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What is the Internet?
In a nutshell, the Internet is a massive global network connecting hundreds of thousands of computers together.
The History of the Internet
The Internet's beginning lies in an experimental network known as ARPANet. It was sponsored by the US Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in the mid 1960's.
At this time the Cold War was nearing its peak, and the research group was instructed to develop network technology, which could be relied upon in the event of a war with Russia.
In the sixties the US military was becoming increasingly reliant on computer networks, which handled much of the logistics, planning and coordination of operations. It was therefore imperative that these networks were resistant to sabotage or destruction.
ARPANet began as a network linking four computers at research institutions in California and Utah. While such a project would require little more than an afternoons work today, this was a major undertaking at the time, involving the development and implementation of revolutionary networking principles and technology.
This new network was a success, allowing real-time communication between different computer networks, each of which consisted of different computer technology. This success encouraged researchers and the military to invest in further study of the new networking technology. Overtime ARPANet grew to encompass many computers both in the US and abroad.
The military, concerned by the increasing civilian presence on the network eventually disconnected from ARPANet, creating its own network MILNet that is still in use today.
ARPANet grew quickly, and eventually became known as the Internet.
The Internet Today
Today the Internet is accessed by millions of people on a completely global basis. The speeds of data transmission are ever increasing for the average home user, with the introduction of broadband. The e-business industry is rapidly expanding, with most businesses owning an online presence.
The Internet has no owner - no country, company or individual can claim ownership. Similarly it has no ruling body. This means that there is no committee which dictates the progress of the Internet or who may access it.
However, the Internet is subject to some administration. There are numerous technical bodies which review and implement new developments affecting Internet technology. Similarly, as the Internet has become an increasingly important medium for doing business, groups have been established to investigate and report on issues raised by online commerce.
If you have concerns over any type of Internet related criminal action, please visit the following website: http://www.web-police.org/.
- Enables us to communicate with friends and relatives instantly
- Enables worldwide communication instantly at a very low cost (think of the cost of a phone call to a friend in America, as opposed to the cost of one local dialup call to the Internet via iiNet)
- Shopping online without even leaving your house
- 24 hours 7 days a week access
- Paying bills online
- Access to information anytime, anywhere in the world
- Fostering a global community where anyone of any background can express their opinions
