[Air-l] A definition of the internet

[Christian Fuchs]

I think the standard techno-determinist definition of the internet is 
that it is a global network of computer networks operating with TCP/IP.

I think this already neglects the importance of social systems/virtual 
communities which are social internets. Therefore I define the internet 
as a techno-social system consisting
of a technological structure (network of computer networks, global, 
TCP/IP) storing and distributing knowledge and social systems of 
cognition, communication, and co-operation. The two systems are 
structurally coupled.

I have published a paper on the question of how to define the internet:

Fuchs, Christian (2005) The Internet as a Self-Organizing 
Socio-Technological System. In: Cybernetics & Human Knowing. Vol. 12, 
No. 3. pp. 57-81.
http://cartoon.iguw.tuwien.ac.at/christian/InternetSelfOrg.pdf

Christian




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_____________________________
Univ.Ass. Dr. Christian Fuchs
ICT&S Center - Advanced Studies and Research in
Information and Communication Technologies & Society
http://www.icts.uni-salzburg.at
University of Salzburg
Sigmund Haffner Gasse 18
5020 Salzburg
Austria
christian.fuchs at sbg.ac.at
Phone +43 662 8044 4823
  Fax +43 662 6389 4800
Information-Society-Technology:
http://cartoon.iguw.tuwien.ac.at/christian/
Managing Editor of tripleC - open access online journal
for the foundations of information science:
http://triplec.uti.at