Weekly Questions-Week 4

1. What is an IP Address? What is its main function?
An IP address is a unique number assigned to each computer in the world which enables computers to talk to each other.

2. What is Web 2.0, how does it differ from 1.0?
Web 2.0 is read/write web where users can be involved in the website. This can be seen in social networking sites such as Facebook. It differs from Web 1.0, which is a one way publish web, because it allows users to contribute to the website rather than have a webmaster who just publishes onto the site.

 3. What is Web 3.0?
Web 3.0 is a term used to decribe the evolution of web usage and interaction among several separate paths. These include turning the internet into a database, a move towards making content accessible by multiple non-browser applications and the leveraging of artificial intelligence technologies.




4. Describe the different methods an organisation can use to access information
An organisation can use a number of different methods to access information, including intranet, extranet and portals.
Intranet is an internalised portion of the internet, protected from outside access, that allows an organisation to provide access to information and application software to only it employees.

Extranet is an intranet that is available to strategic allies.

Portals are a website that offers a broad array of resources and services, such as email, online discussion groups, search engines and online shopping malls.

5. What is eBusiness, how does it differ from eCommerce?
eCommerce refers to online transactions - buying and selling of goods and/or services over the Internet. eBusiness covers online transactions, but also extends to all Internet based interactions with business partners, suppliers and customers such as: selling direct to consumers, manufacturers and suppliers; monitoring and exchanging information; auctioning surplus inventory; and collaborative product design. These online interactions are aimed at improving or transforming business processes and efficiency.


6. List and describe the various eBusiness models?
Business to business (B2B):applies to businesses buying from and selling to each other over the internet
Business to consumer (B2C): applies to any business that sells tis products or services to consumers over the internet.
Consumer to business (C2B): applies to any consumer that sells a product or service to a business over the internet
Consumer to Consumer (C2C): applies to sites primarily offering goods and services to assist consumers interacting with each other over the internet.

7. List 3 metrics would you use if you were hired to assess the effectiveness and the efficiency of an eBusiness web site?
- Cookie: a small file deposited on a hard drive by a website containing information about customers and their web activities
- Click-through: a count of the number of people who visit one site and click on an advertisement that takes them to the site of the advertiser
- Banner-ad: small ad on one website that advertises the products and services of another business, usually another dot.com business


8. Outline 2 opportunities and 2 challenges faced by companies doing business online?

Oppurtunities
Highly accessible- businesses can operate 24 hours a day, 7days a week, 365 days a year.
Improved information content-in the past customers had to order catalogues or travel to a physical facility before they could compare price and product attributes. Electronic catalogues and web pages present customers with updated information in real time about goods, services and prices.
Challenges
Protecting Consumers-consumers must be protected against unsolicited goods and communication, illegal or harmful goods, insufficient information about goods or their suppliers, invasion of privacy and cyberfraud
Increasing liability- e-Business exposes suppliers to unkown liabilities because internet commerce law is vaguely defined and differs from country to country. The internet and its use in e-business have raised many ethical, social and political issues, such as identify theft and information manipulation


All information sourced from:

- Baltzan, P., Phillips, A., Lynch, K., & Blakey, P. (2010). Business Driven Information Systems. Sydney: McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd.
- Lecture Slides