Monday, December 18, 2006
Time acknowledges the impact of the World Wide Web
Merry Christmas everyone.
Did you notice who has been named “Person of the Year” by Time magazine?
You. That’s right. You or us collectively have been named Person of the Year.
I should be a bit more specific. The “you” is anyone who has participated in the expanding world-wide community known as the World Wide Web. The magazine chose 15 people as examples of us to personify the typical user of the Web. These people were not the founders or rising celebrities or entrepreneurs of the new Web. The represent the average person who has come to make the web a daily part of their lives.
I have often spoken on how the Internet is creeping into every facet of our culture. It has become a major instrument in commerce, information exchange and social networking. Old media and business models are being tested. They are finding the Internet revolution is moving at a pace not anticipated. They are having to scramble to ride the wave let along keep pace with it. It be only a matter of time before we see some drown as the wave sweeps over them.
Do not be deceived by the memory of the “dot com bubble” the burst at the turn of the century. It destroyed the dreams of many early entrepreneurs in the early days of the Internet. Investment is proceeding with much more caution. Plans are more practical. Business models are being based on realistic goals.
Anyone who was active on the Internet back then knew the medium had vast potential. That potential is beginning to be realized. Unfortunately, the burst of the dot.com bubble in the last decade gave skeptics ammunition to allow them to turn away from the Net. At the time, they probably believed the net would not have an impact on their businesses for some time to come.
Time’s acknowledgement of “You” as the person of the year is in reality an acknowledgement of the distance the Net has already traveled. It is the 800 pound gorilla that no one dare ignore.
The Web has made the exchange of information and ideas instantaneous. Your friend in Bangalore, India, is as easy to access as your neighbor next door. You may even find you have more in common with your friend in India than you do with your physical neighbor.
The World Wide Web has allowed us to establish communities that span the globe. They are not tied by geographic or political boundaries (though some governments are trying hard to stop that).
News media outlets are struggling with ways to use this new kid on the block. Television that once was supposed to have been the hammer that would put the final nails in the coffin of the print media, is itself scrambling to meet the challenge of the Net.
The entertainment industry be it movie or music also beginning to quake in the face of direct internet delivery of high definition films and top quality digital music right to the customer’s home. The home computer with its high speed internet connects is becoming a home media entertainment center. This is not your father’s email device.
Cell phones with digital cameras and video capability make the average citizen his or her own news gatherer. When the London underground was bombed several years ago, where did the first images come from? They were transmitted by private citizens using their own video telephones. Website like YouTube and MySpace make it possible for individuals to post and distribute their own stories and videos.
The news media is scrambling to adapt. The news is being democratized and the traditional media outlets are trying to keep pace.
Where will it all end? The World Wide Web is only 15 years old. What will the next 15 years bring? Time is acknowledging the affect the Net has already cast on our world. What this means for 2021 is anyone’s guess.
It gives us all something to ponder as we enter the new year.
As always, you can reach me at rpolk@chespub.com. You can also send me comments at my blog that you can access from the homepage of stardem.com.
Did you notice who has been named “Person of the Year” by Time magazine?
You. That’s right. You or us collectively have been named Person of the Year.
I should be a bit more specific. The “you” is anyone who has participated in the expanding world-wide community known as the World Wide Web. The magazine chose 15 people as examples of us to personify the typical user of the Web. These people were not the founders or rising celebrities or entrepreneurs of the new Web. The represent the average person who has come to make the web a daily part of their lives.
I have often spoken on how the Internet is creeping into every facet of our culture. It has become a major instrument in commerce, information exchange and social networking. Old media and business models are being tested. They are finding the Internet revolution is moving at a pace not anticipated. They are having to scramble to ride the wave let along keep pace with it. It be only a matter of time before we see some drown as the wave sweeps over them.
Do not be deceived by the memory of the “dot com bubble” the burst at the turn of the century. It destroyed the dreams of many early entrepreneurs in the early days of the Internet. Investment is proceeding with much more caution. Plans are more practical. Business models are being based on realistic goals.
Anyone who was active on the Internet back then knew the medium had vast potential. That potential is beginning to be realized. Unfortunately, the burst of the dot.com bubble in the last decade gave skeptics ammunition to allow them to turn away from the Net. At the time, they probably believed the net would not have an impact on their businesses for some time to come.
Time’s acknowledgement of “You” as the person of the year is in reality an acknowledgement of the distance the Net has already traveled. It is the 800 pound gorilla that no one dare ignore.
The Web has made the exchange of information and ideas instantaneous. Your friend in Bangalore, India, is as easy to access as your neighbor next door. You may even find you have more in common with your friend in India than you do with your physical neighbor.
The World Wide Web has allowed us to establish communities that span the globe. They are not tied by geographic or political boundaries (though some governments are trying hard to stop that).
News media outlets are struggling with ways to use this new kid on the block. Television that once was supposed to have been the hammer that would put the final nails in the coffin of the print media, is itself scrambling to meet the challenge of the Net.
The entertainment industry be it movie or music also beginning to quake in the face of direct internet delivery of high definition films and top quality digital music right to the customer’s home. The home computer with its high speed internet connects is becoming a home media entertainment center. This is not your father’s email device.
Cell phones with digital cameras and video capability make the average citizen his or her own news gatherer. When the London underground was bombed several years ago, where did the first images come from? They were transmitted by private citizens using their own video telephones. Website like YouTube and MySpace make it possible for individuals to post and distribute their own stories and videos.
The news media is scrambling to adapt. The news is being democratized and the traditional media outlets are trying to keep pace.
Where will it all end? The World Wide Web is only 15 years old. What will the next 15 years bring? Time is acknowledging the affect the Net has already cast on our world. What this means for 2021 is anyone’s guess.
It gives us all something to ponder as we enter the new year.
As always, you can reach me at rpolk@chespub.com. You can also send me comments at my blog that you can access from the homepage of stardem.com.
# posted by Richard Polk @ 10:56 AM 
