The Internet, in simplest terms, is the large group of millions of computers around the world that are all connected to one another. These computers are connected by phone lines, fiber optic lines, coaxial cable, satellites, and wireless connections.
When you log on to the Internet you are given access to many of the other computers that are connected around the world.
Some common ways of connecting to the Internet include:
* Internet service provider (ISP) by modem
* Internet ready cable
* digital subscriber line (DSL)
* simply turning on your computer which is on a network at work or school connected to the Internet
Today you can even get a wireless connection to the Internet with a handheld PC or notebook computer.
Once you are connected to the Internet you are able to do many things. You can send and receive e-mail. You can chat with text or voice. You can browse the World Wide Web. And you can perform countless other tasks with the appropriate software.
In addition to text documents, the Internet makes available graphics files (digitized photographs and artwork), and even files that contain digitized sound and video. Through the Internet, you can download software, participate in interactive forums where users post and respond to public messages, and even join "chats," in which you and other users type (and, in some cases, speak) messages that are received by the chat participants instantly.
Obviously, the Internet can bring you a whole host of capabilities. But how can they be put to practical use?
Among the ways that users like yourself are taking advantage of the Internet are:
* Sharing research and business data among colleagues and like-minded individuals.
* Communicating with others and transmitting files via E-mail.
* Requesting and providing assistance with problems and questions.
* Marketing and publicizing products and services.
* Gathering valuable feedback and suggestions from customers and business partners.
The Internet's potential is limited only by users' vision and creativity. And as the Internet grows, new and innovative uses will surely follow.
Unlike many computer networks, the Internet consists of not one but multiple data systems that were developed independently. The most popular and important systems are:
* E-mail, for exchange of electronic mail messages.
* USENET newsgroups, for posting and responding to public "bulletin board" messages.
* File Transfer Protocol (FTP), a system for storing and retrieving data files on large computer systems.
* Gopher, a method of searching for various text-based Internet resources (largely obsolete).
* TELNET, a way of connecting directly to computer systems on the Internet.
* Internet Relay Chat (IRC), a system for sending public and private messages to other users in "real time"—that is, your message appears on the recipient's screen as soon as you type it.
* CU-SeeMe, a videoconferencing system that allows users to send and receive sound and pictures simultaneously over the Internet.
* The World Wide Web.
Answered by
Rocky
, an ibibo Master,
at
8:39 PM on July 19, 2008