The idea of an economy based on information. Information which is usually traded. Popularized in Neal Stephenson's Snow Crash. When people communicate, especially within virtual space. A vast and very popular worl-wide computer network, begun by the Department of Defense in the 60's, that connects educational institutions, corporations, organizations, and military and government installations around the globe.
Some organizations exist that offer Internet access to the general public.
Usenet, MUDs, FTP sites and IRC is a part of the Internet. Realtime communication forums between users all over the world. Consists of several diffirent networks. A communitek which basically will greatly expand the poetential for information comming into ones house. Such as having 700 TV channels, interactive realtime video-phones, and far off in the future possibly realtime networked interactive 3D virtual reality.