Introduction to the Internet

Introduction to the Internet

• The Internet is a worldwide network of interconnected computers enabling information and resource sharing globally, facilitating business transactions.
• Each connected computer (host) is linked to numerous others.
• Users accessing information and services are considered online.

Learning Outcomes

• Upon completing this chapter, students will be able to define the Internet, describe its usage, discuss its history and the World Wide Web, and explain individual and business connections to it.

Defining the Internet

• A network is a group of two or more computers connected for resource and information sharing.
• The Internet backbone is a network of high-speed data lines joining major computer systems worldwide.

Using the Internet

• The Internet impacts various aspects of daily life, including personal and business information access, products and service purchases, entertainment, education, and communication.
• Internet users encompass students, teachers, business professionals, homemakers, and retirees.
• Common Internet activities include reading online diaries (blogs), microblogging, information searching, communication via email, instant messaging, video chat, social networking, file sharing, accessing remote computers, and business activities like online shopping.
• Specific Internet Activities include browsing, searching the Web, communicating electronically, downloading and uploading files, accessing remote computers or servers, performing business activities, and online shopping.

Early Use of Internet

• People use the Internet to create online diaries known as blogs.
• Political figures use microblogging to update constituents.

History of the Internet

• The Internet's origins are rooted in ARPANET, a network established in 1969 by the U.S. Department of Defense to aid scientific advancement.
• ARPANET aimed for a network that could continue operating even if sections failed.
• Key figures in ARPANET development include J.C.R. Licklider, who focused on information processing research, and Leonard Kleinrock, who developed packet switching.
• ARPANET was a prototype network connecting ARPA and university research centers.
• Ray Tomlinson introduced email in 1971.
• Vinton Cerf and Robert Kahn developed TCP/IP protocols in 1972, standardizing communications over the network.
• The NSFnet, replacing ARPANET, launched in 1985, and permitted commercial activity in 1992.
• Transition to commercial network providers happened by 1995.
• Gopher, a directory-based system, eased document access, developed at the University of Minnesota.
• Tim Berners-Lee introduced the World Wide Web in 1991, facilitating interconnected documents and multimedia.
• Crucial elements include Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), web browsers (Mosaic, Netscape Navigator) and the idea of a web server hosting and sending web pages.
• The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) regulates the development of HTML, significantly influencing its history. Notable milestones include Internet2 (12) and CANARIE.

Connecting to the Internet

• Internet Service Providers (ISPs) connect to the backbone for high-speed data access, ensuring reliable access for users and enterprises.
• Providers include regional and national ISPs and other online service providers (OSPs).
• Home users can use DSL lines, cable data lines, wired or wireless technologies (like Wi-Fi and mobile broadband) for internet access.
• Fixed wireless, microwave, and satellite connections exist as alternatives.

Important Terms

• World Wide Web: A portion of the Internet dedicated to multimedia, consisting of connected documents called web pages.
• Web pages: Linked documents on the web, containing text, graphics, sound and video. Created with Hypertext Markup Language (HTML).
• Web browser: Software interpreting and displaying web pages. Examples include Chrome, Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, Edge, and Opera.
• Web site: A collection of web pages created by an organization (often company, educational establishment, or individual.)
• Home page: The initial document users see on a website. Acting as an index or table of contents.
• Web server: A computer storage and transmission of web pages.
• Publishing: The act of copying web pages and files to a web server for online access.
• Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP): A set of rules for transferring text, graphics, audio, video, and other multimedia files between web servers and web browsers.
• Uniform Resource Locator (URL): The address of a document or file on the internet.
• Hyperlink: Navigates to another web page.

Types of Web Sites

• Internet: Public, available to anyone, sharing various information.
• Intranet: A private company network for employee information (often company policies, procedures, and schedules).
• Extranet: A private network for business partners and key customers, sharing specific business information.