Author: Gretchen McCulloch
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 0735210950
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 338
Book Description
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!! Named a Best Book of 2019 by TIME, Amazon, and The Washington Post A Wired Must-Read Book of Summer “Gretchen McCulloch is the internet’s favorite linguist, and this book is essential reading. Reading her work is like suddenly being able to see the matrix.” —Jonny Sun, author of everyone's a aliebn when ur a aliebn too Because Internet is for anyone who's ever puzzled over how to punctuate a text message or wondered where memes come from. It's the perfect book for understanding how the internet is changing the English language, why that's a good thing, and what our online interactions reveal about who we are. Language is humanity's most spectacular open-source project, and the internet is making our language change faster and in more interesting ways than ever before. Internet conversations are structured by the shape of our apps and platforms, from the grammar of status updates to the protocols of comments and @replies. Linguistically inventive online communities spread new slang and jargon with dizzying speed. What's more, social media is a vast laboratory of unedited, unfiltered words where we can watch language evolve in real time. Even the most absurd-looking slang has genuine patterns behind it. Internet linguist Gretchen McCulloch explores the deep forces that shape human language and influence the way we communicate with one another. She explains how your first social internet experience influences whether you prefer "LOL" or "lol," why ~sparkly tildes~ succeeded where centuries of proposals for irony punctuation had failed, what emoji have in common with physical gestures, and how the artfully disarrayed language of animal memes like lolcats and doggo made them more likely to spread.
Because Internet
Author: Gretchen McCulloch
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 0735210950
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 338
Book Description
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!! Named a Best Book of 2019 by TIME, Amazon, and The Washington Post A Wired Must-Read Book of Summer “Gretchen McCulloch is the internet’s favorite linguist, and this book is essential reading. Reading her work is like suddenly being able to see the matrix.” —Jonny Sun, author of everyone's a aliebn when ur a aliebn too Because Internet is for anyone who's ever puzzled over how to punctuate a text message or wondered where memes come from. It's the perfect book for understanding how the internet is changing the English language, why that's a good thing, and what our online interactions reveal about who we are. Language is humanity's most spectacular open-source project, and the internet is making our language change faster and in more interesting ways than ever before. Internet conversations are structured by the shape of our apps and platforms, from the grammar of status updates to the protocols of comments and @replies. Linguistically inventive online communities spread new slang and jargon with dizzying speed. What's more, social media is a vast laboratory of unedited, unfiltered words where we can watch language evolve in real time. Even the most absurd-looking slang has genuine patterns behind it. Internet linguist Gretchen McCulloch explores the deep forces that shape human language and influence the way we communicate with one another. She explains how your first social internet experience influences whether you prefer "LOL" or "lol," why ~sparkly tildes~ succeeded where centuries of proposals for irony punctuation had failed, what emoji have in common with physical gestures, and how the artfully disarrayed language of animal memes like lolcats and doggo made them more likely to spread.
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 0735210950
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 338
Book Description
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!! Named a Best Book of 2019 by TIME, Amazon, and The Washington Post A Wired Must-Read Book of Summer “Gretchen McCulloch is the internet’s favorite linguist, and this book is essential reading. Reading her work is like suddenly being able to see the matrix.” —Jonny Sun, author of everyone's a aliebn when ur a aliebn too Because Internet is for anyone who's ever puzzled over how to punctuate a text message or wondered where memes come from. It's the perfect book for understanding how the internet is changing the English language, why that's a good thing, and what our online interactions reveal about who we are. Language is humanity's most spectacular open-source project, and the internet is making our language change faster and in more interesting ways than ever before. Internet conversations are structured by the shape of our apps and platforms, from the grammar of status updates to the protocols of comments and @replies. Linguistically inventive online communities spread new slang and jargon with dizzying speed. What's more, social media is a vast laboratory of unedited, unfiltered words where we can watch language evolve in real time. Even the most absurd-looking slang has genuine patterns behind it. Internet linguist Gretchen McCulloch explores the deep forces that shape human language and influence the way we communicate with one another. She explains how your first social internet experience influences whether you prefer "LOL" or "lol," why ~sparkly tildes~ succeeded where centuries of proposals for irony punctuation had failed, what emoji have in common with physical gestures, and how the artfully disarrayed language of animal memes like lolcats and doggo made them more likely to spread.
