Introduction to Public Policy and the Internet
In the first class session, we will cover the purpose of the class, what we intend to discuss, and how the seminar be conducted. We'll spend some time introducing ourselves to each other and talking about our interests and experiences with the Internet. The instructor will describe the criteria for class evaluation, what is required of seminar participants, and how the seminar will work. This will be followed by some introductory remarks about the topic of the seminar.
As a basic introduction to the Internet, review the material on the site "How Internet Infrastructure Works." Plus, on this page are links to technical definitions of terms we'll use in the class routinely. It would be a good idea to review the pages behind these links if you are not familiar with the technical vocabulary of the Internet.
Here are some other useful URLs to help inform seminar discussions:
Hobbes' Internet Timeline -- A detailed timeline of Internet history, complete with links to interesting related Web sites, and a table of Internet growth data. At: http://www.zakon.org/robert/internet/timeline/.ILC Glossary of Internet Terms -- A useful and constantly updated glossary of terms used in discussing the Internet and telecommunications. At: http://www.matisse.net/files/glossary.html.
Georgia Tech GVU surrvey on Internet use -- A survey of Internet user demographics and opinions, from survey research, conducted from 1994 to 1998, showing trends in the early years of the public's discovery of the Internet. http://www.cc.gatech.edu/gvu/user_surveys/
An Atlas of Cyberspaces -- An unusual and creative look at the Internet from a variety of different vantage points, categorized and represented as a "geographic" atlas, "an atlas of maps and graphic representations of the geographies of the new electronic territories of the Internet, the World-Wide Web and other emerging cyberspaces." (Note: these maps are rather large graphic files, so it's advisable to be using a fast Internet connection to look at them online.)
For background reading on the history of the Internet:
