The Internet - The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

The Internet - The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

The internet is a computer based global information system. It is composed of many interconnected computer networks. Each network may link thousands of computers enabling them to share information. The internet has brought a transformation in many aspects of life. It is one of the biggest contributors in making the world into a global village. Use of internet has grown tremendously since it was introduced. It is mostly because of its flexibility. Nowadays one can access the internet easily. Most people have computers in their homes but even the ones who don't they can always go to cyber cafes where this service is provided. The internet developed from software called the ARPANET which the U.S military had developed. It was only restrict to military personnel and the people who developed it. Only after it was privatized was it allowed to be used commercially.

The internet has developed to give many benefits to mankind. The access to information being one of the most important. Student can now have access to libraries around the world. Some charge a fee but most provide free services. Before students had to spend hours and hours in the libraries but now at the touch of a button students have a huge database in front of them. They can have online discussions with other students as well. There is another aspect of the internet-internet chat. This has opened a doorway to the world. One can talk to people of different nationalities and get to know about their culture and traditions. Problems can be discussed with them. This is especially useful for people who have relatives abroad. It is more expensive to call and talk to them through a normal phone line but the internet has almost done away with that too. Online chatting and voice conferences provide a cheap outlet. One can also see ones loved ones online, all this happening at the same time. This includes electronic mail and online chatting.

The internet has brought new opportunities to government, business and education. Governments use it for various processes such as distribution of information and internal communication. Businesses use it to sell and buy products online and also to interact with other businesses. New business opportunities have sprouted because of the internet. Auctions take place and sites like 'e-bay' provide the opportunity for everyone t...

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...fered a loss, especially the music and movie industry. Movies and songs are available for free on the internet which has affected the sale levels of artists. People make their own cds and sell them. The phone industry has also suffered because more people are making calls through the internet.

Students have also abused the internet by copying other people's assignments and passing them as their own. And there is no way teachers can really catch them because they may have taken it from anywhere on the internet.

The internet has been abused in many ways but its use cannot be undermined. Its benefits far outweigh its disadvantages in my view. As the internet continues to grow many challenges have to be met. The growing traffic on the net provides a major hurdle. As more people log on, more highways have to be developed for smooth surfing. There also have to be new laws passed to control the type of information flowing on the internet. Security measures have to be tightened.

The most important factor is that people need to be educated on how to use the internet for their betterment. No matter how much governments control, until people develop a conciousness matters will not improve.