Understanding Computers, Smartphones and the Internet
Author: Ernie Dainow
Publisher: Ernie Dainow
ISBN: 0995214409
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 126
Book Description
Most introductory books about computers are long, detailed technical books such as those used in a computer science course or else tutorials that provide instructions on how to operate a computer with little description of what happens inside the machine. This book fits in the large gap between these two extremes. It is for people who would like to understand how computers work, without having to learn a lot of technical details. Only the most important things about computers are covered. There is no math except some simple arithmetic. The only prerequisite is knowing how to use a web browser. As an alternative or adjunct to reading the book, you can watch a series of short videos by going to youtube.com and searching for “Understanding Computers, Smartphones and the Internet”. Only current day technology is covered. People who are interested in learning about how computers evolved from the earliest machines can read the companion book “A Concise History of Computers, Smartphones and the Internet”. While originally intended for people who are not in the computer field, this book is also useful for those taking a coding course or an introductory computer science course. Even people already in the computer field will find things of interest in this book.
Publisher: Ernie Dainow
ISBN: 0995214409
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 126
Book Description
Most introductory books about computers are long, detailed technical books such as those used in a computer science course or else tutorials that provide instructions on how to operate a computer with little description of what happens inside the machine. This book fits in the large gap between these two extremes. It is for people who would like to understand how computers work, without having to learn a lot of technical details. Only the most important things about computers are covered. There is no math except some simple arithmetic. The only prerequisite is knowing how to use a web browser. As an alternative or adjunct to reading the book, you can watch a series of short videos by going to youtube.com and searching for “Understanding Computers, Smartphones and the Internet”. Only current day technology is covered. People who are interested in learning about how computers evolved from the earliest machines can read the companion book “A Concise History of Computers, Smartphones and the Internet”. While originally intended for people who are not in the computer field, this book is also useful for those taking a coding course or an introductory computer science course. Even people already in the computer field will find things of interest in this book.
The Internet of Us: Knowing More and Understanding Less in the Age of Big Data
Author: Michael P. Lynch
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
ISBN: 1631491865
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 256
Book Description
"An intelligent book that struggles honestly with important questions: Is the net turning us into passive knowers? Is it degrading our ability to reason? What can we do about this?" —David Weinberger, Los Angeles Review of Books We used to say "seeing is believing"; now, googling is believing. With 24/7 access to nearly all of the world’s information at our fingertips, we no longer trek to the library or the encyclopedia shelf in search of answers. We just open our browsers, type in a few keywords and wait for the information to come to us. Now firmly established as a pioneering work of modern philosophy, The Internet of Us has helped revolutionize our understanding of what it means to be human in the digital age. Indeed, demonstrating that knowledge based on reason plays an essential role in society and that there is more to “knowing” than just acquiring information, leading philosopher Michael P. Lynch shows how our digital way of life makes us value some ways of processing information over others, and thus risks distorting the greatest traits of mankind. Charting a path from Plato’s cave to Google Glass, the result is a necessary guide on how to navigate the philosophical quagmire that is the "Internet of Things."
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
ISBN: 1631491865
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 256
Book Description
"An intelligent book that struggles honestly with important questions: Is the net turning us into passive knowers? Is it degrading our ability to reason? What can we do about this?" —David Weinberger, Los Angeles Review of Books We used to say "seeing is believing"; now, googling is believing. With 24/7 access to nearly all of the world’s information at our fingertips, we no longer trek to the library or the encyclopedia shelf in search of answers. We just open our browsers, type in a few keywords and wait for the information to come to us. Now firmly established as a pioneering work of modern philosophy, The Internet of Us has helped revolutionize our understanding of what it means to be human in the digital age. Indeed, demonstrating that knowledge based on reason plays an essential role in society and that there is more to “knowing” than just acquiring information, leading philosopher Michael P. Lynch shows how our digital way of life makes us value some ways of processing information over others, and thus risks distorting the greatest traits of mankind. Charting a path from Plato’s cave to Google Glass, the result is a necessary guide on how to navigate the philosophical quagmire that is the "Internet of Things."
