Steve Firth wrote:

Lad, lads, lads.

You're confusing "internet" - abbreviation for interconnected network, the
linking together of different networks. From whence came the internetwork
addressing protocol IP, invented early '70s.

And "The Internet" (note caps) - the largest global implementation of an
internet, probably created around 1983.

Entry copied from Oxford English Dictionary Online:-

Copyright © Oxford University Press 2007
Internet, n.
DRAFT ENTRY Dec. 2002
Computing.

Brit. /{sm}{shti}nt{schwa}n{ope}t/, U.S. /{sm}{shti}n(t){schwa}r{smm}n{ope}t/
Also with lower-case initial. [Shortened < INTERNETWORK n., perh. influenced
by similar words in -net (as Catenet (1972), Satnet (1973), Telenet (1973),
etc.) after ARPAnet (a wide area network developed by the Advanced Research
Projects Agency of the U.S. Department of Defense, attested from 1971). In
subsequent use denoting the global network, prob. greatly reinforced by use in
the compound Internet Protocol; cf.:
1996 K. HAFNER & M. LYON Where Wizards stay up Late (1998) viii. 244
Because this growing conglomeration of networks [in the mid 1980s] was able to
communicate using the TCP/IP protocols, the collection of networks gradually
came to be called the ‘Internet’, borrowing the first word of ‘Internet
Protocol’.]

I. Simple uses.

1. Originally (in form internet): a computer network consisting of or
connecting a number of smaller networks, such as two or more local area
networks connected by a shared communications protocol; spec. such a network
(called ARPAnet) operated by the U.S. Defense Department. In later use (usu.
the Internet): the global computer network (which evolved out of ARPAnet)
providing a variety of information and communication facilities to its users,
and consisting of a loose confederation of interconnected networks which use
standardized communication protocols; (also) the information available on this
network.
1974 V. G. CERF et al. Request for Comments (Network Working Group)
(Electronic text) No. 675. 1 (title) Specification of internet transmission
control program. 1976 V. G. CERF ARPA Internetwork Protocols Project Status
Rep. ii. 36 We have made very little progress in our attempts to specify
experiments using internet gateways. 1981 Electronics (Nexis) 16 June 171 Two
internet servers connect five local networks for different departments of a
company. 1986 Network World (Nexis) 15 Sept. 21 The electronic mail net runs
over Internet, an international network of networks operated by the Department
of Defense. 1990 L. WALL & R. L. SCHWARTZ Programming Perl vi. 260 Many of the
services provided by servers running on the Internet are simply database
engines. 1991 Profession 91 42/2 Most machines on the Internet run the UNIX
operating system and employ the sophisticated TCP/IP protocol, which supports
remote log-ins and anonymous file-transfer protocols (FTPs). 1996 K. HAFNER &
M. LYON Where Wizards stay up Late (1998) viii. 244 Roughly speaking, an
‘internet’ is private and the ‘Internet’ is public. The distinction didn't
really matter until the mid-1980s when route vendors began to sell equipment
to construct private internets. But the distinction quickly blurred as the
private internets built gateways to the public Internet. 1997 Times 5 Mar.
(Interface section) 7/1 Most tourist services on the Internet can only provide
text and picture data on places of interest. 2000 Dominion (Wellington)
(Electronic ed.) 9 Feb., His name has been published in American newspapers
with a total circulation of 2.5 million and can be easily found on the Internet.

