The Internet: A Tool for Empowering People in the Information Age The following introduction to the Internet is intended to give you just enough background to understand the Internet and what you might be able to do with it. Although you can refer to many detailed sources of information about the Internet, we hope that this introduction will spark your imagination so you can think of ways that the Internet can help achieve your organization's development objectives. Just as you do not need to know how a car works in order to understand its benefits, you do not need to know a great deal about how the Internet works, which buttons to push, or what software you need in order to begin thinking of what you can do with it. If you are aware of its possibilities, you can begin planning how it might help your organization. What Is the Internet? The Internet is a global network of computers. It is often described as a "network of networks," because it first began through the linking of existing local computer networks used by universities and governmental organizations. The Internet is a constellation of computers around the world that "speak the same language," so information travels seamlessly from one computer to another. When you connect to the Internet, your computer becomes part of this worldwide network of computers. The Internet is more than just a technological marvel. The pace is quick, with messages and information racing around the world in a few seconds, but the Internet is essentially about helping people communicate with each other. The diagram on the next page is a much simplified view of the Internet.
How Did the Internet Develop? The Internet began in the 1960s when the U.S. Department of Defense began creating a computer network that would continue to function in the event of a major disaster. In 1969, four mainframe computers at U.S. universities were linked into a network that transferred data on dedicated high-speed transmission lines. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, new, similar networks were created to link educational institutions, government offices, and military centers in the United States and other countries. In the 1990s, as the Internet has grown, private business and other regional network providers have taken over the operation of the major Internet arteries, and the development of much of the information available online. Private businesses, educational institutions, organizations, and individuals now develop much of the information content available online. How Does the Internet Work? The Internet is a worldwide complex of smaller regional networks. To understand it, picture a major road connecting large cities. Smaller roads link the cities to small towns, where residents travel on narrow residential streets. The high-speed Internet is the major road in this scenario. Connected to it are smaller computer networks (functioning like smaller, less traveled roads) that can share data at high speeds. In order to enable different types of computers to communicate with each other, a standard "protocol" has been established for transporting data. This Internet protocol (called Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol, or TCP/IP) allows networks all over the world to communicate with each other on the Internet. The Internet is a combination of computer hardware and software that allows computers to communicate with each other. If you have a telephone equipped with long distance service, you can call anyone in the world, provided you know the person's telephone number. Likewise, if you have a computer connected to the Internet, you can exchange information with any other computer in the world that is connected. What Can You Do with the Internet? The Internet can transfer information in any digital form—text, sound, graphic images, and video. Over a mesh of dedicated data lines, telephone lines, satellite links, and computers, different software programs run that allow people to communicate. In some cases, such as when you use e-mail or participate in online discussion groups, you are actually communicating with a person. In other cases, such as when you visit Web sites, you are instead accessing information that is stored on another computer. On the Internet you can:
There are endless possibilities, all with a few clicks of a computer "mouse." Many of the uses listed above are available free or at very low cost. Why Use the Internet? Speed. A letter or document that could take days to arrive by regular mail can be sent to the other side of the world in minutes or hours using Internet e-mail. Likewise, searching through a card catalog at a library can be a time-consuming, tedious process, but you can search an online version of the same catalog in a fraction of the time. Breadth. The Internet gives you access to a vast (and growing) collection of databases, documents, computer software, and almost any other kind of information that can be stored electronically. Cost saving. Exchanging information via the Internet is less expensive than using telephones or fax machines, especially where telephone access fees are high. Likewise, marketing your services or products on the Internet can be less expensive than using conventional printing and document-delivery methods. Two-way communication. Audiences now have the means to respond directly to sources of information, research, and opinions. Freedom. There are no bosses, no board of directors, no stockholders, and no political rules. Each group of people accessing the Internet is responsible for its own machine and operation of its own section of the network. The Internet belongs to everyone and no one. Who's in Charge of the Internet? No single authority controls the Internet, nor does one central computer power it. Whoever is in charge of, or operating, each computer connected to the Internet decides what information to make available on it. This design has reduced the costs for an individual or organization to get onto the network. However, this complexity can also make it difficult to navigate the Internet and find the information you want—especially as computers may have different commands for accessing and organizing their resources. Recently developed navigational tools and "maps" will help people find what they need on the Internet. The World Wide Web The World Wide Web, or the Web, is one of the Internet's most popular applications. It is a graphical, easy-to-use way to organize and present information, including text, images, movies, sounds, and more! The World Wide Web has generated tremendous popular interest in the Internet. In addition to an Internet connection, access to the Web requires a software program called a "browser." Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer are currently the two most common Web browsers, but others are available, and they are all either free or very low-cost. Future of the Internet The Internet is getting bigger every day in terms of the number of users, the amount of information, and the number of services available. What seemed very novel only a few years ago has become more commonplace and widely available and less expensive. In the future, computer networks worldwide may commonly feature three-dimensional animated graphics, radio and cellular phone links to portable computers, as well as fax, voice, movies, and high-definition television. Some of these services, such as three-dimensional navigation, wireless Internet connections, and Internet telephone service, are already commercially available. New, cost-effective ways to make Internet communication faster and cheaper are being developed every day. With these increases in connection speeds, you can expect to see an explosion of online commerce, publishing, database distribution, collaborative research projects, video-conferencing, and 3-D worlds. All of these applications are already being used in some form or are under development. Many companies already have secure Internet payment systems. And although security remains an issue, an increasing number of companies will sell products and services over the Internet that allow consumers to conduct payment transactions using credit cards, debit cards, or electronic cash. There is no telling how far the Web will evolve, but the future looks promising. And as it becomes easier to use, more and more people will join this worldwide community called the Internet. The Larger Picture Most of the advances we hear regarding the Internet concern technical advances in computer hardware and new software programs developed for the Web. The biggest changes we will see, however, do not concern the machines and software programs that drive the Internet. Rather, the Internet's lasting impact will be in how it will affect us as individuals and as a society. The Internet allows us to participate in information exchanges, develop personal and professional relationships, and share our experiences with others—and of course help us achieve our personal, professional, and organizational goals. Here are a few societal changes the Internet, particularly the World Wide Web, may make possible in coming years:
The Internet will not take the place of face-to-face personal contact, and it will never be the only way that we communicate with each other. However, it has defined and will continue to define new ways of meeting people, exchanging ideas, earning money, and many other things we do as part of our daily lives. References and For More Information
Step 7: Reviewing Progress and Looking Ahead | Table of Contents | Appendix 2: Important Internet-Related Terms |