How the Internet Really Works
Author: Article 19
Publisher: No Starch Press
ISBN: 1718500300
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 122
Book Description
An accessible, comic book-like, illustrated introduction to how the internet works under the hood, designed to give people a basic understanding of the technical aspects of the Internet that they need in order to advocate for digital rights. The internet has profoundly changed interpersonal communication, but most of us don't really understand how it works. What enables information to travel across the internet? Can we really be anonymous and private online? Who controls the internet, and why is that important? And... what's with all the cats? How the Internet Really Works answers these questions and more. Using clear language and whimsical illustrations, the authors translate highly technical topics into accessible, engaging prose that demystifies the world's most intricately linked computer network. Alongside a feline guide named Catnip, you'll learn about: • The "How-What-Why" of nodes, packets, and internet protocols • Cryptographic techniques to ensure the secrecy and integrity of your data • Censorship, ways to monitor it, and means for circumventing it • Cybernetics, algorithms, and how computers make decisions • Centralization of internet power, its impact on democracy, and how it hurts human rights • Internet governance, and ways to get involved This book is also a call to action, laying out a roadmap for using your newfound knowledge to influence the evolution of digitally inclusive, rights-respecting internet laws and policies. Whether you're a citizen concerned about staying safe online, a civil servant seeking to address censorship, an advocate addressing worldwide freedom of expression issues, or simply someone with a cat-like curiosity about network infrastructure, you will be delighted -- and enlightened -- by Catnip's felicitously fun guide to understanding how the internet really works!
Publisher: No Starch Press
ISBN: 1718500300
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 122
Book Description
An accessible, comic book-like, illustrated introduction to how the internet works under the hood, designed to give people a basic understanding of the technical aspects of the Internet that they need in order to advocate for digital rights. The internet has profoundly changed interpersonal communication, but most of us don't really understand how it works. What enables information to travel across the internet? Can we really be anonymous and private online? Who controls the internet, and why is that important? And... what's with all the cats? How the Internet Really Works answers these questions and more. Using clear language and whimsical illustrations, the authors translate highly technical topics into accessible, engaging prose that demystifies the world's most intricately linked computer network. Alongside a feline guide named Catnip, you'll learn about: • The "How-What-Why" of nodes, packets, and internet protocols • Cryptographic techniques to ensure the secrecy and integrity of your data • Censorship, ways to monitor it, and means for circumventing it • Cybernetics, algorithms, and how computers make decisions • Centralization of internet power, its impact on democracy, and how it hurts human rights • Internet governance, and ways to get involved This book is also a call to action, laying out a roadmap for using your newfound knowledge to influence the evolution of digitally inclusive, rights-respecting internet laws and policies. Whether you're a citizen concerned about staying safe online, a civil servant seeking to address censorship, an advocate addressing worldwide freedom of expression issues, or simply someone with a cat-like curiosity about network infrastructure, you will be delighted -- and enlightened -- by Catnip's felicitously fun guide to understanding how the internet really works!
Internet Celebrity
Author: Crystal Abidin
Publisher: Emerald Group Publishing
ISBN: 1787560767
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 192
Book Description
This book presents a framework for thinking about different forms of internet celebrity that have emerged in the last decade. Through cross-cultural case studies, the book offers a brief history of internet celebrity; analysis on recent developments in the industry; and commentary on emergent trends.
Publisher: Emerald Group Publishing
ISBN: 1787560767
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 192
Book Description
This book presents a framework for thinking about different forms of internet celebrity that have emerged in the last decade. Through cross-cultural case studies, the book offers a brief history of internet celebrity; analysis on recent developments in the industry; and commentary on emergent trends.
