Who 'owns' the Internet

URWORSTENEMY · Jan 2, 2003, 01:28 PM

Just two of the many questions my kids ask me and I dont really know the answer to

'Who owns the internet daddy?'

'Can someone turn off the Internet daddy?'

So guys, any insight will me much appreciated

Feel free to get technical... ill try my best to translate it down to kiddie language!!

***craig5320*** · Jan 2, 2003, 01:50 PM

Hmmmm.... you can also ask What is the internet?

hmmm... well i'd say the internet is like the telephone system a gateway to connect to another terminal elsewhere ok that's crap and doesn't answer the question... but i tried. I don't think it can really be turned off though if some major isp's or dns servers went down a lot may become inaccessible. somebody with a lil technical knowledge please!!!

p.s. Why don't kids ask "Where do babies come from?" these days

UberLord · Jan 2, 2003, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by URWORSTENEMY
[B]

Just two of the many questions my kids ask me and I dont really know the answer to

'Who owns the internet daddy?'/

Internet Service Providers and Telcos

Quote:

'Can someone turn off the Internet daddy?'

http://www.turnofftheinternet.com/

UberLord · Jan 2, 2003, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by craig5320
I don't think it can really be turned off though if some major isp's or dns servers went down a lot may become inaccessible. somebody with a lil technical knowledge please!!!

You would have to take down the 13 root DNS servers - and their backups and their backup's backups - etc
Someone recently attacked most of the root DNS servers with a sustained attack - the servers stayed up

The simpliest way to "kill" the internet would be to cover the world with a radiation blanket. The ensuing magnetic storm would then wipe hard drives, backup takes and could even short out chips (like duh - your processor), not only rendering the internet "dead" but also computers.

One major benefit of having a nuclear war is that racism would be stamped out over night as everyone would be the same moldy shade of green

Quote:

p.s. Why don't kids ask "Where do babies come from?" these days

Thats because they've been dragged around the supermarket with Mum, spotted babies in the baby carrier section of the shoping trolleys and then put 2 + 2 together and unfortunately ended up with 7

JavaFox · Jan 2, 2003, 02:24 PM

Well, the Internet is a network, with nodes, backbones, and even more networks making it up. Basically, the Internet is not a physical thing -- it is the connection of millions of computers to each other. Anytime you are surfing a website, your computer is asking another computer for data. Nobody owns it any more than anyone owns, say, literature, a conversation, or a country. People own little bits of it, and those little bits of it interoperate, but nobody really owns it in its entirety. For example, when you and your friends get together, connect all your PCs to a hub, and play Counterstrike, does anyone OWN that network? No, you all own your individual nodes (PCs), and the network is more an agreement to share than it is a tangible thing that can be owned. *

That said, the United States did most of the work in making the Internet a reality, but it is the adoption of dozens of countries that make the Internet a worldwide network.

Can the Internet be turned off? Well, yes and no. If every person in the world were to turn off his or her computers, then the Internet would cease to exist. But, again, the Internet is more a conceptual thing than it is a physical thing -- so there is no switch, per se. Remember also that the Internet basically grew out of the US DoD's ARPANet and was built to withstand even nuclear attacks.

So, in summation, nobody owns it, and people could turn it off, but that would require the participation of everyone.

---

* This doesn't mean that some networks aren't owned, however.

franguinho · Jan 2, 2003, 03:00 PM

that was a pretty good answer!

JavaFox · Jan 2, 2003, 03:08 PM

Why, thank you.

digitalwanderer · Jan 2, 2003, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by JavaFox
So, in summation, nobody owns it, and people could turn it off, but that would require the participation of everyone.

LIAR!!! It's mine, ALL MINE!!! You use the internet as my will and sufferage allow it, there is no more to know.

You may continue to cruise me networks now, thank you for letting me take the opportunity to clear up any confusion.

The net is me stomping grounds, it's mine!

JavaFox · Jan 2, 2003, 03:32 PM

Well, I guess that means anytime anybody experiences downtime, they can send their grievances to DW!

UberLord · Jan 2, 2003, 03:33 PM

I thought that Al Gore invented this InterWeb thingy and by default owned it?

JavaFox · Jan 2, 2003, 03:40 PM

If anyone created the Internet, it would be Vincent Cerf. And credit for the Web belongs to Tim Berners-Lee.

digitalwanderer · Jan 2, 2003, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by JavaFox
If anyone created the Internet, it would be Vincent Cerf. And credit for the Web belongs to Tim Berners-Lee.

