A Basic Guide to the Internet

The Internet is a computer network made up of thousands of networks worldwide. No one knows
exactly how many computers are connected to the Internet. It is certain, however, that these
number in the millions.
No one is in charge of the Internet. There are organizations which develop technical aspects of this
network and set standards for creating applications on it, but no governing body is in control. The
Internet backbone, through which Internet traffic flows, is owned by private companies.
All computers on the Internet communicate with one another using the Transmission Control
Protocol/Internet Protocol suite, abbreviated to TCP/IP. Computers on the Internet use a client/server
architecture. This means that the remote server machine provides files and services to the user's
local client machine. Software can be installed on a client computer to take advantage of the latest
access technology.
An Internet user has access to a wide variety of services: electronic mail, file transfer, vast
information resources, interest group membership, interactive collaboration, multimedia displays,
real-time broadcasting, shopping opportunities, breaking news, and much more.
The Internet consists primarily of a variety of access protocols. Many of these protocols feature
programs that allow users to search for and retrieve material made available by the protocol.