🚀 go-pugleaf

->
->
->      I have a hard time with clarifying the Internet and the different
->      protocols. I want to know how you explain the difference between the
->      Internet and the Web to non-technical people.  Do you say that
->
->      1.  The Internet is a worldwide computer network and the way these
->      computers "communicate" is through different protocols (telnet, ftp,
->      mail, http...)

        I guess we all have the problem of getting a concept across to
        non-technical people. After teaching mathematics and computer science
        for close to 25 years it's clear to me that while some folks
        don't have experience thinking or dealing with abstract or
        technical concepts, many people are capable of dealing with
        these notions - after they've had some experience. I try to be
        technically correct in my explanations, and put things in a
        context they can work with.

        The Internet, to my way of thinking, can be characterized in
        several ways.  Looking at it from a technical point of view it
        is the collection of computer networks that agree to exchange
        information according to certain rules.  The rules are codified
        or standardized as what we know as the Internet protocols.
        Email (which uses SMTP, POP, IMAP or other protocols), Telnet,
        FTP, Gopher and HTTP are examples of ways of exchanging
        information so the computers on different networks can work with
        it appropriately.  There isn't any evolution going on here, and
        HTTP is independent of the way a browser presents information.
        According to Tim Berners-Lee, who ought to know, "The World Wide
        Web (known as "WWW', "Web" or "W3") is the universe of
        network-accessible information, the embodiment of human
        knowledge."

        Enough of my two cents. My advice is to go with number 1.

->

AND today's special is ...
 Experience, though no authority
   Were in this world, were good enough for me

--
Ernest C. Ackermann              URL http://www.mwc.edu/ernie
Department of Computer Science   Mary Washington College
Fredericksburg, VA 22401-5358    VOICE 540 - 654 - 1320
ernie@mwc.edu                    FAX   540 - 654 - 1068