Do you consider "WWW" and "The internet" two separate things?

[Duranis]

Maybe an odd question but it came up the other day when I was talking to a couple of teachers about the IT curriculum. I know technically "the internet" (used to at least) refer to the infrastructure (servers, routers, cable, etc) and "the world wide web" referred to the content supplying services run on the internet.

 

However how many of you actually consider these to be two separate things when talking about them in day to day life? Personally I have used to two terms interchangeably and don't ever remember speaking to another tech and having them distinguish between the two. Was just curious if it was just me or if that was the common view?

[Steve21]

To me it's back to "common-tongue" as such. The "Cloud" "Internet" "www" "e-stuff" is all "online"

 

Else you start getting picky, what's an IP address based service? It's not WWW as it's not web/html/urls etc etc

 

What's media stream online? As above not WWW

 

Same with all these "Cloud" services

 

Steve

[Norphy]

Else you start getting picky, what's an IP address based service? It's not WWW as it's not web/html/urls etc etc

 

Um, the method that you use for name resolution and/or connection to the server is irrelevant. If you connect to Google's webpage using http:// 216.58.213.174 you're still using the WWW

 

What's media stream online? As above not WWW

 

If you stream from YouTube or listen to the radio using the BBC's website, you're still using the WWW to connect to the service.

 

Same with all these "Cloud" services :

 

A large proportion of those cloud services use the WWW to connect to their services too. Dropbox for example has a WWW client, i.e. their website.

Edited March 18, 2016 by Norphy

[pcstru]

I try to use the terms appropriately to communicate with people but as with most verbal communication, the key is to use words where there is a common mutual understanding - i.e. the most important thing is that the person I'm talking to understands what I am talking about even if that means I sometimes have to misuse words. That becomes more difficult when communicating in writing since the audience is unknown, so IMO it is better to use words appropriately and accurately (as much as is possible).

 

Properly, the world wide web is a subset of internet infrastructure and communication and exists at the application layer. "the internet" would be the current set of all devices and infrastructure which can, configurations allowing, communicate from any one point to any other. It really starts to exist at the network and transport layer.

[Geoff]

Most muggles are under the mistaken assumption that The Internet = The World Wide Web. For those in the know and possible were around before everything got ruined know there's far more stuff on the internet than is available through your web browser.

 

Consider the joys you are missing out on of IRC, FTP, Usenet and various telnet sites. Granted most of these services can be cajoled into working via a web interface but you are missing the point and more importantly missing the extra features, flexibility and speed of a dedicated client.

 

Also, I take great annoyance when uninformed people, such as in the media, lump anything other than websites as the 'Dark Web' like it was some sort of mysterious force. It's not magic, it's just a password protected FTP server full of child porn ffs.

[bobsmith]

Back when I first got the internet at home and we connected via a 14.4k modem and used TurnPike to connect, there was a real distinction between the WorldWideWeb and things that were seemingly a little bit different like BBS?

 

Being just a kid back then I don't how much of a difference behind the scenes there was.

[Steve21]

Um, the method that you use for name resolution and/or connection to the server is irrelevant. If you connect to Google's webpage using Google, you're still using the WWW

 

How's it irrelevant? If that's the logic you use what's a P2P sharing program use? To me it's Internet not WWW, it doesn't touch HTML/Webpages etc. Nor does email. Nor does a video stream etc etc. They are use the Internet not WWW.

 

As you said, YouTube etc is one of the "getting picky" areas, as it's a "Web-site based" one.

 

Steve

[2ilent8cho]

If i access it via a browser i say the web, if not i say internet.

[Geoff]

there was a real distinction between the WorldWideWeb and things that were seemingly a little bit different like BBS?

 

Some of us are still running a BBS.

[Sagima]

As long as the phrase information super highway never again rears its head with regards to either thing I'm happy with using them synonymously although I recognise the difference I don't any pressing need for to correct people for using one when the other is more appropriate.

[Geoff]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f99PcP0aFNE

[Norphy]

How's it irrelevant? If that's the logic you use what's a P2P sharing program use? To me it's Internet not WWW, it doesn't touch HTML/Webpages etc. Nor does email. Nor does a video stream etc etc. They are use the Internet not WWW.

