What is the internet? Well, the internet as we know it today began as an information exchange system beginning with dial-up connection. This was followed by the development of the earliest known website, which was called the World Wide Web, in the early 1990s. The internet as we know it today is a system of interconnected computers or servers that allow users to access content on the internet through their personal computers.
WHEN WE HAVE TO GO ONLINE
Contents
When we go online, we visit one website or another. Each web site has a home page and a site map, which help users to navigate to various parts of the site. For example, if you are looking for car insurance, you would visit a web site that provides information on different car insurance companies. You would enter your information, and after clicking on some links, the web site would return a list of car insurance companies that could provide you with the coverage you need.
INTERNET PROVIDES GREAT RESOURCE
The internet provides a great resource for people who want to do business online. The internet is a very interactive medium, where it is possible to communicate with other people all over the world, no matter how far they are located. In fact, the internet allows you to conduct business with people anywhere in the world. Most of the world’s population now uses the internet to buy products online. Some people use the internet to make bank transactions, subscribe to magazines and newspapers, and gather information for their hobbies.
TELECOMMUTING
The advent of the internet has brought about a huge boom in telecommuting. Telecommuting has become extremely popular among working people who cannot physically leave their homes to go to work. With the advent of broadband internet connections, it has become very easy for them to stay connected with their colleagues even when they are on the road. Broadband has eliminated the need to use expensive cell phones. Internet connections allow people to take advantage of telecommuting benefits.
VARIETY OF INFORMATION
Millions of websites are available online. This vast number of websites offers a variety of information on almost everything. The popularity of the internet has made it possible for anyone to access information at any time. Information can be searched using keywords or by a general search engine.
PERSONAL ONLINE ACCOUNTS
Almost everyone has an online account these days. People commonly use their personal e-mail addresses to open online accounts. Some individuals use their social networking sites’ e-mail addresses to access other person’s accounts. Some other individuals make and exchange electronic mail accounts on the internet. All these activities have resulted in the creation of millions of e-mail accounts all over the world.
PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
The popularity of the internet is such that the government has even set up several online databases to store important information. For example, the Federal Trade Commission has a web site where the public can check out information about various products and services. The United States Department of Justice maintains a free criminal records database where one can find out the criminal history of an individual. The Food and Drug Administration also has a website through which the public can request online food safety information.
WORLD WIDE WEB
Information on the internet is also made available over the World Wide Web. Almost every day millions of documents and other information are made available over the internet. One can get a detailed report on any topic by just entering the name and area of expertise on the search engines. You can even request your own file from the federal government. By going through the many governmental offices and departments you can get a lot of information on the Internet.
