The Internet and World Wide Web (WWW) are related but not the same. The Internet is a network of connected international networks, while the WWW is a service available within that network. The Internet includes over 100 protocols, while the WWW is only one. The Internet began as a US defense project in 1973, and the WWW was created by Sir Tim Berners-Lee in 1990. Both have revolutionized the world and are deeply ingrained in society.
The Internet and the World Wide Web (WWW or Web) are not the same, although they are related. The Internet includes the Web, but it also includes other online protocols besides the Web. In basic terms, the difference is that the former is a huge system of connected international networks, while the latter is a type of service available within that network .
The Internet began as a US defense project in 1973. The Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) believed that a redundant, non-centralized international computer network could be vital for transmitting information in the event of a nuclear disaster or other event catastrophic . ARPA developed “packet technology” or the ability to send data across the network by breaking it into discrete data packets, addressed to a unique machine on the network. The packets take various routes through the network, then reassemble themselves at their destination address.
The common language used to send packets of data over the Internet is called a protocol. Different services have different languages or protocols. This is another difference: Internet supports many protocols, while WWW is only one of many supported.
During the 1980s, the Internet grew with good support from the US government. This has led to public and commercial implementations of the many languages developed for use on the Internet. But it wasn’t until 1990 that the Internet and the World Wide Web began to be talked about at the same time, even though its conception came much earlier.
Sir Tim Berners-Lee, a well-known IT pioneer, was reportedly frustrated when he had to access several machines to collect planning data, telephone numbers and other stuff he needed on a daily basis. He envisioned a hypertext protocol that could run on machines readily available on the Internet that would provide easy access to materials for researchers. Although he first conceptualized and proposed this project in 1980, its realization took place about ten years later. Today, Tim Berners-Lee is credited with the remarkable distinction of creating the Web, and the Internet and the World Wide Web are terms that have since been used interchangeably, albeit incorrectly.
In addition to the Web, the Internet also includes over 100 other protocols or languages for performing services. Some of these include the Post Office Protocol (POP) email system; user network newsgroup (USENET); instant messaging (IM); telnet; file transfer protocol (FTP); and Internet Relay Chat (IRC). While most people won’t shy away from a surf buddy who uses the two terms interchangeably, it’s good to know the difference.
The one thing the Internet and the World Wide Web have in common is that they have revolutionized the world. The way we communicate, work, learn, shop and play has been significantly influenced by both. Perhaps most surprising is that they have existed for such a short period of time, yet are intrinsically ingrained so deeply into our society, that we can hardly imagine a time without them. Thanks to both, life has become easier in many ways, people are interconnected like never before, and creative opportunities are virtually limitless.
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