| Chapter 2 Cyberspace . . . A Map for Non-Geeks
The Internet is a worldwide network of smaller computer networks and individual computers, all linked together by coaxial cable, telephone lines or satellite links. (The Integrated network of networks . . . the Inter-network . . . the Internet! ) The Internet isn't owned by anyone. It isn't controlled by anyone and has no geographical boundaries. It isn't located anywhere. It is timeless and spaceless. It's made up of individual computers and computer networks (called peers). Once you have an Internet account, either through an Internet service provider (an ISP) or through an online provider, like America Online or CompuServe, you can connect to this network through your provider's "gateway" (their entrance ramp to the Internet). Everything on the Internet is global. When you access something on the Net, people everywhere in the world can access it too. When you publish something on the Net (that means putting it on a computer connected to the Net, which is called a "server"), others can read it, immediately, all around the world. The global aspect of the Net is one of the best things about it. It offers worldwide communication, instantaneously, at negligible cost. People are able to talk to other people without regard to geographical borders. It makes you stop and think, doesn't it? What an exciting future for our children! (And for us . . .)
How does it work?
Different parts of the Internet work differently, but they all use the same network of computers and transmit information in the same way. All information travels around the Internet in small units, called "packets." When you send anything on the Internet bigger than the proverbial cyber "breadbox," it's broken into several packets which are reassembled at their destination. As they work their way to their destination, the packets bounce separately like pinballs from peer to peer around the Internet. They are directed around the Internet by computer routers, which determine the best and fastest route for each packet. Our air traffic controllers can learn from the routers. They are the real beauty of the Internet. Routers reroute information around any system problems or shutdowns. If the traffic is too heavy in New York City, your information may arrive via Philadelphia with some packets arriving via Denver. It's simply a matter of finding the most efficient route. Physical distance means nothing in cyberspace.
Where did the Internet come from?
The Internet was developed in 1969 by ARPAnet, the Advanced Research Projects Agency of the U.S. Department of Defense. It was designed to allow the Department of Defense and universities to do defense-related research on different computers around the country. It was also specifically designed to survive a nuclear attack that would have cut off normal communications, like telephones. It is self-healing. That means if one part is shut down, the routers reroute traffic around the shut down. It fixes itself. (Now, if I could only figure out how to do that with my plumbing, I'd really be happy!)
How many people are on the Internet?
No one really knows for sure. Estimating how many people use the Internet has become as popular a pastime among Internet statisticians as predicting the weather, and just about as accurate. Anyway, there are an estimated 140 million people on the Internet—86 million from the U.S. . And, it's growing exponentially. Families are getting online in greater numbers than ever before. According to the 1996 Family PC survey published in the December 1996 issue of Family PC magazine, the number of homes with modem-equipped computers increased by almost 70 percent from 1995 to 1996. Now, roughly a-third of all houselholds have Internet access. The number of children online is growing at an even faster rate. Jupiter Communications, an Internet research group, has reported that there were 4 million children between the ages of two and seventeen online in 1996, and project that more than 20 million children will be online by the year 2002.But, already we have more than 17 million children online, well in advacne of the Jupiter estimates. Nothing in the history of mankind has ever caught on this fast or, perhaps, with greater potential impact.
How do people around the world speak to each other on the Internet?
The computers and networks comprising the Internet all speak the same language, TCP/IP (transmission control protocol/Internet protocol). People on the Internet, though, speak different languages. But since the Internet originated in the United States, English is considered its official language (except in France and parts of Canada, where all websites must be maintained in French as a primary language if the server that hosts the website is located there). Although other languages are being used more often on the Internet (and I've included some recommended places on the Web which let you converse in several languages), English still predominates, and is likely to continue to do so. (Although my friends in the UK, Canada and elsewhere in the English-speaking world still protest that what we speak, in the USA, ain't English at all . . . )
"WWW" stands for the World Wide Web. When people talk about surfing the Net, they are really talking about surfing the Web. The Web is a section of the Internet where information is linked to other related information, allowing you to jump from one place to another. (Actually, you don't go anywhere, the information comes to you. It just feels like you're jumping around.) It is also rich with graphics and sound. With the introduction of new applications, like Java (you can learn more about Java in the FAQs), the Web has become more interactive and more loaded with multimedia fun. The Web is the most popular area of the Internet. It now accounts for more than 90 percent of all Internet usage. It's also the fastest growing segment of the Internet. From only 130 websites in 1993, there are now 4 million separate top level websites, with a billion more sub-pages within those websites. ( You should note that different people use the term "website" to mean different things. When we use it, we mean a distinctive webpage, which may have hundreds of separate sub-pages and URLs. (I'll teach you what a URL is shortly.)) The Web is still in its infancy, though. Less than ten years old, it was conceived when Tim Berners-Lee, while at CERN (the European Particle—atomic research—Physics Laboratory), in Geneva, Switzerland, developed HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP). HTTP is the language that web browsers (the software program that lets you read text, graphics and other multimedia, and navigate the Web) use to move around the Web, by hyperlinks. (Don't worry, I'll explain hyperlinks and more about web browsers shortly.) Although HTTP was released in 1992, the Web didn't become popular until Mosaic, the first web browser, was developed in 1993. Before then, it took an advanced degree from MIT to find anything on the Internet. Prior to the Web, the Internet was merely text and programs; it contained no graphics or sound, no animation or videos. It was a place for academics, scientists and programmers. Loaded with a lot of hard-to-find information, it was BORING.
