy the human desire to network, and social networking sites go beyond the reach and effects of separate e-mail, blogging, or instant messaging. Social networks enable people to exchange opinions and ideas and build connections that otherwise would not be possible.

Social networks can be general in nature and let members connect with friends and acquaintances. They can also be specialized, where members connect based on a specifi c relationship, such as a shared educational institution or professional or dating interests.

Social networks let members maintain a list of trusted contacts, and they usually feature a recommendations service. This service is based on the individual’s social network and the trust of the members. If you have a friend or colleague whom you think would benefi t from getting to know another member of your social network, you can use the recommendation tools to suggest that they connect. This online system extends word-of-mouth recommendations to cyberspace.

What Are Social Media and Social Networking? Social media and social networking refer to online communities where people connect and communicate with others on the Web. While the defi nition may be simple, the application and potential of social networking is anything but simple. Social networking allows people to connect with friends and acquaintances all over the world for the price of an Internet connection. With social networking sites, people can share music, thoughts, opinions, and more. With social networking, people can build massive online communities with those who share similar interests, ideas, and beliefs.

NOTE

People participate in online communities for two main reasons. They want to communicate more intensively with people they know and trust, and they want to increase their visibility and connect with more people.

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Personal details you decide to share with your connections are known as a user profi le. Who can see this information varies by site. Some sites mandate that you share a minimum set of details, such as age and gender, when you sign up for the service. Web sites use adaptive hypermedia systems to adjust the presentation of information or the display of ads based on your demographic details, interests, and observed behaviors in your interaction with the site.

The profi les usually include your name, age, likes and dislikes, marital status, groups you belong to, where you live, a general profi le title and message, lists of interests, professional experience, and favorite sites.

Web crawlers go through your profi le and make it available in searches outside the social networking site. Due to privacy concerns, many sites have tried to give members more control over how much of their profi le information is available to their fi rst circle, user groups, or the Web in general. MySpace, for example, allows members to choose whether their profi les are visible only by their friends or others. Facebook, by default, allows members in the same groups to see each other’s profi les, unless members change the setting of the commands.

Social networking sites give you a way to use your profi le to disseminate information to all your contacts. Typically, you write a short status message about what you are doing or looking for. These status messages are a form of microblogging. Going through your status messages, your friends or professional affi liates see your interests. They can contact you individually if they share your interest or they can comment on the status message in a form that may be visible on your profi le.

All social networking sites provide a way for you to exchange messages with your network. Some use instant messaging, others a Web-based e-mail system, or both. Some networking sites enable live chats with community members who are currently online and chatting across different chat channels, called rooms. The chat may be text-based or audio- and video-enhanced. Some types of messages you receive can appear on your profi le. For example, the wall-to-wall messages that Facebook uses are visible to everyone who has access to a particular profi le.

Virtual Communities and Online Social Groups Social networking sites provide mechanisms for you to create and belong to groups. For example, if you are a LinkedIn member who is looking for an IT group, you can fi nd many groups of people with the same interest. Virtual groups and communities are a feature of Web 2.0 with maximum user interaction.

Virtual communities and online social groups started as relatively simple systems with a text-based interface and few integrated applications. Today’s groups are sophisticated, incorporating many features such as real-time chat, video conferencing, and more. Membership in these online groups varies from just a few to thousands.

! WARNING The privacy control options on social networking sites may change without prior notice to members. It is the responsibility of the user to stay informed of the policies of the social networking site.

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Online social groups also have business applications. Some organizations use online groups for the following reasons:

• Training for employees • Support for customers • Product marketing Focus or opinion research • Support for employees • Online employee meetings

In general, however, businesses’ social networking and virtual communities are on a collision course. Productivity losses are high due to time spent on social networking sites at work. Many companies are opting to block sites such as Facebook and MySpace.

Generation-Y People-to-People Communications Generation Y is comprised of children of Generation X (those born between 1961 and 1981). They are educated, competent with technology, and well versed in Web 2.0 technol- ogies and interpersonal communication. For this generation, e-mail is old technology replaced with texting, cell phones, IM, Skype, Twitter, and others. Generation Y uses person-to-person technologies frequently for both personal and business use. They bring new communication methods into the workplace and force businesses to evaluate their communication tools. The use of communication technologies has made Generation Y expert in people-to-people communication technologies.

