George Klaum

TECHNOLOGY ESSAY

By George Klaum

            In today’s society, many things are created with the insight of starting a technological craze, like so many other time in the past. This can be anything from the iPod, to soap! It’s always been a great debate about what the most important technological invention of our past is, and will continue to be. I, truthfully, think that the greatest human invention of all time is the internet. The internet can be used for communication anywhere in the world, be it close to home, or on the other side of the globe. This makes it easy to be in contact with people close to your heart, or a great way to meet people from different cultures with your same point of view. The internet is also a mass storage bin, organized with millions of pages of information you might just find one click away. Any information one person, or a group of people, discover, receive, or know of, they can create web pages, and websites full of information useful, or entertaining. Finally, the internet can be used as and exceptional form of entertainment. Things like playing flash games, listening to radios, or talking about your favorite topic in a chat room, have been seen as past times of the adults and youth alike. The internet is by far one of the greatest leaps into technological advancement in the history of the Earth.

            Today, in the world, there is a massive need to communicate with other people. You could even say that we have become a socially dominated culture, but relieving the fact that people have always been looking for an easier way to communicate, the internet takes hold. On the internet, there are many ways to communicate with other people or groups of people, and three common methods are email, Instant messaging, and the use of networking websites such as MySpace, and Facebook. Email is a very useful tool for a busy person, or a casual internet browser. It enables a person to send another person a message of varying length and varying detail. This is then read by the other user, and can be responded to. This is a useful tool for someone who doesn’t have enough time for instant messaging, or for sending large documents through the great pathway of the internet.  Instant messaging is also another useful tool. It’s sole purpose is to chat between two people instantaneously. It’s useful as it doesn’t cost money, and can usually be done for hours on end, getting through a lot of conversations with people who you would otherwise not be able to talk to at the time. The last, but certainly not least, form of communication across the internet: networking websites, which are currently on the rise around the world. Websites such as MySpace and Facebook are used my many: adults, and increasingly, the youth and teen population. On these websites, you can message other people, meet new friends, and contain a blog within your customizable profile. By far, the internet is the most useful tool for communication out there as of right now.

            As well as being an extremely useful tool for communication, the internet is also a mass storage bin. Many different websites and databases on the internet are dedicated to storing information and files for download directly to your computer. Online, you can find almost anything you want just by searching for it in the many websites dedicated to searching for files: Google, Yahoo!, and simple search bars, like AOL search, which is just a subsidiary of Google search. You can find anything you like on the internet. You can research from many reputable websites, and find as much information as you need for a project or an essay. Online, you can download files that people have placed on their websites, or store files on your own websites. The internet is the most massive storage bin in the world.

            Finally, one of the most interesting points and uses of the internet, is the entertainment industry. In small to large communities across the internet, gaming, listening to music, and watching videos, millions of people, daily, use the wonderful tool of the internet, for entertainment. Entertainment is actually one of the most important uses of the internet. This is due to the fact that most people use entertainment to brighten their days. If a person is bored, or accessing a repetitive lifestyle, then entertainment will not only make them a happier person, but they will also work harder and try harder. Using the internet, people have access to many different forms of entertainment. They can listen to online radios such as Yahoo Radio, or last.fm. They can also download music from the internet for use on ipods, or burnt discs. Another familiar form of entertainment online is gaming. Many game sites exist, from simple databases like 2flashgames, to gaming and chat room communities, like Kongregate. The internet is full of entertaining alternatives to the daily lifestyle.
            Yes, in today’s society, the internet is a crucial and necessary part of daily living for the majority of the people. It can be used to find information, communicate, or entertain. These many different aspects of the internet constantly broaden, creating a large inter-web connection of different users, groups, alliances, etc. In the future, hopefully, we’ll be able to use the internet for many different aspects of life, and have a broader opportunity with their many daily uses of the internet.