The Digital Research Initiative
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Introduction

The Internet is a global network of computers which allows people to exchange data worldwide instantaneously.

This simple sentence is the most accurate way to summarize the definition of "Internet," but it does not do justice to the phenomenal technology behind the Internet. The Internet spreads across all seven continents and includes computers that range from 35 year-old mainframes to modern home PCs to handheld devices. These computers connect to the Internet via a tremendous array of communications mediums including phone lines, coaxial television cable, fiber optic cable, serial lines, short-range (in-building) wireless signals and long-range (cellular) wireless signals. Even with all this variance, the technology of the Internet allows a 10-ounce handheld computer to exchange data with a room-sized mainframe from the 1970's.

This Web site has been developed to provide a simple, "layman's" explanation of the unifying technology of the Internet.

Part One: Basic Computing/Networking Concepts


This site made by
eric
This site was created especially for students of the UNC School of Journalism's
JOMC 050 Class, and anyone else who may be interested.
For more information, please contactdaikat@email.unc.edu