I realize that this question is somewhat rhetorical, and it's also self-anachronistic (in the sense that without the WWW I wouldn't be posting it here or even have thought of it if the first place). But a couple of recent events stimulated it.

Most recently (and I posted on this) was the resurrection of the Groucho thread. I remembered, vaguely, that "club membership" quote of his, looked it up by Googling "Groucho Marx quotes" and bingo (I'm assuming it's right -- a search on several sources would have been better, of course). Without the WWW, this would have required a comprehensive quotation dictionary of some kind, meaning a trip to the library for me. And I just wouldn't have bothered.

Last weekend (and I didn't post on this), the turmoil got me to thinking about something I recalled having read about years ago in one of Kurt Vonnegut's books, and, even without knowing the word (at the time) or the exact way to describe it, I was able to hunt up his coined term "granfalloon." I don't know even if a trip to a library would have found this for me, unless I went back and re-read all of his books and ran across it by dumb luck. (I'll let others imagine the context in which I was thinking of this.)

The availability of information, particularly trivia, that we've becomed accustomed to is just amazing. Clearly, it makes these virtual conversations far more interesting than they otherwise would be (as well, of course, as possible).

But, other than digging up such trivia (and shopping and so on), what's the WWW's best use? Anyone? HPH

 

Dr.

I often ask myself and my wife that same question. All of the information that I want, from the most trivial (Angela Landsbury's character on "Murder She Wrote"-Jessica Fletcher) to the most important (such as weather, stock prices, interest rates, bank accounts) is available at the touch of a few keys. We are all old enough to remember when we had to jump through hoops to find what we needed.

For me the two most valuable functions of the world wide web are:

1. The way I use it in my occupation. I am able to visit the federal and state taxation sites, accounting sites and other related sites to obtain all of the information and tax forms necessary to serve my clients. In addition, I am able to pay taxes (payroll, withholding & etc) and e-file for my clients. I am able to register and conduct business in minutes with a few keystrokes that used to take days and a great deal more effort.

2. I am able to find and purchase things that I want or need without the hassle of physically searching for them. Not to misunderstand, I like the trip to Home Depot as much as anyone. I love meandering down the aisles and looking at all of the cool stuff. Unfortunately I usually can't find much of what I want or need. The web has made everything possible. It no longer matters if the vendor is in my town or as far away as California. As long as the vendor has a website and UPS can deliver. I can easily get what I need or want.

Of course, I didn't even mention the fun I've had and the friends I've made because of sites like this, but we all know about that.

 

I did a quick search on granfalloon on my computer and quickly found a text file of Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle. Took all of 30 seconds. Got that off the internet many moons ago. I'm sure a google search would have gotten me an on line version even more quickly. It's just amazing and I love it.

 

There was no internet, no readily accessible online resource available when my oldest daughter was born with a major heart defect in 1977. Trying to find out more information than what we got from the doctors was daunting, requiring many attempts to gain access to college libraries, inter-library loans, etc.

Fast forward to my diagnosis with colon cancer in 1999, and my rediagnosis with metastatic colon cancer this year. The wealth of information and support available to me now has helped me immeasurably in dealing with this disease: witness the incredible outpouring of support you all have made for me, and for which I am eternally grateful.

 

Thinking about it, the whole idea of the personal computer is amazing. I can't now imagine how I typed my college term papers without the benefit of a word processor, or did statistical analysis without a spreadsheet.

I am still so amazed with my computer that I am absolutely blown away by the internet.

 

I read a lot more.

I'd be lost without it today.

for awhile anyway

fltsfshr

 

I wonder at times how we ever made it without the internet. It has brought whole countries and cultures closer together. The amount of information at our fingertips is amazing. BUT, sometimes we have too much info available and it can get your mind spinning about "what-if". At least it has for me. During a routine physical earlier this year a spot was identified on my left lung. The doc said the nodule was about 1.3cm x 1.0cm and although it had benign features, it also showed some evidence of vascular supply. This literally scares the #$%@ out of me as I get set up for a CAT Scan and later a PET Scan. I get on the internet and the more I read - the worse I feel - namely because what the PET Scan is used for and so on..... This cannot be happening to me. I quit smoking almost 29 years ago!!! Finally the results were back from the PET Scan and a follow-up X-Ray in 30 days and it was determined there was no acticvity. It was "just there".

Would it have been worse or better if I hadn't been able to read about all this on the internet while all this was happening? I really don't want to go through it again to find out!!

 

That illustrates the good and the bad about the Internet. Lots of information on any subject, but no control over what is accurate and what isn't. Googler's beware...but I personally love it and am on all the time, in case you didn't notice.

 

I often ask myself the same question - how DID we function? I know I was REALLY selective when I took the trouble to drive to the library for an answer. I think the wealth of information is wonderful for conducting every day life. I only have to think about how much info I have obtained on a variety of subjects in the past few days (medical info, camera info, car info, trip info, weather info, sharing photo shows, and on and on). I feel like my generation has been able to enjoy the best of everything - simple times growing up and fast paced world wide info on any subject of interest in the present.

 

I'd be a lot thinner without the internet. I'd have completed a lot more home projects. I'd spend more time with my wife. I waste a lot of time here. That is coming to an end again.