Internet More than just a tool

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Internet - More than just a tool
Randy Smith 646.4181
RandySmith_at_mpc.edu
randy_at_computersmiths.com
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What is the Internet?
History's most remarkable bureaucratic achievement
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And the Internet is not . . .

• AOL
• Chat rooms and blogs, BBSs
• E-mail
• Newsgroups, Dow Jones News, Lexis /Nexus
• Microsoft IE, Firefox, Mozilla
• Google, Yahoo, Youtube, Myspace
• A static communication medium

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History lesson
From Sputnik to NextSystem 1957 1982 -
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How does the Internet work?
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Standards

• Network of Networks
• Packet switched
• Client - Server
• Multiplatform
• Collaborative
• Consensus

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Data Communications

• T3
• T1
• Fractional / Frame relay
• C-band satellite
• DSL
• Cable modem
• ISDN
• POTS

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Ownership

• Its not the phone company
• Its not the government
• Its not a company
• Its not the users

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Usage

• 500 million users? 800?
• 80 Million sites?
• Every country in the world
• Every language

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Alphabet soup

• WWW
• HTML
• XHTML
• http
• XML
• URL
• TCP/IP
• CGI

• FTP
• ISP
• W3C
• DSL
• DNS
• AJAX
• SOAP
• Blog

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More Definitions

• Internet
• Telnet
• E-mail
• Web
• Domain name
• Server / host

• Client / browser
• Search engine / search site
• Web site / Home page
• On-line providers
• Internet providers

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What is the World Wide Web?

• The Interface is graphical / easy
• Multimedia
• Works much the same on many systems
• Open standard for viewers

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What are other Internet services?

• E-mail
• Chat / IRC
• FTP
• Skype and Internet phone
• Newsgroups
• Gopher, Veronica
• Streaming media
• Video conference

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What is the Internet used for?

• E-mail
• Information search and retrieval
• News,sports,weather
• Competitive search
• Entertainment
• Software download
• Research
• Advertising

• Product Marketing
• Interactive Sales
• Business contacts
• Job searches
• Virtual Reality
• Inexpensive long distance telephone
• Long distance meetings
• Non-directed publishing

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What type of data can be served?

• Text ( in any language)
• Graphics
• Audio / Streaming audio
• Interactive audio
• Video / Streaming video
• Interactive video
• Collaborative sharing
• Virtual Reality

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What does it take to access the Net?

• System
• Software
• Data communication
• Account

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What hardware is used on the Net?

• Communication devices
• Backbone - Routers, Bridges, Hubs
• Servers
• Clients

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What computers do you need?

• Your PC, Mac, UNIX workstation, terminal,TV,
  PDA, cell phone. . .

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What software do you need?

• Connection application
• Browser viewer

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Internet hookup

• Internet access
• Communication

• Dial-up POTS
• DSL
• ISDN
• Wireless
• Satellite
• Network connection
• Leased and dedicated lines
• Interactive Cable

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Browsers
Your link to the Net

• What do they do?
• Which one?

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Most used browsers

• Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 2 to 7
• Firefox
• Netscape versions 1 to 8
• Opera
• AOL
• Safari
• Lynx

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Web sites

• Web pages and sites are available worldwide
• Easy to develop
• Easy to publish
• Deserve careful attention
• Except when blocked

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But the Internet is not just there

• It is dynamic
• You can contribute

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Have a great semester!