SURVEY: Internet, a necessity or not?

[Basil B]

7 hours ago, Ulic said:

Like refrigeration, modern transportation and phones, you can't live without them now. Instant communication free across the world. News, entertainment, information. 

We can live without a phone

...if one has a mobile 

 

But more importantly how long will it be before virtually everyone can not live without a smart phone.

[Horace Lamb]

2 minutes ago, Basil B said:

But more importantly how long will it be before virtually everyone can not live without a smart phone. 

Just settled my credit card statement on my CC provider's app and my provider is based on the other side of the planet.  Statement had to be settled by 29/11 or I risked a ding to my credit rating.  Took 30 seconds maximum. 

 

Not sure how this was managed in 1987, for example. 

[Samui Bodoh]

44 minutes ago, sirineou said:

 Not a distraction but the next step in human evolution and necessary for the survival of the human race , I will explain why at the bottom of this reply.   

Yes but the first post is not the survey.

The greatest communications innovation in the history of mankind, and the government does not need to be involved? 

 

The internet is the next stage in human evolution. To ask if access is necessary, is to ask if evolution is necessary. IMO it is not only necessary for evolution, but for the survival fo the human race. 

Perhaps we can evolve to use more of the brain we have, but we have reached the end of increase in brain size because a larger brain will require a larger head . A big head will make it difficult for women to give birth and maintain a pelvic bone structure conducive to walking upright.

So the next step in Human intelligence evolution has to be external. Connectivity to the internet accomplishes that  external expansion of intelligence with the final step being direct human/ computer interface and instant access to all information. Perhaps even the abandonment of the human body. 

with the advent of the singularity close by, Experts warn of the dangers of Artificial Intelligence with good reason. Since pandora's box has being opened and cannot be closed , the old adage comes to mind. "If you can't  beat them, join them" 

 

"...Experts warn of the dangers of Artificial Intelligence with good reason..."

 

Thanks Sirineou! You are giving me the chance to tell my favourite Artificial Intelligence (AI) joke. 

 

A handful of scientists were gathered around the new super-computer, eagerly awaiting the results of their latest AI experiment. The dials spun, the tubes buzzed, the metals heated, then finally a voice was heard...

Computer Voice: Where am I? What am I?

The scientists were beside themselves with joy!

Scientist #1: you are our newest, greatest program of AI. 

Computer Voice: hmm...

Scientist #2: you are the greatest super-computer/AI ever created!

Computer Voice: hmm...

Scientist#1: Tell us Great AI! Share your great knowledge! Solve one of mankind's greatest wonders; Is there a God?

Computer voice: there is now.

 

 

Why yes, I am a lifetime Star Trek fan. How did you know?

 

[pikao]

5 hours ago, melvinmelvin said:

have used internet since late 70s, wouldn't be without - no internet --> reduced quality of life

I mostly agree with that. I had my first computer/internet in 2006, for business reasons. Till then I had the illusion that I could do without it for the rest of my life. Cannot. Also enjoying many aspects of it.

But today when I was driving around the Island I saw many young people (tourists) on motorbikes standing, as usual, mostly in the "middle" of the road, looking at their phones to find their way. This can be an advantage!?

It also reminded me of my travels to Thailand and elsewhere in times prior to the internet. It was mostly fun to ask someone to show you the way. Sometimes it turned out in a nice chat or even some hours of sitting together, eating and drinking. Time went slower by then. Now many of these young people ( better said, smartphone people regardless the age) seem to be in a hurry due to an imaginary agenda. Already looked up everything in TripAdvisor etc., booked in advance and the next "event" has to be attended. Or the group of 12 people on the round table in our coffe shop (we had before) sitting about 2 hours staring at their phones and a maximum of 10 spoken words between them. Communication has shifted massively from a personal interaction to a more machine-guided process. IMO

How this will turn out ? Time will tell

I can also see a "reduced quality of life" in some aspects

[melvinmelvin]

59 minutes ago, Horace Lamb said:

