Since AOL 1.0, the Internet has become a Free For All.

FREE FOR ALL

Back in the early days of home computing, there were limited options when it came to “Online” Services. Computers were equally limited, as were speeds needed to move information. Today, many take for granted what we utilize on a daily basis for home and business use. With the explosion of new technologies and the popularity of Social Networking Sites such as Facebook (which is now the largest image sharing site) being “connected” is easier than ever. Higher connection speeds, lower hardware costs and the advent of Free Services have opened the door for just about everyone across the globe.

In the days of yore, if you wanted to “share” information, the cost was often staggering. As AOL Charter Member 524, the memory of paying sometimes thousands of dollars a month just to chat with friends on an AOL Chat Room and post on USENET brings to mind that now just about anyone can easily exchange information of all types for free literally has made the Web/Internet a Free For All. While this has many benefits, it also has it’s drawbacks as well.

Popularity Contest; “like” this, “rate” that and so on. While competition has, is, and will always be part of life, the truth about certain types of competing is that if it is on a global and public scale, there will always be those that abuse and use in negative ways. Since everyone has their own opinions about everything from your favorite food, movie, music, political topic, etc., etc., “online” commenting and “rating” can lead to unproductive use of time. The people of the world are best put to use in the betterment of the place we all share and so many are takers and not givers.

Since there will always be those who are greedy, dishonorable and jealous, the danger of being hurt by monetary theft or unjust tarnishing of reputation via the Internet is all too real. This is one of the main reasons Google and other entities take privacy so seriously. If those who use computers and the Internet for dishonorable practices expended the time and effort into honorable productivity, imagine how far ahead they would be in life. Now about that AOL 1.0 Startup Floppy that sold for almost $10k……….