One of the most powerful tools for the human being, with unlimited capabilities to throw millions of solutions and take scaled steps in technology, is the Internet. However, not all people know how the internet works in relation to its procedure and the operations it applies to be used.
The Internet is a key tool for all kinds of fields: academic, work, personal and cultural. It allows a globalization of knowledge, access and integration opportunities for many sectors of society and, in addition, the possibility of making new discoveries within science and technology. It is an element that connects people. In this sense, understanding how the internet works is a crucial aspect of any individual or community.
The origins of the internet : a little history to understand how it works.
Its official launch and enhancement date dates back to 1969, when the first computer connection, also known under the name of “Arpanet”, was established between three universities located in the United States.
One of the most popular myths about the origins of the internet is that it was born for military purposes. The Internet at its birth is said to have been a project to secure communications for the US military in the event of a nuclear war, (which has already been proven false). History shows that this project has really existed, but that it was later totally rejected.
There is an institution that has a lot to do with this myth and with the history of the internet in general, and that is DARPA. It is an agency of the Department of Defense of the United States government, responsible for the development of new technologies used in the military area.
But leaving behind all those legends and myths about the emergence of the internet, it is currently being studied that the development of the network took place in a context of freedom: researchers had room to think far beyond the military sphere, since DARPA It financed projects in a purely scientific spirit and without seeking short-term profitability.
Initiatives related to machine translation, neural networks, and other absolutely new technologies for the moment were also supported.
But it is important to overthrow the myth that the development of the Internet took place within a truly military context (if it had, it would have been a more closed and hierarchical system).
A curious fact is that, in addition to those involved in the DARPA-funded project, the first internet developers were the so-called “hackers”. It should be clarified that they were not as they are currently interpreted (computer criminals), but rather as what they were originally: amateurs of electrical and cybernetic engineering who enthusiastically entered a system until they completely controlled it (at that time computing as such did not exist).
These figures are responsible for launching the Internet as a network, and all associated functions such as email.
As another color piece of information, in the 1970s, the people who defined the Internet have been figures of less popularity or recognition within the academic sphere.
At that time there was no specific career to study computer science at university, there were almost no computer models, much less technology experts.
Those who dedicated themselves with special imprint and importance to researching and developing the qualities of the internet were second-grade technicians, young students, or fellows.
The great academic figures (reflected in professions such as physicists or engineers) did not give importance to computers and therefore they left the work related to them to the aforementioned public.
Now yes: How does the internet work?
From a purely technical and explanatory level, the Internet works because open standards allow all networks to connect to each other.
This is what makes it possible for any user, from anywhere on the planet, to create content, offer services and sell products without needing the permission of a central authority.
The Internet is a “king” that equalizes the field for all people regardless of their social status, and is the reason why the great diversity of applications and services that are enjoyed and marketed today is presented in the world.
To delve deeply into how the internet works, you should consult experts in the field (students or professionals in computer engineering, robotics or any career related to the area).
However, the technical coordination of the Internet has three common characteristics that are very simple to know:
- It is open
- Independent
- It only operates run by non-profit organizations that work together to meet the needs of the entire world.
These three characteristics are the first ones that are presented in any computer course where a totally amateur approach to the subject is proposed.
However, to answer how the internet works, it is also necessary to evaluate the characteristics of the country. This data may provide answers about the speed, veracity and security of the network, and many other aspects.
It is, without a doubt, one of the most important and relevant issues in world history that will continue to bring surprises in the future.