This article is from the King Hall Law School FAQ, by David F. Prenatt, Jr. NetEsq@dcn.davis.ca.us with numerous contributions by others.
The Internet is the product of a worldwide computer network developed
by the military in the late 1960s (ARPANET), nurtured by academicians
over the last 20 years or so, and currently used primarily as a medium
for the communication and free exchange of information and ideas for
anyone who knows how to obtain Internet access. There are more
breathtaking Internet applications, but they are not for "newbies" and
they are well beyond the scope of this FAQ.
 
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