The Flip Side of Free
Author: Michael Kende
Publisher: MIT Press
ISBN: 0262362856
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 267
Book Description
Why "free" comes at a price: the costs of free internet services in terms of privacy, cybersecurity, and the growing market power of technology giants. The upside of the internet is free Wi-Fi at Starbucks, Facetime over long distances, and nearly unlimited data for downloading or streaming. The downside is that our data goes to companies that use it to make money, our financial information is exposed to hackers, and the market power of technology companies continues to increase. In The Flip Side of Free, Michael Kende shows that free internet comes at a price. We're beginning to realize this. Our all-purpose techno-caveat is "I love my smart speaker...but"--is it really tracking everything I do? listening to everything I say?
Publisher: MIT Press
ISBN: 0262362856
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 267
Book Description
Why "free" comes at a price: the costs of free internet services in terms of privacy, cybersecurity, and the growing market power of technology giants. The upside of the internet is free Wi-Fi at Starbucks, Facetime over long distances, and nearly unlimited data for downloading or streaming. The downside is that our data goes to companies that use it to make money, our financial information is exposed to hackers, and the market power of technology companies continues to increase. In The Flip Side of Free, Michael Kende shows that free internet comes at a price. We're beginning to realize this. Our all-purpose techno-caveat is "I love my smart speaker...but"--is it really tracking everything I do? listening to everything I say?
Networking and Online Games
Author: Grenville Armitage
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 0470030461
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 232
Book Description
The computer game industry is clearly growing in the direction of multiplayer, online games. Understanding the demands of games on IP (Internet Protocol) networks is essential for ISP (Internet Service Provider) engineers to develop appropriate IP services. Correspondingly, knowledge of the underlying network's capabilities is vital for game developers. Networking and Online Games concisely draws together and illustrates the overlapping and interacting technical concerns of these sectors. The text explains the principles behind modern multiplayer communication systems and the techniques underlying contemporary networked games. The traffic patterns that modern games impose on networks, and how network performance and service level limitations impact on game designers and player experiences, are covered in-depth, giving the reader the knowledge necessary to develop better gaming products and network services. Examples of real-world multiplayer online games illustrate the theory throughout. Networking and Online Games: Provides a comprehensive, cutting-edge guide to the development and service provision needs of online, networked games. Contrasts the considerations of ISPs (e.g. predicting traffic loads) with those of game developers (e.g. sources of lag/jitter), clarifying coinciding requirements. Explains how different technologies such as cable, ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) and wireless, etc., affect online game-play experience, and how different game styles impose varying traffic dynamics and requirements on the network. Discusses future directions brought by emerging technologies such as UMTS (Universal Mobile Telephone Service), GPRS (General Packet Radio Service), Wireless LANs, IP service Quality, and NAPT/NAT (Network Address Port Translation/Network Address Translation) Illustrates the concepts using high-level examples of existing multiplayer online games (such as Quake III Arena, Wolfenstein Enemy Territory, and Half-Life 2). Networking and Online Games will be an invaluable resource for games developers, engineers and technicians at Internet Service Providers, as well as advanced undergraduate and graduate students in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science and Multimedia Engineering.
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 0470030461
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 232
Book Description
The computer game industry is clearly growing in the direction of multiplayer, online games. Understanding the demands of games on IP (Internet Protocol) networks is essential for ISP (Internet Service Provider) engineers to develop appropriate IP services. Correspondingly, knowledge of the underlying network's capabilities is vital for game developers. Networking and Online Games concisely draws together and illustrates the overlapping and interacting technical concerns of these sectors. The text explains the principles behind modern multiplayer communication systems and the techniques underlying contemporary networked games. The traffic patterns that modern games impose on networks, and how network performance and service level limitations impact on game designers and player experiences, are covered in-depth, giving the reader the knowledge necessary to develop better gaming products and network services. Examples of real-world multiplayer online games illustrate the theory throughout. Networking and Online Games: Provides a comprehensive, cutting-edge guide to the development and service provision needs of online, networked games. Contrasts the considerations of ISPs (e.g. predicting traffic loads) with those of game developers (e.g. sources of lag/jitter), clarifying coinciding requirements. Explains how different technologies such as cable, ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) and wireless, etc., affect online game-play experience, and how different game styles impose varying traffic dynamics and requirements on the network. Discusses future directions brought by emerging technologies such as UMTS (Universal Mobile Telephone Service), GPRS (General Packet Radio Service), Wireless LANs, IP service Quality, and NAPT/NAT (Network Address Port Translation/Network Address Translation) Illustrates the concepts using high-level examples of existing multiplayer online games (such as Quake III Arena, Wolfenstein Enemy Territory, and Half-Life 2). Networking and Online Games will be an invaluable resource for games developers, engineers and technicians at Internet Service Providers, as well as advanced undergraduate and graduate students in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science and Multimedia Engineering.
