Lesson 1

As an Internet developer, it is important to know the mechanics of the Internet. You need to understand about all the components and factors involved in accessing the Internet. This module introduces you to the hardware and software you need to access the Internet. It also introduces you to setting up essential elements of the infrastructure such as your desktop, browser, and email. You will round out your learning with instruction on various Internet services and the clients that enable them.

You will find learning the information almost as simple as learning your ABCs.
After completing this module, you will be able to:

1. Evaluate the hardware and software you need to access the Internet
2. Describe how to configure a desktop computer to access the Internet
3. Explain how to optimize a browser for performance
4. Explain how to configure a browser for cookies and Active X
5. Describe which protocols to use for sending and receiving email
6. Define the purpose and types of MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions)

In the next lesson, you will learn about the three critical components of the Internet.

The origins of the internet can be found in the military culture of the cold war, the Internet's original ancestor was established at the (ARPA) Advanced Research Projects Agency of the U.S. Department of Defense. It was called ARPANET and was created out of the need for a robust, redundant system capable of carrying critical military data throughout a relatively small network of then-powerful computers. Serving as a critical element of military preparedness and civil defense, ARPANET was designed to function regardless of any kind of network disruption such as a nuclear attack. The original ARPANET has been replaced by a succession of bigger, faster, more powerful networked systems, leading to the modern Internet. Sensing the potential of distributed computing for science discovery and application, the National Science Foundation created a network dedicated to academic research and development based on the ARPA's Internet protocol. Operating from a system of regional computing systems connected by an Internet backbone, the Internet offered researchers immediate access to colleagues and files throughout the world.

The Internet has grown into a loose collection of individual networks and computer systems, all operating according to agreed-upon network protocols, allowing the worldwide transfer of information between systems built on a variety of operating platforms. No individual, company, agency, or institution owns the Internet. It is a distributed system of interconnected computers and networks. This means that no single primary or main computer is driving the internet. Rather, it is an electronic global "neighborhood". Some networks are bigger and faster than others, but each one arranges its own network infrastructure.
The earliest Internet-type operation was launched in 1969. At the time, this network comprised four hosts

1. the University of California, Los Angeles;
2. Stanford University;
3. the University of California, San Bernardino;
4. and the University of Utah.

At its midlife (1982), the Internet had grown to more than 200 hosts. By 1995, there were almost 6 million hosts, and at the start of 2002, the number of hosts had grown to approximately 147 million. Nearly 400 countries are now connected to the Internet. When we add other networks capable of interfacing with the Internet in some manner or other, the number of nations involved increases still further. By 1995, the number of Web home pages had surpassed 20,000. As of March 2008, placed the number of Web servers at more than 43 million. Because most servers host multiple Web sites, the number of sites should be approximately 10 billion.

Internet marketing is the fastest growing and most exciting branch of marketing today. As the world becomes ever more connected, keeping up with developments and trends is vital for marketers trying to reach new audiences. Technology and software are changing at such a high rate that it seems almost impossible to keep up with trends. Products and services are evolving and adapting to the online sphere. The web is constantly shifting, growing and changing. How do savvy internet marketers cope with all this? They harness the power of the web and its myriad tools for their own needs. They find unique and personal ways to interact with customers online. They plan, organize, implement and measure complex internet-wide strategies seamlessly. Most importantly, they never stop learning, growing and adapting themselves.