Since its creation, the Internet has become quite a permanent fixture in the lives of millions of people. Having this technology is like having the world in your hands (or more specifically in your fingertips). Almost all kinds of information imaginable are available on the web. Witch just a click of the mouse, you can easily get whatever resources you wish to access: banking, chatting, finding jobs, booking air and train tickets, making reservations, and many more. Add to that, it also plays a major role in everyday’s entertainment such as watching movies, listening to music, playing games, and the list goes on.
But what exactly is the Internet and how does it work? The Internet is a medium wherein we can view information from any part of the globe. Available through this are documents from the World Wide Web and several other services like instant chat, email and social media. More often than not, most people assume that the Internet and W3 are similar. However, this is not entirely true.
The Internet runs on hardware that, in simple terms, is a massive network of cables and dedicated computer hardware that allows access to information in various forms and locations. The data is transmitted through the Internet Protocol – every website and every device that connects to the Internet has a unique IP address.
The Internet was very expensive before it became a household must-have in 1996. People would go to Internet shops and centers to use the service, but for a higher price per hour. Not long after, as it became more and more popular, the speed was increased and the cost was decreased. Many service providers saw that it was such a hit, so they ultimately joined the market. In fact, the demand made the competition tighter. As a result, it became more affordable for the users. Currently, almost everyone at home can afford the service with unlimited access. Since the Internet was developed in America, English is the key language used by the majority of the users. Nonetheless, to provide services to wider audience, there are other languages as well, such as French, German, Japanese, Chinese and Arabic.
The Internet has brought many benefits to many people, opening different opportunities that were unheard of in the past. For example, it is now much easier to look for a job over the Internet than by walking from office to office; at times, the Web even has a far better selection of potential employers than one would find by looking in the real world.
This goes to show that this breakthrough has made a lot of activities very easy. It is even used for various purposes, even with important matters such as education and government organizations. Thus, it’s not really a surprise that ever since its phenomenal development in the years 1996 and 1997, the growth for the Internet has been at around hundred percent per year.
