The Internet Explosion
Overview
In the early 1990s the public had no idea what the Internet was or what it could do. Just a few years later, it had exploded onto computers all over the world, revolutionizing the way we communicate, socialize, and conduct business. The Internet has created a multibillion-dollar industry and spawned a worldwide revolution. With the proliferation of e-commerce, business is no longer restricted to the traditional bricks-and-mortar operation. Now, anyone with a personal computer (PC) can create a website to sell a product. Little did the forefathers of the Internet know how far-reaching the effects of their invention would be.
Background
In 1957 America was in the throes of the Cold War with the Soviet Union. Fears of nuclear annihilation ran high, and the Soviets had just launched the first Sputnik into space, winning the race with the United States. In response, the U.S. Department of Defense formed the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) to boost American technology. Twelve years later, ARPA spawned ARPANET, the world's first connected computer network. ARPANET was designed to withstand a nuclear attack by routing information around the damaged areas.
At the time, there were no home PCs. Computers were massive machines that spanned entire rooms and were unable to communicate with one another.
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