Net Anatomy

Even though the Internet is a global network, in many ways it resembles a small town, with similar services.

Let's say you want to send or receive mail. The Internet has an electronic post office that allows you to communicate instantly--no stamps required. There are online libraries with free access to millions of books, magazines and newspapers that you can read any time of the day or night. Chat rooms are the Internet equivalent of 24-hour coffee shops, with people eager to gab around the clock. Instant Messaging or IM lets you communicate with friends and family whenever you want.

Social networking sites connect you electronically with folks across town or around the globe. The World Wide Web resembles a gigantic mall, where you can shop for almost anything. You can order a pizza, watch a movie, download music and meet and greet your neighbors. There are also online banks, where you can easily check your account and pay your bills. These are just a few of the services available on the Internet.

In the real world we use different types of vehicles for different purposes when traveling over the same roadways. For instance, you might use a car to commute to work and a truck to move furniture. The Internet works much the same way: different software applications accomplish different tasks: for example, a web browser to access news sites, an instant messaging program to communicate quickly with friends.

Some software, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox, actually contain more than one kind of program. Although Internet Explorer is primarily a web browser, it also has a newsreader and a media viewer. (In later articles, we will explain what each of these programs do.) You can also use more specialized software, such as iTunes or Windows Media Player--stand-alone media players--and combine different programs together into a system that works best for you.

Now that you have an idea of some of the resources available on the Internet, explore how the Internet impacts modern life. The Pew Internet & American Life Project offers fascinating research.

Last update: Jan 12, 2011