Internet Access - Luxury or Necessity

[Shagrat]

Been thinking about this as I've just spent the weekend without access to the internet (dead router)..

I am amazed at how much I use it for tbh, didnt really realise until I had no access. Banking, paying bills, keeping in touch with a whole host of people who I dont have phone numbers for etc.

Even yesterday, decided to take the kids to the cinema to watch Hancock, and instead of a quick search for times online, I had to ring some moron at Bt to get the cinema's number (twice, as he gave me the wrong number the first time) and then sit and listen to some stupid automated listing thing for about 5 minutes before getting fed up and just going to the park instead.


I think broadband access these days is beyond a luxury, just makes life so much easier......

Agree/Disagree? (I know your all pretty biased geekie types anyway )

 

[Laddey]

100% agree man. I'd be screwed without it. Even finding phone numbers etc it's much easier than phoning BT like you said.

Also i'd be bored out my skull without it.

 

[Overdriven]

There was actually something on the BBC about this a few months ago, they said the internet was only a necessity for people aged 14-16 doing GCSEs, as Uni students could use books etc.

I'm like you, I actually use the net for sorting out my day to day stuff aswell, I hate having to phone people for information, for me it's a necessity, even if my net died, I'd have it on my phone so I'd be alright in way..

It IS a luxury, but I personally need it.

 

[old.Tohtori]

You can live without it, but i think it's more of a "commodity" then a luxury.

It's not a "must have" like food and water, or heat for that matter, but it's something that's so cheap and easy to have that it would be silly not to have it.

 

[Helme]

I agree, seeing as I spent a week without internet(also dead router, maybe they are related? router murderer on the loose?)

I personally can't see me not using the internet anymore, it's where I find all information I need without having to put up with the usually very ineffective alternatives, it's where I keep in touch with my old classmates, or friends who left the country, or friends from another country! Internet is also the only place where I can have a conversation while scratching my balls without the person I'm talking to running the other way.


edit: I forgot to mention that without internet I would have no porn

 

[Ezteq]

i wouldnt say its like vital or anything but its definately bloody useful and i'd rather have it than not...unlike tv which i could happily do without.

i can't imagine doing half the stuff i do without the net and tbh it is my main form of socialising so without the net i'd probably be even more of a hermit than i am already lol. the information freak in my adores it becuse there are so many obscure things i want to know and learn about and its all here right at my fingertips, i'm totally an inet advocate.

 

[Huntingtons]

surprisingly i have spent around a month without a computer (bought new hardware, couldnt make it work - works wonders to put the pwr switch cable the right place -.-). i missed it but i didnt feel cut of from the world really which was nice (then again, i was home 1.5 week of that month, might be why - however i did get my room cleaned and done alot of drawing!)

 

[kirennia]

There was actually something on the BBC about this a few months ago, they said the internet was only a necessity for people aged 14-16 doing GCSEs, as Uni students could use books etc.

Would have to say this is kind of subjective. As someone doing a computing degree, I've barely been into the library as of yet other then to get random books and quote random bits to get more marks on assignments. The internet and google especially has been a huge help in getting me my grade.

To put it into perspective, when looking for a line of code to do something simple like opening a link in a new tab using flash, trawling through 20 books would take hours just for this simple thing. Google "flash html new tab" and you've got it in seconds. Not only are books less informative for computing, they're a waste of time.

Anyone in computing who says they don't use a search engine is a)A liar or b)Stupid.

So for me personally, the internet has become a necessity for work, a luxury for home use.

 

[Lamp]

~Internet Access is a luxury. Its not like you need it like you do food and shelter is it ?

 

[GReaper]

Close to a necessity if you heavily rely on it, but of course you could survive without it.

Those not using the Internet are at a severe disadvantage for plenty of things. Getting the best deals from companies usually involves checking out their website, such as banks offering better rates, cheaper car insurance, phone service, gas/electricity - as well as plenty of others.

 

[Downanael]

Frankly i say internet is third best invention ever! only electrity & fire comes before it

 

[Cadelin]

There was actually something on the BBC about this a few months ago, they said the internet was only a necessity for people aged 14-16 doing GCSEs, as Uni students could use books etc.

Anybody doing a Science degree needs the internet so I am going to guess that what they meant is, that uni students can access the internet in libraries/ their department. School children don't have access to the same kind of facilities so they need it at home where as a uni student doesn't.


The internet is essential if you want to live in our current society. There are many products/services that you simply can't access anymore if you don't have internet access.

 

[Bahumat]

Yeah its essential imo. Should be free though

 

[Binky the Bomb]

I understand where your coming from with this. I use the net a hell of a lot these days, and I know full well when the net goes down, half my world comes to a halt.

If I used it for work, it would be indispensable, and I'd be ringing the support line to get the fucker fixed NOW!

Considering how much of a time saver it is, I'd hate to go back to before (especially now my leg is fucked too, too much walking).

 

[Iceforge]

seeing how I scored top scored 90%+ in an "internet addiction" test I took (and not just a silly test, the one actually used to test for internet addiction), I would say I could probarly not go without internet for a long time without breaking down.

 

[Dahakon]

I can go months without it, but normally when I'm not at home (ie camping/holidays etc), but when I'm at home I really need it, otherwise I would go out my mind with boredom, not counting all the stuff that I organise on it, and keeping in touch with friends over msn etc.

 

[Aoami]

Should be free though

QFT. I think it's a luxury though. Just a fucking awesome luxury.

 

[Huntingtons]

we could live as cavemen and the cave would be luxury, so yes it is. The only things that are a necessity is what we need to survive, to keep basic bodily functions up (imo).

 

[Ingafgrinn Macabre]

i wouldnt say its like vital or anything but its definately bloody useful and i'd rather have it than not...unlike tv which i could happily do without.

i can't imagine doing half the stuff i do without the net and tbh it is my main form of socialising so without the net i'd probably be even more of a hermit than i am already lol. the information freak in my adores it becuse there are so many obscure things i want to know and learn about and its all here right at my fingertips, i'm totally an inet advocate.

Okay, this was very odd to read. Thought I opened the bee-stung-willy thread, and that puts the first paragraph in a totally different perspective

 

[Edmond]

Hmmm... I need it for work, but i'm not am IT'er. I have a home office and i need it for e-mail and internet for product searches, i'm sure it could all be done by phone and fax if i put my mind to it, but it's so much easier online

What did we do b4 the fax machine, i still use it a lot to order stuff, but i realise its becoming superseeded by the internet and e-mail, but still a neccesity to me. Its all a sign if the times really

 

[pikeh]

kind of similiar to mobile phones. Before people had mobiles, we were fine. If there was an "Emergency" we found ways of contacting. Now it seems no-one can live without one!

 

[Jai13]

kind of similar to mobile phones. Before people had mobiles, we were fine. If there was an "Emergency" we found ways of contacting. Now it seems no-one can live without one!

To be fair, i could prob do without my mobile, have had a tenner on my phone and not used it all for over 3 months. I could also do quite easily without the land line, my dad only had it for the internet, 4 years ago now, only my mum uses the one we have now. i contact anyone i want to on msn or email. If I'm really desperate then ill text or ring someone. I think the inet is a needed luxury, if thats possible. The amount of money that can be saved on the 10% online discounts and comparison websites must be huge as to going through the yellow pages, as i remember my mum doing that