Just like humans, computers talk to each other through networked systems. This enables them to share data, resources, and more. It is the backbone of our internet and digital age. It connects pages, building connections just like a web.
I learned that it all began in 60s, when it was just a small system used by the US military to connect their computers. It evolved into emails, then later the World Wide Web, and now mobile and AI.
It has multiple layers, or we call it the OSI model, that enable the physical network up to sessions to deliver the data we use to interact with each other. Imagine it as the cable you directly plug to your PC, up to the tiny bits that your browser or apps send out in that cable or waves.
The latest we have is the Internet of Things (IoT), this enable us to just talk "Hey Google/Gemini" to our devices that turn our AC on, or play music. It makes every object imagined able to join the network, creating smart homes, cities, and grids. This also allows us to have smart meters, manage electricity better, and deliver services faster.
However, this has cons as well, privacy and scalability. But we can no longer escape it, as every phone we have as sensors that enable us to share, collaborate, and connect.
Moreover, for this lesson, you can imagine a website like this broadcasting to the world. Sending you this post for everyone to access. That's the beauty of networked system. It doesn't limit the connection to computers; it enables human interaction everywhere, anytime.