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ARPANET allowed multiple computers to communicate with each other using packet
switching, a revolutionary idea where data was broken into smaller packets, sent separately,
and reassembled at the destination. This made communication faster and more efficient
compared to traditional methods like telegraphs or telephone lines.
Growth and Expansion
In the 1970s, researchers developed TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet
Protocol), which became the foundation of the modern Internet. TCP/IP set rules for how
data travels across networks, making it possible for different types of computers and
networks to connect with each other.
By the 1980s, ARPANET had grown and split into two networks: ARPANET for research and
MILNET for military use. Meanwhile, universities and organizations worldwide began
creating their own networks, connecting them to ARPANET, and the foundation of the
global Internet was laid.
The Birth of the World Wide Web
In 1989, Tim Berners-Lee, a British scientist, invented the World Wide Web (WWW) while
working at CERN, a European research organization. The World Wide Web is not the same
as the Internet; it is a system of information-sharing built on top of the Internet. Berners-Lee
created three key technologies:
1. HTML (HyperText Markup Language): A language to create web pages.
2. HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol): A set of rules for transferring web pages over
the Internet.
3. URL (Uniform Resource Locator): The address of a web page.
With these tools, anyone could create and share information on the Internet, making it
more accessible and user-friendly. In 1993, the first graphical web browser, Mosaic, was
launched, enabling people to view images and text together, leading to the Internet's rapid
popularity.
Modern Internet
The 1990s and 2000s saw the rise of email, search engines (like Google), e-commerce (like
Amazon), and social media platforms (like Facebook). High-speed connections such as
broadband replaced slower dial-up services, making the Internet faster and more reliable.
Mobile phones and Wi-Fi brought the Internet into our pockets and made it accessible
everywhere.
Today, the Internet is used for countless purposes, including communication (video calls,
social media), education (online courses), business (online banking, e-commerce), and
entertainment (streaming movies, gaming). Technologies like cloud computing, AI, and IoT
(Internet of Things) are expanding its applications even further.