The Internet

[Redsun20]

Just as with many awesome things, such as the TITAN X or R9295X2, there are upsides, and downsides. The TITAN has sick performance, but costs 1000 USD. The 295X2 gives INSANE performance, but pulls enough wattage to power at least 2 lower end systems. But back to my point. The internet is awesome, it lets you do really cool things, such as game online, chat with people on the other side of the world, watch tutorials on demand, and AWESOME websites like this one here. And it keeps getting faster. But, we never think of the bad things coming of all this speed and power at our fingertips? Well, terror threats such as this one :http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/340299-ea-burnaby-recives-bomb-threat-via-email/(sorry to the original post, can't find it. Will be updated). Or what about all of the hacking fiascoes going on. In the U.S, target was hacked, leaving customers' credit card info compormised. How about when hospitals get hacked? Social security numbers, once private, now out in public. Things that are so terrible, destroying peoples lives, can happen on the same thing that saves lives, and makes them better. So I thought this would make a cool topic. So what is the internet? A friend, or a foe?

[Guest Kloaked]

There's douchebags everywhere. Can't do anything about it really. It's not the internet's fault.

[Redsun20]

There's douchebags everywhere. Can't do anything about it really. It's not the internet's fault.

I'm not saying it is, but my question is, but the benefits out way the risks or vie versa?

[Redsun20]

The amount of information sharing has allowed exponential increases to the rate at which we develop technology. I think its a huge plus.

Not to mention how much faster info can get around

[OfficialJsP]

i would say good just because what would life be like with out LinusTechTips i mean come on 

[Guest Kloaked]

I'm not saying it is, but my question is do the benefits outweigh the risks or vice versa?

 

From my experience, the internet provides more benefits than the cons that come with it. As long as users use common sense (too much to ask for these days apparently, sometimes) the internet wouldn't be perceived as bad as it is.

[theelitegamer]

People will always take advantage and be a douche and ends up making everyone suffer. It's like handing everyone a gun, it's that one guy who pulls the tigger that messes up it forever. (1,000 post party doe)

[Redsun20]

i would say good just because what would life be with out LinusTechTips

No there would not. I dedicate a lot of time to this forum ever since I started using it a few months ago. My life has gotten much better. I ACTUALLY SPEND MORE TIME ON THIS FORUM THEN I DO GAMING. That says something

[RyomaSJibenG]

i have love hate relationship with the internet so both

[KemoKa]

I voted good, because let's be real here, even though the internet is used for nefarious purposes on a daily basis, that doesn't mean that it's bad. i mean, that's like calling guns bad, they're only bad in the wrong hands. In the right hands, they can be very powerful tools. Internet is the same, and without it around, the world would be totally different and still totally closed off. Open Source would not be a thing to nearly the extent that it is, and we would still be under the thumb of Microsoft and IBM. there would be no freedom when it comes to using computers and building computers. finding information about things would still require a library. This global world that we live in, the Information Age that we live in would not exist today. Oh, and because of that, the government could and would have almost certainly have us as sheep by now if it weren't for the internet. Internet can be used as a weapon for bad, but it's also the biggest tool for good that there has ever been.

[mr moose]

Information is dangerous in the hands of fools and the greedy.  Like all good things we need to be aware of this. Corporations will try to own it, lobby groups will fill it with half truths, the government will fear it, and fanboys will not learn from it. 

 

Having said that it has had probably one of the single biggest effects on business productivity since the mobile phone.

[atoff]

If we can get rid of "u mad bro," "rekt," and so on, that would be a start to improving the internet.  It was pretty good when it started out.  America Online days.    

[d3sl91]

I voted for both.

Same. 

[Unlikelyjoker]

Is a dark and scary place.

You should leave as fast as you can

[Geekazoid]

Hmm...that's an interesting question. If you're smart and don't do stupid things it can be quite good, but sometimes, and I say this respectfully, people are just idiots and don't use common sense. Although there are some bad things about it, like pornography. I choose not to look at that stuff myself for obvious reasons. I think this is a very subjective topic, everyone's gonna have different opinions on this.

[Geekazoid]

Redsun20, I would suggest to add an option in the poll for neither.

[Wind1000100]

The benefits outweigh the problems.

[Poster]

Perception dictates our view on "pros" and "cons".  A law abiding world citizen living in a healthy, socially advanced society might view "pornography" as immoral and wrong.  Conversely, a law abiding world citizen living in a sheltered, socially manipulating society might view an image of a woman wearing shorts as immoral and wrong.  Is one perception of "immoral and wrong" ultimately more acceptable than they other?  That's kind of deep thought, but consider the following:

 

Good to you may not be good to me (or bad, or any other degree on the scale).  You might see the spreading of inspiration and ideas, whereas someone else might see the spreading of hatred and lies.  Questions like these cannot be answered by a simple "good" or "bad".  Everything is determined by the individuals perception of what exists.

[pinksnowmanshandle]

Internet is love, Internet is life.

 

Though on a more serious note (C♭) _jk    

    The internet, while a sometimes dangerous space can be and often is helpful. 
It helps keep people in touch in a faster and more convenient way. It's a lovely thought that if I move to France and that I can stay in touch with family and friends with out having to wait for them to respond or to be up/available the same time they are and or have to call them at a time that works for them but most likely not for me. 

 

[GoldSrc]

How else could I be able to find information about old stuff that I like?

I mean, good luck finding information about this in a library

 

Of course the Internet is a good thing, but like any other tool, it can be used for bad things.

[zonahbear]

i voted both

[eldergeek]

I think it's a relative thing. I remember the internet in the 90's. I remember listening to different lectures from people like Berners-Lee, having it described as something that Turing dreamed of his machine being capable and would have fascinated me - there was this innocence, this purity, because we were all so excited for the first time about being able to discuss different ideas and exchanging knowledge. There was a simple joy about seeing how far we could push technology, and it was actually why I switched my major from physics to comp sci in the first place.

 

These days though, the internet feels corrupted and misused. It's been turned in on itself, and used as another mechanism to obscure knowledge and control citizens, and it honestly hurts a little. I'd pay anything to have that innocence back.

[KE2012]

It may have an ugly side but I'm willing to over look it for all the good it has also done. 

[MoonKnightSpidey]

Whats a internet...

[Skybane]

I believe it's like any other tool . A wrench in the hands of a meth head can be used to bludgen someone to death .

It becomes the onus of each one of us to not use the internet for negative purposes .

 

I use tor for research and finding obscure info . Others use it for cp .

 

I think a better question would be , do we handle the bad guys or , continue to let the government meddle ? I would rather we ( the users of the internet ) handle the bad guys than , the government ! The government can NOT be trusted ! Look at what they do at the behest of corporations ! Prosecuting an 8yo for downloading one torrent or , what they have done to file sharing sites and owners like Kim.com !