It is hard to believe how young the Internet still is. It has only been around for merely twenty-five to thirty years and started out as an insignificant tool in its infancy. Few people had access to the Internet, yet it now plays such an integral role in our daily lives. Some people are unable to function without it. From computers and smart phones to watches and even eyewear, almost anything can now be connected to what is one large constantly evolving network. In this article we will take a look at the ten greatest impacts, both positive and negative, the Internet has had on society. (Antliff, 2013)
Before I dive into the history and the hard facts of the Internet, I would like to share my view and knowledge of growing up with the web. I am still amazed at the fact that I was born into this technological phenomena and two years before the Internet surfaced for public use. I remember when my family purchased our first desktop computer around 1995; I was only four years old and just simply amazed. I will never forget the nostalgic sounds of the start-up and shut-down of Windows 95 and of course that wonderful dial-up sound, when it worked. I cannot believe we went as far back as using AOL 3.0, two years before IM (Instant Messaging) was developed. We used AOL as our dial-up provider until version 9.0. We would make the transfer to wireless Internet (WI-FI) shortly thereafter. We currently own our third desktop PC, along with multiple laptops and portable devices. Each of them are running on Windows 7 (We used 95, 98, millennium, XP, & Vista previously). I cannot believe how much the Internet has dramatically changed since I was in high school let alone a child.
The Internet has been defined by a national panel as “a diverse set of independent networks, interlinked to provide its users with the appearance of a single, uniform network.” (Hanson, 2014). Historically there are not many people who know that the
Cited: Hanson, Ralph E (2014). Mass Communication: Living in a Media World. University of Nebraska, NE: Sage Publication Antilff A. (2013, July 10) Ten Ways the Internet Has Changed The World. Retrieved from http://whatculture.com/technology/10-ways-the-Internet-has-changed-the-world.php