Impact and History of the Internet

• The internet has greatly impacted society by transforming communication, business, information access, and life management.

Internet Definition

• A network of computer networks.
• Computers connected to the network can send and receive information from any location.

History of the Internet

• 1957: The Russian launch of Sputnik led to the creation of the Advanced Research Project Agency (ARPA) by President Eisenhower.
• Paul Barran invented Packet Switching which divides messages into smaller, individually addressed pieces.
• 1962: Dr. J.C.R. Licklider led research to advance the military use of computer technology.
• Dr. Licklider moved ARPA's work from the private sector to universities.
• 1969: Dr. J.C.R. put his invention into operation in the fall, naming it ARPANET, after its DoD pentagon sponsor, the ARPA.
• The first node was installed at the University of California, Los Angeles.
• 1973: Vint Cerf and Bob Kahn took the first step, leading to the creation of the Transmission Control Protocol and the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).
• Decentralized structure with standard communication methods simplified expansion.
• 1980's: Many networks adopted standards, and the internet became a reality.
• 1990's: Commercial networks like CompuServe and Prodigy joined the internet, initially only allowing users to communicate within the same service.

Internet Control

• The internet lacks central ownership, censorship, or governance.
• A computer or network adhering to technical, not social or political, protocols can participate equally.

ISOC Overview (WWW.ISOC.ORG)

• An international, nonprofit, professional membership organization without governmental affiliations.
• The Internet society maintains standards, develops public policy, provides education, and increases membership.

Protocols Explained

• They determine how data is transmitted between devices.
• TCP and IP are the primary protocols for internet functionality.
• IP: The lower-level protocol manages packet decisions.
• TCP: Detects and reorders data grams as required.
• HTTP: Hypertext transmission protocol, supports the World Wide Web (www).
• FTP: File transmission protocol, enables users to send electronic files via the internet.

Domain Name System (DNS)

• The internet's DNS system allows assignment of globally unique names to networks and computers.
• Benefits: Easier to remember than strings of numbers; Transparent to the user when physical location changes.

Current Top Level Domains (TLD's)

• .AERO: Intended for the air transport industry.
• .BIZ: For use by businesses.
• .COM: Commercial or business organizations.
• .COOP: For cooperatives.
• .EDU: Four-year degree-granting institutions.
• .INFO: Open to all users.
• .NAME: For individual use.
• .NET: For network resources.
• .PRO: For professionals.

Internet Size

• The internet had over 109 million hosts across 230 countries, according to the Internet Software Consortium data from January 2001 released March 15, 2001.
• The internet's annual growth rate is estimated at 46-67%.
• The internet is growing at around 63 new hosts and 11 new domains each minute on a global scale.

Evolution of Internet Use

• 1972: The first e-mail software appeared, now with capabilities to list, read, file, forward, and respond to messages selectively.
• E-mail then became the largest network application in the following decade.
• E-mail was made freely acessible to anyone
• FTP protocols allowed any user connected to the internet to connect to a host computer and download available files
• Archie sites: Pooled information from their searchers, making it accessible to users on other sites.
• Gopher system: Developed at the University of Minnesota, providing a menu of internet servers globally.

File Transfer Protocol

• FTP was used for downloading and uploading files from distant computers and transferring data.
• FTP remains in use today for data exchange, often transparent to the user.

Telnet Described

• A terminal emulation program that is part of the TCP/IP protocols used to connect computers.
• Telnet allows a connecting computer to behave like a terminal for a distant computer, regardless of the type of computer
• Remote control of web servers is possible, with Telnet

Electronic Mail (E-Mail)

• Sending and receiving remains one of the most popular online activities.
• E-mail has many diverse uses.

E-Mail Address Anatomy

• An e-mail address consists of two parts: Username and the name of the computer assigned separated by the "@" sign:
• [email protected] is an example
• Mara.clara is the username in this instance
• Redcross.org is the computer name

Understanding Emoticons

• Emoticons use standard keyboard characters to create pictures that convey mood.

Email Abbreviations

• Acronyms are used with caution in emails and messaging applications.
• AFK means Away From Keyboard.
• BTW denotes By The Way.
• FTF means Face To Face.
• HTH is an abbreviation for Hope This Helps.

Organizing E-mails

• Organizing keeps the inbox clear for messages needing attention while retaining desired messages.
• This feature helps clear out the mailbox.
• Lawrence Lessing, law professor, warns of the internet's influence on privacy.

File Attachments Explained

• Plain text e-mails are compatible with all e-mail software and word processors.
• Proprietary files can only be read by the program that created them.
• Files can be directly attached and sent to recipients after creation.

Mailing Lists

• Mailing lists send a message to multiple people or a group at once.
• Eric Thomas created the first software to automate mailing list functions.

Mailing List Fundamentals

• There are 2 mailing list addresses
• Address of the software helps with subscriptions, unsubscriptions or any other function that software provides
• The other address is used by subscribers to post a message to the email list

World Wide Web (WWW)

• The WWW is not a fad, but is essential.
• Tim Berners-Lee is credited as the WWW's inventor and among the 20th century's top thinkers.
• A browser is software converting files into viewable images.

Origin of the WWW

• Tim Berners-Lee first proposed the WWW in 1989.
• The initial prototype appeared in 1990 and released in 1991 with Robert Cailliau
• The browser, released in 1992 as freeware, accompanied only 50 web servers.
• Browser improvements were made by the close of 1995.

WWW Functions

• Special software enables the receipt, interpretation, and sending of the request file to the client computer.
• The web´s use of HTTP allows for the transmitting and interpretation of all types of files.
• Hypertext is a system for linking objects.

Health Information on the Internet

• Credibility: Check the source, currency, usefulness, relevance, and editorial review process for credibility
• Content: Assesses the accuracy through the hierarchy of evidence and presence of the original source.
• Disclosure: Evaluates the purpose, sponsorship, and data handling practices of the site.
• Links: Assesses the quality of provided links.