Internet Changed The World

Writers, artists, reviewers, editors, filmmakers and all sorts of other professionals in a wide range of disciplines can now “telecommute,” and although that term never quite caught on the concept certainly did. With the Internet, both employers and employees can take advantage of the “virtual workplace,” ushering in a new age of efficiencies to many firms.

Today, businesses can reach around the planet, while consumers from any spot on the globe can reach them, too. Some businesses exist mainly, even solely, on the Internet, but the marketing opportunities the Web opened up have changed the way every company promotes its wares and services.

“Socializing” has taken on new meanings and dimensions in the Brave New Internet World. Not only are there sites specifically made for making friends, lovers and spouses, there are tons of Web forums and destinations for people of common interests to virtually “hang out.” You can search your own genealogy, or a friend’s, and locate long-lost relatives (as well as school chums).

E-mail is only the most obvious and most used of the new communications methods. The Internet makes staying in touch much easier, in a number of different ways. With most new laptops and netbooks — with greater total sales than desktops for a couple of years running now — having built-in cameras and microphones, using an online videoconferencing service is easy, simple and free. It has never been as easy, or as cheap, to stay in touch.

The Internet truly has changed the world in almost countless ways, some for the better, some for the worse and some in ways we may not discern for some time yet. Clearly, the Internet is not going to disappear, but just as clearly it will continue to evolve and change as we move into the future with so many different interest groups, companies, politicians and everyday computer users pushing and pulling at its components. Computers will get faster, broadband will get broader and services will continue to expand to fill every sort of need.