View Full Version : The Internet
Are you happy with the internet.
Is it a positive thing or a negative thing.
Does it impact on your life.
Is there any part of it you would change if you could.
What controls would you put on it if you could.
Does it control you.
Where would you like it to go.
What would you like it to do for you.
The thing that drives me mad is the adverts everywhere, everything you do it tracks you and tempts you to buy stuff constantly.
When you just want to get on read your email or whatever it has to load all this garbage slowing its response down...
What are your thought and ideas...
Angel...
If it wasn't for the advertising there wouldnt be an internet. Not in its current form anyway. It is first and formost a tool to sell.
I never notice the adverts. Ive turned off to them. I use the internet like a tool. Its an amazing instrument. You cant hide who you are on the interent.
linnie612
24-Nov-11, 00:02
Really, 'gleeber'?;)
linnie612
24-Nov-11, 00:13
You cant hide who you are on the interent.
I mean on this thread alone we have 'Angel', 'ducati', 'gleeber' and 'linnie612'. 'Twas but a jest......
Aye I see what you mean. :confused
Are you happy with the internet.
Is it a positive thing or a negative thing.
Does it impact on your life.
Is there any part of it you would change if you could.
What controls would you put on it if you could.
Does it control you.
Where would you like it to go.
What would you like it to do for you.
The thing that drives me mad is the adverts everywhere, everything you do it tracks you and tempts you to buy stuff constantly.
When you just want to get on read your email or whatever it has to load all this garbage slowing its response down...
What are your thought and ideas...
Angel...
To get rid of 99% of the ads (even in videos) download either Firefox (http://www.getfirefox.net/) or Chrome (http://www.google.com/chrome) (I prefer Firefox) and install the Adblock Plus addon (http://adblockplus.org/en/) (Firefox) or Adblock (https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/gighmmpiobklfepjocnamgkkbiglidom) (Chrome). You may occasionally need to switch back to Internet Explorer for sites built by lazy developers. Removing adds has the added benefit or protecting you from some malware and speeding up web browsing. The Internet was around for a while before advertising came to it and companies were still selling products just fine.
Personally I like the Internet, it's been a force for good and technological advancement. The only thing I'm concerned about are the people and governments who want to censor it under auspices of 'protecting the children' or 'improving the digital economy'. That being said I do think people convicted of spamming or writing malware should be punished a bit more severely and that registrars and hosting companies should be a bit more discerning in who they sell services to.
Nick Noble
24-Nov-11, 09:32
The internet is, on both a technological and sociological level, one of the most important and amazing inventions of humankind.
We have hardly started to tap into its potential, already it contains more written information than contained in every book ever printed, more people have opportunities to share information directly with like minded people than ever before.
It is a tool for massive social change both good - "arab spring" and bad - UK riots.
As to the adverts, get yourself a decent browser such as chrome or firefox, add "adblock plus" and say goodbye to adverts for ever!
The internet is, on both a technological and sociological level, one of the most important and amazing inventions of humankind.
I would agree with that 100%
If anything, I think its significance is still not fully understood or appreciated.
It's maybe not up there with the water bottle or wheel in terms of human inventions and their effect on humanity, but it must be on a par with the steam engine.
And I'll add that its success is in no small part down to the founders foresight to deliberately make the internet (almost) immune from centralised control. I've no doubt at all that most governments would love more control over what we can and can't create, access and post.
Thanks for the 'Adblock' thingy advice guys will endeavour to install it...
I to also use it as a tool and it can be very useful... I am just a little concerned as to how we are affected by the internet and I (at least) throw a wobbly when it goes down. I feel our reliance on it is getting out of hand.
I agree too it has it's good points as well as bad. I also run a few specialised websites and refuse to have advertising on them despite the offers given and the huge number of visitors.
Not sure where I want it to go though and no other ideas have come forward as yet.
There is one thing I feel it needs is the hosting companies need to take a closer look at the site they hose and take some responcibility for the content thereon.
Angel...
oldmarine
25-Nov-11, 04:43
Are you happy with the internet.
Is it a positive thing or a negative thing.
Does it impact on your life.
Is there any part of it you would change if you could.
What controls would you put on it if you could.
Does it control you.
Where would you like it to go.
What would you like it to do for you.
The thing that drives me mad is the adverts everywhere, everything you do it tracks you and tempts you to buy stuff constantly.