Understanding the Digital World
Author: Brian W. Kernighan
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 069121896X
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 301
Book Description
A brand-new edition of the popular introductory textbook that explores how computer hardware, software, and networks work Computers are everywhere. Some are highly visible, in laptops, tablets, cell phones, and smart watches. But most are invisible, like those in appliances, cars, medical equipment, transportation systems, power grids, and weapons. We never see the myriad computers that quietly collect, share, and sometimes leak personal data about us. Governments and companies increasingly use computers to monitor what we do. Social networks and advertisers know more about us than we should be comfortable with. Criminals have all-too-easy access to our data. Do we truly understand the power of computers in our world? In this updated edition of Understanding the Digital World, Brian Kernighan explains how computer hardware, software, and networks work. Topics include how computers are built and how they compute; what programming is; how the Internet and web operate; and how all of these affect security, privacy, property, and other important social, political, and economic issues. Kernighan touches on fundamental ideas from computer science and some of the inherent limitations of computers, and new sections in the book explore Python programming, big data, machine learning, and much more. Numerous color illustrations, notes on sources for further exploration, and a glossary explaining technical terms and buzzwords are included. Understanding the Digital World is a must-read for readers of all backgrounds who want to know more about computers and communications.
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 069121896X
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 301
Book Description
A brand-new edition of the popular introductory textbook that explores how computer hardware, software, and networks work Computers are everywhere. Some are highly visible, in laptops, tablets, cell phones, and smart watches. But most are invisible, like those in appliances, cars, medical equipment, transportation systems, power grids, and weapons. We never see the myriad computers that quietly collect, share, and sometimes leak personal data about us. Governments and companies increasingly use computers to monitor what we do. Social networks and advertisers know more about us than we should be comfortable with. Criminals have all-too-easy access to our data. Do we truly understand the power of computers in our world? In this updated edition of Understanding the Digital World, Brian Kernighan explains how computer hardware, software, and networks work. Topics include how computers are built and how they compute; what programming is; how the Internet and web operate; and how all of these affect security, privacy, property, and other important social, political, and economic issues. Kernighan touches on fundamental ideas from computer science and some of the inherent limitations of computers, and new sections in the book explore Python programming, big data, machine learning, and much more. Numerous color illustrations, notes on sources for further exploration, and a glossary explaining technical terms and buzzwords are included. Understanding the Digital World is a must-read for readers of all backgrounds who want to know more about computers and communications.
Understanding and Using the Internet
Author: Bruce J. McLaren
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780314064110
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 194
Book Description
The twin themes of stakeholders and ethics are emphasized in this book with real case histories. It helps readers see the interrelationship between the four major areas of corporate social responsibility: economic, legal, ethical, and philanthropic. This edition includes: a discussion of the major stakeholder groups (government, employees, consumers, owners, environment), business ethics, ethics and stakeholder management, global ethics, and 14 new cases.
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780314064110
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 194
Book Description
The twin themes of stakeholders and ethics are emphasized in this book with real case histories. It helps readers see the interrelationship between the four major areas of corporate social responsibility: economic, legal, ethical, and philanthropic. This edition includes: a discussion of the major stakeholder groups (government, employees, consumers, owners, environment), business ethics, ethics and stakeholder management, global ethics, and 14 new cases.
