My Swiss Army Knife - The Internet

It was in the year 1994 when I first get to use the Internet. I could still remember what my reaction was when I knew I got through the Internet, and you are not going to believe what I was doing then.

It was in our Computer Lab, everyone knew that our network is connected to the Internet but we don't know how to get to it and can do with it, I was trying out some commands I just happen to read from a magazine (I can't recall if it was TIME, NEWSWEEK, or ASIAWEEK). I was then trying out the "finger" command. I bet no one uses this that much anymore as way back in the days of Text-based Internet - If you supply this command with the username+@+hostname [username@hostname] it will provide you with user information, including its status (online or not), as its result. I was trying to "finger" someone in a japanese server... and shouted in glee when I got a positive result (with the user information in my screen) and declared that I was able to get through the Internet. :)

That was then. After that we learned how to use the "talk" command, which allowed us to "chat" one-on-one with other users on other systems. Again that was then. Then came the chat servers, then MUDS, then IRC.

Back then, I use the Internet to communicate with others. It was just another communication tool for us. There was not much on the Internet those days.

Now, the Internet has a lot more to offer. If I need a dictionary I just type-in www.dictionary.com and there it is. And if I feel the need to get myself updated with the current events, I hit on cnn.com, inquirer.net, sunstar.com.ph, gmanews.tv, reuters.com, etc. etc. If I need information but I don't know the site where it resides, I hit google.com. If I need help on a specific field of interest, I hit the forums where discussion of that particular topic is in place. Almost everything you need to know is in the Internet and a lot can be done on it. You can Bank, Shop, do Product Review... You can Express, Share, and Coordinate... all in the Internet. You can even do your work through the Internet - a lot of people do, that includes me.

Internet is no longer just an Information Highway nor is just a simple Information Bank or just a simple Interconnection of Computer Networks. It has now become a Swiss Army Knife for our everyday modern life - yeah I know, I can't open a bottle of wine or slice a piece of ham with it.

With my heavy laptop and the sprouting WiFi areas here in Davao City, I can do things I want to do with and on the Internet virtual anywhere (not to mention the availability of mobile Internet connectivity provided by my cellular phone provider).

So expect more from me from this time on. I am just starting....