Online Presence and Networking—Personal and Professional Businesses and other organizations are trying to leverage the popularity of social networking sites for marketing purposes. Many companies start online social groups, training centers, and more, to recruit new customers, engage current customers, find new markets, and establish an online brand. Social networking is popular mainly for personal use, but businesses are learning quickly how to use social networking technologies to their advantage. The following sections review some common personal and business- related social networking sites and their basic features.

Personal Social Networking Sites Many social networking sites start as a form of person-to-person communications. Eventually, as more people subscribe, to a particular social networking site, other organi- zations try to capitalize on its success. A good example is Facebook, which started as a way for students to engage with other students. Facebook has grown to include business groups and advertising and branding facets. The combination of business and personal is a natural progression of social networking sites.

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MySpace. MySpace has embraced the popular culture of teenagers and young adults. Unlike other networks at the time, MySpace (launched in 2003) embraced popular icons and promoted member- ship to groups around them. Subscribers to MySpace can follow musicians and actors and become fans. On their profi les, members can post playlists of their favorite music.

MySpace sells advertising as a part of its business model. Instead of relying only on banner ads, MySpace also sells space so that a company’s advertising can be displayed when a member signs in. The advertising is targeted to the member by using the behavioral data MySpace collects.

On your MySpace profi le, you can set and share your mood, using a predefi ned set of emoticons. You can write blurbs about yourself and your interests and blog about your interests. Other users can leave comments. You can customize your profi le by inserting Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) code. You can access the MySpace Music sections and generate playlists that play from your profi le. Over the years, MySpace has added such features as bulletins, groups, instant messaging, MySpace TV, polls, and MySpace karaoke.

Orkut. Orkut, launched in 2004, is a free-access social networking solution by Google that is most popular in Brazil and India. Originally, Orkut membership was by invitation only, to establish stronger circles of trust. This approach is frequently used by Google, which increased its membership base by invitation-only on products such as Gmail, and, more recently, Google Wave.

Yahoo�360. Yahoo 360 was a response from Yahoo to social networking efforts launched in 2005. Yahoo 360 closed its operations everywhere, except in Vietnam, in 2009. It let users create personalized avatars and choose the environments in which the avatar was displayed. These avatars can now be used by other Yahoo services, such as Yahoo Mail and Yahoo Messenger.

Facebook. Facebook is arguably the most popular general social networking site. Facebook started as a social network for the Harvard University community only. It was launched in 2004 as an incarnation of Facemash, a simple social application that used the database of images of Harvard University dormitory residents. Facemash asked users to decide which one of the people in two images from the database posted next to each other was “hotter.” Later, Facebook allowed subscriptions from people affi liated with other U.S. educational institutions. Today, Facebook is a general social networking site open to anyone.

NOTE

Many companies have debuted as widgets on MySpace. One prominent example is YouTube, which originally was launched to provide additional functionalities to MySpace.

NOTE

In 2007, Facebook launched Facebook Beacon, which posted your activities on other sites, such as Blockbuster, to your Facebook profi le. To combat privacy concerns, Beacon was disabled and remarketed as Facebook Connect, which allows you better control when posting details from your activities on affi liated sites.

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Twitter. Twitter is a social networking and microblogging site, launched in 2006, that has gained enormous notoriety and popularity. On it, you can send and read brief messages and status updates using up to 140 characters. Based on sharing the answers to the question “What’s happening?” members exchange status messages. Mobile solutions enable access to Twitter from mobile devices and let users change their status message as often as they wish.

Ning�and�Plaxo. Ning and Plaxo serve the general audience. Ning (Chinese for “peace”) is a social networking hosting service that allows members to create their own sites with customizing tools. Plaxo offers address book and calendaring service options. It allows members to integrate activities from other sites with their profiles. In a strategic alliance with the cable TV provider Comcast, Plaxo now promotes Comcast’s brand network.

Professional Networking LinkedIn, launched in 2003, is a popular site used for professional networking that generates revenue from advertising and sales of premium features to its subscribers. You can search for people and invite them into your first circle of professional connec- tions. You can use your connections to be introduced to people in their networks. You can search for jobs or follow the activity of user groups, which send digests of members’ discussions by e-mail. Job seekers can discover which one of their connections can serve as intermediary to a hiring manager. Members can post presentations for their business or services or use other widgets that LinkedIn provides. Ziggs is a social network for profes- sionals similar to LinkedIn.

Biznik and Networking for Professionals are social networking sites for small businesses. They focus on various geographies to foster cyber-to-real-world relationships. They list users in their business verticals. Users post, rate, and comment on articles.