The Internet Book
Author: Douglas E. Comer
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 0429824440
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 622
Book Description
The Internet Book, Fifth Edition explains how computers communicate, what the Internet is, how the Internet works, and what services the Internet offers. It is designed for readers who do not have a strong technical background — early chapters clearly explain the terminology and concepts needed to understand all the services. It helps the reader to understand the technology behind the Internet, appreciate how the Internet can be used, and discover why people find it so exciting. In addition, it explains the origins of the Internet and shows the reader how rapidly it has grown. It also provides information on how to avoid scams and exaggerated marketing claims. The first section of the book introduces communication system concepts and terminology. The second section reviews the history of the Internet and its incredible growth. It documents the rate at which the digital revolution occurred, and provides background that will help readers appreciate the significance of the underlying design. The third section describes basic Internet technology and capabilities. It examines how Internet hardware is organized and how software provides communication. This section provides the foundation for later chapters, and will help readers ask good questions and make better decisions when salespeople offer Internet products and services. The final section describes application services currently available on the Internet. For each service, the book explains both what the service offers and how the service works. About the Author Dr. Douglas Comer is a Distinguished Professor at Purdue University in the departments of Computer Science and Electrical and Computer Engineering. He has created and enjoys teaching undergraduate and graduate courses on computer networks and Internets, operating systems, computer architecture, and computer software. One of the researchers who contributed to the Internet as it was being formed in the late 1970s and 1980s, he has served as a member of the Internet Architecture Board, the group responsible for guiding the Internet’s development. Prof. Comer is an internationally recognized expert on computer networking, the TCP/IP protocols, and the Internet, who presents lectures to a wide range of audiences. In addition to research articles, he has written a series of textbooks that describe the technical details of the Internet. Prof. Comer’s books have been translated into many languages, and are used in industry as well as computer science, engineering, and business departments around the world. Prof. Comer joined the Internet project in the late 1970s, and has had a high-speed Internet connection to his home since 1981. He wrote this book as a response to everyone who has asked him for an explanation of the Internet that is both technically correct and easily understood by anyone. An Internet enthusiast, Comer displays INTRNET on the license plate of his car.
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 0429824440
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 622
Book Description
The Internet Book, Fifth Edition explains how computers communicate, what the Internet is, how the Internet works, and what services the Internet offers. It is designed for readers who do not have a strong technical background — early chapters clearly explain the terminology and concepts needed to understand all the services. It helps the reader to understand the technology behind the Internet, appreciate how the Internet can be used, and discover why people find it so exciting. In addition, it explains the origins of the Internet and shows the reader how rapidly it has grown. It also provides information on how to avoid scams and exaggerated marketing claims. The first section of the book introduces communication system concepts and terminology. The second section reviews the history of the Internet and its incredible growth. It documents the rate at which the digital revolution occurred, and provides background that will help readers appreciate the significance of the underlying design. The third section describes basic Internet technology and capabilities. It examines how Internet hardware is organized and how software provides communication. This section provides the foundation for later chapters, and will help readers ask good questions and make better decisions when salespeople offer Internet products and services. The final section describes application services currently available on the Internet. For each service, the book explains both what the service offers and how the service works. About the Author Dr. Douglas Comer is a Distinguished Professor at Purdue University in the departments of Computer Science and Electrical and Computer Engineering. He has created and enjoys teaching undergraduate and graduate courses on computer networks and Internets, operating systems, computer architecture, and computer software. One of the researchers who contributed to the Internet as it was being formed in the late 1970s and 1980s, he has served as a member of the Internet Architecture Board, the group responsible for guiding the Internet’s development. Prof. Comer is an internationally recognized expert on computer networking, the TCP/IP protocols, and the Internet, who presents lectures to a wide range of audiences. In addition to research articles, he has written a series of textbooks that describe the technical details of the Internet. Prof. Comer’s books have been translated into many languages, and are used in industry as well as computer science, engineering, and business departments around the world. Prof. Comer joined the Internet project in the late 1970s, and has had a high-speed Internet connection to his home since 1981. He wrote this book as a response to everyone who has asked him for an explanation of the Internet that is both technically correct and easily understood by anyone. An Internet enthusiast, Comer displays INTRNET on the license plate of his car.