 

You seem to confusing DNS with the WWW. P2P services and video streaming can all use DNS host names to connect clients to servers, they don't have to use IP addresses. The WWW is what you access through your browser, i.e. webpages. You can use DNS names or IP addresses in a web browser and you'll get the same content. Try it, put http:// 216.58.213.174/ into a browser, you'll get Google. That's the WWW.

[webman]

Yes I always use the correct term. Internet to refer to the infrastructure, and WWW to the service that runs over (or on) the internet - as does FTP, email, P2P, DNS.

 

Video streaming, I would say it depends on how it's being accessed. If it's over HTTP/HTTPS then it's WWW, but if it's a proprietary protocol I'd say it wouldn't be WWW.

 

Sometimes I may use the term 'online' to encompass anything internet -related or -connected or if I don't want to be specific about the WWW/Internet distinction

[elsiegee40]

I think that, in the same way that "computer" is a generic term, "internet" has become a generic term.

 

A computer is the hardware, but if someone has a problem with their computer then it could be the software at fault.

 

Unusually for a pedant, it's not something I'm going to stress about.

 

I think it's one of those words whose usage has evolved... It happens

[WithoutMotive]

I know the definition of each term but I'm not picky about how I use each. I find it sounds better when I tell people to "search the Internet" rather than "search the World Wide Web/web".

[elsiegee40]

WWW is What Went Well at school anyway

 

EBI (even better if) you minimise confusion and talk about the internet with those who really don't need or want to know the difference

[WithoutMotive]

I love the requests that come in saying "MY Internet is broken" as if, when someone is born, they receive a bespoke Internet just for them. [emoji23]

[tom_newton]

Emphatically yes - although I don't get worked up about non-technical people misusing the terms. This used to be one of my go-to questions for interviewing prospective tech hires.

Interesting as services that used to be "Internet based" - eg POP3, FTP, VoIP, video streaming, etc are now often tunneled over HTTP(S) either directly, or, in the case of mail protocols, by going to a web service. This does make for some marginal grey areas (which I would expect a good interview candidate to be able to explore!)

 

I'm also particular about the Internet getting a capital I

[Domino]

Everything is "teh interblargz"

[psydii]

Given the context in which this question was raised (the use of the term in an IT course): yes it really matters.

 

In day to day life: it really doesn't. Just as long as people don't start to think Internet=Facebook.

 

If it runs or runs on/in public IP space then it is part of the Internet.

[TechSupp]

Does it matter....yes it does if they are teaching the new national curriculum! They should be teaching the difference to the kids...as well as the staff.

[webman]

In day to day life: it really doesn't. Just as long as people don't start to think Internet=Facebook.

 

I sort of disagree Part of the problem with people thinking Internet=Facebook is when they use the wrong terms but nobody corrects them. So they continue believing they are using the right words to refer to the right things.

[Norphy]

Given the context in which this question was raised (the use of the term in an IT course): yes it really matters.

 

In day to day life: it really doesn't. Just as long as people don't start to think Internet=Facebook.

 

If it runs or runs on/in public IP space then it is part of the Internet.

 

People already think that Google is the internet. The amount of calls that I've had that have said that the internet is down because they don't get their expected homepage defies belief. As does the amount of people that I've seen type http://www.facebook.com into Google then click the on the facebook link...

[Oaktech]

Depends on the audience. If I'm talking to another IT pro, I use the correct terminology, if I'm talking to a layman I'll mix and match because trying to explain the differences between browser/protocol/port based services isn't worth the breath.

[garethEds]

Back when I first got the internet at home and we connected via a 14.4k modem and used TurnPike to connect, there was a real distinction between the WorldWideWeb and things that were seemingly a little bit different like BBS?

 

Being just a kid back then I don't how much of a difference behind the scenes there was.

 

Loved the old BBS systems. Used to hang around on the Arcade BBS. Hard to believe they still keep their archive going @ The Arcade BBS Home Page - I get the feeling that it is still going - but am not sure.

 

Wow - my name is still in the archive: http://arcade.demon.co.uk/filepages/file73.htm

 

I remember trying to set my own up using ArcBBS

 

Ohh the days.

 

Gareth