by Alex Kelley

Created on: July 07, 2009   Last Updated: September 09, 2009

If you were born in the nineties or later, it is difficult to see a world with no Internet as it existed for your entire life. Thus, it is hard to imagine how it was before you were able to just turn on a switch - or, in this case, your computer - in the morning and check the most recent news, from Sports to Politics, from the U.S. to South Africa.

Many such examples come to mind. Here, however, are a few of the things that have managed to shrink to world to the size of a one-fraction-of-a-second bit (or byte?) away.

Access to information: It goes without saying that access to information is the main advantage of the broad and broader access to Internet. We all are now able to read about what happens in other parts of the world through the news posted on websites; the reporters that participated in writing the news have the technological means of communication provided by the Internet. Eventually, writers of all subjects can concentrate more on the actual information they are trying to transmit than on the background of their story which allows them to create more meaningful content in different geographical areas without being slowed down by the physical barriers of location.

Travel scheduling: Travel has increased tremendously, due to the existence of the Internet. It is now easier to find out more about a place, to see pictures posted by others or by tourism groups and let's not forget the easiness with which we're booking a flight and a hotel. It is true, the increase in travel around the globe is also supported by the improvement in transportation means, as well as in telecommunications. However, the fact remains that you can just open your web browser, type a couple words and through about five clicks on the top links you'll find out enough information about a place as to determine whether you are interested in reading more and eventually visiting it, or not.

Communication: Although related to the other two items on this list, communication still deserves a place of its own. Along with phones, the Internet has contributed to better communication around the world. You don't have to wait five weeks for the letter to come on a boat over the Atlantic, you can now get an e-mail in seemingly just about as long as it takes the sender to type it. Not to mention transfer of pictures, video conferences, social networking sites - or financial transactions.

Outsourcing: International business and research have greatly benefited from the increased information and communication by expanding outside original geographic boundaries. Many companies outsource entire departments or functions to other countries and communicate with their employees in various time zones. The same can be said about scientific collaboration, as researchers with similar interests can be found easily, through a simple (on-line) search. And again the list could go on.

Thus, work or pleasure, other parts of the world are inconceivably more accessible now than before the Internet became available; to "google" something has become a verb that lies at the start of most worldwide researches.

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