Cmypitch.com is a Web site that connects entrepreneurs and investors in the United Kingdom. It is similar to PartnerUp. It features “Deal Flow,” a running news feed where users post business opportunities for which they are seeking partners, and provides news, resources, and ask-the-expert services.

E.Factor is a network also built around entrepreneurs. It features networking, financing, and other business and media features. It provides business listings, blogs, forums, deals, and discount services. Users can search for businesses with which to partner or find financing opportunities for their own business. It is an online community and a virtual marketplace.

Ecademy and Young Entrepreneur focus on sharing information among entre- preneurs, aspiring business owners, and investors. Focus is a place where managers and IT professionals can exchange expertise for making informed and relevant decisions. This site provides results from focused research, Webcasts, and expert answers. On Focus, you can create a brief, a write-up or how-to document to share tidbits from your expertise to help others.

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Online Social Behavior

When e-mail came on the scene, there were few policies and procedures around e-mail etiquette and protocols. Over time, professional e-mail communication was governed by professional guidelines and best practices. Rules for content, form, style, and substance were established and taught. Social networking is in the process of establishing its own rules, regulations, and acceptable use policies.

Online social networking can be tricky. You may have online friends who are not offline friends; some people may not be who they claim to be; people you hardly know want to “friend” you; and some online acquaintances use improper language. Guidelines, whether formal or informal, are needed to manage the social networking environment.

One common recommendation is to develop a “friend” strategy. Many people new to social networking set out to gather as many friends to their site as possible. To some, it’s a contest to see how many friends they can add. The problem is, the more people added to your social networking site, the harder it is to control. This is why a strategy for adding friends is needed. Consider whether you should add everyone, or only those you are friends with offline.

Businesses develop guidelines for social networking that may include:

• All posts should have the company’s best interests in mind and be respectful of the company.

• Social networking activities should not interfere with workplace responsibilities.

• Posts must not violate copyright laws.

• Posted images should not violate company privacy policies.

• Company logos and trademarks may not be used without consent.

Online Language Tied closely to online behavior is the use of language on the Internet. Appropriate language depends on the type of communication and intended recipients. The language used in a chat room will be significantly different from that used in a business letter, and language used for Twitter updates may be different than that on a blog. All commu- nication on the Web—e-mail, IM, VoIP, blogs and more—has its own formal and informal rules guiding language use. Understanding the language uses for various forms of online communications is discussed in Chapter 4.

Social Networking Protocols Whether for personal use or business, it is important to have clear protocols around social networking. These protocols outline polices and practices for acceptable use of social networking. While many companies do not yet have documented procedures to manage social networks in the workplace, they should. Listed below are a few policy ideas:

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• Defining�company�position�on�social�networks—Some companies see Facebook and other sites as an intrusion into the workplace similar to personal calls from home. These companies typically ban social networking sites from the network. Other companies see such sites as potential marketing avenues and may be less concerned about allowing some social networking time at work.

• listing�company�on�site—Some companies restrict whether employees can identify their workplace on social networking sites. With a company listed, the employee becomes a representative of that business on the site, and everything posted reflects on the company. For example, teachers have identified their workplace and then posted pictures of themselves partying and inebriated. Parents complained, and the teachers were reprimanded. If you do list the company you work for, take care to respect the company’s reputation.

• �Referencing�clients,�students,�or�customers—Some people have used their social networking site to vent frustrations about their company, customers, or even their students. Complaining publicly in such a public forum is unprofessional and can hurt the company’s reputation.

• �Managing�confidential�information—All organizations with sensitive data have polices outlining how information is kept confidential. Any trade secrets or insider information needs to be kept far from social networking sites. All social networking sites have a degree of security but they are all vulnerable to security breaches. Any company-related info should be left off the site.

• �Submitting�pictures—Many companies have restrictions on workplace pictures that can be posted to social networking sites. Any picture that reflects poorly in the organization should not be posted. This may include company events such as parties.

• �Documented�consequences—Many organizations have procedures in the event of a violation. This document should include all violations.

Chat Room Protocols Chat rooms usually have stringent rules detaining what can and cannot be done within the chat room. General chat room rules prohibit offensive language, hateful talk, violence, and threats towards others. In addition, many chat rooms restrict the use of advertising, which can quickly flood a room and annoy participants. The exact rules, policies, and procedures vary but listed below are some general chat room policies:

• Strong language and vulgarity are prohibited. • No direct personal attacks towards others. • Request permission from hosts before beginning a private chat. • Request permission before e-mailing other members. • Don’t monopolize the screen by posting excessively long messages. • Stick to the topic of the chat room.

