Chapter 3

E-commerce Infrastructure: The Internet, Web, and Mobile Platform

Learning Objectives | Projects and Exercises

Projects and Exercises

Project 1: E-mail Timeline

Prepare a timeline on the history and development of e-mail. You can explore the following links for background to get started:

Project 2: Digging into Internet2

Explore Internet2. Choose an initiative (you can find a list at Internet2 Initiatives) and explore it further. You can find a lot of valuable information on Internet2's Internet2 Media Kit page. Prepare a short report or presentation on your findings.

Project 3: Did the iPhone Change Everything?

Investigate the impact that Apple's iPad, iPhone, and other mobiles have had on the growth of m-commerce. In what ways are e-commerce firms using mobile devices to offer products and services? Find at least three examples and prepare a short report or presentation on your findings.

Project 4: Create-A-Blog

As of 2021, both Tumblr and Wordpress allow you to easily create a blog, free of charge. Visit both sites, as well as third-party reviews of both, and prepare a chart comparing the functionality offered by each. Which would you choose if you were to create a blog, and why?

Project 5: Tracking Internet Growth in Europe

Examine Internet usage in Europe and the U.K. What are the demographics of Internet usage in these regions? Use a spreadsheet program to create a bar graph to illustrate the growth of Internet usage in Europe in at least five countries during the period 2010-2020. Start by checking InternetworldStats. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development's biennial Digital Economy Report 2019 and UNCTAD B2C E-commerce Index 2020 also provide useful information.