How To Surf The Internet

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How to Surf the Internet

The term "Internet," or "The Net" as it is commonly in known in the computer business, is best described as an assortment of over one thousand computer networks with each using a common set of technical transfers to create a worldwide communications medium. The Internet is changing, most profoundly, the way people conduct research and will in the near future be the chief source of mass information. No longer will a student have to rely on the local library to finish a research essay - anybody with a computer, a modem, and an Internet
Service Provider can find a wealth of information on the Net. Anybody with a disease or illness and who has access to the Internet can obtain the vital information they are in need of. And, most importantly, businesses are flourishing at this present day because of the great potential the Internet holds. First of all, for a person to even consider doing research on the Internet privately they must own a computer. A computer that is fast, reliable, and one that has a great deal of memory is greatly beneficial. A person also needs a modem (a device that transmits data from a network on the Internet to the user's computer). A modem's quality and speed are measured as something called a baud rate (how fast the modem transmits data in bits and kilobits - similar to grams and kilograms). A kilobit is a term simply used to describe the speed of a modem. For example, if somebody was to go out and purchase a 2400 baud modem, they would be buying a modem that transmits data 2400 kilobits per second which is definitely not the speed of a modem you want if your thinking of getting onto the Internet. The speeds of modems then double in the amount of kilobits that can be transmitted per second going from 4800 baud to 9600 baud and so on eventually getting up to 28800 baud (which is the fastest modem on the market right now). To surf the Internet successfully, a person will have to own a 9600 baud or higher, and with recent advancements the Internet has offered, the recommended speed is a 14400 kilobytes per second modem. A modem ranges in price, depending on the type of modem you want, the speed you need, and if it is an external or internal type, modems range from as low as $20 to as high as $300.
If a person is unequipped with a computer most local libraries and nonprofit organizations provide Internet access where research can be done freely.

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