Introduction to the Internet

So what is it?

The Internet is a global network of computer networks. There are estimated to be 40 million computer hosts on the Internet and more than 130 million users in 140 countries around the world dialling up to send electronic mail, search for information in databases and participate in discussion forums on thousands of topics.

How did it start?

The basis for the Internet has been around for nearly 25 years and was originally a US Government funded academic and military network designed to link military computers together. The plan was to build a network with many paths, along which data could travel from one side to another - mainly so that it would still be able to function if any part of it was knocked out by nuclear attack.

As the Internet grew it began to break up into separate networks, each owned and funded by a different group of people. These networks were able to talk to each other because they all used the same language the Internet Protocol (IP).

Who Owns It?

Nobody actually owns the Internet although there are advisory boards and standards committees but no one organisation controls the whole thing.

The World Wide Web is a source of distributed information accessible from anywhere on the Internet. It is in effect a collection of files scattered across computers around the world connected to the Internet. These pages are marked up in a way which allows you to jump from one page to another page anywhere on the Internet and can contain graphics, photographs, sound and video clips.

Who Or What Is On The Web?

The majority of companies have either got or are in the process of developing a presence on the Web. There are also millions of individual Web sites or Home Pages put up by people telling you about themselves or their own interests as well as huge databases of information, newsgroups , on-line magazines and sites covering every hobby and interest imaginable.

Businesses large and small have opened virtual retail stores on the Internet and sell their products 24 hours a day to anyone anywhere in the world. And there is no doubt that the Internet is a communications revolution that will profoundly alter the way we work and play.

As an information source the Internet excels, with over two million searchable files, and many millions of other documents. The scope of the Internet is enormous.

As a news medium the Internet is also unique, every top newspaper and TV station around the world (over one and a half thousand) has a site on the Web and these are among the best pages you will see. The speed and depth of coverage is amazing as is the sheer choice of comment.

For many Internet users, e-mail has practically replaced the postal service (snail mail) for short written transactions. Electronic mail is the most widely used application on the Net. You can also carry on live on-line conversations with other computer users, using "chat" facilities.

Glossary

Email
Electronic mail - A system of sending, receiving and storing messages through the Internet.
E-mail Address This is a unique address within the Internet which enables people to send text messages to other computer users on the network. It comprises your name the @ symbol and your domain name e.g. lyn_howdill@derwentside.ac.uk

Home Page
The first or central web page on a web site.

Hosts
In this context, any computer which contains web pages or services. The computer which your computer dials/connects to is the host.

Internet Protocol
An agreed way for two devices on a network to communicate with each other. A set of formal rules describing how to transmit data, especially across a network.

Newsgroups
Different topical discussions forums which cover every subject imaginable. Any Internet user can contribute to a discussion within a topic, this is known as posting.

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