DCM

Email:

Emails are free and allow the user to send messages, video, photographs, link etc. over the Internet using an electronic device that allows this. Although, the user must have an individual “email” address for example: blah@blah.com. Emails can be sent all over the world for free and as long as both users have a device with this application.

IM (Instant Messaging):

IM, similar to email, is free and used over the Internet. For example, Windows Live Messenger is a form of IM. Like email, IM’s can be sent all over the world for free and as long as both users have a device with this application.

SMS (Short Message Service):

SMS is another way of saying “texting”. This means short messages that are sent from phone to phone between multiple people. You can either send one message to one person, or one message to all of your contacts. Although, these cost your standard network rate, which is some cases could be free if the user is involved in a contract or tariff, or it could cost around 15p per SMS. To send across the world, usually cost the sender and the receiver money.

Bulletin Boards:

A bulletin board is a wall where loads of posters, advertisements, competitions, images etc. are put up for people to come and see. These are often featured on a corkboard in colleges and universities. At university, a bulletin board can be used to advertise activities. There is an online version, called “message boards”.

Discussion Forums:

These are where users log on and post up messages about a certain subject, then other users will comment on their post, still about the same subject. This then causes a conversation over the Internet about one subject with people all over the world – this service is free. A single conversation is called a “thread”. Also, in some cases, messages will have to be assessed by admins for approval.

Weblogs (Blogs):

A weblog, or just blog, is a personal journal, which is published over the Internet for anyone to look at. In the blog, you can let out personal feelings, your day-to-day activities and whatever you are thinking. This service is free and can be used on any electronic device that allows this feature.

Newsgroups:

Newsgroups are very similar to discussion forums and allow the many users to post messages from different locations within a Usenet.

Internet Telephony (Voice over Internet Protocol): 

"VoIP" is used when transferring voice communications over the Internet. 

Conferencing (Video & Audio):

Conferencing, both video and audio, is where 2 or more people are involved in a two-way video messaging across the globe. Each of the screens will show the other person they are speaking to and the user will be able to hear and see what they are doing. Business people generally use this.