What is the internet?

The internet is a worldwide computer network providing a variety of information and communication facilities. 

It consists of interconnected networks using standardized communication protocols. 

In 1969, Arpanet was born as a project from the US Department of Defense’s Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). 

“Being online” is a term used to describe someone who is currently connected to the Internet. SO you may hear kids saying “they’re going online” meaning they are using the internet or “they’re online with their friends” meaning they are communicating with their friends online. 

Top uses of the internet

The top 4 uses of the internet, according to a 2013 top 10 list are:

1. ·  Communication - think WhatsApp and Facebook 
2. ·  Research – remember the term “ask Google”? That’s research or looking up something. 
3. ·  Education – there’s lots of online help material on an expansive range of topics 
4.  -  Financial transactions - think Amazon

Nowadays, you must’ve heard kids and teenagers talk about Facebook and WhatsApp. In Trinidad and Tobago, these are currently the most popular communication applications. Businesses use Email to communicate frequently with their customers and among their staff. There are many services available online, though be warned, there is a dark side. <link to my article>

Digital Citizenship

When you’re using the internet, you’ve now become a User. Recently, there’s a push towards DigitalCitizenship which is when persons/users demonstrate and practice safe, responsible, and legal use of technology. So by using the internet, you're a digital citizen.

How the internet works?

You can think of the internet as being made up of hardware and software. Hardware like the device: computer, tablet or phone; a modem/router which usually resides at your home and the servers and switches that the ISP has. Software is the operating system (Microsoft Windows or Apple Mac), the browser (Chrome, Internet Explorer) and protocols that transfer the information between devices.

To connect to the internet you would need to subscribe to an internet package through an Internet Service Provider (ISP). Most ISP’s in Trinidad and Tobago offer bundles with TV, Phone and Internet services in one package.

What is the main reason you use the internet? Let us know below.