EOTO 1:The Evolution of Instant Messaging

Instant messaging or IM is something that we all use all day, everyday. I am sure almost all of you have already sent multiple text messages today. We have many ways to connect to people instantly on our cell phones today  like text messaging, social media DMs, email and more. It is a very efficient way to get instantly in touch with anyone in the world. It is easy to use since we all have access to instant messaging on our phones, computers, tablets etc. People use Instant Messaging as a way to get in touch with someone in real time online. It is crucial for personal communication and work related communication. But where did it all start? 

In 1971 IM was invented as a chat function on a government computer. A computer scientist named Murry Turoff created Instant Messaging for emergency uses in order to efficiently send information back and forth as a safety feature. The first time it was used was during the Nixon administration in order to survey messages between government officials concerning inflation and price control. The US government used this system for communication until 1986. 

In 1988 is when Instant Messaging started becoming what we know today. It all started on AOL or American Online. AOL was a website that allowed people to connect with their friends and family all in one place. The network would let you know when a friend was online so you could enter a chatroom with them and talk. AOL instant messaging or AIM became very popular in 1997 with the rise in popularity with the internet. The want for these instant messaging programs grew like crazy which led to a lot of websites that allowed for real time conversation over the internet. By the early 2000s there were many different software that had Instant Messaging.

Although Instant Messaging is obviously a very useful tool there are some negative effects. Instant messaging could lead to less in person communication. This is because it is so easy to just send a text with everything you need to see so there is less need to meet up and discuss things with people in person. Instant Messaging has also become a distraction from everyday tasks, work, school and more. However these downsides are all up to individuals being careful and being engaged in their lives. I think Instant Messaging is a mostly positive thing that we all have grown to need everyday whether it is for personal or business usage. 

Supreme Court

I know basic knowledge about the Supreme Court as of right now. After reading the History Channel article I learned new things about the Supreme court and how it operates. Something new I learned from reading this article was that the supreme court was established in 1789. The Supreme court’s first action was passing the Judiciary act of 1789 which stated that there would be six members of the supreme court who would serve until they died or retired. This is still the rule today and I did not know that it was established in the very beginning of the supreme court’s history. 

Another interesting fact was the first case the supreme court took in 1791. The case was West v Barnes which was between a farmer and a family that he owed money to. After only a day  after initially hearing the opposing sides the court had come to a decision. This is very interesting to me because of how fast they came to a decision especially with it being the very first case. Now the court takes a much longer time to decide on cases and create statements on their reasonings.

An important takeaway from this article is how far our current structure for the Supreme Court has come and how it got to where it is today. There are some things that have stayed the same like the process in which the justices are selected and the general structure. Back then it was still the president who elected the justices of the court. However there are some changes today in order for decisions to be well thought out. Today each justice must create a written statement on their opinions on the case before it even goes to trial. It seems that today there is a much more lengthy process when it comes to choosing cases to take and making decisions on those cases. 

After reading this article nothing much changed on how I see the supreme court because I already knew about it from classes in my past. However I did not know how far it has come since the start in 1789.

Five News Sources

1. Social Media 

Instagram.com

Social media sites such as Instagram, TikTok, and twitter are places that I get some of my news from. Social Media is a great way to get pop culture and personalized news for everybody. Each platform has an algorithm that gives everyone content based on their personal interests. This is beneficial to me personally because I get current news on my favorite singers, actors, and big events. Social media also contains news on politics and what is going on in the world but I am careful when I look because it is not a very reliable source. However social media is a good starting point to learn about what is going on in the world and then do your own research on some more reliable sources. 

2. CNN 10

I first discovered CNN 10 in middle school, and my history teacher would play it every morning. It was easy for me to pay attention to because the host Carl Azuz would share what was going on in the world in a simple and entertaining way. At that age I never would check the news on my own so it exposed me to the world and introduced me to checking the news daily. Since the daily videos are only ten minutes it is just the basic bullet points of the news. It is important to do your own research on the topics covered to get a bigger understanding of what is going on. I highly recommend tuning in to CNN 10 daily to get a jumping off point of the current events.

3. Google 

Google is the first place I go when I want information on anything in the world, including news. Google is a good place to find either basic information on events or different points of views on something. It is important to see multiple points of view especially regarding politics to make sure you know the facts and the full story before making your own opinion. My favorite part about google is the convenience. It is so easy for anyone to just type in a key phrase, event, or a question and you are instantly exposed to thousands of sources with valuable information.

4. Apple News

The Apple News app is an app that comes automatically on everyone’s Iphone. The app offers news that is catered to the users interests based on reading habits. This is a cool feature because it allows anybody the opportunity to wake up and scroll through news that is being presented to them because it is things that they are interested in. Because of the personalized algorithm it is important to be aware of possible bias and fact check what you are reading. I recommend to everyone the next time they are about to scroll on their phone, check out the news app first to help you stay properly informed.

5. The New York Times 

The New York Times is a well-known and respected news source that I have turned to for information many times. When you go onto the time’s website there are numerous well written articles that are covering what is going on currently in the world. I know I can always trust what I read from the New York Times because I know that they are a trustworthy source. I also appreciate the convenience of the website. It has articles easily lined up and it automatically gives you the most recent news which makes it very easy to navigate. I think everyone should check out the New York Times website the next time they want to know what is going on in our world.