As a noun proper, the Internet is the world-wide, interconnected system of computers (plus the information and services they provide and their users) that uses the TCP/IP suite of protocols. During the 1990s, the Internet has successfully accomodated the majority of previously existing computer networks. This is much due to the lack of central administration, which allows organic growth of the network. The core networks forming the Internets started out in 1969 as the ARPANET devised by the United States Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA?). An important step in the development was the National Science Foundation's (NSF) building of a university backbone, the NSFnet, in 1986. Important alien networks that have successfully been accomodated within the Internet include Usenet, Fidonet, and Bitnet.
The Internet is held together by bi- or multilateral commercial contracts (e.g. [peering agreement]?s) and by informal agreements or protocols that describe how to exchange data over the network. These protocols are formed by discussion with the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and its working groups, which are completely open. These committees produce documents that are known as Requests For Comments (RFCs). Some RFCs are raised to the status of Internet Standard by the Internet Architecture Board (IAB?).
Some of the services and protocols that have appeared in this way are:
Internet culture:
See also: Internet in Art, PSTN
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