The Functioning and Uses of the Internet - Essay Example

Internet Internet: The Functioning and Uses Introduction The term internet refers to interconnected computer network which links several millions of devices in the world through the use of standard Internet Protocol Suite (IP or TCP). In other words, it is a network of networks which is made up of millions of academic, private, public and government networks which are locally, regionally and globally linked by optical, wireless or electronic networking technologies. Although there is no consensus on when exactly the use of internet began, it is believed that its origin can be traced to the 1960s when the government of USA commissioned a research which led to the building of fault-tolerant communication through the use of computer networks. Later, it was greatly developed especially in the mid 1980s when several modifications were done on it. This paper gives an in-depth and critical analysis of the functioning and the benefits of internet in the society (Hilbert & López, 2011). It does this by focusing on the technologies used and how it can be applied by human beings in communication, commerce, entertainment and education. The functioning of the Internet The internet carries a wide range of information services and sources like World Wide Web (WWW), inter-linked hypertexts and the infrastructure which support the sharing of network. Its data is transmitted over the wire located between the routers and the hosts. In this system, the receiving host removes the encapsulation as the IP layer is inspected. The internet’s communication infrastructure is made up of a system of software layers and hardware components which regulate most of its aspects. The internet layers help the computer in the location and identification of one another through the use of the IP addresses ad channels its traffic through a transit network (Thornton, 2003). Internet is globally distributed without any central governing body. However, its interoperability is administered by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) whose role is to coordinate the assignment of IP addresses and protocol names. However, the allocation of IP addresses is also decentralized to Regional Internet Registries (RIR) such as American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN) (Hafner, 2010). According to the records from the International Telecommunications Union, 39% of the world population in 2013 was using internet. This represented a 77% of the computer users from the Developed Nations and a paltry 31% from the Developing Nations. The high rise in the number of internet users has been attributed to the autonomy of global internet which is not under the control of any given organization. The Benefits of Internet Actually, the invention of the internet technology was a noble idea in the life of man. It has greatly impacted on the society. This is because; the internet has been used in the following areas: i. Communication Internet technology has been of many benefits in promoting communication in the society. Since its invention, it has been constantly modified to produce highly advanced gadgets which have been used in the day to day communication process. Through the use of internet, people can communicate to others in different locations as a result of relying on emails, chat rooms, video conferencing, instant messaging, and social networking and internet forums. These media have made it much easier for people to communicate to one another, disseminate and share information regardless of their physical location (Zimmermann, 2001). For example, by relying on video conferencing, it has become much easier for the employees and business executives to engage in constant interactions even if they are located in different geographical locations. On the other hand, chat rooms and constant messaging have enabled individuals to interact by using the internet to get access to one another. It has shortened the geographical gap which initially existed between them. ii. Commerce The invention of the internet has greatly revolutionized internal commerce. Unlike before, traders can use the internet to conduct a series of business activities which could not be initially done without having to physically meet together. For instance, with the invention of the web sites, a lot of business organizations can now advertise their products online (Packard, 2010). This has been of many benefits to them as it has increased the geographical coverage under which their commodities can be known. By promote their commodities online, these organizations have managed to increase their client base, this is because, such social sites have become so popular with nearly all the internet users. As a result of the prominence of internet, several businesses have resorted into online trading. Meaning, they have established online stores from which they potential clients can make their orders and transactions without having to necessarily physically travel to the distribution shops. At the same time, internet has enabled customers to enjoy the services of the hospitality sector without many constraints. They can book for reservations in the hotels of their choice by simply using their computers and other internet accessing devices. This is cost friendly and convenient. iii. Education The invention of the internet has greatly impacted on educational provision in the society. Several people and organizations have come developed a lot of web sites and blogs in which they put digital content to be used by the school-going children and instructors. These have been so useful to the elementary, high school and college students since these sites are equipped with digital versions of the content being taught at these levels. Meanwhile, the use of internet has been applied in the education sector through the promotion of distance and online learning. This is a system in which learners do not necessarily have to go to school, but only need to use their computers and lap tops to connect with their tutors and receive all the relevant books that should be read in their respective courses. Since this system was invented, it has become so popular. Thus, several universities nowadays offer distance learning to a large number of their learners. It has made education be so accessible to people who would otherwise find it challenging to go to school. iv. Entertainment Internet has provided a large platform for entertainment. With the advanced technological innovations, several devices have been produced to help in enriching entertainment to those who require it. Today, a digital form of entertainment has been developed for consumption by the lovers of entertainment. This includes the radio and television streams which broadcast their content to be accessed through the internet. The streaming media can provide the listeners with the digital content of their audio and video contents. This can be done live meaning; a person whose computer or mobile device is connected to the internet can just listen to the live coverage of these televisions or radio contents (Zimmermann, 2001). Since the internet has no geographical boundary, a person can get an ample opportunity to get the live stream of a TV or radio from within and out of their country. v. Telecommuting Telecommuting is a situation in which workers operate from a virtual office. Meaning, under this arrangement, an employee does not need to go to their officers, but can perform their duties right from the comfort of their homes by just using the internet to perform their tasks. This is one of the major benefits of internet to individual employees. It enables them to discharge their duties without necessarily being present in their offices. Telecommuting is a good technology which has been attributed to the invention of the internet. It has really benefited both the employer and the employees. To the employer, it has helped in reducing the costs of operations. However, telecommuting has made the workers to be autonomous and enjoy their jobs with much comfort. They only need to have internet enabled computers so as to attend to their office duties. References Hafner, K. (2010). Where Wizards Stay Up Late: The Origins Of The Internet. London: Simon & Schuster. Hilbert, M. & P. López (2011). "The Worlds Technological Capacity to Store, Communicate, and Compute Information". Science 332 (6025): 60–65. Packard, A. (2010). Digital Media Law. New York: Wiley-Blackwell. Thornton, P.M. (2003) "The New Cybersects: Resistance and Repression in The Reform era. “In Elizabeth Perry and Mark Selden, eds., Chinese Society: Change, Conflict and Resistance (second edition). London and New York: Routledge. Zimmermann, H. (2000). The Cyclades Experience: Results and Impacts. Toronto: Proc. IFIP77 Congress. Read More