UNIX operating systems are chiefly known for their adaptability and their ability to run multiple programs concurrently and service more than one user at a time. In terms of UNIX's contribution to the Internet, what's known today as the Internet was initiated as an application of the UNIX operating system several years ago. More than a decade ago, when the first desktop computers were coming into existence, many of these were equipped with a UNIX operating system, which came with networking software included. Consequently, those desktop PCs were able to tap into the Internet effectively, using a program called Telnet. Also, UNIX is an operating system that was used to develop the software protocols for Internet communication. The fact that UNIX is a time-sharing operating system, which means that multiple programs can use the CPU simultaneously, made UNIX a natural choice of Internet servers that are required to run several programs at a time. The Internet is basically huge networks of computers linked together in a client/server architecture, where one computer acts as a designated information source, or a server, on a network, so that other computers, clients, may request information. Because of its versatility, UNIX is widely used to regulate this relationship between computers on the Internet, but is little used in personal computers today, where simpler, more intuitive operating systems are usually needed.
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