Presentation Topic : E*Trade

My presentation topic was on E*Trade.  I gave an overview of E*Trade and tryed to make it easy and unconfusing for students whether they planned to trade stocks online, get financial information or advice.  I even purchased a stock during the presentation (Bank of America) which has to this day made me a whopping $7.00 (not including transaction fee, so technically I lost $3.00 overall).  I plan to keep the stock over the next year and see how it pans out.  Moreover, I hope students got valuable information on E*Trade and have a broader understanding on the website or topic.

Groups presentation theme (artifical intelligence)

We have done our presentation theme on artifical intelligence.  We covered all aspects of it through gaming, viruses, communicating, and a general overview.  For a definition of artifical intelligence it is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its chances of success (Wikipedia). 

What online entertainment looks like 10 years from now

10 years from now online entertainment will be through videos and webcams specifically.  In todays world people are entertained online through reading, interacting, communicating, and playing online games.  10 years from now this will still take place, however, it will more intense interaction.  People will entertain eachother through webcams and live videos.  Also, not only will it be entertainment but also business related.  For example, instead of buying and selling through etrade or scottrade etc, we will be using online feed (webcams) straight to the brokers.  The downside to all of this is less physical interaction between people in a physical enviornment.  I see the internet and computers taking place of people going out into the physical enviornment, something that 10 years ago people thought would have been a crazy idea to never take place.  For us to even "think" in todays world that it might take place 10 years ahead of time shows how much the internet and the virtual world has evolved.

Community

There are several things that need to take place for a successful community. I will be using examples from not only physical communities but also virtual online communities.  First you need people, communities cannot take place without people who have "identities" communicating with one another.  Also, security is needed (for a successful community) people feel comfortable in a community if they feel secure especially online as people become afraid to put their identity online without some type of security.  Also, interaction is important, if people dont interact with one another it makes a community impossible, people would be otherwise known as just "individuals".  Moreover, infrastructure is needed, this is not online important in a physical world but also a virtual one.  An example would be a website, or chat room, without this people cannot do the past things I mentioned such as interact or communicate with one another.  There are other things, but I do believe these are the most important.

What I am comfortable purshasing online

I comfortable purchasing many things online.  This includes many accessories or items off ebay, amazon, and craigslist (although I do use cragslist as a last resort).  There are too many things to list that I am comfortable to purchase, so I will list the things I am not comfortable purchasing.  I find it hard to obtain heavy assets online.  This includes things like automobiles, furniture, and houses.  Also, I will not purchase anything over $1000 in value online, even if its something small such as a baseball card.  This is because I feel the need to evaluate it in my hands.  Purchasing something online with that particular value makes me uncomfortable.

Calculating net worth

I found a little hard when it came to calculating net worth due to the fact that I have minimal assets (and liabilities) that can be found over the internet.  I do have a bank and can check online bank statements as well as an E*Trade account, I can figure out the value of my car but things get a little more complicated from there.  I still live with my family with no bills and carry no credit cards so I believe I dont have as many sources when it comes down to subtracting and adding my balance compared to another individual. In figuring out someones net worth I believe the following resources are needed which can be found online.

- Balance of Checking/Savings accounts
- Balance of Debt (Student loans, Personal loans, Credit Cards)
- Balance of Vehicles
- Balance if Retirement Accounts (Roth IRA, 401K)
- Balance of Mortgage

Similarities in Postal Service and Email

When it comes to postal mail and email there are many similarities. Obvious similiarities come to mind such as address, content (size,pictures,documents), and its purpose whether its junk mail, advertisements or important documents. Postal mail and email can both be sent/delivered to anywhere in the world towards countries that enable the service. Both experience the chance of a failed delivery such as vandalized mailboxes or severe weather conditions when it comes to postal mail or a computer malfunction in emails.

Postal mail and email can be similar in the form of working together when it comes to getting mail delivered to a destination in the form of Hybrid mail or sometimes referred to as “L-Mail.” This form of mail combines both the physically delivery and electronic mail. It is a method of sending a physical letter via a web page. This works as content is sent using a computer then printed out and delivered as a physical letter. Digital data is transformed at distributed print centers located as close as possible to the final delivery addresses. The mail is then packed in an envelope and delivered to the recipient’s mail box. Since letters are sent locally to the receiver it is a faster speed of delivery that can be achieved than by traditional air mail. Also, money is saved using this service as only a local postage would be paid compared to the services of airmail.

There are many similarities when we think of these two services. However, it’s interesting to note the correlation these services can have on one another.   

Hoping to learn from TINST 207

I'm hoping to learn the wide open virtual world and how much we have come to rely on it.  I would like to know how computers and electronics became of upmost importance to us and how or why it didn't come about until the mid-to-late 1900's.  How were we able to grow as a country without the use of the virtual world and are we overlooking its importance and necessity?