Top 5 internet features

[deevergote]

I've been an avid user of the internet since 1997. I started with AOL 3.0, I believe...

Anyway, I was just IMing my mom, talking about chairs we found on Craigslist. It made me realize how much the internet has improved over the years!

Here are my Top 5. What are yours?

Instant Messaging
It has existed for as long as I've been on the internet (I used to dream in IM boxes when I first started!) Still, the current usage rate is what is important. Just about everyone has an IM name now. Most are AIM. I'm currently talking to my mom, my friend in MA, and my friend in MA...laysia. 3 conversations, all over the world, spanning a wide range of personal connections. I can also see which of my friends are online at the time.

Streaming video.
I don't watch TV anymore. Nuff said.

Forums
Such as this one. There is a forum for EVERYTHING, it seems. My washing machine broke. I joined a forum, and found out how to fix it. My girlfriend found a chihuahua in the street. I found a forum and learned how to care for him. The software I use for work doesn't do what I want it to do... I found a forum for help on how to make it do what I want it to do. If I want to buy a car, no matter what it is, there's a forum to visit to ask questions about it. Forums are awesome.

Wikipedia
Ok, it's not totally accurate... but it's a hell of a way to get reasonably accurate information on just about anything... FAST!

Tabbed browsers.
I run like 20 tabs at a time. Seriously. I also run IE and Firefox simultaneously

[IAmTheNight]

Online Auctions
How-to's for anything
24/7 Shopping
E-mail
Porn

[blizzard335]

Wasnt internet made for porn?

J/k.

It's a lot different in this part of the world.

Due to our slow 'broadband' connections, streaming media is not streaming. Downloads take a lifetime to complete.

Here, internet is mainly used for emails and browsing. even watching youtube takes some time to load.

So yeah. Still waiting for the government to encourage ISP to use fibre optics.

[ric3rboi23]

ordering pizza online

[bigjoegood1]

Forums
Such as this one. There is a forum for EVERYTHING, it seems. My washing machine broke. I joined a forum, and found out how to fix it. ........Forums are awesome.

I got a really special treat from mrsbigjoe when I fixed the washing machine for less than $30 when she was expecting to have to buy a new one.

X2 Forums
Google - To locate any and everything
ebay - love it or hate it, the quintessence of e-commerce
craigslist - where I bought my car and many parts
streaming video - nuff said

[deevergote]

Craigslist kinda came out of nowhere... I didn't notice it emerge... it just was kinda... there... one day.

It's the ultimate resource for anything local, IMO.

I got my engine hoist from craigslist. I sold my mom's boss's saturn for her on craigslist (and made a neat little commission ), I got my traction bar welded thanks to craigslist... If I wanted to be like Maple, I could probably start a healthy collection of STDs via craigslist as well!

[ric3rboi23]

lol

[PUMASTi]

All the features I love were mentioned in the first post. One thing I wanna do though is have multiple monitors running on my computer so I can separate pages and view them at the same time.

I've been working part time for Merrill Lynch setting some of the computers and servers for them and some of these guys have 8 monitors 4 per computer running simultaneously. I want something like that.

[d112crzy]

Porn
Porn
Porn
Forums
Porn

[MikeW]

Im an avid Yahoo IMer.

Meebo's good for people who dont have AIM or MSN, yet have screennames. People such as myself.

-Forums
-Ordering/buying things online
-Pr0n
-Music (I bought a CD a few months ago, before that, i cant remember the last time i bought one)
-Myspace/Facebook(etc)

Ive had the same yahoo email account/IM since '96. I was in 6th grade!

Finding info is good. News, weather. Essentially, aside from the fact that it cant bathe you or empty your bowels, its just about all you need. You can call/talk to ppl almost anywhere. You can watch it, listen to it. Your job can be sitting at/on a comp all day. Have your money direct deposit, order/buy food online....

[C91BLX7]

Porn
Porn
Porn
Porn
CB7Tuner.com

[GHOST 2.2]

google maps is my best friend.

at the end of this year i should be posting on cb7tuner from my car!

[Ralphie]

This is actually an interesting topic.

I have my 5.

1. Information resources such as Wiki etc.
2. Forums or sites that let you be part of a community to include facebook and myspace although i am not involved with either of those nearly as much as i am here, but its still a community.
3. Music! i am a hardcore music fan. I couldnt live without it and the internet brings music closer to people anywhere anytime, legal or illegal.
4. Mozilla and Google Chrome- two of the best browsers out there, and a sign of whats to come. I use to live by IE and i didn't know what the fuck i was missing. I never knew you could surf the net like this 4 years ago.
5. Connection- such as aim and email and a way to stay connected, although i feel its bringing people farther from each other instead of closer because it makes people complacent and not want to pick up a phone or get a bite to eat. This can be argued both ways but it leads me into my next rant......

I just read the other day a story of a couple who met on a site called second life(i have no experience with this site other then what i read in the article) http://kezins.com/2008/08/second-lif...abduction/3163

There is the article in full.

There has also been stories involving myspace.

Now i know this can be argued that without the internet medium that these crimes would have probably still been commited etc, and i dont disagree, but i feel the internet has made it easier to enter peoples lives and its not always a good thing.

So yea the internet has gotten 100x better since the 90s but everything has its downside.

Sorry to shit on your thread deev, no banstick pleaseeeeeee.

[Leung]

RPGs played online
banking
porn
search engines
forums

[OnBBS17s]

online gaming
IMing
media
google/wiki
online auctions.