Essay, Paragraph, Speech on “Internet-A Miracle” Complete Paragraph, Speech for Classes 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12.

Internet-A Miracle

“Internet is like an act that of a magician. The miracle that internet had made to happen is really mind-boggling ones. We can find everything on internet that has put the world knowledge in a computer box.”

The internet had its origin in the DOD’s (Department Of Defences, USA) attempts to build a controller that can get entry in any network that is very broad, stubborn and sturdy. The DOD was working on a complex project where the input of very high academic and technological content was required to be integrated. The work was being carried out at Stanford Research Institute, University of California at Santa Barbara and at Los Angeles and University of Utah. The computers at these four places were networked together and communications between them were established thus creating the ARPANET, (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network), it was soon used for other purposes. Upto 1990’s the internet was largely utilized by Academic, Government and Industrial researchers. But with the invention of new application the www (World Wide Web) millions of new non-academic users were added to the internet.

Briefly, speaking, “Internet is a web which has a very large numbers of computers connected to each other.” These computers are connected with one and the either through wire, satellite, microwaves or fibre optics cables. They are so programmed using many software browsers, such as Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator that one can communicate from one computer to another computer within minutes. No one “own” the Internet service. No one even actually runs it. And no one can turn it off or on. In other words, Internet is apparently a big network that links smaller networks and individual computers all over the world using modems, phone lines and satellite links.

On October 20, 1997, Department of Telecommunications (DOT) and Dr. Jalan Committee announced concrete measures for the enhanced usage of Internet. One such measure was to allow the entry of private sector Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in India. This is healthy step for the development of Telecom and Communication industry in particular and for the national economy in general.

In India 43,000 computers have been linked to internet so far. This includes dial-up and leased connection. At present, there are three types of internet accounts for which the price varies from Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 550 for 550 hours. The licence fee of the ISPs has been waived for a five year period. However, the ISPs have to give a bank guarantee which is equivalent to the license fee for one year.

Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (VSNL) is the sole provider (what is a web browser) of internet service in India. The revenue structure does not favour the Indian businessman, students and scholars. The Internet Service Providers (ISPs) would be able to rationalize the fee structure. A private ISP could provide internet connection at one tenth of the cost of VSNL. It is worth noting that rate for internet connection in the west is only US $ 15-20 per month.

Most of the hardware vendors are modifying their computer configurations for making them more internet-friendly. In 1996 alone, the market was flooded with many web servers. Most popular uses of internet in India include Web Browsing, E-mail and File Transmission Protocol (FTP). Roughly 125 establishments in India have either set up or are in a process of setting up internet accounts. By the turn of this country, we would have 12,000 establishments utilizing internet. The credit for this would highly be attributed to a growth in the number of PCs, networking (LAN and WAN) and electronic commerce.

The internet revolution has taken the Indians business and industry by storm. Internet browsing and its constituent www have been beneficial for the Indian industry for marketing its products and services. Electronic mail is the single biggest advantage of such a facility. Further, Indian businessmen have been able to generate brand awareness of their products and are able to seek partners (financial and technical) in short time span. With the liberalization of the economy and the emerging business and economic opportunities, the government has been considering the creation of a national information backbone which would be used for national information infrastructure and for the promotion of internet services.

DOT and VSNL may not like to give away the internet business to the ISPs on a platter. The DOT officials claim that they are providing excellent service and that private operators may not be able to deliver quality services at low costs. However, some state and private sector players in communication business feel that DOT is a hard-core monopoly and that privatization of the internet service is an imminent reality.

India must get out of the agricultural age and must jump on to information technology bandwagon. The possibilities on the internet are numerous. For example, it would be possible to have voice transmission via the internet in near future. All the major national streams-defence, industry, software development and exports, international trading, bilateral agreements, information exchange and information needs for daily usage would benefit from this latest technological marvel.

Today, there is lack of a good data transmission network in India. DOT would have to increase the capacity in intra-state transmission network. Private operators are likely to provide good quality networks as quality would decide their competence and hence, their market niches.

According to a survey, there is a demand of 5,00,000 internet connection in the four metropolises. The problem is of the supply and not of the demand. High operating cost could be another factor which is deterring some of the prospective customers from hooking onto internet. It is just possible that they are waiting for an opportune moment of the reduced internet costs.

In a population of 1 billion, these are only 43,000 internet connections. We have tremendous software export capabilities we have the second largest English speaking manpower in the world. Yet, the internet users are very few. On the other hand, there are 40 million internet connections worldwide and eighty percent of the business is being carried out through Internet.

Our software exporters would witness more growth which would demand internet services. Our international trading would also depend upon Internet connectivity. The micro-computer costs are falling everyday. India must take this opportunity in the right stride and must use this new gift of information technology for the benefit of her citizens currently; the most serious application of internet is in the area of E-mail. The E-mail service are very cheap and are used by businessman and individual worldwide for information transfer. The next major usage is in the area of Electronic-commerce (E-Com). This service involves the speedy transfer of a business and accounting information world-wide. Other service provided by internet include cinema, latest happening around the world, city guides, data base browsing and entertainment.

Unfortunately, there are some thrones attached to this technology operating costs are still high as modem connection is required (which would transfer information though STD connection). Further, information available and most of the web sites is garbage. Finally, children or youngsters use internet for obscene information access and for cheap entertainment. The usage of internet for business and for data transfer is not being done in India. However it is being hoped that India would be fully internet-linked within three years and would utilize its potential for making her mark in this wonderful age of information technology.