For the most part, the rules are common sense. Remember, if you break these rules, chat room moderators can kick you out and block your return.

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Acceptable Use All social networking sites have an acceptable use policy. The acceptable use policy dictates what can be done with a site, computer, or other technology. They are the ground rules laid out by the owner of a Website. The acceptable use policy is typically displayed on the first page of a Web site. The following is an example of an acceptable use policy:

This Acceptable Use Policy constitutes the agreement between Freedom Computers and the customer subscribing to our Services. This Acceptable Use Policy governs your use of the Services and any devices and/or equipment used to support the Services, including without limitation, computers and software used in conjunction with the Services which is loaned to you from Freedom Computers for your use solely in connection with the Services (collectively, the “Equipment”). By activating the Services, you acknowledge that you have read, understand, and agree to this Acceptable Use Policy as set out hereunder and with terms and conditions of Freedom Computers Terms of Services (collectively, the “Agreement”). If you do not wish to be bound by this Agreement or any modifications, which may be made by Freedom Computers from time to time (as described in the following paragraph), do not activate or use the Services and immediately contact Freedom Computers.

All companies should have an acceptable use policy clearly displayed on the site. It is used to protect the company and clearly outline expectations of service and violations of the acceptable use policy.

Limitations of Liability of Web Site Owners

Many Web sites and online businesses have a listed limitation of liability for legal purposes. The goal of the limitation of liability is to restrict the damages one party can claim from another. It communicates what the business can and cannot be held liable for. For example, a Web site may list the following:

In no event shall Mike’s PC Service be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, punitive, or consequential damages, or damages for loss of profits, revenue, data or use, incurred by you or any third party, whether in an action in contract or tort, arising from your access to, or use of, the site or any services provided through the site. This limitation on liability applies to, but is not limited to, the transmission of any disabling device or viruses which may infect your equipment, failure or mechanical or electrical equipment or communication lines, telephone or other interconnect problems, unauthorized access, theft, or operator errors. Some jurisdictions do not allow the limitation or exclusion of liability. Accordingly, some of the above limitations may not apply to you.

There are many examples of limitations of liability on the Web. If starting an online business, you should preview some of these and modify one to fit your business. It is also possible to meet with a lawyer to develop one.

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Technology has a profound impact on the way people communicate. Recent developments in real-time communications have revolutionized people-to-people communications and, in the process, have delivered new communication tools for business and personal applications. These include IM, Skype, texting, and microblogging. Communication can be defi ned as a message transmitted by a sender to a receiver through a medium. There are four parts to communication: the message, the sender, the receiver, and the medium.

CHAPTER SUMMARY

KEY CONCEPTS AND TERMS

Analog transmissions Audio conferencing Circuit switching Common message store (CMS) Digital transmissions Fax server Instant messaging (IM)

Presence Public switched telephone

network (PSTN) Real-time communication Skype Social media T.38

Unifi ed collaborative communications (UCC)

Unifi ed communications Unifi ed messaging (UM) Voice messaging

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� 1. Session Initiation Protocol establishes communication sessions in an IP network.

A. True B. False

� 2. Which of the following technologies provides centralized storage of voice, fax, and e-mail communications?

A. Unifi ed messaging B. CMS C. E-mail central storage (ECS) D. PUA

� 3. You are designing a customer service strategy for a large company. The CEO has asked you to apply full, two-way communications between service staff and customers. Which of the following methods would you suggest? (Select two.)

A. E-mail B. Fax C. Social networking D. VoIP

� 4.�You have been asked to write a memo to management explaining how a VoIP system would benefi t the organization. Which of the following are advantages of VoIP? (Select two.)

A. Lower call costs B. Improved collaboration C. Greater voice control D. Reduced voice static

� 5.�Unifi ed communications refers to both real-time and non-real time delivery of communications.

A. True B. False

� 6.�Which of the following transport protocols does SIP use? (Select two.)

A. TCP B. RDP C. UDP D. STP

� 7.�________ refers to online communities where people connect and communicate with others on the Web.

� 8. Blogging is part of a strong SEO strategy.

A. True B. False

� 9.________ is the integration of fax, voice, pager messages, e-mail, and more into a single interface for message submission, transportation, and retrieval.

�10. You work for a company that is considering using IM for employees to chat with customers. Which of the following are valid concerns for IM in the workplace? (Select three.)

A. Transmission of sensitive data B. Lag time C. Tracking employee messages D. Personal chatting from work

CHAPTER 3 ASSESSMENT