The Internet: Today's Communication Revolution

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The Internet: Today's Communication Revolution

In the past decade, the Internet has emerged as the newest of communication media. It gives users quick access to information from around the world. People can chat with friends, read up to the minute news, and find samples of other media, such as music, movies, and books. However, the Internet required the construction of a considerable foundation before it became the information clearinghouse that is today.

It is difficult to pick a particular event in history and say “It all began with...” because of the numerous technologies that the Internet descends from. One could certainly trace the beginning of this project back to the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA). Or, it could be traced back even further, to the telegraph. Like the Internet, the telegraph passed only the binary “on” and “off” signals. It relied on a code used by both the sending and receiving parties.

However, the Internet makes vast improvements over the telegraphic system. It replaced human operators with machines like switches, routers, and hubs. These do the work of the telegraph operator in substantially less time with greater accuracy. Also, while the telegraph system relied on circuit switching, the Internet utilizes a better method, known as packet switching. A circuit switched connection dedicates one communication channel to each exchange of information. However, packet switching breaks messages up into smaller units, which are distributed through multiple channels. The networking devices decide on which lines are the fastest, and will send the majority of packets over the fastest line. As more packets use this line, it will become more congested. As a result, packets will go to other lines tha...

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...ternet Relay Chat (IRC) system to the nearly ubiquitous AOL Instant Messenger (AIM). IRC's main focus is on chat rooms hosted on multiple networks of servers. While it allows private user to user chat, many major IRC server networks maintain tens of thousands of public rooms at any given time. Most people use AIM to send private messages to friends or family.

Other communication revolutions that have taken place include the file sharing phenomenon. Starting with applications like Napster, users were able to share files with a gigantic group of peers connected to the same service. With more advanced programs like Kazaa, users could trade more than music, and more effectively avoid the reach of groups who might prosecute them.

Works Cited:

PBS Online. http://www.pbs.org/opb/nerds2.0.1/index.html

USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/money/dotcoms/dot039.htm

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