What does "surfing the Web" mean? The term "Web surfing" explains what it feels like to ride the wave from one website to another. Using HTTP, the Web works through hyperlinks, which are interconnected documents and multimedia applications (such as audio and video). Your web browser is the software program that makes this all work. (There's more on Web browsers throughout this section, so keep an eye out.) Like a spiderweb, where one thread is connected to many others, which are in turn connected to many more, you can click on one hyperlinked topic, and be whisked away to another connected place on the Web, anywhere in the world. (They work like footnotes which allow you to view the source or reference when you click on the linked text.) Hyperlinks are included in a Web document as a computer code called "HTML" (HyperText Markup Language). HTML uses Berners-Lee's protocol and allows the website operator to include cross-references to other documents within the site, and from there to other sites or documents within those sites. When you view the page with your web browser, the hyperlinks appear as text highlighted in another color (often underlined, too) or as a graphic. One way to spot a hyperlink is when you run your cursor over any text or graphics that are hyperlinked, the arrow converts to a hand, to "grab" the link. When you click on the highlighted text or the graphic with your mouse, you are transported to that site (in reality, the data from the site is transported to you, not vice versa). You never see the code. It merely acts as an instruction to your web browser to go to another location on the Web. (Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer are the two most popular web browsers. We'll talk about them more in the How Do You Get Connected? chapter.) An Internet address is called a "URL" (universal resource locator, and pronounced either like "earl" or "U-R-L"). They are also commonly called "domain names." URLs are typically case-sensitive, which means lowercase and uppercase letters should be typed exactly the way they are written in the URL. Each part of the URL means something different, and is separated by dots from the other parts of the URL. (I know they look like periods to you, but the techies who develop this stuff need to make sure that you can't figure anything out on your own. So call them "dots." It'll impress your kids.) The first part of an URL is the "scheme." It tells you where on the Internet (really, which "protocol") the information you are seeking is located. (Remember that there's more to the Internet than the Web.) The most common scheme since the development of the Web is "http." The letters "http" in the URL tell you that it's a Web address (because it uses HTTP, Berner-Lee's protocol). (Gopher sites use "gopher:" and FTP sites use "ftp:" instead of the "http:" in the URL.) The URL may also contain the directory and the file name for a particular file. That looks like this—http://www.domain.com/directory/file. When you are accessing a particular file in a large site, knowing the directory and file name will save you a lot of time. All domain names have to use a three-letter suffix (or zone), which indicates the type of organization or entity involved. The ".com" (read "dot com") indicates a commercial organization site, rather than an Internet network (.net), international organization (.int), higher educational institution (.edu), not-for-profit organization (.org), military (.mil) or government (.gov) site. ".Com" is clearly the most popular zone, followed in popularity by ".edu." (Only a few years ago, ".edu" sites predominated.) Websites from countries other than the United States may also use a two letter country code, rather than one of the three letter zones. Sites without a country designation are assumed to be U.S. sites.
How Do You Access the Internet? . . . Online Services and ISPs
You will either need an online service (such as America Online, CompuServe, Prodigy, or Microsoft Network) or an internet service provider (an ISP) in order to access anything on the Internet. An ISP provides you access to the Internet so that you can surf the Web and use e-mail. Online services have their own proprietary content that is available to their subscribers, in addition to providing access to the Internet and e-mail. (I discuss ISPs and online services in detail in How Do You Get Connected?, so be patient.)
What Else Do You Need to Know? . . . Gopher, FTPs, Usenet and Newsgroups, List Servs and IRCs
Gopher
Gopher was the first tool that made the Internet understandable and searchable to non-geeks. It was designed in 1991 at the University of Minnesota to index the Internet databases. Predating the unveiling of HTTP in 1992 and Mosaic in 1993, Gopher was the best (and only) way to find information on the Internet. Gopher displays several menu selections. When you select one of the menu items, it scours the Internet and indexes the results of your search. But it's not the Web, remember. It's a great source of certain technical information, but whatever it displays is shown in dry, unformatted textual format—no graphics, sound or animation. There are conflicting stories about where the name "Gopher" came from. Some people credit the University of Minnesota's furry mascot, while others credit the fact that the application "goes for" information. But everyone agrees that, however it got its name, its introduction was an important event in the evolution of the Internet. Next to the Web, it remains one of the most popular tools for finding information on the Internet.
