An Internet Overview in Ten Minutes

February, 2009

In a nutshell, the Internet is "Broadcast Radio for the Mind".

With over 200 million connected computers, and 400 million regular users, the Internet is the single largest form of broadcast communication in human history.

A distant relative to TV, the Internet really is more like broadcast radio. Reaching across countries and different languages, this Internet broadcast world allows anyone with an Internet transmitter to broadcast messages to most anyone else on the planet. These transmissions are specific to one person, or spread to millions of anonymous users. Every Internet user gets to choose.

Internet transmitters and receivers take many different forms. While most of you know about PCs and Macintoshes, there are other Net machines. For example: Pocket PCs and PDAs, cellphones and mainframes, GPS transmitters, house and car alarm systems, and even soda pop machines can broadcast and receive from the Internet. Indeed, most any electronic device today is capable of sending and receiving Internet communications of some sort. Think of it as broadcast radio to the 10th power.

As technical as this mass broadcasting is, the real impact of the Internet is how it has changed the way we communicate. Even more: the Net has elevated what we consider daily information. No longer is knowledge vaulted in libraries and encyclopedias, or trapped in the minds of subject experts. Information is now seconds away via search engine for anyone with a computer. Learning who Barack Obama is, or what cheap flights are available to Sydney, where to get advice on lower back pain, or even find the best place to find a mortgage...these are no longer information hurdles.

The world has shrunk in size as information is now easily accessible to everyone. Sure, it takes some technical knowledge to make use of this mass broadcast information, but like broadcast radio, it doesn't take long to learn how to dial into your favorite station.

Here at About Internet for Beginners, it is our goal to build your confidence and skill in navigating this massive broadcast world. The daunting size of the Net shouldn't stop you... learning the Net in small pieces actually goes quite quickly, and it is quite motivating and interesting.

Towards the goal of confidence and knowledge, we have assembled dozens of tutorials and quick explanations. Pull up a chair and pour yourself some earl grey tea... here is the Internet Handbook for Beginners.