The Internet

The Internet is a worldwide network of computers. The theory behind the Internet is simple: any link in the system can help send data to its destination, even if the sending and receiving computers are not directly connected. The Internet can be used to send e-mail messages and computer files between any number of people. The Internet is also home to the World Wide Web, a vast series of “web sites” which contain information and which may be linked to other sites. 

Information sent over the Internet does not take a predefined route. The Internet tries to avoid “traffic jams.” It finds the most efficient quickest way to get information to the intended recipient even if that means routing data via computers in other countries. A file sent from London to Birmingham could go via computers in San Francisco, Atlanta, and Lagos if that route was quickest. 

Today the Internet has around two hundred million users worldwide who can communicate with each other.