Is the Web really Dead???

Is the World Wide Web actually dead? I never really gave this question much thought, that is, until I read the article “The Web Is Dead. Long Live the Internet” by Chris Anderson and Michael Wolff. The article implies that today’s society is abandoning the Web while the internet is thriving. One might ask “how can this be, are the internet and the Web not one in the same?” Contrary to what many may believe, the internet and the Web, although linked, they are not same. The Web did not come about until many years after the internet was born, but the internet does owe a great deal of its present success to the Web and Web browsers.

Nevertheless, the article indicates that society is using desktop computers less and using mobile devices, equipped with mobile applications like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pandora, and NetFlix, so there is less use of the Web. The preference of these mobile devices and their applications over desktop computers and the Web because mobile computing seems to have more flexibility and adaptability to their everyday lives. In this sense, I would have to agree with the article because I believe that people have a tendency to want things that will make their lives easier. I am not saying people are lazy, at least not most of us, but I believe we all value things are going to save us time and headaches.

The article also mentions the utilization of the internet and how the Web shares the internet with a number of applications, which results in the Web accounting for only 25% of the traffic. The larger percentage of internet traffic is comprised of applications such as peer-to-peer file transfers, VOIP phones, Netflix, online gaming, and iTunes. This is another fact that I would have agree with because of a number of reasons. Everywhere you go these days, you hear about the enormous amounts of pirated movies, music, and software. Much of this is due to applications like Utorrent, BitComet, and Limewire, which allow the transfer of small and large files between thousands of users. Another reason I agree is Netflix. People love watching movies and since Netflix introduced the ability to stream movies directly to devices like the PS3 and a Blue-Ray player, people are streaming movies instantly and has forced the video rental giant Blockbuster to file for bankruptcy.

The article also makes a number of arguments about who is at fault for the decline of the Web. It mentions that capitalism also played a part in the decline, which could very well be the case; this I am unsure of. What I am sure of is the fact that people value convenience and flexibility and as long as the technological advances continue to provide and improve this convenience and flexibility, people will continue to stray from the World Wide Web and move towards the fancy new mobile devices and their effortless applications; even if the convenience comes with a small price to pay.

Buying a computer

When it comes to purchasing a PC, I look for the most bang for my buck; especially since I am someone without a lot of bucks. Recently, I purchased a desktop PC for me and the family. I wanted a PC that would allow me and my family to do simple tasks like homework, email, low-end gaming, and surf the internet; but I also wanted the ability to do calculations on large amounts of data, partake in high-end gaming, and to perform other functions that require better processing power. After taking everything into consideration, I decided to purchase a Dell Inspron 560 with a Pentium (R) Dual-Core CPU, a 500 GB Hard Drive, and the Windows 7 64-bit Operating System.

I believe I made a good decision because I can do all the simple tasks and the more complex functions like HD viewing, high-end gaming, and multitasking; plus I did not have to hand over an arm and a leg for the new PC. One of the key components in making all this possible is the memory. I chose to go with 4.00 GB of Ram for the new PC for a number of reasons. First of all, the new PC came equipped with Windows 7 64-bit Operating System. Secondly, I am a person who has a tendency to multitask on the computer and more often than not, I have a number of files open and a number of software programs running at one time. Another reason is that I wanted fast performance from the new PC… It seemed pointless to purchase a Dual-Core processor if I did not have a decent amount of RAM. Last but not least, I wanted to have ability to open large files if necessary… Who knows, maybe someday I will have to bring work home with me.

In addition to the core configuration, I had to choose an input device; and although I did consider buying a webcam and microphone with the new PC, I just did not see the need for them nor could I see myself chatting into webcam or microphone. I guess I am still “old fashion” and still rather use a phone when I want to talk to someone and rather physically go someone if I want to see them. In the end, I decided to go with the only two input devices that I really use; a mouse and a keyboard. I guess I am just not much of a “video chat” person. Now as far as a floppy drive goes, what is that? Are they even made anymore? Just kidding… My PC did not come equipped with a floppy drive, nor would I purchase a PC that did; at least, not anymore. My first computer had a floppy drive and I was not a big fan even then. Floppy disks were very unreliable because they were flimsy and easily corrupted. On numerous occasions, suffered the ramifications of lost data as a result of corrupted floppy disk, and many occasions I encountered people that endured the same ramifications. Thank God for USB Flash Drive!!