History of the Internet

                       "In the Beginning, ARPA created the ARPANET. And the ARPANET was without form and void. And darkness was upon the deep. And the spirit of ARPA moved upon the face of the network and ARPA said, 'Let there be a protocol,' and there was a protocol. And ARPA saw that it was good. And ARPA said, 'Let there be more protocols,' and it was so. And ARPA saw that it was good. And ARPA said, 'Let there be more networks,' and it was so."     

 -- Danny Cohen

                                                                                                                 

INTRODUCTION

   Today, the Internet serves as a tool for educators. The instructor's interest and convenience appear to be the key factors for the use of the Internet as a tool in an educative process. Online education offers flexibility, accuracy and convenience for the students, as well as cost and time savings for the instructor.

What is Internet?

     Internet is simply a network of hundreds of thousands of computers all over the world using a protocol, connected in a way that lets other computers access information on them. If a computer is connected to the internet, it simply means that it can be connected to any other computer on the network. And this network may include organizations, schools, universities, companies, governments, groups and individuals.

EVOLUTION OF INTERNET

Origin of Internet

       The Internet, then known as ARPANET, was brought online in September 1969 under a contract let by the renamed Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) which initially connected four major computers at universities in the southwestern US (UCLA, Stanford Research Institute, UCSB, and the University of Utah). The contract was carried out by BBN of Cambridge, MA under Bob Kahn and went online in December 1969.  The two main goals of ARPANET are as follows:

  

From then, ARPANET continued to evolve until today's age. 

Fig. 1.1 Evolution of ARPANET 

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            The Internet was designed to provide a communications network that would work even if some of the major sites were down. If the most direct route was not available, routers would direct traffic around the network via alternate routes. The early Internet was used by computer experts, engineers, scientists, and librarians. There was nothing friendly about it. There were no home or office personal computers in those days, and anyone who used it, whether a computer professional or an engineer or scientist or librarian, had to learn to use a very complex system.

Who was the first human being to use the internet?

      

 Charley Kline at UCLA sent the first packets on ARPANet as he tried to connect to Stanford Research Institute on Oct 29, 1969. The system crashed as he reached the G in LOGIN!

The Internet Today?

    Today, who could have predicted that communication systems designed to aid the scientists and the military in the past would one day help Kris Jhon Papasin solve his Digital System Activities and Java Programming machine problems? Or help him track down his crush during his high school days?

   The Internet is an unprecedented gateway to a vast wealth of knowledge and information, and its uses are virtually unlimited. The Internet, although still in the process of enhancement, is deeply ingrained in our culture and everyday lives. It’s a source of news, facts, and figures; a communication tool that allows millions of us to connect with each other every second of every day; a way to bank, invest, and shop; and an educational and entertainment medium that allows people from all walks of life to learn about the world and have fun doing it.