Re: [Ekiga-list] h323 contacts

[Bret Busby <bret busby net>]

On Sun, 16 Jun 2013, Genghis Khan wrote:

> WAN = Wide Area Network, also known as the Internet.
>
> --
> Proper English www.reddit.com/r/proper
> 4 teh lulz... http://email.is-not-s.ms

Ah.

I think that you may find that "The Internet" is a particular 
instantiation of an internet, an internet being a network that does not 
require all nodes within the network, to use the same operating system - 
I think, from memory, IBM was the first to introduce an "internet 
operating system"; SNA, which allowed inter-operating system 
communications, so that a VAX running VAX-VMS could communicate with a 
VAX running BSD UNIX could communicate with a computer running SCO UNIX 
could communicate with a DEC PDP-11 running RSTS/e could copmmunicate 
with an IBM 3081 running whatever particular operating system would be 
running on it, could communicate with a SPERRY UNVAC running whatever 
operating system running on it, etc...

After SNA was established, from memory, DEC put out its equivalent; DNA 
(DEC Network Architecture), and then other organisations followed suit, 
with other internet architectures, of which "The Internet" is only one 
(albeit the now primary) instantiation.

A WAN, being a Wide Area Network, as (in that alone) you correctly 
stated, which is a network, usually involvinmg only a singular operating 
system for it and its nodes, usually run by an entity like a medium to 
large business or government department, and is closed, so that it is 
only accessible by authorised people within the particular organisation. 
A WAN is a geographic classification for a computer network, and is 
relative to a LAN; a LAN may be limited to be being within a single 
building, or, may (?) extend beyond  the building. A WAN usually extends 
across a large(-ish) city, and may extend between cities, states, or 
countries.

An example of a WAN, is the network that had (some years ago) been used 
by the Australian federal Department of Social Security (DSS), that had 
connected the DSS offices at different locations within the various 
localities (regional and suburban offices) within Australia, and, 
between the states and territories (almost states) of Australia.

A company such as BHP or BP, may each have its own WAN, connecting 
offices and presences around the world, each operating as a closed 
network.

And, a WAN may or may not be an internet.

But, WAN != "The Internet".

"The Internet" is an instantion of a WAN, and, is an instantiation of an 
Internet.

A LAN could be an internet, especially, as, here, we have a LAN that 
includes MS Windows, Android, Linux, and, hopefully, soon, an 
instantiation of a BSD system, computers.

So, WAN != "The Internet" (which is the term that is sometimes used by 
the confused, to refer to "The World Wide Web", which runs on top of 
"The Internet").

When terms are misused, especially on a list such as this, which 
includes (I believe) readers of various levels of knowledge, from almost 
"computer illiterate", to "experts", it aggravates the confusion, and, 
aggravates problems of communication between people of varying levels of 
proficiency regarding the English language.

--
Bret Busby
Armadale
West Australia
..............

"So once you do know what the question actually is,
 you'll know what the answer means."
- Deep Thought,
  Chapter 28 of Book 1 of
  "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy:
  A Trilogy In Four Parts",
  written by Douglas Adams,
  published by Pan Books, 1992
....................................................