Ever since high speed Internet access became mainstream, many fell in love with the virtual world the second time around. While many were already teleporting themselves to cyberspace since the turn of the century, a sizeable number of those people still were not that hooked on the Net due to slow connections. Downloading files back then took a considerable chunk of one’s time, while browsing multimedia presentations on Web pages was considered impractical and wasteful due to the minutes, or even hours, that it took for the whole content to load.

The Need for Speed

I guess there is no need to emphasize that today, you could download Britney’s new album without noticing your nails grow right before your very eyes. DSL, cable, and wireless Internet have made almost every human activity possible to be done in cyberspace. For those who loathe the simple but complicated task of replenishing the contents of the kitchen cabinet and refrigerator, getting that cold turkey into the freezer is just a click of the mouse away. Talking to a client or a loved one on the other side of the pond is as easy as yelling “Hi!” to your next-door neighbor through Skype or any of the instant messengers available on the Web. Indeed, almost anything that is conceivable can be performed in or facilitated on the Internet.

Prophesizing the Present

A number of people have dared to prophesize that time will come when people would no longer need to go outside of their homes to do the things that they have to accomplish. While the thought or prediction may be absurd and outrageous, it is actually not that far fetched. Take for example the concept of the “home office.” Many thought that working at home is only possible if your abode doubles as a grocery store, a dental clinic, or a law office. It was also inconceivable two decades ago that you could take your office’s whole database home with you in order to finish something. You would’ve probably needed two trucks in order to do that.

Love It or Hate It

Scientists and programmers have virtually shrunk or converted everything that is tangible into something that is measurable in kilobytes. If it’s something that exists, then you’ll most likely find or know something about it on the Internet. It’s a researcher’s nirvana and an investigators paradise.

Not every information paparazzi is happy, though. Many scholars still think that information derived from the Internet is unreliable. Take for example Wikipedia. Almost all of the data therein are from people who are not in the employ of the information giant. While the data are verified, there’s no assurance that the claims are proven facts.

Whether our continued and increasing reliance on the Internet is good or bad remains to be seen. For now, there’s no question that the information superhighway is revolutionizing things that we thought had already attained permanence. Who knows what barriers this technology may topple or surpass in 10 years time.

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A decade ago, accessing the Internet was a task that not everybody could do. Not all PCs were equipped with a modem jack, and even if they were, there weren’t many Internet Service Providers at that time which could make that PC slot useful.

Things have definitely changed since then. Before the century turned, the demand for Internet connectivity went up astronomically. ISPs sprouted like mushrooms on a rainy day, even on areas where providing the service was deemed unprofitable or a missionary’s undertaking.

Going Mobile

One of the things or developments in the IT industry which revolutionized Internet connectivity was the emergence of mobile PCs, such as notebooks, PDAs, or palm tops. Office tasks and business transactions are gradually being taken out of the offices or the conference rooms. Many have realized that time is too precious to be spent inside the workplace.

PC manufacturers immediately took note of this need and trend. Whole design teams were given tasks to come up with notebooks or portable PCs which could rival or even outmatch desktops. After just a few years working on the drawing board, many computer companies have succeeded in threatening the very existence of bulky PCs which adored many desks since the computer became personal.

The notebook’s portability is not the main feature which makes it very popular among students and office slaves today, though. While desktops could bring the user into cyberspace through any of the mode available at present, still it cannot give the user that degree of mobility or freedom that only laptops or PDAs could give.

Wi-Fi

Before the advent of wireless Internet, the only means of connecting to the Internet was either through dial up, cable, or DSL. All these require that the PC be leashed to that yellow cable or phone wire that transports the user to cyberspace. This is one of the reasons why notebooks were not yet very popular 4-5 years ago. Laptops were not exactly portable during those years as far as connecting to the Internet is concerned.

High-speed Internet access made another revolutionary turn when wireless access increasingly became available. Many were enticed by the thought that they could be at their workplace even if they’re blocks away sipping a delicious brew at their favorite coffee shop. Many local governments realized the benefits that municipal-wide wireless Internet access could do to their economy. Hence, cities started to install Wi-Fi transmitters all over their area or jurisdiction.

Potent Advertisement

Local governments and business establishments saw the limitless potential of wireless Internet as far as enticing people or customers is concerned. Hence, efforts were made to make Wi-Fi free. Many cities and establishments around the United States, and even in the other parts of the globe, are already offering free wireless Internet access for their citizens or patrons. The race towards blanketing whole towns or cities with Wi-Fi signals peaked during the last two years when bills calling for the installation of wireless Internet access transmitters swamped various legislative bodies, including the national congress.

To be continued…

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