Computers communicate with each other following simple rules

How exactly do computers understand each other?

Computers cannot see, hear, or comprehend - they basically just compute numbers. So everything on a computer - words, sounds, images - is translated into a series of ones and zeroes so that the computer can "see" or "hear" what it receives. Telephone lines, however, rely on sounds.

So when you use a modem to connect to the Internet via the telephone line, your computer or device sends out digital information (ones and zeros) and the modem converts them into special sounds the phone line can understand. The act of your modem "talking" to another modem is called a handshake. Once your modem connects to another computer, it can then talk with any other computer that is also connected.

What is an ISP?

Because there is no single gatekeeper to the Internet, an internet service provider creates a secure entry point into one of the many computers that comprise the Internet. They provide accounts for individuals and companies to access the Internet. These accounts include a unique ID and password, and a phone number or connection your computer can use to connect to the ISP's main computer. There are a variety of pricing plans and ways you can connect to the Internet.

Usually your ISP will provide software programs including a web browser, electronic mail or email program, and sometimes additional software. They also tend to provide customer support and technical information. Many also offer a wide array of other services including hosting web pages. Most ISPs will work with the browser and email programs already installed in your computer, but some internet companies like America Online (AOL) and Microsoft Network (MSN) provide their own proprietary software to get you online.

This includes a way onto the Internet as well as a range of other online services from news to travel information, to chat rooms - available only to their members. AOL, the largest of these online services, has thirty-three million subscribers.

Internet Service Providers, telephone and cable companies have different methods of charging for internet access. In the United States, the standard has become unlimited access for between US$20-$25. High-speed cable unlimited access costs a little bit more, and satellite delivery is usually more than that. In parts of Europe, Asia, and Latin America, access is charged on a perminute basis, so the costs of spending time on the Internet can vary dramatically.

As a result, the way someone researches a subject will change based on their budget. Also, when faced with perminute charges, people tend to go where they are familiar instead of exploring new sites.

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