Fair enough and no reason to doubt you.  More research-based I would imagine as wouldn't have been up to much. 

right, not much

the access to US was SAT based - was OK for using simple email protocols and very simple NVT protocols

cannot remember off hand where the bottle necks were, 9.6 kbit/s land lines or the SAT link itself

 

cumbersome, first step was to use the telephone to call people in a computing centre about 20 km away and ask

them to flick a couple of switches in order to connect the line I was using to the SAT link hardware/software

 

but it actually worked

could use the simple NVTs to access group communication systems (like Thai Visa Forum) in the US, New Jersey.

 

most people think that stuff like TVF is reasonably modern stuff that surfaced after internet became omnipresent

it isn't, systems like this (only way way way more advanced) surfaced in the 70s

 

TVF is just childish compared with what I used in the 70s

 

[melvinmelvin]

10 minutes ago, pikao said:

I mostly agree with that. I had my first computer/internet in 2006, for business reasons. Till then I had the illusion that I could do without it for the rest of my life. Cannot. Also enjoying many aspects of it.

But today when I was driving around the Island I saw many young people (tourists) on motorbikes standing, as usual, mostly in the "middle" of the road, looking at their phones to find their way. This can be an advantage!?

It also reminded me of my travels to Thailand and elsewhere in times prior to the internet. It was mostly fun to ask someone to show you the way. Sometimes it turned out in a nice chat or even some hours of sitting together, eating and drinking. Time went slower by then. Now many of these young people ( better said, smartphone people regardless the age) seem to be in a hurry due to an imaginary agenda. Already looked up everything in TripAdvisor etc., booked in advance and the next "event" has to be attended. Or the group of 12 people on the round table in our coffe shop (we had before) sitting about 2 hours staring at their phones and a maximum of 10 spoken words between them. Communication has shifted massively from a personal interaction to a more machine-guided process. IMO

How this will turn out ? Time will tell

I can also see a "reduced quality of life" in some aspects

very good point, well taken

I don't use internet/computer to arrange a few beers with a couple of friends - I use the phone

can still talk

 

[canthai55]

7 hours ago, dick dasterdly said:

Sorry to be so ignorant, but I don't understand the phrase "part of the social safety network"?

Like a .45 ACP

[lopburi3]

Quote

 

1. SURVEY: Internet acess, necessity or not?
 
I completely agree.

I somewhat agree.

I completely disagree.

 

Agree with what?

[Suradit69]

 

Quote

 

 Internet acess, necessity or not?

 

 

Yes, I agree it's a necessity or not.  

[Nyezhov]

Id be lost without the Open Library

[melvinmelvin]

57 minutes ago, Nyezhov said:

Id be lost without the Open Library

 

could you elaborate a wee bit please

 

English only, or all sorts of lingos?

can read free on internet, or purchase?

[melvinmelvin]

8 hours ago, dick dasterdly said:

Sorry to be so ignorant, but I don't understand the phrase "part of the social safety network"?

dunno dd

but in my culture an expression like that would normally refer to

friends - family - neighbours - colleagues

that you could turn to when life goes against you

seek advice, shoulder to cry on, open your heart to, ask help from

 

etc etc

 

 

[scorecard]

13 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

I would say that the Internet is a 'necessity' in this modern day and age; while one could (theoretically) live without it, the sheer sum of all that would be missed is staggering.

 

How many members actually buy a newspaper anymore? How many members recently got a job that wasn't advertised on the Net? When was the last time a member went into the physical bank branch (me- 10? 15? years)? How many members telephone their loved ones far away, as opposed to Skype, etc? Perhaps even more pertinent, when was the last time someone looked up a phone number in the 'white pages'? Or even saw a 'White Pages'? When was the last time someone bought a physical book (I miss them...)? How many members keep in touch with their social networks without the Net? Their employment networks? Etc. Etc. Etc.