I HATE it when you're right! I totally agree on crediting Cerf & Berners-Lee for the internet, along with with Cerf's bud's over in the Stanford 'puter labs. But don't forget Paul Baran for being the first to write up the concept in a formal report to the US govt on ways to control their missiles.

I STILL find it highly ironic that the web came about thru the bastardization of one of the biggest military weapons of all time.

(And if you don't think that coordinated information and attack control is one of the greatest advances since the A-bomb I'll be happy to argue it with ya.

)

DriveEuro · Jan 2, 2003, 06:13 PM

Didn't the concept of the "internet" begin somehwere in Sweeden? I read or saw on tv that this is where much of the internet began and then kinda spread from.

URWORSTENEMY · Jan 2, 2003, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by UberLord
Internet Service Providers and Telcos

http://www.turnofftheinternet.com/

Respect and thanks to all u guys posting

I loved the url posted above by UberLord

I am compiling an A4 sheet (could possibly become 2, 3 or more!!!) and including all the above explanations.
This sheet will be produced when next my kids ask.
Only problem now is
UberLord HOW DO I GET OUT OF THIS, WHERES THE ON SWITCH!!

digitalwanderer · Jan 2, 2003, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by URWORSTENEMY

UberLord HOW DO I GET OUT OF THIS, WHERES THE ON SWITCH!!

Well, I ain't Uber...but I 'ctrl-alt-del' and killed off the instance of IE that was running it. (Nice warning Uber, BTW.

)

Jeff · Jan 2, 2003, 08:01 PM

all i did, was click the little 'x' on the top right corner

URWORSTENEMY · Jan 2, 2003, 09:53 PM

Ah come on guys

'Joking'

I know im new to this, but hey, not THAT new

UberLord · Jan 3, 2003, 02:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by digitalwanderer
(Nice warning Uber, BTW. )

He wanted to turn it off - he didn't say anything about getting it back again

UberLord · Jan 3, 2003, 02:24 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by URWORSTENEMY

UberLord HOW DO I GET OUT OF THIS, WHERES THE ON SWITCH!!

Turning something off
before learning
means something may
never turn on again

Alternatively, use (blatant plug) http://www.mozilla.org or a derivative so nasty javascript can't hurt you like that

WyreTheWolf · Jan 3, 2003, 03:04 AM

<Alt>+<F4> .... that is the quickest easiest most painless way.

URWORSTENEMY · Jan 3, 2003, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Cyborg
all i did, was click the little 'x' on the top right corner

Cyborg, I dont believe you clicked on the red button!!
If you did you would not have seen the 'little x' on the top right of screen
Whats wrong my friend?

You Scared

Go on...
...PRESS THE BUTTON!!

EDIT:

Quote:

Alternatively, use (blatant plug) http://www.mozilla.org or a derivative so nasty javascript can't hurt you like that

OK so you are probably using mozilla or some other browser, so disregard above post

digitalwanderer · Jan 3, 2003, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by URWORSTENEMY
Cyborg, I dont believe you clicked on the red button!!
If you did you would not have seen the 'little x' on the top right of screen....OK so you are probably using mozilla or some other browser, so disregard above post

I'm using IE5.5 and I didn't see "little X" and I f-ing looked. I just had a totally black screen with orange letters in the style of "It is now safe to turn off your computer" with absolutely no way of shutting down the screen on-screen.

Methinks it might just affect different rigs/set-ups differently.

Jan 2, 2003, 01:28 PM	#1
URWORSTENEMY nme Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Behind You!! Posts: 389 Rep Power: 0	Who 'owns' the Internet Just two of the many questions my kids ask me and I dont really know the answer to 'Who owns the internet daddy?' 'Can someone turn off the Internet daddy?' So guys, any insight will me much appreciated Feel free to get technical... ill try my best to translate it down to kiddie language!!

