This reading assignment is based on chapter one from "Discovering the Internet" Shelly/Campbell. The first chapter of the book is a high level overview of the Internet.
First off I'd like to Define the Internet as a global network of computers that allows individual and business computers around the world to share information and other resources and to conduct business transactions. It gives us the ability to pull information from locations we would never be able to access otherwise.
The Internet is used for anything you can think of! Individuals can use the Internet for a variety of things, instead of going to the library I can access a multitude of online resources for research and pleasure. E-books are quickly becoming the way of the future, although I will still never give up my paperbacks! I don't have to go fight the lines during the holidays anymore, I can point and click, pre-order new products, have them wrapped and shipped to myself or directly to the intended party. What a convenience, as long as the page doesn't freeze! The main used of the Internet in my opinion is Entertainment and News, I consider these 2 to be very closely related and usually interchangeable; We have websites run by the Media, Blogs and the ever popular Facebook! I know I learn something new every day... and that day is not wasted!
The Internet started coming into existence in the 1960's due to a number of seemingly unrelated factors. Big parts of the inception came from academia, industry and the government. By government I am referring mostly to the Military who during the Cold War wanted to make sure we kept up with the "Sputniks". It grew from there as more research centers joined the project, it eventually became unified and a specific protocol was created. The first browsers for the internet were for academics, but eventually capitalism reared it's head and Netscape was born. I remember this browser, it was extremely simple to use and was very limited... not that I realized that when I was 11. Since then we have many browsers and options to connect and find what we are looking for.
We live in a great age. If I need to find some information I can go through my desktop computer, my laptop, my phone, my nook, my kindle... need I go on? We use telephone lines, cable broadband, wireless and other methods to connect and the possibilities are always expanding.
I am looking forward to the new IPhone 5, this will be my first truly smart phone; sorry blackberry. I am a big fan of apps and really love the free ones, free due to advertising done by various businesses anyway. It's amazing how easily we can be reached by a company attempting to sell us it's products. Being a self realized impulse shopped I try to turn a blind eye to anything not directly related to what I am trying to do.
Sources:
- Discovering the Internet, 4th edition Shelly/Campbell
- http://www.wackamole.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/internet_history1.jpg
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