The Story of the Internet

For generations people have been looking for ways to communicate and get information, whether it is the telegraph, telephone, radio or television. The internet has made another form of communication and research possible through the use of computers and has revolutionized computers in a way that people thought could never be possible. The internet is the core that is needed for many of the things we take for granted, e-mail, messenger and browsing web sites. It has become a medium of communication between individuals without concern for geographical location (Cerf, et al., 2003). This medium has made it possible for people all over the world to communicate cheaply and effectively. The internet has doubled in size every 9-14 months since it began in the late 1970s (Comer, 2005).

The internet is a computer-based global information system that works through linking computers through networks. (Cerf B. R., 1999) Each network contains anything from ten to thousands of computers cooperating though telephone wires, cable wires and satellite links (Comer, 2005). These networks connect to create the single entity known as the internet (Tyson, 2001).

The internet works by opening up communication between a residence or a business and an ISP (Internet Service Provider) to create an internet access. Access to the internet is divided into 3 broad categories: Dedicated, dial-up and wireless. With dedicated access the user's computer is connected to the internet at all times through a permanent physical connection. DSL and Cable modems are examples of dedicated servers. DSL connections send their information across the same wires that telephone companies use and cable modems use the same wiring that cable televisions use. In both cases the information uses a different channel or frequency as not to interfere with the signals of the telephone or cable. A less popular option for access is satellite internet. With this option the computer grabs the signal from an orbiting satellite via an outdoor satellite dish.

The third and least expensive access technology is dial-up. The subscriber must have a telephone modem which connects a computer to a telephone system and is capable of converting data into sound and sound back into data. To access the internet the user opens software which causes the modem to place a telephone call to the ISP. The two modems use audible tones to transfer the information. The modems convert values used by the computer into tones and then back into digital values. Unlike dedicated access, dial-up uses the same frequency as the telephone wires and therefore the telephone line cannot be used for regular phone calls at the same time (Comer, 2005).

The internet was originally created for the U.S military communications networks and was first restricted to the use of military personnel and researchers who developed the technology. The U.S. deployed a network known as ARPANET which many believe was the predecessor of the internet (Wolfe). In the 1980s the National Science Foundation (NSF) brought in a policy that allowed faculty at universities to use the internet for research and school activities. Under this policy the internet could not be used for commercial use, therefore advertising did not appear and people could not charge for access to internet content (Comer, 2005).

By 1995 the internet was privatized and commercial use was permitted. This was one of the leading factors that created the World Wide Web (WWW) which we know today. There is a common misconception that the internet and the Web are the same but there is a very distinct difference. "The Web and the internet are similar to a highway system and a package delivery service that uses the highways to move cargo from one city to another: the internet is the highway system over which the Web traffic and traffic from other application move (Comer, 2005)."The web is simply a medium that consist of programs running on multiple computers to access multimedia documents.

The internet will play a very important role in the future although it faces many challenges. One of the main challenges is to create enough size to accommodate the increase in traffic caused by the increasing number of internet users. If the volume of data increases faster than the network, congestion will occur. Another challenge is the lack of IP addresses. The original protocol design provided addresses for up to 4.29 billion computers. Researchers have developed technologies to conserve addresses by allowing computers at a single residence to share a single address (Comer, 2005).

In my opinion if the internet continues to expand at this rate, computers will soon replace things that we have become accustomed to. If download speeds reach 2.4 gigabits per second (45 000 times faster than a 56kbps modem) movies and television shows will be able to be downloaded in seconds instead of hours (Lerner, 2006). Not only is internet being used as a source for video it is also beginning to replace phones with new software like Skype and Vonage.

With the advancement of internet comes new opportunities for government, education and business. Internet is used by the government for communication, distribution of information and automated taxes. Another leading use of the internet is in providing goods and services to online customers. Many individuals use the internet for communication, researching information, shopping, listening to music, watching videos and playing. Schools use the internet to deliver online courses and course material. The internet is a source that has revolutionized the way we research, communicate and entertain ourselves. (Comer, 2005) Bibliography

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Cerf, V. G, Clark, D. D, Kahn, R. E, Kleinrock, L, Lynch, D. C, Postel, J, et al. (2003, December 10). All about the Internet. Retrieved January 21, 2007, from Internet Society: http://www.isoc.org/internet/history/brief.shtml#Authors

Comer, Douglas E. "Internet." Microsoft® Encarta® 2006 [DVD]. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation, 2005.

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