The University of Queensland

Module 3: Effective Internet Searching: Using the Internet Effectively and Efficiently

What is the Internet and what can it do for me?

The Internet is a complex network of networks that links computers to other computers all around the globe. There is no central authority - no "Internet Inc." that controls the structure, content and function of the net and therefore it is bound by few rules and answers to no single organization. Through telephone wires and satellite links, Internet users can share information in a variety of forms. The size, scope and design of the Internet allows all users to:

• connect through ordinary personal computers and phone lines
  
  
• exchange electronic mail (E-mail) with friends and colleagues
  
  
• post information for others to access, and update it frequently
  
  
• access multimedia information that includes sound, photographic images and even video
  
  
• access diverse perspectives from around the world.

For more detailed information on the use of Internet systems, go to The Internet on the Library's Ask I.T. web site.