The Internet

It is safe to say that the Internet is one of the world’s most influential innovations. The early versions of the internet emerged in 1974, when Robert Khan and Vinton Cerf created the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. Prior to this was the ARPANET(Advanced Research Project Agency Network) developed in 1969. Then came the basis of our modern internet, the World Wide Web in 1990.

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The Progression

The ARPANET

ARPANET was one of the earliest forms of the wireless network we know of today. Originally founded for the government in order for more effective communication in the military. It became the foundation for the modern internet as it used a revolutionary way to send data. The data was sent through packet switching which host computers split computer files into compact segments. These were called packets, after they were transferred and reached their destination the segments were reassembled into their original file formats. The ARPANET provided the world's first wide area packet switching network but was limited to specific organizations with contact to the government.

TCP/IP

Prior to TCP/IP computers did not have a standardized way to communicate with one another. The Transfer Control Protocol/Internetwork Protocol was developed in order to allow various computers to communicate. This network combined with ARPANET ignited the birth of the internet, in which countless networks and computers were now connected through a universal technological language. This was adopted as the ARPANET standard on January 1, 1983.

World Wide Web

The Internet began to really develop and gained more functionality in 1990 when computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee curated the World Wide Web. Which was not the internet itself, but a system of websites and links, which made accessing data online easier than ever.

Modern Internet

The modern internet occurred as a result of these inventions. From the ARPANET to the World Wide Web, those systems pushed the development of the modern day internet.It is now a global system of networks which anyone around the world at any time has access to droves of information, can communicate to anyone else on the globe, run their businesses, attain education, and so much more, just by having a computer and connecting to the internet.

The Internet's Importance

People can communicate with anyone regardless of location. The internet has also allowed for a change in the education and entertainment industries. As well as communicating easily through their devices at home, people engage in many practices to entertain themselves just from the comfort of their homes. This includes watching movies, learning new skills, reading the news, streaming videos, playing games, online shopping and much more. In terms of education, the internet has greatly impacted the way people learn. Everyone is able to access information quickly and efficiently thanks to the internet. Education is now available to more people, and teachers can easily assign work, and organize lessons. Online schools are an example of the impact of the technological revolution on education, as students can simply gain access to quality education through a screen in their homes. Through the development of computers and the internet, knowledge has become a more accessible tool.

Versions of the Internet