Internet can be reckoned as the latest discovery of man which has revolutionised his style of working and living. It has totally reduced distance, broken all man-made barriers and made our world a small place. It brought information at our doorstep opening before us what is known as ‘Information Superhighway’ at the click of a button.
Internet is a network of computer systems that have been connected to each other through satellite, telephone lines and optical cables. Basically Internet is a global electronic community for millions of interconnected computer networks.
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Real Internet operation began in 1969 when United State’s military used it for the first time. By 1980s it became a tool in the hand of academic researchers and Universities. It was only in the 1990s that Internet was thrown open to the public.
Today every nook and corner of the world is connected through the Internet. Anyone who has a computer, a telephone line and a modem can access Internet. He has to get the services of an Internet Service Provider (ISP) like VSNL, MTNL, Sathyam Online etc. Once he is connected to the service provider, he can navigate or surf the ‘information superhighway’ using computer software such as, Netscape and Microsoft explorer.
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The greatest merit of Internet is that it opens a world of information at the press of a key. It helps to gather information from storage areas of the servers called websites. Today we can get any information on any topic in a matter of seconds.
We can visit libraries situated thousands of miles away, enjoy world famous sights which we have only imagined, talk to people, listen to lectures, read the day’s newspapers, transact business, place orders, etc. just sitting in our room. Internet can provide the latest information on education, sports, entertainment, science, medicine, general knowledge etc. in seconds.
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Internet has improved our communication system. It has provided an exciting and easy mode of communication known as E-Mail (Electronic Mailing system). Today we can send letters and mails to anyone living in any part of the world just by clicking a few buttons on our computer and that too at an extremely cheap rate.
Not only letters can be Send but, we can also chat with our near and dear ones, see them before our eyes just sitting in our room. Internet has made communication, highly fast, cheap, safe, and least cumbersome.
It’s educative and entertainment value is also very great. Internet has also widened business opportunities. You can advertise your goods and products in the internet as well as seek jobs, place orders, meet with business magnates, attend international business conferences, deal with stock market, buy and exchange currencies, transact bank business, etc., and this is known as electronic commerce or E-Commerce.
Although, Internet immensely helps man in his day- to-day transactions, yet it is a tool that is often misused. Today thousands of youth are getting ‘hooked’ to Internet watching things which are not meant for them.
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Electronic pornography is ruining our youth. Electronic crimes, illegal piracy into private lives and military software, creating new type of computer virus etc. have become quite common now- a-days.
Internet hankers (those who try to block the working of other internets) are on the rise, creating havoc in the world of business and communication. Too much dependence of man on this man-made machine is also ruining man’s innate qualities.
Internet is a great tool which man has invented. Its potential is still not fully tapped. More and more uses of Internet are being discovered as days go by.
It has made our life easy, comfortable, pleasurable and luxurious. Internet has ushered in the cyber age. However, it is high time that its wrong use and negative impact be minimised. If not put an end to, it will strangle our young generation and lead them to moral abyss.