Best Invention

Best invetion

Reading the article by Jared Diamond from The New York Times Magazine

about the best invention got me kind of wondering, what was the best invention of the last millennium. To him it was that Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press, I think that is very important part of history, but what I think was the best invention of the last millennium was the Internet

A man and computer scientists Robert and Taylor had developed a new system of communication that would change the world. Taylor delegated the network planning to Larry Roberts, who began exploring the technology options for building a four-note network with a half-second response time (Segaller 60). They connected two separate computers that were capable of communicating small bits of information between one another. This was only intended to send simple text messages and numbers using an analog signal, but would prove to be a bigger help than originally imagined. The Internet has become a fast and efficient way of connecting people of all cultures and locals. Interactions between all types of peoples from around the world have also become more wide spread. The Internet has become a nursery of business activity, a virtual shopping mall, a social paradise, and a culture all wrapped up in a neat little package. The power to access both the business and social world from the average user’s home hinders the desire to connect with the outside physical world. The Internet serves many purposes, but has specifically altered the standard economic practices of businesses previously dependant on direct contact in attracting and maintaining a healthy clientele.

From the perspective of the consumer, this new form of business has spawned a new form of convenience and accessibility. The ability to access goods and services through the computer increases consumer base. Consumers who were previously unable to purchase goods on their own now have the power to purchase such products from their personal computer. The personal-computer revolution happened and it has affected million of lives. It has let us to places we had barely imagined (Gates xi). With a search engine and the knowledge of what a person is looking for, an unlimited array of businesses will include a virtual catalog of what their company has to offer to the customer. As a result, the customer has the power to choose whatever he or she desires without the inconvenience of leaving their own home. People can browse for hours without the time and effort involved in going from store to store to find just the right product.

The Internet is not always used for the specific purpose of business relations and customer transactions. The net allows people who would not normally be able to interact with other social groups and cultures to communicate with a wide range of different persons. Chat rooms are the most widespread of all places to find common interest groups that are willing to share information about themselves and their lives. This type of global interaction is reminiscent to having a pen pal but on a much larger and more efficient scale. Secondly, this type of interaction eliminates the awkwardness of direct physical contact when meeting new people. Net users can reach out to others while maintaining a comfortable level of personal space.

Despite all the issues concerning the Internet, it is still becoming an ever-increasing form of communication and will continue to flourish well into the 21st century. This technology is now the driving force of the economies of most developed countries, and is contributing to the development of the rest. It is changing the world (Freiberger 423) Conveniences are also appealing to the customers and encourage them to make their purchases on-line. This convenience overrides any doubts the consumer may have in regards to their purchase. The volume increase of on-line users creates this environment for business growth as well as social interaction; users are able to connect with a wide variety of people and view the Internet as a social garden. Issues of safety and isolation within the home do not seem as relevant as the benefits of cross-global interaction. The Internet is a useful and vestal tool in all of these situations. There will always be problems with a system as large as this, but the advantages are ever increasing. In most of our daily lives, then, even in complex world, each step should be straightforward (Berners-Lee 193).

Work Cites

Berners-Lee, Tim. Weaving the Web. New York: HarperCollins, 1999.

Gates, Bill. The Road Ahead. USA: Penguin Group, 1995

Freiberger, Paul, and Swaine Michael. Fire in the Valley: The Making of the

Personal Computer. 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2000.

Segaller, Stephen. Nerds 2.0.1: A Brief History of the Internet. New York:

TV Books, 1998