Communication



The way we communicate is forever changed. Email is much faster than the snail-mail letters that were being sent and received before the advent of the internet.

Instant messaging has all but replaced the telephone. There are people who claim that they IM more than twice as often as they talk on the phone.

Text messaging, although it is done using a phone, basically uses internet type technology as well. This is a quick way to send a short message when there isn't time to have a long conversation via phone or otherwise. It is used by professionals and everyday people alike.

Entertainment

Our idea of entertainment has changed. Former couch potatoes are now ?computer potatoes.? In fact, even people who were never that big into TV are willing to sit for hours in front of their computers.

But what are they doing?

For one thing, they are playing games on online sites, which can mean retro games, card games and puzzle games, both new and old. The also thoroughly enjoy RPG's (Role Playing Games), MMO's (Massive Multiplayer Online games), FPS's (First Person Shooters) and RTS's (Real-Time Strategy games).

In addition to gaming, people like to listen to music online. This includes sites like Rhapsody, where you can stream music (and listen unlimited, like a giant jukebox), iTunes and emusic where you can buy digital music files like mp3 and mp4, and so on.

Online music also includes discovering independent music and new music from artists you've never heard of. This was hard to do at a music store, where even the few CDs you could listen to before you buy were major commercial releases.

People also like to watch TV shows and movies, even video podcasts online. Instead of being limited to what's on TV, on-demand, or on one's DVR, people can choose from the endless selection of video content on the internet!

Business

People of all walks of life and all professions are now finding the internet to be the go-to place for information and e-commerce. It is amazing how much you can learn online that can help you with school or work.

But equally astounding is the fact that you can actually make a lot of money online by starting a website and selling products and services. One can market his or her own special niche product or service in ways never before possible, to a customer base that spans the globe rather than their limited local community.

Lifestyle and Culture

The internet has also generally changed our lifestyle and culture. The way that we communicate off-line has been impacted by IM lingo. You may have already heard someone say ?lol? or ?brb? in person. If you haven't, you probably will soon.

There was even a national ad campaign where someone asked another person what they were doing, and they said ?Idk, talking to my bff.? These abbreviations are out of control! Who would have thought that we would start saying abbreviated phrases in our everyday lives, verbally!?

When people meet new friends, they often give out an email address instead of a phone number. People might even say ?myspace me? (meaning to message them on their myspace page).

The internet itself has not only become an extension of everything we do, it has also become the part of the very fiber of our society.