Section: Description of the Internet
...Subsection: What the Internet is NOT

It is not a centrally owned or organized institution.

There is no "Dept. of the Internet" or "Internet Inc.". Although the NSF and InterNIC do have some limited organizational authority, the Internet is largely unorganized and uncontrolled.

It is not a single entity.

The Internet is an evolving collection of hardware elements, programs, protocols, and agreements. It cannot be easily classified as a type of program or a set of hardware components.

It is not a "Den of Iniquity"

There is certainly pornography, recipes for bombs, and subversive material available on the Internet. It is easy to over-rate the prevalence of these materials. The Internet is a reflection of society. There is as much seamy material on the Net as there is in the society it reflects. There is conversely as much wholesome, good material (whatever that is) as there is in society. Most of the time, the bad stuff is pretty clearly marked as such. Innovations in software applications and proposed changes to protocols have the potential to limit inadvertent exposure to any type of material you don't want yourself or your children to see. Legislative efforts by themselves have little chance of impacting the prevalence of such materials. You will find as you explore the Internet that perhaps 80of what you see is harmless and meaningless. You will find a small percentage that is very worthwhile, and an even smaller percentage that could be interpreted as offensive. You are very unlikely to find the offensive materials if you are not deliberately looking for them.

It is not crawling with eight-year-old children controlling nuclear bombs.

The image of a young child with impressive computer skills is very popular, and has some basis in fact. However, there are NOT hackers behind every web site. There are very few people capable of breaking into your computer and stealing your information. Very few of the people with the skill to misuse this technology have the motivation to do so. There are people out there that misuse technology, but the danger is not nearly as pervasive as the movies would have you believe. We will discuss later a few precautions you can take to minimize your security risk.

The Internet is not a hive of viruses waiting to attack your computer.

Some people are afraid to use the Internet because they are certain to contract a virus the minute that they get on line. Viruses are a real threat, but again they are very much over-emphasized. Just being connected cannot cause your computer to catch a virus. We will teach you some principles of "safe computing" that will help you minimize the risk when you do the kinds of activities that can put you at risk. It would be extremely difficult to catch a virus from today's exercise.

The Internet is not just for pimple-faced teenagers with propeller beanies.

In its earlier days, the Internet was a formidable place. A person had to be relatively proficient with computers before attempting to utilize the Internet. With the advent of the World Wide Web, which is now the most used user interface for the Internet, and new browser software, the Internet is friendly enough for nearly everyone. Using the Internet can be much easier than using a word processing program.