The Internet is an amalgamation of hundreds of thousands of computers
that are linked together via a common set of communications standards.
It is a loosely formed 'organization' of computers that 'talk to each other'.
Of significant importance is the fact that the 'organization' is not a single
entity. That is, there is not a specific Individual, Company, or Government
Entity that is the owner of, or in charge of, The Internet*. Amazingly The
Internet consists of tens of thousands of smaller computer networks. How
they all got together, and continue to deliver vital services to millions of
users is a true testament to the power of networking - people networking
that is. The Internet is guided, not governed, by the Internet Society, which
is itself an association of individuals whose primary focus is the technical
standards used to link the Internet network components. Beyond those
technical specifications, the Internet's day to day operations are cooperatively
managed by the organizations whose computers and networks make up the
Internet. The Internet is a living case of democracy, anarchy and technocracy
all rolled together for, and maintained by the users for the good of the users.
A member network is at all times in the dual role of user and provider - what
a concept!
Information Super Highway?
There has been wide speculation about the Information Super Highway that
is Vice President Al Gore's pet project. Claims vary from the marvelous
benefits that will accrue for everyone needing more resources in this Age
of Information, to the taxpayers' burden and years of work involved in
attaining this goal.
Those of us involved with the Internet are already benefiting from the masses
of information available from computers around the globe, and very few of us
have spent more than a reasonable sum relative to our size and use of the
'Net'. You may wonder how this is possible. A brief history of the Internet
may help.
A Short History:
The Internet as we know it today has its roots back in the late 60's when
it was conceived by the US. Government's Advanced Research Project
Agency. The Agency (ARPA) had a need to connect its large high-tech
research laboratories with those of some the Nation's Universities. Since,
the bulk of the information to be conveyed was being maintained in laboratory
computers, a network that linked these directly to each other at high speed
was necessary. The ARPANET high speed network (by the standards of the
day) was created in 1968. As time passed and more laboratories/Universities
got involved, the use of the network changed from strictly research to more
general information exchange. Before long, the information being exchanged
over the Internet was no longer restricted to lab results and theoretic
hypothesis. News groups were formed to focus discussion on topics as
diverse as 'Save the Whales', 'Women in Computing', 'Rap Music' and
'Alternative Religions.' Organizations made their research and other
databases available to other Internet users. The Internet grew beyond its
geographic boundaries and now includes links to all seven continents.
Today, you can get mail from a user in Manchuria, edit it and mail it to
friends in London, Paris, Nome, Siberia and Antarctica, for example. And you
can do all this without leaving your office, or living room if you have a
computer at home.
Can I hook up to the 'Net' with my PC from Home?
Yes. If you have a modem and some communications software, you have
all the technology you need to exchange electronic mail with millions of
Internet users around the world. Because of the volume of information
available on the 'Net', a higher speed modem helps, but is not an absolute
necessity.
What is involved in getting access to the Internet?
Access to the Internet comes in at least two flavors - Personal (single user,
low volume) and Commercial (multiple users with greater volume.)
Personal Access
For those of us desiring connection for personal messaging and research,
the most cost effective method is through any of numerous providers of
Internet access. Typically you would call a local phone number and attach
by modem to the provider's system which is attached the Internet. This is
similar to use a regular BBS or CompuServe or other on-line access service.
In fact the major dial-in services are quickly adding Internet exchange
capabilities to their suite of services. If you already have an account with
CompuServe, MCI Mail, Easy Link or America On-Line, you already have the
means to exchange mail with anyone on the Internet. Unfortunately, while
E-mail is clearly a very visible benefit of using the Internet, it is far from the
only one. Therefore, you may look into getting an account with a provider
that gives you direct access to all, or a majority of the Internet services.
These services are generally available for monthly fees ranging from free
to approximately $30/month. (Hint, if you are at all associated with a local
University or College, or can get associated with one, it is often the
cheapest way to get on the Internet. This is primarily due to the fact the
College is already committed to expend the dollars associated with full
Internet connection. The additional traffic an individual would add is
negligible.) (We are also seeing a growing number of public libraries that
have full Internet access, they may or may not be able to provide you with
an Internet account. Check your local library.)
Commercial Access
If your intent is to hook your office system up with the Internet so that more
than one person can access the full suite of Internet services, you will have
to look into getting attached to the 'Net' through a commercial access provider
This will require you to get an IP address and appropriate network hardware
and software. Your access provider should be able to help you with this.
(However, if you run into problems or want another opinion, feel free to call
us at Internet Resources - that's what we do.) While connection to the 'Net'
should be fairly straight forward, there are a variety of factors that will have
to be addressed properly for connection to take effect. Key amongst these is
your own ability to manage the companies and pieces that must come together.
This is because of the nature of full Internet link. Your system(s) becomes a
member of the community of computers that make up the 'Net'. This means
that your computers, disks, memory, network interfaces, communications links,
and all the software that controls this, must comply with the standards of the
Internet. If you have just set up a system with the most recent, state-of-the-art,
open systems technology, you're most of the way there. For the rest of us, we
may have some additional work to do. Though you shouldn't let this kind of
talk dilute your enthusiasm. As we have already discussed, the 'Net' is made
of millions of users on thousands of different kinds of computing and
communications devices. Unless your system resides in a museum display,
there is a way to get you onto the 'Net'. Far less elegant solutions than are
available today were in use only a few years ago, and they got the job done.
What is TCP/IP?
TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) is a suite of
communications standards that all Internet Backbone and Hub computers
use to talk to each other. If you are using a dial-in service to access the
Internet, you need not concern yourself with this techno-babble. However,
if you intend to become an active member of the 'Net', you're going to need
to really get into this. There are several excellent books on the subject and
chances are there is somebody in your organization that can help you get
started.
Where can I Find more Information?
When I first asked this question only a few short years ago, I was told that
since the Internet had grown through a wide consensus of opinions, there
was a wealth of information about it that was freely available. The kicker
was, that to get the information, you had to get on the Internet and request
that it be sent to you via E-mail or file transfer. If you have asked around,
you may have heard something similar. Leave it to the technical keepers
of the 'Net' to come up with a 21st century solution to an 18th century
problem. Having said that, and by no means to belittle the elegance and
speed of electronic data exchange, we have compiled a short list of highly
readable and widely available books and articles that should help you with
this. See page ??. As the Internet grows in both size and diversity, it gets
harder and harder now, not to see some kind of article in the press that
discusses the Internet. If you are truly interested in more than you see on
the list, give us a call. Once you get on the 'Net' and learn how to use it,
you'll even be able to find the masses of information that is in fact freely
available on the Internet.
About Internet Resources
Internet Resources Corporation is a consulting and support company with
over 15 years of experience with Unix, TCP/IP and PC networking. It is
based in New York City, with offices in Westchester and New Jersey. It
primarily provides consulting, training, installation and support services for
clients looking to communicate between multiple sites and multiple
computing environments.
Internet Resources is positioned to address all the business and technical
issues associated with today's wide area networking requirements. The
Internet Hub facilities are located in our Westchester and New Jersey
locations.