What Is The Internet?
Millions of people today use the Internet in their everyday lives, but what is the Internet? Where did it come from? How does it work?
The following is information learned from modules 1-3 of Introduction to the Internet as presented by Professor Shawn Grigsby
What Is The Internet?
The Internet is the largest computer network in the world, made up of millions of smaller computer networks. You can look at it like the name states, as a "web" of interconnected devices all linked with one another to communicate and transfer data. Today, the Internet is a part of everyday life at Work, school, and home.
Where Did It Come From?
The Internet is a byproduct of the research project called Advanced Research Projects Agency Network, or ARPANET. Originally, the project was intended to create a method of communication that could withstand a nuclear event. What began as a government project transitioned to a civilian network that was not dependent on government funding. The value of such a massive information-sharing method was realized, and by 1995, the Internet went completely public. Today, the Internet is as well-known as the telephone.
How Does It Work?
For the Internet to function, it needs specific technical infrastructure. For computers to communicate, they need a link, either physically or wirelessly. From its beginning, via the use of phone wire, TV cable (coax), and then fiber optics. Currently, wireless technologies are more common, and the speed and connectivity of the internet have improved over time. Through the use of switches and routers, data is sent and received with an array of different devices like smartphones, PCs, Tablets, and laptops. Data is sent as a combination of ones and zeros, which are then translated into a readable human text.
Accessing The Internet
How To Access The Web
To access the Internet, the first thing you will need is a device capable of doing so. The next element needed is an Internet Service Provider (ISP) that is paid for or free, based on a user agreement. When you have a device and a connection via an ISP, you need to access the internet using any one of many internet browsers. Some of the most popular are Google Chrome, Mozilla, Safari, and Internet Explorer. The use of Internet search tools or search engines helps refine your search of the internet to help find exactly what you're looking for on the net. There are ways to refine your search as well by using some of these rules.
Using Email
Email or electronic mail is the primary source of communication used today. Almost everyone who uses a computer or a mobile device has an email. This serves as a line of communication between the two parties. Emails are instantaneous, making regular postal mail almost obsolete. All email addresses have a standard format that includes the username followed by the domain name of the service provider, joined with the @ symbol. Emails usually end with a suffix that is relative to the type of organization it is sourced from.
What is the Cloud?
The cloud. Many people have heard this term but don't completely understand it. It is most certainly not referring to the weather, but rather a form of digital storage outside of one's own device. When the need arises for files to be saved but would take up too much room on a personal device, one would want to store them in a cloud service so valuable storage space can be saved on the device itself. It also serves as a way for multiple parties to access the information anywhere in the world with the use of multiple devices. So if you are on the go you can still access files from your smartphone as would sitting at the computer in your workplace.
What is FTP? (File Transfer Protocol)
FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is the standard network protocol used to transfer files from one host to another. It works by opening two connections that link two computers together. It's favored among businesses because of its ability to perform large file size transfers as well as multiple files at once.
Blogs, Social Media, Wikis & Forums
Social media includes content communities, blogs, forums, podcasts, social networks, and wikis. Social Media creates a space for people to interact with each other and share thoughts, opinions, views, and information. There are niche formats of social media to cater to specific interests. A blog, for instance, is a site created and updated usually by a person or group concerning a specific topic in conversation form. A forum is similar to a blog, but a forum usually addresses a community of people. A wiki page is a website, database, or online community that is managed by its users, and any user can modify, add, or edit information in a wiki, which sometimes results in incorrect or biased information rather than facts.
QR codes, NFCs, & SnapTags
QR codes are little pixelated, two-dimensional barcodes that you can scan with your mobile phone and instantly open a website relevant to where or what the QR code is for. QR codes are a common sight in stores to restaurants. One use of NFC (Near Field Communication) is when it comes time to pay for something. It uses a wireless radio communications standard similar to Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), but at a much closer proximity. Now you can just simply tap your phone or card to a reader and your payment is processed. The newest idea, SnapTag, is also a two-dimensional barcode, but with the slight difference that a SnapTag offers interactive information, content, and engagement without the need for a current phone model or special app.
The Eight
The Eight Essential Technologies Of Today:
The eight technologies that are currently changing the digital landscape of the world of the Internet of Things (IoT) are: Augmented Reality, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, Drones, 3-D printing, and Virtual Reality.