How Locating Internet Access Providers

If you already have Internet access but wish to learn about other access providers, go to TAG Online (http://www.tagsys.com/Provider/provider_search.html) or Mecklermedia's "The List" (http://www.thelist.com/), where you will be able to search databases of U.S. and international access providers by name, geographic location and area code.

If you do not already have Internet access, you can learn about Internet services that are available in your area by contacting your local library or telephone company for recommendations, or by consulting a local computer publication or computer store.
For information about international Internet access, see the section "The 'Net Around the World."

Simple Connection Options of Web Browser

Until recently, the two primary methods of accessing the Internet were through a network connection, allowing users of local area networks (LANs) to go online through their school or workplace systems, and dial-up connections through a modem and phone line. However, new connection options allow for greater speeds and flexibility, while keeping costs to a minimum.
The following are some of the newer connection options that you might want to investigate:
Cable Internet—These systems allow your computer to connect to the Internet through the same cable that carries your TV signal. Monthly service charges are usually not much more than standard modem connection costs, but you have to rent or purchase a "cable modem." Additionally, your computer will need an Ethernet card (a special circuit board that allows for network connections). Not all cable service operators offer this service; call your local operator for more information.

Satellite connections—DirecPC (http://www.direcpc.com/) allows you to download Internet files via a satellite connection. This is an efficient method for receiving large Web graphics and other items, but you still need a modem connection for other features. You must purchase the connection hardware as well as subscribe to the service.
Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN)—An ISDN line is a type of digital phone line that can transmit data many times faster than a conventional modem and phone line. To learn more about ISDN, go to http://www.isdn.ocn.com/index.shtml
Wireless connections—Pagers, cellular phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs) now allow varying levels of Internet access, from notification of E-mail to limited Web connections. Many of these services remain in the experimental stage.

WebTV—Introduced in late 1996, WebTV (http://www.webtv.net/) provides Web and E-mail access through ordinary television sets. The connection is made through a custom high-speed modem. You must purchase a special set-top unit for your TV, plus subscribe to the connection service. Recently, similar systems by other manufacturers have appeared on the market to compete with WebTV.

How Do People Use the Internet?

Obviously, the Internet can bring you a whole host of capabilities. But how can they be put to practical use?

Among the ways that users like yourself are taking advantage of the Internet are:
Sharing research and business data among colleagues and like-minded individuals.
Communicating with others and transmitting files via E-mail.
Requesting and providing assistance with problems and questions.
Marketing and publicizing products and services.

Gathering valuable feedback and suggestions from customers and business partners.
The Internet's potential is limited only by users' vision and creativity. And as the Internet grows, new and innovative uses will surely follow.

The History of the Internet

Many people think that the Internet is a recent innovation, when in fact the essence of it has been around for over a quarter century. The Internet began as ARPAnet, a U.S. Department of Defense project to create a nationwide computer network that would continue to function even if a large portion of it were destroyed in a nuclear war or natural disaster.

During the next two decades, the network that evolved was used primarily by academic institutions, scientists and the government for research and communications. The appeal of the Internet to these bodies was obvious, as it allowed disparate institutions to connect to each others' computing systems and databases, as well as share data via E-mail.

The nature of the Internet changed abruptly in 1992, when the U.S. government began pulling out of network management, and commercial entities offered Internet access to the general public for the first time. This change in focus marked the beginning of the Internet's astonishing expansion.

According to a survey conducted by CommerceNet and Nielsen Media Research in early 1997, nearly one out of every four Americans over the age of 16 is an Internet user. And the number of users worldwide is believed to be well into the tens of millions. Other statistics are equally startling:

A CNN report stated that Internet traffic in 1996 was 25 times what it was just two years earlier. The market research group IntelliQuest pegged the number of Internet users in the U.S. in late 1996 at 47 million - a 34 percent increase over the first quarter of that year. According to IBM, 146 countries currently have at least some level of Internet access. The technology research firm IDG estimates that by century's end, one billion people worldwide will have access to personal computers—more than doubling the computer-savvy population of 1996. The Internet explosion coincides with the advent of increasingly powerful yet reasonably priced personal computers with easy-to-use graphical operating systems. The result has been an attraction of recent computer "converts" to the network, and new possibilities for exploiting a wealth of multimedia capabilities.
For further details on the Internet's history, go to http://www.internetvalley.com/intval.html

How Does the Internet Work?

The Internet is a worldwide collection of computer networks, cooperating with each other to exchange data using a common software standard. Through telephone wires and satellite links, Internet users can share information in a variety of forms. The size, scope and design of the Internet allows users to:

connect easily through ordinary personal computers and local phone numbers;
exchange electronic mail (E-mail) with friends and colleagues with accounts on the Internet;
post information for others to access, and update it frequently;
access multimedia information that includes sound, photographic images and even video; and
access diverse perspectives from around the world.

An additional attribute of the Internet is that it lacks a central authority—in other words, there is no "Internet, Inc." that controls the Internet. Beyond the various governing boards that work to establish policies and standards, the Internet is bound by few rules and answers to no single organization.

In February 1996, President Clinton signed into law the Communications Decency Act, which provides criminal penalties for those who post or transmit "indecent" material via the Internet. This law, however, has been challenged in U.S. courts by those who feel it would unfairly prohibit many legitimate uses of the Internet, and was ruled unconstitutional in July 1996. The federal government, however, is preparing an appeal. For the latest status of the CDA, go to http://www.eff.org/ or http://www.fcc.gov/telecom.html.

What is communication system?

In telecommunication, a communications system is a collection of individual communications networks, transmission systems, relay stations, tributary stations, and data terminal equipment (DTE) usually capable of interconnection and interoperation to form an integrated whole.

The components of a communications system serve a common purpose, are technically compatible, use common procedures, respond to controls, and operate in unison.

Telecommunications is a method of communication (e.g., for sports broadcasting, mass media, journalism, etc.).