From "Internet" to "Global Information Grid"

I posit that to say "Internet" is a misnomer because implicit in our current usage of the term is the wired backbone.  We then add wireless (e.g., 802.11) at the "edge" of the network and then "cell phone" capability is yet another beast that we tack on and "internet enable."  This is the wrong thinking.

Another term that is perhaps much better is "Global Information Grid" (GIG).  Unfortunately, its definition comes from the Defense Information Systems Agency and reads as, "The Global Information Grid is the globally interconnected, end-to-end set of information capabilities, associated processes, and personnel for collecting, processing, storing, disseminating, and managing information on demand to warfighters, policy makers, and support personnel"  If we replace the user classifications with, simply, "everyone," then this would indeed be a good start for a definition.

I believe this still has several inherent weaknesses (to be explored in the near future) as we consider what will be our future computing environment.