The Internet - could you do without it?

Count me as a NO on this one. There is no going back. Having been exposed to the values of the Internet, there is no way that life would be the same without it. Many of us (myself included) occasionally complain about the "net" and some of the complications we suffer to use it. (Virus' Spam,) and seldom stop to consider the benefits that we derive from that same beast that owns our lives.

Turning on the computer is one of the very first things I do each day and is without question the last thing I do as I am on the way to bed. By saying turning on the computer,I am implying that it boots up to include a normal active connection to the Internet. In my case  that brings up Google's iGoogle (and it's several add-ons that give me instant weather, time, temperature, a listing of my calendar for the day, and the days selected cartoons), and opens my Gmail account to the Inbox.

The computer is turned on as I walk past it on the way out of bed to the door to let the dog out. It is shut down when I have my coat on and I am headed for the door to go out. As I return I enter the house and walk to the computer and turn it on  before I remove my coat. Again it boots up to the pre set configuration of my preferred sites. I am ready for use at a moments notice. I am capable of monitoring the activities of friends on Facebook if I get a notice that a message has been left for me.  I can see a listing of all the communication that I want to be aware of on my Gmail account, and through the use of Google Chrome, I can set up a page that gives me total control and access of what is displayed (and how to get to anything of interest/need in my computer world).

Lets face it.  I am hooked for life.. I am a Nerd.  I am addicted. Well lets take another look.. Notice that I said I had the computer on constantly  whenever I am home and awake. Notice also that I did not say that I was ON the computer the whole time, Just that it was available to be my servant as I needed it.  I can walk through and see junk that has come into my Email ( no matter how well Google designs their e-mail some unwanted junk will filter through) If it's unimportant I can choose to ignore it (and frequently do). But if it is an important note, I can respond as soon as I see it and complete a task that in past years would have taken days or even weeks to accomplish. ( sitting down and getting a letter written, posted and delivered to an addressee who had to take the time to sit and write and resend a response via snail mail - well you get the point). The Internet has changed our lives.

Mastering the use of the tools of the Internet and the programs that make it work for us and not against us should be our goal. Finding the right products from the right people can complete the picture of a happy Internet life.  We will cover many of those on a weekly basis.

This is not rocket science, If I can do it then You can do it.

Roger