- A computer network that would continue to function in the event of a disaster.
In the 1960"s the Department of Defense wanted to create a computer network that would continue to function in the event of a disaster, such as a nuclear war. If part of the network were damaged or destroyed, the rest of the system still had to work. That network was ARPANET, which linked U.S. scientific and academic researchers. It was the forerunner of today's Internet
- A series of networks for research and education communication.
In 1985, the National Science Foundation (NSF) created NSFNET, a series of networks for research and education communication. Based on ARPANET protocols, the NSFNET created a national backbone service, provided free to any U.S. research and educational institution. At the same time, regional networks were created to link individual institutions with the national backbone service.
- A world-wide computer based communications medium. New software applications (Mosaic, Netscape, Explorer) were created to make access easier. Corporations such as Sprint and MCI began to build their own networks, which they linked to NSFNET. NSF also coordinated a service called InterNIC, which registered all addresses on the Internet so that data could be routed to the right system. This service has now been taken over by AT&T and Network Solutions, Inc., in cooperation with NSF. You can read more about the InterNIC Directory at their website.
- The World Wide Web is just one portion of the Internet.
The Internet includes the world wide web, the commercial online services, and all the different computer networks that link individuals, institutions, business and the government to the national backbone service. In other words, a computer network that would continues to function in the event disasters.
- A collection of computer files on many different computers all over the world.
The world wide web is a collection of "pages" (computer files) that can be published by anyone and viewed by millions of Internet users. Web pages can include graphics, sounds, video clips, all sorts of files and software programs. The "Web" is the most popular means of distributing information on the Internet. The most frequently used service of the Internet is Email, a popular feature of the Internet.
- The Web is known as a client-server system. Your web browser software is the client; the remote computer which stores the data is the server. The glue that holds the Web together is called hypertext and hyperlinks. This feature allow electronic files on the Web to be linked so that you can easily jump between them. On the Web, you navigate through pages of information based on what interests you at that particular moment. This is commonly known as browsing or surfing the Net.
- To access the Web you need software, such as Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Explorer,known as web browsers. How does your web browser distinguish between web pages and other files on the Internet? Web pages are written in a computer language called HTML, which stands for Hypertext Markup Language.
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Introduction | The Internet | Benefits | Why get Online |
Search | Browsers | Bookmarks | Handling Email |
Ahead to Workshop 2 | Ahead to Workshop 3 |
Conservation Jobs Center | Conservation Grants Center | Oak Run Library | Cyber-Sierra
Workshop Location: http://www.cyber-sierra.com/workshops/99workshops/intro.htm