An Ode To The Internet

We’re taking a step back to take a look at just how phenomenal the internet has been for our planet.
Can you remember a time before the internet? Increasingly the answer to this question is becoming no. The shift in our world following the invention and mass adoption of the internet is not only palpable, it’s blatant. Today’s teens have been reared entirely on this age of digital, where it is just as easy to chat with a fellow youngster situated on the other side of the globe as it is to walk to the local store for some milk.
So just what has the internet done to our world? The answer to this question is as broad as it is long: the internet has altered the way we do business, communicate with our friends, search for answers and even participate in sport.
Below are 5 ways the internet has changed our lives forever:
Email
Nowadays even email is considered to be archaic, with the rise of apps like WhatsApp and Viber becoming dominant forces in our online communications sphere. However, email has undoubtedly revolutionized our offices, replacing its paper counterpart and allowing business to be conducted in real time and on a global scale.
During a time when fax machines were the height of technical gadgetry, email provided a quick and simple platform for businesses and individuals alike to converse with ease. Email is yet to be confined to the history books though, and its longevity as a staple of the internet is a feat in itself.
Social Media
Facebook is largely pegged as both the best and worst thing about the internet. Where else, before the invention of the internet, could you be updated in real time about just exactly what every single one of your casual acquaintances was eating, watching, doing and feeling? Exactly.
Facebook and other social media platforms such as Twitter and Instagram have altered the way we interact with every aspect of our lives, from the documentation of minor events to the following every move of our favorite ‘stars’. One thing’s for sure, vanity has never been so easy as with the internet.
Business
The way we do business the world over has altered beyond recognition. From selecting and examining potential job candidates with the help of LinkedIn to the quick-fire emailing of important documents from Atlanta to Paris, the internet has changed the face of business forever.
Video conference calling software allows us to have virtual meetings with colleagues all over the world, working with businesses and clients with whom we could never have connected without the online network.
Some of today’s biggest businesses worldwide have been built on the back of the internet: think Google, Facebook, Microsoft and Apple.
Gaming
Long before the mainstream internet, video games existed in their 8-bit form: the locale of teenage boys in the western world. Fast forward to today’s connected globe, and video games have exploded to become a multi-billion dollar industry with a projected value of over $102 billion by the year 2017. This has caused the onset of a new eSports environment, where players the world over can battle each other and showcase their gaming skills in real time.
Recently our sponsored gaming team, Evil Geniuses, took home the winning title at 2015’s Valve DOTA 2 International competition. A fine example of just how far eSports has come in a short time, this year’s prize fund was over $6.5 million!
Dating
The online dating industry is worth north of an estimated $2 billion, and that figure is only rising as the internet hurtles forward. Singles everywhere have turned to online dating sites such as Match.com and eHarmony to find their significant other, while those with more precise dating preferences are also catered for online.
There is a growing number of niche dating websites for those with a unique passion as more and more singletons are looking for casual and serious love on the internet.
What other ways has the internet changed our lives for good? Send us a Tweet @VPSNET and join the conversation.