INTERNET ACCESS
It would be helpful to provide a brief historical summary of the Internet before jumping
into the different means of accessing "The Net".
The Internet was developed primarily by Vinton Cerf, an American computer scientist, in
1973 as a part of a United States Department of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
project managed by American Engineer, Robert Kahn. In 1984, the project was turned over
to the private sector and to government research and scientific agencies for further
development. In 1993, the Internet was turned over to the public and by early 1995
access was available in over 180 countries and there were over 30 million users. It is
expected that 100 million computers will be connected to the public Internet by the year
2000.
The public Internet can be accessed in several different ways: through a LAN, by a
host, terminal access or gateway access. A LAN is a Local Access Network where there are
a group of computers and other devices that are spread over a relatively limited area and
connected by a communications link. This also allows you to communicate with any other
computer on the network. If you access by a host, it is usually done through a LAN or
with telephone lines and modems combined with Internet software on a personal computer.
Terminal access is usually done by a telephone line and a modem and it is used with
terminal-emulation software on a personal computer. This also allows you to interact
with another computer that is an Internet host (explained later). Gateway access is
similar to terminal access, but it is provided through on-line or similar services or
other networks such as Bitnet, Fidonets, or UUCP nets that allow users to minimally
exchange e-mail with the Internet.
The Internet is made by using different kinds of electronic transport media including
optical fiber, telephone lines, satellite systems, and LAN's. Most computers that are
connected to the Internet are called hosts. The function of hosts is to interface users
(PC's) to other hosts in the Internet. Other devices that are called routers which route
data, usually in data "packets" to other computers. Networks and computers that are part
of the global Internet have unique registered addresses and get access from Internet
service providers.
There are many different services that the Internet provides.
The World Wide Web (WWW) allows you to create and use point-and-click hypermedia
presentations. Documents are joined across the Internet to form a wide variety of
information that can be browsed easily through the WWW.
E-Mail is a service that allows a message to be sent from one computer to another.
Gopher allows you to create and use computer file directories which are joined through
the Internet for other users to browse.
File Transfer Protocol allows you to transfer computer files between host computers.
This is still the primary use of the Internet.
UseNet enables users to distribute news messages among thousands of structured
newsgroups.
Most of the existing telecommunications providers and an explosion of new companies have
begun offering Internet access service. A sample of these companies include:
America Online
AT&T
Bell Atlantic
Cable and Wireless
Digex
Erol's
MCI Communications
Pacific Telesis Group
Sprint
U.S. West
UUNET
A good example of the effects that the Internet is having on technological development
in the business world can be shown with MFS Communications and UUNET Technologies. These
companies are about to merge, planning a new way to access the Internet that would solve
telephone network congestion. Users can now be connected through MFS's local networks
(the users) directly to UUNET's Internet network. This provides a direct, dedicated line
to the Internet. Also, it bypasses the conventional telephone company network switch,
allowing users to access the Internet at 128 Kbps which is four times faster than today's
28.8 Kbps modem. This connection eliminates congestion among local phone lines. This
new DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) service is expected to be available in early 1997 in
selected markets, followed by a nationwide rollout.
The WWW is providing the introduction of news business tools and uses that may lead to
billions of dollars worth of business transactions through the Internet in the future.
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