The Internet

The Internet originated in the early 1970s when the United States wanted to make sure the people could communicate after the nuclear war. This needed a free and independent communication network without a centre and it led to a network of computers that could send each other e mail through cyberspace.

Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web (WWW) when he discovered a way to jump to different files on his computer using the random or unplanned links between them. He then wrote a simple coding system, called HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) to create links to files on any computer connected to the network. This was possible because each file had an individual address, or URL (Uniform Resource Locator). He then used a set of transfer rules, called HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol) to link Web files together across the Internet. Berners-Lee also invented the world’s first browser. This lets you locate and view Web pages and also navigate from one link to another.

During the course of its evolution, particularly after 1989, the Internet system began to integrate support for other protocol suites into its basic networking fabric. By the end of 1991 the Internet has grown to include some 5000 networks in over three dozen countries, serving over 700,000 host computers used by over 4,000,000 people.

The bulk of the system today is made up of private networking facilities in education and research institutions, business and in government organizations across the globe.

A secretariat has been created to manage the day-to-day function of the Internet Activities Board (IAB) and Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). IETF meets three times a year in plenary and in approximately 50 working groups convene at intermediate times by electronic mail, teleconferencing and at face-to-face meetings.

The WWW became available to everyone in 1991 and the number of Internet users grew from 600,000 to 40 million in five years. Today, that number is miles larger and there are now many browsers that provide Web pages, information and other services. You can also do research, download music files, play interactive games, shop, talk in chat rooms and send and receive email on the WWW.

There are a number of Network Information Centers (NICs) located throughout the Internet to serve its users with documentation, guidance, advice and assistance. As the Internet continues to grow internationally, the need for high quality NIC functions increases. Although the initial community of users of the Internet were drawn from the ranks of computer science and engineering its users now comprise a wide range of disciplines in the sciences, arts, letters, business, military and government administration.

5. Find in the text words and acronyms with the same meaning:

а) an address for Web pages;

b) a coding system that creates links;

c) this finds and shows Web pages;

d) rules for transferring files;

e) a group of computers joined together.

6. Match each group of verbs with one of the verbs in the box.

move make start join look at find

1. browse, surf, view;

2. download, navigate, transfer;

3. connect, link;

4. discover, locate;

5. originate, create, invent.