The New Internet And Why You Should Be On It
The web is filled with sites explaining why your business needs to have an online presence. I think by now everyone has figured out that the web is a wonderful, powerful advertising medium. It's the marketplace of the world and if you own a business or provide a service and you're not online you are already behind the curve. So, there.
But, is that it? Is the Internet just a business model? I guess you could point out that it is also a seemingly bottomless reference source. Everything anybody wanted to know about anything (but was afraid to ask) is on the Internet somewhere. If you have access to new or unique information on anything, please post it...the world is waiting.
So? Is that it? No room for the everyman to participate other than as a buyer of goods and services? Take heart, because there is change in the air. A new Internet paradigm is forming, something people are calling Web 2.0. There is a lot of discussion about new business models, new ways to advertise, new application platforms, etc., but the most important part is often overlooked. Web 2.0 almost unwittingly describes a new social phenomenon in which an older, wiser Internet community begins to change the nature of the web to conform to the needs of a distributed community.
The human-technology interface used to be the stuff of science fiction. People wired up to a collective electronic consciousness, devoid of all human feeling, never directly interacting with other people, immersed in a virtual world. Instead what we are seeing is the increased use of electronic means of communication has actually increased human interaction. Friends are never out of touch with each other, whether they're in different cities or even different countries. It's commonplace to have regular conversations with people from all over the world.
Most Web 2.0 discussions tend to revolve around the changing Internet infrastructure, open source, network application platforms, data ownership and the like. By focusing on the effect they are missing the point; the real revolution on the Internet has little to do with the infrastructure or the technologyit has to do with the people. The new web is a social phenomenon, not a technical one. The Internet is becoming part of the fabric of our society and as such people are changing it and adapting to it in new and unpredictable ways.
Should you have your own website? In the near future, I think that question will be like asking, "Should you have your own phone?" Websites are so easy to create, so inexpensive to maintain and have so many uses that just about everyone will have one and most will have several. Family sites for sharing with family and friends, work sites for keeping in touch with your peers, sites to announce upcoming events from yard sales to weddings, resumes, accomplishments, hobbies, sports, etc., etc., etc.
The Internet provides the perfect medium to retain the old sense of leaning on a fence to chat with neighbors even when your "neighbors" now live a thousand miles away. Once again, passing an evening in quiet conversation sitting in the "parlor" can be a regular occurrence. Even sharing your toddler's latest refrigerator masterpiece with remote family members can be easily accomplished. And, this new structure applies equally as well to meeting new people. The number of people that have met online is growing exponentially and doesn't show any signs of slowing down.
Create your own website and become part of the new global community.
Article Source: http://www.search-raven.com
About the Author
Dan Scott is a Computer Scientist with over 25 years of accomplishments developing, constructing, and supporting computers and information systems. Make sure you see his web hosting analyses covering the top affordable web hosting providers.
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by: DanScott
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