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HTMLHelp Forums _ Off Topic _ Has the Internet Turned Out How You Thought It Would?

Posted by: justlukeyou May 26 2007, 04:04 PM

From its mass market inaugaration roughly ten years ago has the Internet turned out the way you thought it would? Who would have thought that a 23 year old could own a website worth $1.5bn and turn down an offer for it (Facebook) Frankly I find it slightly disturbing that one website could make one single person so rich.

Posted by: Darin McGrew May 26 2007, 05:12 PM

QUOTE(justlukeyou @ May 26 2007, 02:04 PM)

From its mass market inaugaration roughly ten years ago has the Internet turned out the way you thought it would?

Frankly, I didn't anticipate spam, UCE, and the assorted malware becoming the problem that they are. But neither did those who designed the various protocols, which is why the system is being abused the way it is.

QUOTE(justlukeyou @ May 26 2007, 02:04 PM)

Who would have thought that a 23 year old could own a website worth $1.5bn and turn down an offer for it (Facebook) Frankly I find it slightly disturbing that one website could make one single person so rich.

I don't find it at all disturbing. But I do find it rather disturbing that some people think there is something wrong with others profiting from their own creativity and effort.

Posted by: Christian J May 26 2007, 06:04 PM

QUOTE(justlukeyou @ May 26 2007, 11:04 PM)

From its mass market inaugaration roughly ten years ago has the Internet turned out the way you thought it would?

I don't know: in the beginning I didn't know much about it, and it has just kept evolving as I've learned more.

Posted by: pandy May 26 2007, 06:50 PM

I still don't know much about it. I don't move in very wide circles.

Posted by: JamieHarrop May 26 2007, 06:57 PM

It's hard to say, for me at least. When I first started surfing the Net six or seven years ago, I never really imagined what it would be like seven years later.

Honestly, much doesn't seem to have changed since I first started surfing. I know a lot has probably changed, but it doesn't seem like it because those changes seem to happen gradually over long periods, and by the time the change happens, it has already been in the progress of happening for six months so I'm perfectly used to it.

The only real thing that stands out to me as having evolved greatly in recent times is the use of on-demand media (Usually video). Almost all large TV stations have an on-demand Web site or stand-alone system that can be downloaded, and more people than ever before are choosing to drop blogs (which are a relatively new concept themselves) in favour of vlogs (video blogs).

I'd like to say I feel the next ten years will be the time where we see the most drastic changes, but I'm sure everybody said exactly that ten years ago when talking about the period leading up to 2007.

All I know is, I can't wait to see what it brings.