Return To Index Page

The Future of Cyberspace (r)

(written by iearn@iearn.org, 03/22/1996)

/* Written  4:37 AM  Jan 22, 1996 by coldspring in igc:iearn.tc */
I would like to answer the questions posted for the
cyberspace discussion topic.
First, I want to say that I have been using modems since
I was twelve.  In that time I have seen many different
services evolve.  Some, such as America Online, have become
huge services that provide internet access to millions of
people.  Others, such as small bulletin board services, have
only survived if they provide internet access.
Why has the internet phenomenon become so popular and
powerful?  I believe there are several reasons for this but
the most obvious and underlying one is that the internet
allows people to communicate with each other or access
information even if they are thousands of miles away.
Overall, I believe that the internet is a good thing.
The advantages to me outweigh the negative things that I see.
As far as prejudice and pornography are concerned, I
don't ever see it.  I would never think to deny that it is
there.  Pornography is in fact very available on the
internet, but I never do anything that forces me to see it.
The same goes for prejudice.  I think it is important to note
here that, unlike day to day life, the internet allows you to
see only what you want to.  You may not be able to go through
your whole life without seeing some prejudice but, you can go
on the internet and use the things that you want to without
seeing pornography and or being exposed to prejudice.
If you log on to the internet and use a web browser such as
Netscape you will see that you are never forced to look at
pornography or racial slurs.  You have to actually go looking
for it.  Yes, it is easy enough to find, but it is still not
something forced upon you.  Anyone who is sent pornography
via e-mail is usually involved with people sending it, and
even then you can just delete a file that you are not
expecting.
Access to the internet is becoming more and more
open to the average person.  Monthly charges for unlimited
time are now commonly fifteen dollars.  Services such as
America Online are based on the amount of time that you spend
on the service.  By the end of this year, I'm sure internet
access will be even cheaper than ever.
The best capability of the internet is research.  You
can do research on just about any topic from either special
interest conferences or the world wide web.  However, I doubt
that people will eventually go to school in cyberspace and
just stay home all day.  But, in the future guest speakers
may give lectures over the internet more often than is
commonly done now. This certainly could enrich school
classes.
The internet is an amazing thing.  It gives us
capabilities that we can not find anywhere else.  That is why
we must work to reduce the problems in the internet and
protect our cyber rights as the internet becomes more and
more popular.

Mike Romanelli - grade 11
Cold Spring Harbor High School
New York