| Are these two notions synonymous? |
| Yes, nearly so! |
| Internet exists for ~20 years. Basic networking technology was in stagnation for a decade. High-speed testbeds were driven by scientific applications, not by popular demand. |
| An average citizen's communication needs were adequately served by a phone and a postman. Businesses added a fax and FedEx. Electronic mail was available but only popular in limited circles. |
| Current web activities are running over the global infrastructure that was not significantly upgraded in recent years. |
| The only differentiating factor is the architecture of the World Wide Web and the web browser. |