The internet is increasingly becoming an important part of people’s lives all over the world. Being a veritable information goldmine, the internet has not only made information accessible but also enabled sharing it to a wider audience at speeds heretofore unimagined. Technological advances enable faster and more reliable connection, increased variety in digital equipment and internet capable devices, and more user-friendly applications that enable its users to become contributors to the development of the World Wide Web. Indeed, for the majority of those who have access to the internet, surfing the web is important for four primary reasons: communication, entertainment, business, and education.
Communication undoubtedly remains as the top reason for internet surfing activities. Nowadays, people use electronic mails or e-mails to send out and receive letters, messages, or even greeting cards. New applications such as instant messengers which have the capacity to send short messages, make and receive phone calls through voice over internet protocol (voip), and video transmission allow better and more convenient ways of keeping in touch with others. The growth of websites that host forums, message boards, and networking-related activities such as friendster.com or multiply.com that allow users to upload and post photos, blogs, videos, and music also provide internet users with a number of ways to update distant friends and family members about their lives.
Likewise, faster connection speed has enabled internet users to use the internet for entertainment purposes. For instance, there are numerous sites found on the web that allow its visitors to watch video clips and other streaming content. Some even allow users to download and play music and music videos as well as upload their own files for sharing with others. Those interested in games can also play them online or download them to their own computers and other devices. Some of these contents can be accessed freely although most sites will charge for downloading protected content such as music files.
Another reason people surf the internet is to conduct business transactions in a more convenient manner. Using the internet, businesses are able to sell their products and services to customers. In the same manner, customers are able to find and compare products, buy, and pay for their purchases from the internet storefronts or websites of businesses.
On the other hand, perhaps the most important use of the internet is still on the creation and dissemination of information and knowledge. It has undoubtedly ushered an era where information is always within reach. In no other time has the conduct of research activities been more convenient than in today’s connected world where the scholar can search for and download materials from online journals, books, and other information sources using the web. Likewise, distance learning is fast changing the notion of education and expanding the classroom.
The integration of key features such as rapid connection and download speeds, convenience and reliability, and more advanced web applications that enable internet users to engage in a variety of activities centered on access to communication, entertainment, business, and education ensures that today’s generation will continue to surf the World Wide Web. In the end, it is the variety and the pressing demand for better internet technologies that will propel further developments in the way the internet is used and defined by the expectations and reasons of its users.
