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Internet
DEFINITION
The Internet, sometimes called simply "the Net," is a worldwide system of computer networks --
a network of networks in which users at any one computer can, if they have permission, get
information from any other computer (and sometimes talk directly to users at other computers).
It was conceived by the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) of the U.S. government in
1969 and was first known as the ARPANET..
Today, the Internet is a public, cooperative and self-sustaining facility accessible to hundreds of
millions of people worldwide.
History of the Internet
During the 1960s cold war, the United States Department of Defense’s Advanced Research
Projects Agency (ARPA) was tasked with creating a robust, reliable communication network that
would be capable of withstanding a nuclear attack. This new communication network needed to
be decentralized to prevent a single point of failure (SPoF) and redundancy so information could
be rerouted in real time if network operations were disrupted.
The first network prototype was called the ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency
Network). It was one network that connected four major universities and research institutions.
Historically, it is important because the researchers used packet-switching to transmit data across
the network in small, manageable units.
In 1974, researchers Vint Cerf and Robert Kahn introduced the idea of an Internet Protocol
Suite, commonly known as TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol). The two
protocols provide a framework for computers to send and receive data over disparate,
interconnected networks.
As the concept of internet working gained momentum in the 1980s, the National Science
Foundation established the National Science Foundation Network (NSFNET). The NSFNET
became a backbone for the internet and essentially created a “network of networks” that
expanded network access beyond the Department of Defense’s earlier ARPANET.
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It wasn’t until 1989, however, when British computer scientist Sir Tim Berners-Lee proposed the
idea of interconnecting digital content as well as networks that people began to appreciate the
potential of the internet. In his proposal, Berners-Lee outlined the concept of hypertext and a
new markup language to create an information-sharing system.
This system used HyperText Markup Language (HTML) to create the web pages
and HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) to transmit the data. The web, which sits on top of the
internet and uses its infrastructure, opened up the potential of the internet for more everyday uses
by making it easier to share and access information across networks.
The release of Mosaic, the first browser, marked another significant milestone in the
popularization of the World Wide Web. Its graphical user interface (GUI), support for images,
and intuitive navigation played a crucial role in making the Internet more accessible and visually
engaging for early adopters.
By the end of the 1990s, commercial Internet Service Providers (ISPs) began to offer dial-up
connections to homes and businesses – and America Online (AOL) introduced millions of new
users to the Internet. AOL’s marketing efforts, user-friendly interface, and bundled email, instant
messaging, and web browsing services appealed to the general public and fostered the growth of
e-commerce.
The turn of the 21st century brought a new chapter in internet history with the proliferation of
mobile devices. The rise of smartphones and tablets unleashed unprecedented connectivity and
allowed people around the world to access the internet from anywhere with an internet
connection. Mobile applications, social media platforms, and streaming devices transformed the
way people consumed information, shared content, communicated, did their jobs, and shopped.
By the second decade of the century, the Internet of Things (IoT) allowed everyday objects to be
networked. Today, technologies such as blockchain and artificial intelligence (AI) have the
potential to improve the Internet’s infrastructure and services. Improvements in LEO satellite
internet will enable connectivity for sensors and smart devices in rural areas and open up new
possibilities for precision agriculture and environmental monitoring in even the most remote
regions of the world.
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Advancements in AI and machine learning (ML) technologies will improve cybersecurity threat
detection and remediation on the Internet – and improvements in encryption algorithms and
new Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocols will provide more robust protection
against eavesdropping and other types of unauthorized packet interception.
Decade Key Internet Development
Development of internetwork communication protocols by the Defense Advanced
1960s
Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in the US.
1970s TCP/IP becomes the standard protocol for routing packets within and across networks.
1980s The term “Internet” is used to describe interconnected networks.
1990s HTML transforms the concept of the World Wide Web into a reality.
User-generated content and mobile devices revolutionize how people access and
2000s
interact with the Web.
High-speed broadband internet enables the transformation of cloud computing into a
2010s
business strategy.
