Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Podcasting and YouTube
A wide range of Internet Web resources can be published using RSS XML
feeds, allowing users to identify topics of interest quite rapidly. This has
led to the publication of a wide range of materials and media, by both
commercial providers as well as individual hobbyists. Web broadcasters
use improved audio compression, higher-bandwidth connections, and the
RSS simplified means for publishing links in order to reach consumers
with rich-content broadcasts on a wide variety of topics.
Media content is available on demand from many different resource
sources, providing personal commentary, technology reviews, online
educational course content, and even commercial news broadcasts for
download to mobile media players. Podcasting gained its name from the
Apple iPod media player, which was popular during podcasting's initial
emergence as a means for content publication. Podcasting and the use
of shared-media services such as YouTube have become popular ways to
provide rich media content to an increasingly mobile audience.
Within an organization, this technology can be used to provide access
to audio and video commentary from chief executives, project meetings,
and even live events. Commercial and public feeds also include market-
watch details, news events, and shows dedicated to emerging security
issues and new technologies.
Synchronous Communications
Asynchronous electronic communications have existed since well before
the advent of the Internet, in the form of dial-up BBS systems and elec-
tronic messaging between systems operators on pre-network mainframe
computers. Most of these technologies mirror the functionality of similar
physical communication mechanisms, such as mail and bulletin boards,
and so are easily accepted by users in the modern workplace. However,
they share some of the same issues as their physical-world counterparts,
because they lack a live-interaction component between participants.
Synchronous means of communication build more rapid and effi-
cient mechanisms for teamwork and collaboration, because participants
can quickly correct misunderstandings or amplify unclear information.
Feedback is immediate, allowing convergence of understanding much
more rapidly than is possible through asynchronous connectivity. Subtle
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