Seminar Literature

SEMINAR PAPER
ON
THE INTERNET: AN INTRODUCTION
By
V B SINGH
READER IN ENGLISH
DALMIA COLLEGE, RAJGANGPUR
UGC REFRESHER COURSE IN ICT

14.02.2011 TO 06.03.2011
CONTENTS
1. What is Internet?
2. History of Internet
3. Advantages of the Internet
4. Disadvantages of the Internet
5. Conclusion
What is Internet?
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer
networks that use the standard Internet Protocol Suite (TCP/IP) to
serve billions of users worldwide. It is a network of networks that
consists of millions of private, public, academic, business, and
government networks, of local to global scope, that are linked by a
broad array of electronic, wireless and optical networking
technologies. The Internet carries a vast range of information
resources and services, such as the inter-linked hypertext
documents of the World Wide Web (www) and the infrastructure
to support electronic mail. The digital frontier has given society a
wealth of resources to share knowledge, information and express
creativity. It's amazing how a network connection can literally
bring the world to our fingertips. The capabilities and possibilities
of the Internet are vast and wondrous, but like any mechanism that
technology develops to enhance our lives, there is usually some
level of trade-off.
History of the Internet

The Internet was the result of some visionary thinking by people in
the early 1960s that saw great potential value in allowing
computers to share information on research and development in
scientific and military fields. J.C.R. Licklider of MIT, first
proposed a global network of computers in 1962, and moved over
to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in
late 1962 to head the work to develop it. Leonard Kleinrock of
MIT and later UCLA developed the theory of packet switching,
which was to form the basis of Internet connections. Lawrence
Roberts of MIT connected a Massachusetts computer with a
California computer in 1965 over dial-up telephone lines. It
showed the feasibility of wide area networking, but also showed
that the telephone line's circuit switching was inadequate.
Kleinrock's packet switching theory was confirmed. Roberts
moved over to DARPA in 1966 and developed his plan for
ARPANET. These visionaries and many more left unnamed here
are the real founders of the Internet.
Internet technology provides numerous benefits and some
headaches too. The advent of this vast network of connections has
created efficiency and convenience, yet at the same time opened a
door for crime and privacy issues to emerge. Is the Internet a
benefit to society today? Let's take a look at some of the pros and
cons:
Advantages of the Internet:

Global Connectivity How amazing is that? People from any
corner of the globe are now able to communicate 24/7
instantaneously. The Internet opens up a wide opportunity to
network both socially and professionally; this is a convenient and
affordable way for people to keep in touch with those near or far.
Convenience Years ago we would have thought it impossible to

click a button and place an order. Today we can order take-out,
book hotels, flights or even grocery shop. We can pay bills and
transfer funds in seconds. The Internet offers us a huge amount of
choice and diversity in how we want to do things.
Ease of communication The Internet provides us with a plethora

of ways to communicate. We have PCs, Voice over Internet Proxy
(VoIP), e-mail, instant messaging and video conferencing literally
at our fingertips. Information can be exchanged between numerous
people simultaneously.
Rapid retrieval of information You can quickly locate all the

information you need before making that big purchase or choosing
which college to attend. Are you searching for a job? There are
many database listings to help you connect with your future
employer. In the business environment, the Internet is invaluable
for communication and up-to-date information to aid in decision
making.
Autonomy and Empowerment The Internet gives us freedom;
freedom to work, learn or share. Telecommuting and distance
learning have become common-place, giving us different avenues
and flexibility to work or go to college.
Efficiency The Internet has sped up bureaucracy, processes and

other chores that we must attend to. Applications can be filed
online for a myriad of organizations, cutting down on time spent
waiting and handwriting long forms.
Access The Internet offers 24/7 news and information to be

accessed. While radio and TV still provide us with much news, the
Internet gives us the opportunity to find more diversity in news and
we can seek out the information we want, not rely on what sound
bytes and what networks choose to share. I personally love to seek
out news in other nations to see what they are saying.
Entertainment Where else can you play "pool" or do word

puzzles all in the same place? There are also numerous games,
both solitary and interactive, that you can participate in. These give
us a chance to learn and to build skills.
Disadvantages of the Internet:
Virtual playground for predators The Internet has given

predators an expanded means to find their prey. Our children are
highly at risk if they are not careful about being online.
Increased risk for privacy breach With everything digital, we are

dependent on others to protect our information and unfortunately
this isn't always reliable. We used to only have to worry paper
files, but now we have to worry about protection of our electronic
information too. Since so many things are now in digital format,
our characteristics can be consolidated by data mining and an
entire profile created. This increases our risk of identity theft.
Erosion of privacy Another downfall, everything we do leaves a

digital footprint, or many footprints, across the Internet. With data
mining, our information is compiled and shared and there is always
a way for people to access information about us.
Complacency/judgment How often do we make assumptions that

the computer is always right? What we forget to realize is that
people are behind program designs and network configurations. If
we forget to rely on our own judgment, the Internet quickly
develops several ways to be a con.
New category of crimes Copyright problems, identity theft,

stalking, and the lists go on. While many crimes are traditional in
nature, the Internet gives them a "twist" and while the benefit of
accessibility is open to all, unfortunately criminals have also
discovered that same benefit. It's become more important than ever
to become educated about safe computer usage and how to protect
ourselves.
Sedentary lifestyle The same shopping, bill paying and host of

other benefits the Internet provides also make us inclined to spend
more time in front of our computer screens than getting out and
moving about.
Conclusion:
When using the Internet, it's important we examine our personal
values so we can examine the level of trade-offs we are willing to
make. Is privacy more important or is convenience? This is often
very subjective and varies from person to person. There are some
definite down-sides to the Internet, but I think overall it has greatly
enhanced and improved our lives.

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SEMINAR PAPER

UGC REFRESHER COURSE IN ICT

3. Advantages of the Internet

4. Disadvantages of the Internet

History of the Internet

Advantages of the Internet:

Convenience Years ago we would have thought it impossible to

Ease of communication The Internet provides us with a plethora

Rapid retrieval of information You can quickly locate all the

Efficiency The Internet has sped up bureaucracy, processes and

Access The Internet offers 24/7 news and information to be

Entertainment Where else can you play "pool" or do word

Disadvantages of the Internet:

Virtual playground for predators The Internet has given

Increased risk for privacy breach With everything digital, we are

Erosion of privacy Another downfall, everything we do leaves a

Complacency/judgment How often do we make assumptions that

New category of crimes Copyright problems, identity theft,

Sedentary lifestyle The same shopping, bill paying and host of

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