|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
So, is that it? Is all that cool technology nothing more than a gigantic mall? Do you have to be selling something to justify your presence on the World Wide Web? Well, the web is the greatest research resource ever created; I don't think I've ever looked for anything that didn't turn up something, although maybe not always what I expected. I guess if you can provide new information on some subject that might qualify for a website. But, what about Joe (or Jane) Average? Is it only businesses and data providers that have any reason for a web presence? A quick search of the web for reasons to have your own website would seem to indicate as much. Almost without exception they give reasons for businesses to be online, but nothing for people. But, I say you should have your own website and the reason is Web 2.0. No, it's not the latest software release from Microsoft. It's a coined term describing how the Internet has changed since the tech bubble burst. If you search for it, you're likely to find most of the talk revolving around new business models, open source, data ownership, etc. However, this misses the bigger picture of Web 2.0 and that is that the biggest change to have occurred since the tech crash is how people are weaving the Internet into the fabric of their society. It is becoming an invisible connection joining people all over the world together. Contrary to the early fears our parents expressed about an alienated youth living virtual lives alone in their rooms, experiencing human contact only via electronic intermediaries, in this new society people are more connected across a wider spectrum of experiences than ever. The youth of today are in near constant contact with each other. Through IM, online gaming, cell phones, blogs, chat rooms, etc. we are developing a new culture that encompasses all of the connected world, and the world is becoming more connected every day. It's not unusual in the least to meet with friends at the coffee shop in the morning and have a chat with friends in four different countries in the evening. Too many discussions about the future of the Internet focus on the technology and miss the subtler, but equally important point that the real revolution we are seeing is not in the software or hardware but in what many have called the "wetware"; the people. The web is becoming more about the people that use it and what they use it for than about the technology that drives it. So, why should an average person with nothing to sell and no particular drum to beat be on the Internet? Because that's where the rest of society will be. Personal websites will be more commonplace than telephones; they're incredibly inexpensive and easy to build, and most people will have more than one. They will have family sites to share pictures and stories with family and friends, personal blogs to maintain a dialogue with friends and strangers alike on the events of their community and the events of the world. Garage sales, wedding announcements, graduations, births, parties, resumes, recipes, pictures, videos, etc. all on your website(s). As the world shrinks and people from different cultures and backgrounds are thrust together, as families spread out and friends move away, the Internet provides the means to create new connections and to maintain old ones. As people begin to weave it into their culture it will become an invisible, seldom thought of force connecting people across the planet. Join the new global community and build a website. Article Source: http://www.articlewheel.com
Dan Scott is a Computer Scientist with over 25 years of experience designing, building, and supporting computers and computer applications. Make sure you see his web hosting reviews covering the top affordable web hosting sites.
Additional Articles From - Home | Communications
|
  RSS Feeds by Category |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
