Brian Cunningham

The Internet consists of a global network of millions of computers and hundreds of millions of users. The computers on the Internet are able to communicate via the telephone line. The Internet started in1969 and has grown from just four computers to tens of millions. It started as part of a project for the United States Defence Department and has grown ever since.

There is no single connection that can be pointed to as the 'Internet'. Every computer on the Internet is connected indirectly to every other computer on the Internet. It is the same as a telephone system. Your telephone is connected to your local telephone exchange. Your local telephone exchange is linked to other telephone exchanges. This allows you to telephone another person even though you are not directly connected to that person. You are indirectly connected as your local telephone exchange will do the switching for you.

Access to the Internet is usually through a service provider who sets up the connection. There are huge amounts of service providers entering the market at an increasing amount. These service providers provide access or "gateways" to the Internet to homes and businesses. The Internet has over 100 million users and is available in over 200 countries.

The Internet is a global connection of networks and so nobody really owns it. The networks are connected together to form a single entity called the Internet. The name comes from interconnected networks. There are various voluntary committees set up to set standards to be followed and to make technological decisions. Common standards called protocols have been developed to ensure that all the computers on the Internet can communicate with each other. These standards are openly published so that any company can enter the marketplace and compete. These standards are openly published so that nobody has private ownership over them and so effectively nobody owns the Internet.

The Internet is a form of anarchy as nobody controls it. The Internet is based on a policy of tolerance. People can put what they like on the Internet without any real censorship. The information that people place on the Internet is not always true. If you respect and tolerate what these people place on the Internet then they will respect what you place on the Internet.

The infrastructure on which the global network runs is owned by a handful of powerful corporations such as UUNet. These organisations use this control to their advantage in business negotiations. Some people fear that this is killing smaller companies and consumer choice.

In the future there will be increased piracy on the Internet and there will be growing concerns with regards to privacy and security. There will be an increase in day-to-day transactions conducted over the Internet, which will lead to more and more personal information being disclosed.