Jan 2, 2003, 01:50 PM	#2
*craig5320* HH Administrator Join Date: May 2002 Location: Manchester, UK Posts: 8,573 Rep Power: 445 System Specs	Hmmmm.... you can also ask What is the internet? hmmm... well i'd say the internet is like the telephone system a gateway to connect to another terminal elsewhere ok that's crap and doesn't answer the question... but i tried. I don't think it can really be turned off though if some major isp's or dns servers went down a lot may become inaccessible. somebody with a lil technical knowledge please!!! p.s. Why don't kids ask "Where do babies come from?" these days __________________ HardwareHeaven on Facebook

Jan 2, 2003, 03:00 PM	#6
franguinho Brazilian Fool Join Date: May 2002 Location: São Paulo Posts: 3,380 Rep Power: 0	that was a pretty good answer! __________________ The Aliens mostly come out at night... mostly...

Jan 2, 2003, 03:33 PM	#10
UberLord A Legend in Underwear Join Date: May 2002 Location: Unknown Posts: 5,255 Rep Power: 0	I thought that Al Gore invented this InterWeb thingy and by default owned it? __________________ Gentoo Linux - Developer (baselayout) Read my blog "I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours." Stephen Roberts

Jan 2, 2003, 06:13 PM	#13
DriveEuro HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Gurnee Illinois Posts: 4,677 Rep Power: 0	Didn't the concept of the "internet" begin somehwere in Sweeden? I read or saw on tv that this is where much of the internet began and then kinda spread from. __________________ [color=orange]ASUS P4P800 Deluxe [color=black]-[/color] 2.4C --> 3300mhz [color=black]-[/color] Mushkin PC3200 at 220 5-2-2-2 (cpu limited) [color=black]-[/color] BBAti 9800Pro at 430/375 [/color] [color=black]3[/color][color=gray]D[/color]M[color=black]a[/color][color=gray]r[/color]k[color=yellow]01[/color] [color=black]3[/color][color=gray]D[/color]M[color=black]a[/color][color=gray]r[/color]k[color=yellow]03[/color] 16001200 12801024

Jan 2, 2003, 02:24 PM	#5
JavaFox E Pluribus Unum Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 3,203 Rep Power: 0	Well, the Internet is a network, with nodes, backbones, and even more networks making it up. Basically, the Internet is not a physical thing -- it is the connection of millions of computers to each other. Anytime you are surfing a website, your computer is asking another computer for data. Nobody owns it any more than anyone owns, say, literature, a conversation, or a country. People own little bits of it, and those little bits of it interoperate, but nobody really owns it in its entirety. For example, when you and your friends get together, connect all your PCs to a hub, and play Counterstrike, does anyone OWN that network? No, you all own your individual nodes (PCs), and the network is more an agreement to share than it is a tangible thing that can be owned. * That said, the United States did most of the work in making the Internet a reality, but it is the adoption of dozens of countries that make the Internet a worldwide network. Can the Internet be turned off? Well, yes and no. If every person in the world were to turn off his or her computers, then the Internet would cease to exist. But, again, the Internet is more a conceptual thing than it is a physical thing -- so there is no switch, per se. Remember also that the Internet basically grew out of the US DoD's ARPANet and was built to withstand even nuclear attacks. So, in summation, nobody owns it, and people could turn it off, but that would require the participation of everyone. --- * This doesn't mean that some networks aren't owned, however.

Jan 2, 2003, 03:08 PM	#7
JavaFox E Pluribus Unum Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 3,203 Rep Power: 0	Why, thank you.

Jan 2, 2003, 03:32 PM	#9
JavaFox E Pluribus Unum Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 3,203 Rep Power: 0	Well, I guess that means anytime anybody experiences downtime, they can send their grievances to DW!

Jan 2, 2003, 03:40 PM	#11
JavaFox E Pluribus Unum Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 3,203 Rep Power: 0	If anyone created the Internet, it would be Vincent Cerf. And credit for the Web belongs to Tim Berners-Lee.

Jan 2, 2003, 08:01 PM	#16
Jeff Yarr... I be blind! Join Date: May 2002 Location: Calgary, Canada Posts: 3,191 Rep Power: 80	all i did, was click the little 'x' on the top right corner __________________

Jan 2, 2003, 09:53 PM	Thread Starter #17
URWORSTENEMY nme Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Behind You!! Posts: 389 Rep Power: 0	ON SWITCH!! Ah come on guys 'Joking' I know im new to this, but hey, not THAT new

Jan 3, 2003, 03:04 AM	#20
WyreTheWolf Wolfish Bastard Join Date: May 2002 Location: Cave; Ozark Mountains Posts: 2,110 Rep Power: 0	<Alt>+<F4> .... that is the quickest easiest most painless way.