The Internet and The Development of Computer Networks

829 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: the history of the Internet

The Internet and The Development of Computer Networks

The Internet is the name for a group of worldwide information resources. These resources are so vast as to be well beyond the comprehension of a single human being. "Not only is there no one who understands all of the Internet, there is no one who even understands most of the Internet" (Harley 2). The Internet is often thought of as a computer network, or sometimes a group of computer networks connected to one another. The computer networks are simply the medium that carries the information. The beauty and utility of the Internet lie in the information itself that is being transmitted.

The Internet has undergone a remarkable transformation since its early days. The original Internet was a low-speed, text-based network used to connect a few government sites to the research and defense contracting community. The Department of Defense began a project known as ARPAnet (Advanced Research Project Agency Network) back in the late 1960's, starting the first internet. It was designed by the network architects to interconnect government computers with defense contractors (Banta 2). The design of the network was such that no one computer system was dependent upon the functioning of any of the other computer systems. If any one computer network node was destroyed, such as in a nuclear attack, the rest of the network would continue to operate (Banta 2).

"In the 1970s, the Internet began to be interconnected with large universities and research organizations" (Banta 2). The type of information going across the Internet began to change from that of being primarily government oriented to that of research oriented. During the 1980s, more universities and government contractors began u...

... middle of paper ...

... tremendous and is almost geometrical in nature (Kantor 1-4). With more and more people connecting through American On-line, CompuSereve, Prodigy, and local ISPs, growth is expected to continue to increase at an outstanding rate. It has caused change and adaptation in almost all walks of life, from grade school students to corporate chairpersons. And its size and impact on the world will only become larger.

Bibliography:

Works Cited

Banta, Glen. "Internet Pipe Schemes." October 1996. http://www.internetworld.com/print/monthly/1996/10/schemes.html.

Hahn, Harley. Internet Complete Reference. Osborn McGraw-Hill. Berkeley, CA. 1994.

Kantor, Andrew. "Off the Charts The Internet 1996." December 1996. http://www.internetworld.com/print/monthly/1996/12/charts.html.

Pfaffenberger, Bayan. Internet in Plain English. MIS:Press. NewYork, NY. 1994.

Show More
Related

  • Nt1310 Unit 7

    849 Words  | 2 Pages

    What is the Internet? The Internet is a global computer network providing a variety of information and communications facilities, consisting of interconnected networks using standardized communcation protocols.

    Read More

  • The History and Future of the Internet

    826 Words  | 2 Pages

    The history of the internet takes us back to the pioneering of the network and the development of capable technologies. The explosion of the internet’s popularity of the 1990’s was large and dramatic, boosting our economy and then helped to bring it into a major recession. One can only hope that the explosion becomes organized and slightly standardized in the interest of the general public. Despite all of these conjectures and speculations only time can tell the future of the largest network in the world.

    Read More

  • Technological advances in society

    2164 Words  | 5 Pages

    One of the most widely used technologies is the Internet, or also known as the World Wide Web. “In August 1981 about 200 computers hosted Web servers. By July 1998 there were over 36 million Web servers, that are hosts to approximately 150 million people” (Strauss). The Internet proves to be very beneficial to education, since students have unlimited access to millions of websites with tons of information. There are only so many newspapers, journals and magazines that you can find in libraries or subscribe to. Therefore, the Internet offers an unlimited pile of information that students can always have. Moreover, students are enriched with the most current information in any subject, along with regular updates. Students are able to use the Internet anytime of day, as long as they have a computer at hand. The research process will not have to end when the school day is over (Wissick, 82).

    Read More

  • Is the Internet a New Medium?

    1109 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...ent times, the television mediums has been slowly transitioning to digital format. Digital television has the advantages of high definition resolution and an electronic television guide. Despite these evolutions of the medium of television I don't consider it new, I see the television mediums as new features a result of inevitable technological advances. The evolution of the internet can similarly observed in this way. Packet-switching technology gave way to the ability to efficiently transfer files over the internet, this ability gave way to the dawn of the world wide web and faster internet transfer speeds lead to bigger and bigger files being transferred over the internet. From this it can be seen that the internet is not a new medium, it contains features which make it seem new. There are certain implications that are observed when the internet is seen as new.

    Read More

  • The Internet and Rapidly Developing Technology

    1571 Words  | 4 Pages

    The recent revolution of internet and dot-com boom has brought more people familiar to computers and the Internet. It seems like that we can hardly find our way through everyday life with out using or having an internet connected computer next to us. The way we think, live, and communicate was changed once for all with the invention of networked communication of computers. Computers are no longer a piece of machine that sits on top of our desk for us to admire the marvelous technology brought by the geeks and freaks of 80's, but for us to constantly use and put in to work. And in a way, environment which we live in, the society, schools, jobs, forces us to make friends with that technology. Just like when you don't have a telephone you will have hard time communicate with meeting with your friends, absence of instant messaging programs, or ability to use one, will place you out of the circle of events happening with the friends, or don't let you do the work as fast or as good as the one who uses the technology. This is one of the reasons why increasing number of people choose to have computers and internet as a prime communication tool not only between friends and for socialization, but for everyday life. People are increasingly finding new ways of getting things done not by the waiting at the other end of the phone line, but clicking the way through a certain web pages, or typing their message on emails and messenger program. On-line part of the business of almost all industries, not only limited to the dot-com companies but other 'traditional' businesses as well, has been increasingly finding it self positioning more valuable and growing in potential. We are all too familiar with the online shopping sites and class websites that we use almost everyday in a very handy way of getting things done.