 

I think the answers to all the questions above are quite clear, but take it a step further; what if you were 21 years old? Could you make do without the Net? Not a chance in hell; your life would be damaged beyond redemption.

 

The Net has become so ubiquitous that it has become a necessity, not merely a good thing or a privilege; perhaps not for a retiree, but for a 20 year old? Absolutely crucial. And, if the Net is crucial for twenty year old, then it needs to be part of the social safety net. If not, then a child is condemned to a life of ignorance and missed opportunity.

 

Internet access should be as ubiquitous as electricity and/or water, be subsidized for all who can't afford it, and be accessible to everyone, everywhere possible (mountain tops and the like exempted).

 

 

 

 

Without internet the so called 'digital nomads' who used to annoy people in CM coffee shops would be unable to breath, how sad. (haven't seen many of them around in the last 6 / 8 months).

 

 

[sirineou]

9 minutes ago, melvinmelvin said:

 

could you elaborate a wee bit please

 

English only, or all sorts of lingos?

can read free on internet, or purchase?

 Google is your friend. I will admit before this post I did nor know what the "Open Library" was and with out the internet I still will not.

https://openlibrary.org/

[Nyezhov]

18 minutes ago, melvinmelvin said:

 

could you elaborate a wee bit please

 

English only, or all sorts of lingos?

can read free on internet, or purchase?

https://openlibrary.org/

 

Just sign up and you can borrow. I think they have foreign languages

[melvinmelvin]

8 minutes ago, Nyezhov said:

https://openlibrary.org/

 

Just sign up and you can borrow. I think they have foreign languages

wow,

borrow a PDF? for free?

 

 

[Jeremy50]

What are we supposed to be agreeing or disagreeing with? Wether it's a necessity or if it's not a necessity?  Would be funny, if it wasn't so stupid. 

[quandow]

13 hours ago, kenk24 said:

You are taking this poll on an internet cite... people who do not have internet are not likely to care... or respond. 

Not sure why this came to mind:

 

[quandow]

9 hours ago, FolkGuitar said:

In the "Information Age," ignorance has become a choice.

Not exactly. It's quickly becoming the "MISinformation age" as follows:

 

 

[1FinickyOne]

5 hours ago, quandow said:

Not sure why this came to mind:

 

thanks -- funny. 

[dick dasterdly]

17 hours ago, pikao said:

I mostly agree with that. I had my first computer/internet in 2006, for business reasons. Till then I had the illusion that I could do without it for the rest of my life. Cannot. Also enjoying many aspects of it.

But today when I was driving around the Island I saw many young people (tourists) on motorbikes standing, as usual, mostly in the "middle" of the road, looking at their phones to find their way. This can be an advantage!?

It also reminded me of my travels to Thailand and elsewhere in times prior to the internet. It was mostly fun to ask someone to show you the way. Sometimes it turned out in a nice chat or even some hours of sitting together, eating and drinking. Time went slower by then. Now many of these young people ( better said, smartphone people regardless the age) seem to be in a hurry due to an imaginary agenda. Already looked up everything in TripAdvisor etc., booked in advance and the next "event" has to be attended. Or the group of 12 people on the round table in our coffe shop (we had before) sitting about 2 hours staring at their phones and a maximum of 10 spoken words between them. Communication has shifted massively from a personal interaction to a more machine-guided process. IMO

How this will turn out ? Time will tell

I can also see a "reduced quality of life" in some aspects

I agree.

 

Back in the days of mobile 'phones most of us left them at home when going on holiday, as the holiday was supposed to be a 'break' from everyday life.

 

Nowadays, many people seem to be increasingly 'addicted' to their smart 'phones ☹️.

 

It annoys the hell out of me when I'm with a friend, and they are 'playing' with their 'phone!

[balo]

I answered : I somewhat agree, 

 

Being an old IT-guy I have followed the technology progress since the 80's. Before Internet we would use a BBS system and connect to private and public networks through analog phone lines.  

 

When Internet finally arrived , I was worried about security from the start.  Before the days of Facebook I was thinking about how easy it would be to steal someones identity online. And to hack someones computer. 

