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13.5

The Internet – A New Level of Communication

In the early 1990s, bioinformatics was still a matter for specialists. Programs were sent to

acquaintances by mail, one installed the program or even received protein coordinates

specifically by e-mail. Now, in the Internet age (since about 1995, local differences), any­

one can use a program that is offered as software via the Internet. Also the data of the

databases are available worldwide for every user. All computers are networked in such a

way that via the Internet protocol information about data packets can safely reach the

reader at the computer. For this purpose, a Domain Name Server (DNS) transcribes the

Internet Protocol (IP) address into easily readable addresses. In particular, the Internet

opens up the possibility of making bioinformatics software and biological knowledge and

New Levels of Human and Technical Communication

• Starting points in animals: chemical communication, later sign language,

vocalizations.

• Human language.

• First realizations of writing (bone carvings, cuneiform, papyrus, paper).

• Permanent storage realization of the writing: book, archive, microfiche, glass

(LASER scratched).

• On the other hand, unstable: CD, DVD, stick (already unreliable after about

10 years).

• Technical realizations of type (letterpress, screen printing, rotary printing, 3-D

printer ...).Electronic communication

• Power generator, Morse code, telephone, fax...

• Power grid, electronic tubes, first transistor ...

• First computer: Zuse, Enigma, Colossus (cracks Enigma)Generations of semi­

conductor technology

First integrated chip, CMOS technology, X-ray lithography ...New versions of the

Internet

• Internet: Conceptualization of the Internet as super-robust communications

despite nuclear war by DARPA and Paul Brennan (1973).

• Minitel in France (early 1980s).

• Use of the Internet as WWW at CERN (1987).

• World Wide Web Worm (1990).

• Mosaic Browser (1994).

• Mozilla, Google, cloud computing, Android phones, wearables, Internet of Things ...

13.5  The Internet – A New Level of Communication