Evolution of Internet - Looking Beyond Web 2.0 - Essay Example

Today there are 1.5 billion internet users across the world (Internet Usage Statistics, 2009). Due to the pervasiveness of the Web, many people use the terms ‘Web’ and ‘Internet’ interchangeably. It is difficult to talk about the internet without mentioning the Web.

WEB: THE PAST
Evolution of Internet
The Internet started as a communication tool for the U.S. military for sharing information over a distance. In 1958 the U.S. Department of Defense started the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA). The main aim of APRA was to develop defense technology but later it also became a hub for computer research and technology. APRA wanted to develop a method to connect its base site with its computer research laboratories dispersed at different locations in the U.S. In the 1960s, Paul Baran (at RAND) and Donald Davies (at UK National Physical Laboratory) developed a new technique called ‘packet switching’ (as opposed to circuit switching) in order to make the data transmission more reliable and efficient.
 
ARPAnet: The First Internet
            In 1969, four computers (located at computer research labs of University of California at Los Angeles, Stanford Research Institute, University of California at Santa Barbara, and the University of Utah) were connected thus creating APRAnet. In 1971, more computers joined the APRAnet (including NASA and Harvard) and the number increased to fifteen. The year 1973 saw ARPAnet going global and Norway (Norwegian Royal Radar Establishment) and England (University College of London) also joined the net. The networking protocol was called Network Control Program. The total number of host computers connecting through APRAnet increased from 40 in 1973, to 111 in 1977 (Hobbes Internet Timeline).

The merger of the Networks: Creation of the Internet
After APRAnet, other similar networks were created for special purposes. UUCP connected the computers having UNIX operating system and USENET (Users Network) connected academic community. Networks like CSNET (Computer Science Network) and BITNET (Because It’s Time Network) were also developed to connect universities and research centers.