History of Internet Lesson 2

History of the Internet

• The origins trace back to the USA in the 1950s during the Cold War.
• Tensions between the USA and the Soviet Union led to the development of the internet.
• Early supercomputers were designed for simulations, code breaking, and data consolidation.
• The launch of Sputnik I in 1957 prompted the US to create a communication system resilient to nuclear attacks.

Key Developments

• The Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET) was the first wide-area packet-switched network.
• ARPANET implemented the transmission-control protocol suite (TCP/IP), forming the foundation of the Internet.
• President Dwight D. Eisenhower established ARPA to gather top scientific talent for advanced research.

Network Concepts

• A network consists of interconnected computers that exchange data, likened to a social circle sharing information.
• The Internet is a vast "network of networks," including private, public, academic, business, and government connections.

Evolution of the World Wide Web

• WEB 1.0 (Static Web)

  • Characterized as a “read-only web,” similar to a library.
  • Users can read and explore web pages but cannot add content.
  • Example: Personal web pages that provide owner information without updates.

• WEB 2.0 (Social Web)

  • Known as the “interactive web,” likened to a workshop or party.
  • Users can interact with websites, communicate with others, and contribute content.
  • Examples include social media platforms like Facebook, Wikipedia, and YouTube.

Key Features of WEB 2.0

• Folksonomy: Users categorize information using self-chosen keywords or tags (e.g., hashtags on Twitter and Instagram).
• Rich User Interface: Content is dynamic and adapts to user inputs, enhancing user experience.
• User Participation: Content creation is democratized, allowing anyone to contribute through comments, reviews, or evaluations.

WEB 3.0 (Semantic Web)

• Described as the “web of meaning,” akin to having a personal web assistant.
• Users can conduct intelligent searches, with browsers retrieving relevant information and suggesting content.
• Examples include Google search suggestions and news aggregation based on user preferences.

Types of Social and Content Platforms

• Social Networking Sites: Connect users with similar interests (e.g., Facebook).
• Link Management Sites: Organize and share web resources (e.g., Pinterest).
• News Aggregation Sites: Users post news items and comment (e.g., Reddit).
• Media Sharing Sites: Allow users to upload and share content (e.g., YouTube, Instagram).
• Microblogging Sites: Users share short updates (e.g., Twitter).
• Blogging Platforms: Users can post content with comment features (e.g., WordPress, Tumblr).

Operating Systems

• iOS: Developed for Apple devices (iPhone, iPad).
• Android: Open-source OS from Google, available for free use.
• Windows Phone OS: A proprietary OS developed by Microsoft.
• Web OS: Initially for smartphones; now used in Smart TVs.