TalkBack Reader Response System

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The TalkBack Reader Response System [1] was one of the first systems used on the Internet to allow people to respond to articles posted on a website. [2] It was first used at Jesse Berst's ZDNet Anchordesk news site. It was created by Jon C. A. DeKeles.

Internet Global system of connected computer networks

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ZDNet Business technology news website owned by CBS Interactive

ZDNet is a business technology news website published by CBS Interactive, along with TechRepublic. The brand was founded on April 1, 1991, as a general interest technology portal from Ziff Davis and evolved into an enterprise IT-focused online publication owned by CNET Networks.

Contents

Principle

The TalkBack system of Anchordesk allowed readers, once they came to a site, to respond by a form on the screen. This data was then sent by email to the editors, and was also written to a data file. The data was imported into a custom Access Database Publishing system. The editor could approve the post, and also respond. It was one of the first interactive systems created for use on the Internet with a news publication.

Email method of exchanging digital messages between people over a network

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A data file is a computer file which stores data to be used by a computer application or system, including input and output data. A data file usually does not contain instructions or code to be executed.

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Anchordesk was one of the first sites that used email to send news to readers on a daily basis. At one point, emails went out to almost 3 million people a day.

News Communication of selected information on current events

News is information about current events. This may be provided through many different media: word of mouth, printing, postal systems, broadcasting, electronic communication, or through the testimony of observers and witnesses to events.

Notes

  1. The correct use of the name is TalkBack. With a capital T and B, and as all one word.
  2. Kaiser, Nathan (15 November 2000). "Interview w/ Jesse Berst, CEO of IZ.com". Npost.

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