All this security issues we discussed back in the 80's and 90's are now a reality . A firewall and an antivirus program is not enough  today.

 

People are too open about their social media behaviors so anyone can copy and fake someones identity. 

Do we need Internet in the form as it is presented today ? No we don't , we need a safe platform for the young generation who are born into this and think it's a part of normal life. 

Also our brain are challenged, our mental state . internet can be a good thing but also a horrible place for someone with mental problems. 

 

We can't stop it , but we can change it into a safer digital world . 

  

 

 

[DrTuner]

Wikipedia and Google search. Two reasons why internet is a necessity, there's just no other way to access information as easily.

[Odysseus123]

21 hours ago, sirineou said:

 Not a distraction but the next step in human evolution and necessary for the survival of the human race , I will explain why at the bottom of this reply.   

Yes but the first post is not the survey.

The greatest communications innovation in the history of mankind, and the government does not need to be involved? 

 

The internet is the next stage in human evolution. To ask if access is necessary, is to ask if evolution is necessary. IMO it is not only necessary for evolution, but for the survival fo the human race. 

Perhaps we can evolve to use more of the brain we have, but we have reached the end of increase in brain size because a larger brain will require a larger head . A big head will make it difficult for women to give birth and maintain a pelvic bone structure conducive to walking upright.

So the next step in Human intelligence evolution has to be external. Connectivity to the internet accomplishes that  external expansion of intelligence with the final step being direct human/ computer interface and instant access to all information. Perhaps even the abandonment of the human body. 

with the advent of the singularity close by, Experts warn of the dangers of Artificial Intelligence with good reason. Since pandora's box has being opened and cannot be closed , the old adage comes to mind. "If you can't  beat them, join them" 

 

Yes-quite a lot of people are thinking along these lines..Halevi has a stab at it in 'Homo Sapiens' but I wonder whether it just leads to human blobs..sitting in a sim universe 24/7?

 

Like 'Bluespunk',if push came to shove I could adjust and live without it.

[worgeordie]

Yes the Internet is a necessity,it's like having the knowledge of the World 

at your fingertips,although you do have to sift it a bit,I get all my entertainment

through streaming,can easily contact friends overseas by Email,I remember

when a friend here was extolling the powers of the Internet,I cannot remember 

when it was,but it was dial-up, trying to load pages from overseas was like

watching paint dry, then a few years later I bought a PC for my daughter to

do homework ect,so she said,and when she was at school i started surfing

the Web, and just got into it, at first it was like the mouse had a life of its

own ,could not control it. Oh and I can post shit on here!

regards worgeordie

[MyFriend You]

Without the Internet, we would have no Thai Visa Forum, no TVF = no quality of life!!!

[melvinmelvin]

15 minutes ago, TunnelRat69 said:

Without the Internet, we would have no Thai Visa Forum, no TVF = no quality of life!!!

 

that statement is just qualified WRONG

and has nothing with the real world to do

 

[lamyai3]

I don't understand the question, but I completely agree that the internet is either a necessity or it isn't. 

[MyFriend You]

2 hours ago, melvinmelvin said:

 

that statement is just qualified WRONG

and has nothing with the real world to do

 

I guess you agree with my post seeing as how you posted about 3300 items so far, appears you can't live without TVF so admit it..............and if you can't detect a tongue in cheek posting I feel sorry for you.  How many cylinders does that avatar have??  It appears you are not hitting on all of them.

Edited November 27, 2018 by TunnelRat69

[melvinmelvin]

18 minutes ago, TunnelRat69 said:

I guess you agree with my post seeing as how you posted about 3300 items so far, appears you can't live without TVF so admit it..............and if you can't detect a tongue in cheek posting I feel sorry for you.  How many cylinders does that avatar have??  It appears you are not hitting on all of them.

no sweat,

my only point is that systems similar to tvf did not grow up on internet

but grew up before and without internet