Introduction to the Internet


Center for Academic Computing
The Pennsylvania State University


What is the Internet?

The Internet is the worldwide set of all networked computers communicating via the 
TCP/IP protocol.  Every computer connected to the Internet has a unique address.  
Software may be run on Internet-connected computers to access information from other 
Internet-connected computers.

Other computer networks exist that are based on protocols other than TCP/IP.  Examples 
are Bitnet and uucp.  These other networks may be gatewayed to the Internet and may be 
able to exchange electronic mail with Internet-connected systems.  However, computers 
on these other networks typically will not have access to the wide range of services 
available to computers on the Internet proper.


Internet Fully-Qualified Domain Names

Each computer on the Internet has a unique address called its fully-qualified domain 
name.  This name serves to identify each computer and network from all of the other 
computers and networks on the Internet.  The fully-qualified domain name is translated 
by TCP/IP software into an  IP address, that functions in a way similar to a telephone 
number.

Examples:

Internet fully-qualified domain name:  VM.CAC.PSU.EDU

IP address:  128.118.56.2


How to get Information about the Internet

The Center for Academic Computing maintains an Internet Information Disk that is 
available through anonymous FTP and GOPHER.  The site name is ftp.cac.psu.edu and 
the subdirectory for Internet information is /pub/internexus.  

The Internet Information Disk contains copies of articles, catalogs, how-to guides and 
other textual materials of interest to anyone exploring the Internet.  The materials are 
updated frequently. The file 00-index contains a table of contents of information on this 
disk.

For PSUVM users, a mirror of the Internet Information Disk is available through the 
command PRODUCT INTERNET.


The Internexus Team


Dan Bernitt, Center for Academic Computing,  dlb@psuvm.psu.edu

Gene Brunner,  Center for Academic Computing,  ebb@psu.edu

Katie Clark, University Libraries,  kec@psulias.psu.edu

John Harwood, Center for Academic Computing, jth@psuvm.psu.edu

Tona Henderson, University Libraries,  tah6@psuvm.psu.edu

Sally Kalin, University Libraries,  swk@psulias.psu.edu

Dave Kolasa, Administrative Office Systems, dak2@psu.edu

Linda Musser,  University Libraries,  lrm@psulias.psu.edu

Gerry Santoro, Center for Academic Computing, gms@psuvm.psu.edu

Steve Schraeder, Center for Academic Computing,  sxs@psu.edu

Diane H. Smith, University Libraries, dhs@psulias.psu.edu

Peter Weiss, Administrative Office Systems,  pmw1@psuvm.psu.edu

Carol Wright,  University Libraries,  c1w@psulias.psu.edu