Insanity #10 30 ноября 2001

BBC about the realities of the Internet - An encyclopedic reference.

                      BBC on the Internet

                              or

                      unfulfilled expectations.



   $% BBC

   $% TELEINF (Rus)



    A couple of years ago there was no shortage of enthusiastic 
words that the Internet will change the whole development of 
human civilization. Now is the time of revaluation of these

futuristic forecasts. Indeed, the Internet was
change many aspects of modern life, how people
speak, write, make a purchase, vote in elections
learn and play.


    In fact, for many of the Internet turned their
neprivlikatelnoy and vulgar side, an abundance of readily 
available pornography and electronic advertising. What happened?



    The fact that, among other things, the Internet was not very
reliable means of communication. That is, what about this says 
Jack Shofeld, editor of the computer section of the Guardian: 
"He (Internet) was just awful difficult. The Internet should be

as easily accessible as a regular phone, or they simply
no one will enjoy. "Jack is well versed in
computers and believes that the Internet is simply not justified
initial expectations due to the unreliability of the technology.


    Proved to be unrealistic and other projections. "Dreams that
all become millionaires ... I almost believed in this fantasy,
thought in my bank account will gush cash flow. K
Unfortunately, this did not happen, "- says Karl Pachina,
Italian journalist who writes for various European
internetzhurnalov. It turned out that the basic rules of 
economics do not could be rewritten, even using the Internet. 
"There were too many unfounded hopes and promises - continues 
to Carl - a very easily proved to overstate the significance of 
such a spectacular technologies, such as World Wide Web. The 
reality turned out to be, where prosaic. "



    So whether held online or revolution was all over
just talk? Ben Uetproset - editor of the politics
online version of the Guardian. He believes that the Internet 
is not became a revolution, but has brought with it significant 
changes in policy, particularly because political activists

around the world can now organize and coordinate their
share via email:

"Before, people had to use the telephone and telegraph, and it
takes months. Email has become an instrument of democracy
new type, and national governments are only now beginning
aware of this fact. "


    Under the British system of public health
recently appeared interactive television service. While she
working on a pilot basis, and only in Bristol. This
combination of internet technologies and standard TV. Any
people who have questions a doctor may, with the help of
webcams reach the sharing session and tell the doctor about 
their problems. Moreover, it does not need a computer, it all

done through a normal TV.


    Mrs. Rokleft, which is the focal point of this
experiment, believes that the basis of difficulties
facing the Internet, is the fact that it was created
computer scientists, based on a fundamentally unreliable 
technology. In her opinion, television is based on proven 
technology and psychologically much closer and clearer to 
people: "This combination television with the interactivity of 
the Internet has been very effective because it relies on the 
convenience and reliability television.



    TV does not hang, it does not need a long run and enter
information it can with a conventional remote
remote. "


    In the world now use the Internet approximately 300 million
people. And although growth has slowed, the number continues
increase. This represents a huge potential
market, which will not be disappearing. According to Ben
Uetproset even Internet companies of the old type, the ones that
survive can look forward to a good future: "All these people
do not believe that there was some mistake.


    Anyway, the Internet entered our lives. If we compare
him with the automotive industry in the early XX century in the 
world autocompanies were 180, almost all of them went bankrupt 
and disappeared. 


    Nevertheless, we still are leading the machine, which quite
changed the face of modern civilization. The question, of 
course, that would be a change that brings the Internet

beneficial. It seems to me that, as in the case of
cars humanity for additional convenience will
pay a hefty price, especially in the form of information
overload.