When you just want to get on read your email or whatever it has to load all this garbage slowing its response down...
What are your thought and ideas...
Angel...
I am happy with the internet the way it is. I have discovered I can ignore the negative things. I will not let it impact my life. I would not change any part of it and I would not let it control me. Those are my thoughts on the subject. Old Marine
Thanks for the 'Adblock' thingy advice guys will endeavour to install it...
I to also use it as a tool and it can be very useful... I am just a little concerned as to how we are affected by the internet and I (at least) throw a wobbly when it goes down. I feel our reliance on it is getting out of hand.
I agree too it has it's good points as well as bad. I also run a few specialised websites and refuse to have advertising on them despite the offers given and the huge number of visitors.
Not sure where I want it to go though and no other ideas have come forward as yet.
There is one thing I feel it needs is the hosting companies need to take a closer look at the site they hose and take some responcibility for the content thereon.
Angel...
Well for some people it is an essential service, so you should get upset when it goes down. The same way you get upset when electricity stops working etc. I can usually put up with it being down for a while though, I'm a lot less upset by it being down than I am about a power cut.
weezer 316
25-Nov-11, 14:47
I think in 1000 years (if we survive that long) when we look back the wheel and the internet will be the two greatest invention of mankind. The flow of infotmation has allowed things to happen that conceivably could have happened any other way (content on demand, communication accross the globe, gaming with people from across the world, the ability to have customer anywhere on earth rather than just your own back yard t name a few) and I wonder just how many jobs the net has created since say 1990?
Its also a testament to what engineers can achieve when political and corporate interferecne is removed from their work. The packet switching at the base of it all (TCP/IP) is a series of protocols that scales so incredibly well its used to deliver a simple email or a 5BG HD movie or anything in between like webpages or pictures. Its truly a supreme piece of work that is really without compare in all of human history.
oldmarine
25-Nov-11, 21:57
I think in 1000 years (if we survive that long) when we look back the wheel and the internet will be the two greatest invention of mankind. The flow of infotmation has allowed things to happen that conceivably could have happened any other way (content on demand, communication accross the globe, gaming with people from across the world, the ability to have customer anywhere on earth rather than just your own back yard t name a few) and I wonder just how many jobs the net has created since say 1990?
Its also a testament to what engineers can achieve when political and corporate interferecne is removed from their work. The packet switching at the base of it all (TCP/IP) is a series of protocols that scales so incredibly well its used to deliver a simple email or a 5BG HD movie or anything in between like webpages or pictures. Its truly a supreme piece of work that is really without compare in all of human history.
Weezer: You make a good point here. You have pointed out the good of the Internet. Unfortunately, there is a bad side, i.e., when people use it to attack others with worthless comments, even lies.
weezer 316
25-Nov-11, 23:49
Thats not the internets downside, thats human beings. nothing about the internet per se that causes that.
As for downsides, I would say the only one I can think of is that is peer-to-peer nature makes it relativly easy to circumvent the law, as unless they are literally siting watcihg everything that comes out your line I could easily share stuff with anyone thats illegal and no one would know. Music for example, or in an extreme case child pornography.
Thats not the internets downside, thats human beings. nothing about the internet per se that causes that.
As for downsides, I would say the only one I can think of is that is peer-to-peer nature makes it relativly easy to circumvent the law, as unless they are literally siting watcihg everything that comes out your line I could easily share stuff with anyone thats illegal and no one would know. Music for example, or in an extreme case child pornography.
I'd say there were many many downsides. I would imagine that there are a very signicant number of deaths each year as a direct result of peoples activity on the internet. Activities that would just not be possible otherwise.
There is also the damage to reputations when the press for instance can use it to circumvent laws about privacy and harassment.
Bill Fernie
26-Nov-11, 14:45
On ad blocking I would point out that Caithness.org is now fully paid for by advertsing. In the first few years it did ot cover its costs but now we are able to offer everything on the site free purely because the ads pay enough. However if everyone on the web blocks all ads it will be the end of manhy web site including Caithness.org, Facebook etc, Google and a million more.
Hopefully folk are used to them and only need to click on ones they are interested in. Essentially it is clicked on ads that mainly pay for things on most web sites. The alternative to offer a subscription based memebrship is administratively complicated and there may not be enough people willing to subscribe.
I hope everyone will continue to support ads on the site as things would be difficult to maintain without them.
