THE INTERNET - PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE

This paper charts the transformation of the Internet from its military and academic origins to its current status as a global network for mu ltimedia information publishing and retrieval. It explains the basic t echnologies that have enabled this transformation and introduces the a dvances that will underpin its future development. These include secur ity and electronic commerce, network computing and three-dimensional w orlds, and the development of an integrated service platform for the d elivery of real-time audio and video services.