Chapter 2: Questioning the Media

2. What possibilities of the Internets future are you most excited about? Why? what possibilities are the most troubling? Why?
- I am really excited to see how the Internet will be in future. I believe that all computers will be touch screen technology. I could see us talking to people on the computer through a hologram. The Internet will only get faster. There will be advancements in technology making the computer a lot better. Look at how far the Internet has come in the last ten years. I just got Windows 7 and I am like how is this going to get better, but it will. I really do not see any problems in the future. There could be problems with people getting on and stealing stuff from you. Always pick a good password and do not let anyone know it. I can't wait to see how the Internet will be in ten years.

5. As we move from a print-oriented Industrial Age to a digitally based Information Age, how do you think individuals, communities, and nations will be affected?
- Everyone is affected when we move from a print-oriented society to digitally based age. By using digital technology, things will be made easier. We will not use so much paper. There will be more trees saved with less consumption of paper. You can keep up with things better. Most people have calenders on their cell phones. This way people can keep up with what they have to do by looking at their phones, instead of writing things down with pens and paper. Although the digital world is a good thing, it can also be bad for some people. Newspaper companies are worried that in the future people will no longer read the newspaper. You can go online and read the paper on their websites, why would you need a hard copy? Printing companies could go out of business. Writers could loose their jobs. Some of the older people in the world may not know how to use digital technology. My mom is the most non technology person I know. I have to show her how to work everything. In the future everything will be digital, so we better start learning how to cope with it.

1. What was your first encounter with the Internet like? How did it compare with your first encounters with other mass media?
- I believe I was about seven years old when I first came in contact with the Internet. I was so fascinated with how I could look up anything I wanted to. Back then the Internet was way slower than it is today, but I thought it was the greatest thing ever. To be able to search for anything in the world, makes you feel like you have a lot of power. I use to Instant Messenger my friends a lot in elementary school and middle school. It was a cool way to chat with your friends and keep up with what they were doing. You could also ask a classmate what the homework assignment was for that night. I asked a girl to the fifth grade dance on Instant Messenger, and she said,"YES" with a smiley face. That made me feel special ha ha. The Internet is by far the one of the greatest things ever invented. The only thing that can compare to it that I remember, is Nintendo. Other than that the Internet is in a league of its on.