Picture It

Picture it, you are walking down the street and someone suddenly asks you a question. What is the internet? What would you say? The internet is a channel that allows access to numerous different kinds of information and enables communication between humans. It is a form of communication and technology that has greatly impacted the world. According to Adam’s and Clark, the internet is a worldwide network of computer networks and all the supporting structure. The internet is made up of methods for delivering messages which are: File Transfer Protocol (FTP), email, chat, and a host of others.

The internet was originally created to develop a way of communication if there was an atomic bomb dropped on United States soil. After a nuclear bomb is detonated it sends out Electro Magnetic Pulses which disrupt all types of electronics. When the Atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki EMP’S reached as far as Hawaii, over 800 miles away. (Adams & Clark) The EMPS knocked out electronic devices used for communication. The government then asked themselves if a bomb was dropped on United States soil and knocked out communication, what would we do? A group of scientists were put to this task and developed a network. Adams and Clark explain, they designed the network with the assumption that no single computer or communication line would be needed for total system survival. If one of the computers went down, they would look for any other computers that would still be up. They would be able to communicate directly, instead of going through a centralized computer system.


To understand the internet more clearly Chris Edwards has a very easy definition to understand. He says that the internet is short for international network. Now a household name, the Internet (or World Wide Web) consists of millions of computers linked together to provide people with access to information from anywhere in the world. The way the internet works is that all of these computers are linked together and are able to receive and deliver messages and information.

When scientists first came up with this network they didn’t perfected how information would travel through this system. (Adams & Clark) This led to the development of FTP, File Transfer Protocol. This is a network protocol used to transfer data from one computer to another through a network such as the Internet. When you download any file from the internet most of the time you use this process. Basically, when you download something you are transferring one file to another computer.

Electronic mail known short for email has helped shaped the internet into what it is today. Email enables one to store, forward, and send messages all over the world. Any one can come in contact with each other as long as there is access to a computer. One is able to create an email address over the internet. This is like having an address to someone that vacates a piece of property. Email can be sent almost instantly all over the world opposed to the United States mail system which can take days for someone to get a letter. With email it is electronic and almost instant.

Chat rooms are electronic rooms that work over the internet. They enable a certain number of people to communicate with text messages. New technology has enabled chat rooms to use webcams. Webcams are cameras that are connected to your computer that can broadcast someone all over the internet. The idea of these chat rooms is quite interesting. It lets you communicate with other people that can not see you. You can pretend to be anyone you want. There are some downfalls to these chat rooms. The numbers of minors that are able to enter into these chat rooms are growing. Certain sick and twisted individuals look to seek out children in these rooms. This is why when you enter the chat room you have to abide by the rules of the chat room or you will get kicked out of it. There are monitors in most chat rooms that monitor the chat and are able to remove someone from the room.

As you can see, the internet is a channel that allows access to numerous different kinds of information and enables communication between humans. It is a form of communication and technology that has greatly impacted the world. From its beginning to where the internet is today is truly remarkable. Things like FTP, email, and chat have helped shape the internet and the world we live in today. The internet is one of man’s greatest inventions of all time.