Description:The Internet: The Basics provides a concise and clearly written introduction to the study of the internet. Covering its practical application as a tool for research, as well as issues for communicating and designing for the web, this book also questions the ways in which the internet has changed our cultures, societies and identities.The areas covered in this book include:* the history and development of the internet* how it works* how to use it for research and communication* advice on good design practice for the web* how regulation is changing to deal with the new media, as well as questions of ethics* how the internet is changing our social, political, psychological and economic relations with others.The Internet: The Basics is a non-technical, comprehensive guide to the internet, covering all aspects of the medium and its cultural and practical effects that will be of interest to anyone thinking of studying the subject.