Internet as a New Source of Information in the Intensive Care Field

Abstract

Internet is often described as the basis of the “information super highway”, which is being discussed at different levels in nearly all the media. Initially set up to connect both academic institutions and military units, Internet consists of many computer networks, larger and smaller ones, which are linked to form a world-wide network which enables nearly any Internet computer to be connected with any other in the world. The route by which they are ultimately connected cannot be predicted because each connection is made automatically on the basis of which ones are available at that moment. There is no central organization which organizes or controls Internet, just an association of Internet users and providers who standardize transfer control protocols (usually these are called TCP/IP which means transmission control protocol/internet protocol). The Internet association is also important for allocating a unique identification number, similar to a telephone number, to each network computer. Since it is difficult to remember such numbers, typical Internet addresses such as http://www.univie.ac.at/ESS are used; this one is the address of the Internet computer on which the home page of the World Wide Web server of the European Shock Society (ESS) is located.