FTP
FTP (File Transfer Protocol), allows users to transfer (download and upload) files and programs to their computers from special FTP servers. Most people use FTP to get software and lengthy documentation from public sites. Public sites (or "anonymous" sites) are computers which store data and are accessible to everyone. You log in as "anonymous" and use your e-mail address as your password for access to the site. Even if you're not asked to do that, it's FTP netiquette to use your e-mail address as your password, so the FTP host knows who is accessing the site. It's also correct FTP netiquette to access the FTP site only after business hours, if possible (but you need to know what time zone they're in to figure out what their business hours are), to put less strain on the server which may be used for other business purposes during regular business hours. See the Ms. Parry's Guide to Netiquette chapter for more tips on correct Internet behavior. Since FTP is typically used to transfer large computer files, many of these files have been compressed (or "zipped") to make them transmit faster. You'll have to use a special software application to decompress (or "unzip") them. Decompression applications are available at FTP sites, and America Online and other online services automatically unzip all compressed files when you log off. (If you use an ISP, it will usually supply you with an unzipping utility.) Kids often access FTP sites to download games and upgrades to programs they use. Aside from accessing computer programs and games, however, it's unlikely that you'll be using FTP often. I only use it, actually, to maintain my websites.
Usenet and newsgroups
Usenet is a worldwide collection of newsgroups. A newsgroup is a discussion group devoted to a particular topic. The newsgroups collect articles, discussions and other messages on a particular subject, and then broadcast them or make them available to users over the Internet. Some newsgroups are moderated, which means the material is screened by a moderator before being posted. Many are not. Participants in many newsgroups are known for their opinionated discussions, and flaming often abounds. (Flaming is when someone insults, annoys or attacks someone else online.) Although there are many wonderful newsgroups, especially for special parenting needs (try "misc.kids"), there are some where chaos and outrageous behavior rule. As the Web develops, Usenet and newsgroups are becoming less prominent. But with many diehard Usenet fans out there, they're unlikely to disappear anytime soon. They are still a great way to reach people who are interested in the same things that you are. Finding a newsgroup is as simple as searching www.dejanews.com, the main newsgroup index. And posting is as simple as following the Dejanews instructions. Just remember that given the "wild west" atmosphere of many, your children should be carefully supervised when using any of them, or kept off them entirely until they're old enough to look out for themselves.
List Servs. . . .Getting on e-mailing lists
A list serv is an e-mail mailing list you subscribe to. It's essentially a discussion group where all messages and responses are e-mailed instead of being posted on a bulletin board. For example, if you want to know more about people who own or are interested in Hummers (those huge off-road army-style vehicles my daughter adores), you can subscribe to "HML" at the server majordomo@lists.4x4.org. You will soon be receiving lots of messages from other people who like Hummers too. Subscribing and unsubscribing to a list serv can be confusing, though, because there are two e-mail addresses for each mailing list—one for list serv discussions and the other for list serv administration. Sending e-mail to one of the addresses relays your messages to all of the other subscribers and theirs to you. Sending e-mail to the other address, the administrative address (which usually starts with "listserv," "listproc," or "majordomo"), allows you to subscribe and unsubscribe to the list. When you enroll in any list serv, a computer-generated message telling you how to unsubscribe will arrive. Save it! Trust me, you'll be thankful you did. I've been stuck on many list servs, begging other members (very bad netiquette) to help me get off the list. Another problem with list servs is that the popular ones send out forty or more e-mails a day. Rather like King Midas, who wanted everything he touched to turn to gold, only to find himself surrounded by gold without food, water or his beloved daughter, a popular list serv can prove to you too that there can be too much of a good thing. One solution is to set your subscription to "Digest," if available (read the message sent to you when you first subscribe—it may tell you how to do it). "Digest" means you get one huge e-mail per day, containing a "digest" of all the other messages combined.
IRCs: Internet relay chats
IRC is one of the most "lively" areas of the Internet. It's comprised of thousands of chatrooms on the Internet designed around any subject, or no topic at all. Users have conversations (by typing in what they want to say) in real-time. They can read what others say and reply to them as if they were all in the same room talking. Many parenting sites use IRCs to hold their chats. Internet Relay Chat is run by IRC servers, and you need IRC-client software to use it. Most ISPs provide this software. The online service providers generally don't. Unlike many chat rooms of online service providers, the IRC discussions are typically not monitored. Unmonitored IRCs are probably the worst Internet offenders in terms of inappropriate discussions for children (and for many adults, too). While the initial concept of Internet Relay Chats was good—to form a type of virtual chat room where any number of users could talk about a particular topic—IRCs now are often overrun by topics such as hardcore sex, drugs, software piracy, etc. Many parental control software programs block IRCs completely for these reasons. While you might enjoy many IRC topical discussions, your kids should be kept off IRCs unless you're online with them and familiar with the IRC group. |
