In the simplest of terms, the Internet is a vast, international network of tubes, wires, and lasers that allows for nearly any computer on the planet to send and receive information from nearly any other computer on the planet. In its earliest forms, there were, technically speaking, multiple “Internets”. Very small groups of computers were linked together; they were able to send and receive information from one another. As the technology grew and became more sophisticated”and as the world began to develop the necessary infrastructure to support it”the various “Internets” of the world connected with each other, effectively creating one large network of computers.

In its present form, the Internet is a consumer product in most countries. Various telecommunications companies have, for the most part, taken control of the creation and maintenance of the largest networks on our planet”the networks responsible for connecting vastly disparate parts of the world. Typically speaking, it is through these large telecommunications companies”or their subsidiaries”that the average consumer connects to the Internet. Contracts are typically non-committal, with month-to-month plans available in most areas.

Technically speaking, Internet destinations”like real-life households”are assigned numerical “addresses” known as IP addresses. Of course, it would be difficult for casual users to remember these numbers. Knowing this, computer engineers have created a system by which words and phrases can direct users to their chosen destinations. While a numerical address will still work, you can”and most likely do”use the letter-based address. After all, it’s much easier to remember www.mywebsite.com than it is to remember 192.168.1.1.

To say that the Internet has changed our world is nearly an understatement. We can send information to the opposite end of the planet in a fraction of a second. We can see live video feeds of our friends and family even if they’re thousands upon thousands of miles away. Truly, nothing is the same.