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Basic Guide to the Internet
The
Internet is a computer network made up of thousands of
networks worldwide. No one knows exactly how many computers
are connected to the Internet. It is certain, however, that
these number in the millions. No one is in charge of the
Internet.
There are organizations which develop technical
aspects of this network and set standards for creating
applications on it, but no governing body is in control. The
Internet backbone, through which Internet traffic flows, is
owned by private companies.
All
computers on the Internet communicate with one another using
the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol suite,
abbreviated to TCP/IP. Computers on the Internet use
client/server architecture. This means that the remote
server machine provides files and services to the user's
local client machine. Software can be installed on a client
computer to take advantage of the latest access technology.
An
Internet user has access to a wide variety of services:
electronic mail, file transfer, vast information resources,
interest group membership, interactive collaboration,
multimedia displays, real-time broadcasting, shopping
opportunities, breaking news, and much more.
The
Internet consists primarily of a variety of access
protocols. Many of these protocols feature programs that
allow users to search for and retrieve material made
available by the protocol.
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