INTERNET has literally changed the way of life for millions of people across the globe. And the post offices are probably complaining because fewer people are buying stamps and writing letters anymore.
There was a time when letters were handwritten and duly posted. Usually they arrive on time. There are the exceptions when a letter arrives 50 years later. That's when the newspapers go to town with stories about very late letters.
These days, people send emails criss-crossing the globe almost every second of the day. In fact, they are doing more than that. They are engaging in instant communication on real time through chat sites, ICQ and other reliable chatrooms.
One of the ill effects of this form of communication is the decline of the English language because young people are using abbreviated forms of words, much like what is happening in the SMS world.
However, the Internet, I like to believe, has more advantages than it has disadvantages. For example, free information and high quality at that, is readily available. The problem is sometimes one can't tell the difference between false info and real info. The Internet can be that confusing.
There must be in excess of 200 million surfing the Internet these days. Some of them are pandering to our baser instincts, others are doing the world some good. It takes all kinds to make up this world, so we have to be a little discerning.
A lot of students are using the Net to pad up their term papers and plagiarism is rife in most colleges and universities. Sometimes unintentionally, a student can copy lock, stock and barrel information and ideas which are not his or hers and incorporate the info into her semester paper.
Unfortunately, a lot of lecturers are also Internet savvy, so tracking down the creators of such information isn't that difficult.
That's one story. The other story is many are using the Internet to while away their time, often on meaningless quests to find something real in their lives. Internet is just one big information highway. People who seek information will find it in one form or another.
However, in recent years a lot of people have discovered that there are millions to be made from the Internet. Frankly, most of the money-making ideas have been used. We are really that far behind. However, now and then there comes a genius who stumble onto an idea that is a novelty. And he strikes the jackpot. Not many of those, I guarantee you.
Still, the Internet as a form of education, information and entertainment is superlative. It is non-pareil in its scope and borderless in its reach. Astounding real and seemingly unstoppable. The Internet is tomorrow's frontier - something that is almost beyond anybody's reach.
Internet has made it impossible for any authoritarian government to hide information. It is now impractical to curb or restrict opinions. I believe nations around the world are discovering this. So in a way, Truth has triumphed.
In a way, the world has really become a village. Decades ago, communications students studied the concept of a global village. Today, the Internet has turned that into reality. Information has never been so fast and furious. We all wonder where it is leading to.
One of the greatest inventions of the last century and probably this century as well is the Internet. It will surpass all communication channels in terms of efficiency and ease of use for the next 10 years. In time to come, there will be instant info at home - plastered on the wall probably on a flat screen high definition TV.
As with all that is just machine, the Internet too can hit a wall. I don't know how that will happen but it is not an impossibility. It is just a piece of machine anyway. Internet can slow to a crawl if there is a global communication network failure but it can not be destroyed because technology is so sophisticated that there are no wires anymore.
There are still more wonderful things coming out of this Internet phenomenon. It will reach its zenith in the next five years. Ideas will always continue to flow, much like the waters of the Mississippi.
Today, we are only looking at the Internet from a narrow perspective because we have not researched its alternative uses to exhaustion but I assure you, the Internet explosion has not settled down.
It will continue to amaze the world and yes, there is money to be made but nine out of 10 people are actually climbing up the wrong tree. Everybody thinks they have THE idea of hitting millions. ha. ha. Not true. I thought so myself until I found out that I was about a million guys behind the long queue.
Just be happy that you still have that shirt on your back. The Internet has actually taught me humility. I found out very early that I knew so little compared with all the other guys on the Net.
Now if we were to put our heads together, we can actually hope to achieve something meaningful. Unfortunately again, mankind are disinclined to share their so-called "secrets". They all want to hoard it until they can find a way to take their treasures beyond the grave. How little they know of the laws that govern our earthly existence.
Gold is metal. Precious yes but it is of no use to a person whose physical form has come to a terminal stage. So even though diamonds are super hard, it is not transferable to the next dimension. When man has finally admitted this fact, he may yet become wise again and look elsewhere for prolonged peace of mind and everlasting happiness.
Meanwhile, the Internet continues to amaze, astound and spellbind anybody who's brave enough to venture beyond its perimeters. May the speed of light be with you. Actually, faster than the speed of light. I believe Bill Gates has caught a fleeting glimpse of the magic of the Internet, even though he too doesn't have all the answers.
Peace be with you always, my friends.
Try this if you're are bored
Call all knife knuts
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