II. Compounds.

2. Internet access provider, a commercial company that provides
businesses and individuals with (usually dial-up) access to the Internet; cf.
Internet service provider. Internet addict, a person who uses the Internet
compulsively, excessively, or very frequently. Internet addiction, very
frequent, continual, or excessive use of the Internet; a compulsion to use the
Internet. Internet addiction disorder orig. and chiefly humorous, a supposed
psychological disorder characterized by dependence on, or overuse of, the
Internet, esp. as a means of avoiding problems in other spheres of life.
Internet Protocol, a standard that specifies the format and addressing scheme
of packets of data sent over the Internet or other network; abbreviated IP.
Internet provider = Internet service provider. Internet Relay Chat, a protocol
allowing communication over the Internet between multiple users in real time;
(also) the notional area of the Internet where such communication takes place.
Internet service provider, an organization that provides access to the
Internet, usually on a commercial basis, either via a modem or through a
permanent line, and usually also offers services relating to web sites,
intranets, etc. (abbreviated ISP); cf. Internet access provider, with which
this term is often used interchangeably.
1992 Communications Week (Nexis) 24 Feb. 3 The hearings are in response to
contentions from commercial *Internet access providers such as Performance
Systems International Inc., Reston, Va., that the NSF gave Advanced Network &
Services Inc., Elmsford, N.Y., preferential treatment in awarding it
management and upgrading of the NSFnet backbone. 1996 Daily Tel. 15 Mar. 34/5
To help the bewildered novice, some Internet access providers give a
‘launcher’, which lets users specify what they want to do, and runs the
appropriate piece of software. 1992 Communications Week 30 Nov. 39/4 As an
*Internet ‘addict’ myself, I love to see real-life, everyday benefits to what
is often viewed as another techie tool. 2001 Maine Sunday Telegram (Electronic
ed.) 9 Sept., Experts say more couch potatoes, fast-food diners and Internet
addicts are becoming obese. 1994 Toronto Star 6 Mar. B4/4 Broadhead learned
the hard way how expensive an *Internet addiction can be. 1999 Khaleej Times
(Dubai, United Arab Emirates) 7 Nov. (Features Plus) p. viii/1 Internet
addiction is an all-encompassing phrase for a wide variety of sub-types of
behaviour: they include cyberlibido addiction.., cyber-relationship
addiction.., and net compulsions. 1995 I. GOLDBERG Internet Addiction Support
Group in sci.med (Usenet newsgroup) 16 Mar., *Internet Addiction Disorder
(IAD)-Diagnostic Criteria. A maladaptive pattern of Internet use, leading to
clinically significant impairment or distress as manifested by three (or more)
of the following..[etc.]. 2001 Atlanta Constit. (Electronic ed.) 24 Aug.,
There are warning signs you should know in case you or a loved one are
succumbing to Internet Addiction Disorder, also known as compulsive Internet
use. 1977 Computer Networks 1 183/2 A desired end-end service may be
implemented two ways..end-end controls vs. hop-by-hop controls... Hop-by-Hop
sacrifices some flexibility but partially avoids the need for a common
*internet protocol. 1998 R. DARNELL et al. HTML 4 Unleashed III. xii. 184 The
server is referred to as the resource's ‘network host’ and can be addressed by
either domain name or numerical IP (Internet Protocol) address. 1991 Business
Wire (Nexis) 27 Mar., The CIX agreement can be extended to other commercial
*Internet providers. 1991 Network World (Nexis) 2 Dec. 4 The Boston-based
Federation of American Research Networks, the association of the regional
Internet providers. 2000 Feng Shui for Mod. Living May 12/2 One of America's
most popular internet providers disported [sic] a plethora of special feng
shui links and sites. 1990 J. REYNOLDS & J. POSTEL Request for Comments
(Network Working Group) (Electronic text) No. 1060 12 IRC, *Internet Relay
Chat Protocol. 1991 Byte (Nexis) July 184 A more recent innovation is Internet
Relay Chat, which allows two people on the Internet to communicate in real
time. 1996 Internet World June 104/1, I simply wanted to play Dungeons and
Dragons..over the Internet. I figured that Internet Relay Chat..already was
booming with adventures. 1991 LAN Times (Nexis) 19 Aug. 56 There exist several
commercial *Internet service providers: Alternet, Cerfnet, and PSI Net. 1995
Philadelphia Inquirer 7 Aug. G5/4 The area's two largest Internet service
providers{em}voiceNet and Net Access{em}have Web sites with plenty of local
content, including some pretty cool home pages set up by individuals. 1999
Independent 27 Dec. II. 8/2 Check the dial-up number given to you by your
Internet service provider (ISP) and make sure that's what you entered when you
set up your Dial-Up Connection.