I have used the fact that we have advertising to offer many FREE services to Caithness and in this way that keeps costs down for local businesses and voluntary groups who get all their pages, contact details and event adverts for free. If we can keep local costs down for all organisations then they are more cost efficientr and hopefully give better prices and services in turn.
Thanks for all your support for Caithness.org
Bill
The alternative to offer a subscription based memebrship is administratively complicated and there may not be enough people willing to subscribe.
There is another alternate option & that is a donation system. That way it remains free & open to all unlike a subscription which will drive people away sounding the death knell for the site..
Weezer...well said..
Bill F.......also well said..... Yes Bill you seem to have the right combination now..
Great way to run a business.....s
orkneycadian
27-Nov-11, 19:23
I think in 1000 years (if we survive that long) when we look back the wheel and the internet will be the two greatest invention of mankind.
I think that in 20 years time, we will look back at the Internet as one of the biggest scourges to our society. By then, we will have become such an insular nation of individuals that no-one will bother leaving the house, and we will have lost almost all our conversational and people skills. There will be hardly any local shops or producers. Everyone will sit on their behinds and point and click to get Tesco to deliver goods produced in countries with altogether more vision. Obesity will be a way of life, and life expectency figures will have peaked and be on a downward spiral again. By then, we'll have discovered that we can no longer get fit by walking to the bank, as there are none, just as there won't be any shops within walking distance anyway.
We'll all be unemployed, as all the online buying sites will be run from China, supplying Chinese made goods.
Privacy will have gone completely out the window, since with the Internet the only way to do things, everyone will know everything about you, how much money you have in which online accounts, when to bombard you with emails about your house insurance renewal, etc
Population numbers may peak (in developed countries at least) as no-one goes out to meet other people any more, and a country full of obese singletons stay in for yet another Saturday night getting beer and pizza delivered that they clicked to order on a webpage, to be eaten whilst "interacting" with their "virtual friends" on 27 different social networking sites - All well and good, but no procreation going on! ;)
11117
weezer 316
27-Nov-11, 20:34
Thats looking on the bright side ......
Think like that it probably will happen
Any technology or invention can be subverted for nefarious means.
As for it making people less social, well they've been saying that since Guttenberg and movable type.
Blue Chelle Productions
28-Nov-11, 15:34
I think like most things, it can be used for the good or for the bad. I think first and foremost, it isn't just to sell. Rather, it's to share information. Hence the term "Information Highway". Information of all kinds, yes for sales too..but, more than that. For me, as a screenwriter, I wouldn't know what to do without it. I am in constant contact with my colleagues in the states, all over the world, really. My family too. Yeah, we got hackers and scammers too, but like the rest of us legitimate people, they too utilise the various mediums at their disposal to work their scams and annoyances. They use phones too remember, and the post too, heck, I'd bet if they could master Chippewa or Apache, they'd use smoke signals too!
Blue Chelle Productions
28-Nov-11, 15:43
I'm with Gleeber.. I've turned off to them as well. I'm online too much as a writer and being in constant communications with so many people, that adverts and such, I've been able to successfully ignore them for quite some time.
secrets in symmetry
29-Nov-11, 01:47
I think like most things, it can be used for the good or for the bad. I think first and foremost, it isn't just to sell. Rather, it's to share information. Hence the term "Information Highway". Information of all kinds, yes for sales too..but, more than that. For me, as a screenwriter, I wouldn't know what to do without it. I am in constant contact with my colleagues in the states, all over the world, really. My family too. Yeah, we got hackers and scammers too, but like the rest of us legitimate people, they too utilise the various mediums at their disposal to work their scams and annoyances. They use phones too remember, and the post too, heck, I'd bet if they could master Chippewa or Apache, they'd use smoke signals too!Apache is very important to the internet!
This website uses Apache. :cool:
For anyone wondering about the reference Apache is a webserver (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apache_HTTP_Server) it's the most popular one out there, though I find myself using NginX as a frontend to it now and reverse proxying anything to it.
secrets in symmetry
30-Nov-11, 11:48
They use phones too remember, and the post too, heck, I'd bet if they could master Chippewa or Apache, they'd use smoke signals too!Not only is Apache the most popular web server, but Cray Computer (the first supercomputer company) started off in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin - although I wouldn't say they were at the top of the tree of internet developers.
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