    Read More

  • Internet Regulation

    1274 Words  | 3 Pages

    The definition of the Internet put in one sentence is: A worldwide network of computer networks that use the TCP/IP network protocols to facilitate data transmission and exchange, where anyone with a computer can access the internet through an ISP (Internet Service Provider).

    Read More

  • The Internet Increases Social Isolation

    1232 Words  | 3 Pages

    The internet, initially developed by researchers at MIT and UCLA, had first purposes as a communications system between participating Universities. Walt Howe, Director of Libraries at Babson College, explains that the use of the system was limited to engineers, scientists, and those with the complex knowledge of computer operating systems. Because of the complexity involved many attempted to create a more user efficient system, one that home users could adopt. The most modern and user friendly system was pioneered around 1991 at University of Minnesota as a tool to access files and information local...

    Read More

  • Exploring The Internet

    1067 Words  | 3 Pages

    Exploring The Internet The Internet is like a network of networks where any computer can link up to information stored within it. It is accessed by a telecommunications line and a modulator-demodulator (MODEM). It is brought to your computer screen by converting analogue telephone signals into digital computer signals. There are many advantages and disadvantages on the Internet.

    Read More

  • An Analysis of the Internet

    1294 Words  | 3 Pages

    An Analysis of the Internet The internet can be defined as a “network of networks”. A single network consists of two or more computers that are connected to share information. The internet connects thousands of these networks so all of the information can be exchanged worldwide. Connections are typically made through a modem, a device that allows computers to exchange and transmit information through telephone lines. A modem takes digital information and passes it through a series of steps to convert it to analogue signals or sound waves that can be passed over a telephone line.

    Read More

  • The History Of The Internet

    778 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Internet has revolutionized the computer and communications world like nothing before. The Internet enables communication and transmission of data between computers at different locations. The Internet is a computer application that connects tens of thousands of interconnected computer networks that include 1.7 million host computers around the world. The basis of connecting all these computers together is by the use of ordinary telephone wires. Users are then directly joined to other computer users at there own will for a small connection fee per month. The connection conveniently includes unlimited access to over a million web sites twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. There are many reasons why the Internet is important these reasons include: The net adapts to damage and error, data travels at 2/3 the speed of light on copper and fiber, the internet provides the same functionality to everyone, the net is the fastest growing technology ever, the net promotes freedom of speech, the net is digital, and can correct errors. Connecting to the Internet cost the taxpayer little or nothing, since each node was independent, and had to handle its own financing and its own technical requirements.

    Read More

  • Development Of Internet And Www

    2198 Words  | 5 Pages

    Network seems to be a very mystery thing, people just to use the Internet in their daily lives, but no one would be to explore what is a network, what is the meaning of the network. The Internet, namely wide area network, local area network and single machine according to a certain communication protocol make up the international computer network. The Internet is the result of two or two more computers'  terminals, the client and the server through the computer information technology means to connect with each other, people can send mail to thousands of miles away friends. completing a task and play games together.

    Read More

  • What is the Internet

    1013 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Internet is a network of networks, linking computers to computers sharing the TCP/IP protocols. Each runs software to provide or "serve" information and/or to access and view information. The Internet is the transport vehicle for the information stored in files or documents on another computer. It can be compared to an international communications utility servicing computers. It is sometimes compared to a giant international plumbing system.

    Read More

  • The Invention of the Internet

    664 Words  | 2 Pages

    "The Internet refers to the global information system that is logically linked together by a globally unique address space based on the Internet Protocol (IP); is able to support communications using the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) suite; provides, uses, or makes accessible, either publicly or privately, high level services layered on the communications and related infrastructure described herin."

    Read More

  • The Future of the Internet

    479 Words  | 1 Pages

    Its growth rate is incredible, increasing by about 10% every month (Dunkin 180). This rapid growth rate could either help the system or destroy it. The possibilities are endless on what can be done on the internet. People can tap into libraries, tap into weather satellites, download computers. programs, talk to other people with related interests, and send electronic mail.

    Read More

  • Essay On Uses Of Computer

    493 Words  | 1 Pages

    The Internet is one of the greatest inventions of humanity. It is a massive network of computers, each with the ability to access any of the others. Ungodly amounts of information can be found on the Internet. It is the ultimate form of media, a combination of newspaper, radio, and as the average bandwidth is increasing, television. Using

    Read More

More about The Internet and The Development of Computer Networks

Open Document