Covid-19 restrictions highlight the importance of treating the Internet as a utility by
2020s
facilitating the shift to remote work, online learning, and virtual events.
The history of the Internet is sometimes described in terms of Web 1.0, Web 2.0, and Web 3.0 to
highlight significant shifts in the way people use and interact with the Internet.
Web 1.0 refers to the early days of the dial-up Internet when websites and web pages were static,
and their primary purpose was to share information.
Web 2.0 is characterized by social media platforms, blogs, wikis, and other user-generated
content platforms delivered over the internet.
Future iterations of the internet include both Web 3.0 and Web3.
Web 3.0 describes a future version of the internet that focuses on intelligent automation, context-
aware applications, and enhanced privacy and security measures. It describes an internet
supported by ultra-high broadband speeds and websites that use artificial intelligence and
machine learning to provide website visitors with personalized user experiences.
Web3 is one possible implementation of the broader concept of Web 3.0. It describes a future
version of the internet that focuses on blockchain technology, decentralized protocols, and smart
contracts. Web3 is associated with the development of decentralized applications (dApps),
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decentralized finance (DeFi), non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and other blockchain-based
innovations.
Advantages of the Internet:
o Instant Messaging: You can send messages or communicate to anyone using internet,
such as email, voice chat, video conferencing, etc.
o Get directions: Using GPS technology, you can get directions to almost every place in a
city, country, etc. You can find restaurants, malls, or any other service near your location.
o Online Shopping: It allows you to shop online such as you can be clothes, shoes, book
movie tickets, railway tickets, flight tickets, and more.
o Pay Bills: You can pay your bills online, such as electricity bills, gas bills, college fees,
etc.
o Online Banking: It allows you to use internet banking in which you can check your
balance, receive or transfer money, get a statement, request cheque-book, etc.
o Online Selling: You can sell your products or services online. It helps you reach more
customers and thus increases your sales and profit.
o Work from Home: In case you need to work from home, you can do it using a system
with internet access. Today, many companies allow their employees to work from home.
o Entertainment: You can listen to online music, watch videos or movies, play online
games.
o Cloud computing: It enables you to connect your computers and internet-enabled
devices to cloud services such as cloud storage, cloud computing, etc.
o Career building: You can search for jobs online on different job portals and send you
CV through email if required.
Disadvantages of the Internet
o Time wastage: Although, Internet has a lot of advantages, it also contains some
limitations. Time wasting is one of among them. It can decrease your productivity if you
are spending too much time on the Internet using social media apps while doing nothing.
Rather than squandering time, one should use that time to do something useful and even
more productive.
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o Bad impacts on health: You can get health related issues if you spend too much time
online; your body needs outside activities, exercise, and many other things. If you look at
the screen for a long time, it causes negative effects on the eyes.
o Cyber Crimes: These days, crimes including cyberbullying, spam, viruses, hacking, and
data theft are increasing day by day. Cybercriminals can quickly break into your system,
which store all of your private information.
o Effects on children: The constant watching of videos and playing games on the Internet
by young children is bad for their social and overall personality development.
o Bullying and spreading negativity: Social media applications have provided a free tool
to all those people who regularly attempt to spread negativity with really repulsive and
humiliating comments and try to bully each other, which is wrong and does bad impact
on society.
How does internet work?
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The Internet works through a series of networks that connect devices around the world through
telephone lines. Users are provided access to the Internet by Internet service providers. The
widespread use of mobile broadband and Wi-Fi in the 21st century has allowed this connection
to be wireless.
Connecting to the Internet
Requirements for connecting computer to the internet are as follows:
1. TCP/IP enabled computer
2. Internet service provider (ISP): an internet service provider provides you with a connection to the
internet and the software you will need to navigate.
3. Telecommunication line: a telephone line is required to connect you to the internet
service provider.
4. Modem: a modem converts a digital signal received from a computer into an analogue signal that can
be sent along ordinary telephone lines, and back to digital at the other end.
5. Web browser: a web browser is software used to view and download Web pages and various types of
files such as text, graphics and video. Examples are Microsoft Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox,
Google Chrome.
