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Growth of the Internet
It is almost impossible to make it through a day without hearing a reference to the Internet. The Internet began in 1969 as the ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network). This computer network was created by the U.S. Department of Defense to link research scientists so that they could exchange and share ideas that would increase research results. ARPANET soon extended to include college and university researchers. From this restricted group of users, the Internet has evolved to serve millions of people all over the world.
The history of networking shows that large, wide-reaching networks preceded the smaller, more self-contained computer networks that are found today in offices or schools. The first computers were large, extremely expensive, and very scarce. Often, buying time on a computer miles away was cheaper than installing your own computer. The coordination of the timesharing approach to computer use provided the motivation for the development of networking hardware and software. ARPANET, now the Internet, is only one example of these early, large networks.
Many networks did not survive beyond these first early efforts. However, the Internet did, and is still evolving. At first known only within academic and scientific communities as a channel for exchanging text-based documents, today the Internet is a global network connecting computers all over the world. There are many smaller networks entwined in this complex, global connection of computers and people. Each computer that connects to the Internet is referred to as an Internet client.
The Internet is more than just computers and cables. The Internet is also a world of people with a very unique culture. Members come from all over the world, and many regard themselves as members of online communities that function in a similar fashion to their geographical community defined by where they live. Perhaps the best known part of the Internet is the World Wide Web (WWW or Web). It is responsible for popularizing the Web by allowing information to be linked with hyperlinks and enabling the transmission of all sorts of media. The Web can be thought of as a way to navigate major portions of the Internet. The Web includes text, graphics, and sounds in electronic documents called home pages or Web sites. Each Web site has a unique address. These addresses are referred to as URLs (Uniform Resource Locators). A critical aspect of Web sites is their ability to provide an electronic link to other Web sites. It is possible for almost anyone who wishes to create and maintain his or her own home page.
The vast collection of Web sites available on the Internet is almost beyond comprehension, and many tools have been developed to help users access whatever they choose. Using a browser, a program designed specifically for use with the Web, you can explore this vast electronic library. Most browsers provide a graphical interface so navigating the Web is little different from navigating your own personal computer. Embedded links on Web pages allow you to move from one computer to another. The location of each computer is irrelevant.
Internet use has expanded far beyond its original vision. In every facet of our lives—business, education, and recreation—the Internet now plays an established role. It serves as a means of gathering, storing, processing, and sharing information.
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