The Internet is a loose association of computers, networks and
people in an electronic world wide community for the purpose of
sharing information. The Internet is a vast resource, spanning
over 100 countries on all seven continents, and encompassing the
collected efforts of over 20 million people. Often people confuse
the terms "internet" and "World Wide Web".
They do not mean the same thing. The World Wide Web is an abstract
collection of hypertext documents stored on numerous computers
around the world commonly viewed with a browser. The internet
refers to the physical collection of computers, cables and lines
connecting each seperate computer to all the others that are on
the net. This network is established in such a way that if part
of this network fails, the information will be routed a different
direction so that the information will still get through. There
are very few rules and one must keep in mind that all information
that is attainable is necessarily accurate. The source of that
information must be evaluated when there is a question as to accuracy.
This world wide community allows an individual to communicate
with friends and strangers from many different places. It provides
opportunities to visit far away lands, look at great museums and
enjoy many different art galleries. It opens doors in which all
sort of items can be purchased. Information can be retrieved from
great libraries and government agencies. Money transactions can
be achieved. Games and different forms of entertainment can be
played and viewed. It is an information highway in which one can
lose all sense of time. It can be very beneficial or detrimental
depending on any particular individual's choice. But this is true
of every road in life. It can be a time saver or a waste of time.
It opens wide the world to millions of people with very little
expense. It opens the floodgates on information and its future
is limited only by our imaginations.
Preceived notions are the locks on the door to
wisdom.
-Merry Browne
