In Business Since 2001 We accept Paypal
Home Article Directory
More from Bill Platt
"Bill Platt for Book Authors" Youtube Channel
Training for Book Authors
Other Resources for Book Authors & Publishers
FictionPlots.com (350+ Plots & counting)
Please Support Our Advertisers

 
D9 Hosting


How The Internet Has Changed The World...

Copyright (c) 2007-2023

As most of us sit down at our computers each day, we might realize that we have begun to take this Information Age for granted. What would we do if we did not have 24/7 Internet connections to keep us connected to the world?


Online Bill Pay

When it is time to pay bills, we logon to the Internet, pull out our debit cards or credit cards, and then we get to work paying our bills online. It is no longer the case where we have to sit down at the dining room table with our checkbook, a stack of bills, and a book of stamps.

Back in those dark days of the pre-Internet existence, we were not yet done with bill paying when we licked that last stamp. Instead, we had to jump in the car and run down to the post office to get the checks in the mail. If we had paid our bills close to their deadlines, then we had to sweat whether our payment would arrive on time. If we were really worried about our payment arriving at the other end of the transaction on time, we would take time out of our lunch hour to run to the bill collector's office to make our payment just under the wire.


Mom Online

Yes, back in those old days, we used to call mom on the phone once a week to check in and catch up. Now, we can logon to our favorite Internet chat client or call her on our Internet phone and talk to mom everyday. We can even share pictures of the kids with mom through our Myspace accounts.


Online Education

Back in those grand old days, if we wanted to learn something of value to our lives, we needed to go to the library or bookstore and check out or buy a book that would answer our questions about the world around us. It was either that or we had to enroll at a nearby college and take classes relevant to our interests.

Today, it is much different. Nearly any topic that might be of interest to us can be learned, after a trip to our favorite search engines. We might have to pay to gain access to the information we want, but in many cases, information is handed out like candy on Halloween, on the Internet.

We could even go further and enroll at a major university online. We can now take classes and get a degree at our favorite university or college, even if we live one thousand miles away from the school.


Local Shopping

Back in the day, in order to find out what great sales were running at the national chains, we had to subscribe to a newspaper for the full week and take the time to review the paper everyday to make sure we did not miss those important sales.

Now, we pop open an Internet browser and navigate to the website of the chain store we are interested and click through to their sales circular page. What does Wal-Mart have on sale? Let's go to their webpage. What about Napa Auto Parts stores? Let's go their webpage. How about "Ace, the helpful hardware place"? Let's load up their website. Walgreens --- what kinds of specials do "they" have this week? We are off to see the wizard, the wonderful wizard of Oz (also known as Al Gore, the guy who "invented" the Internet).


Comparison Shopping

Before the World Wide Web, if we wanted to know the "skinny" on a particular product we were interested in buying, we would need to ask friends. For an expert opinion, we would need to subscribe to Consumer Reports, or take our chances by visiting the local store that sold the product and have faith that the salesperson was not loading our brains full of commission-biased opinion.

These days, we can go online to learn all about any single product or service we might be interested in purchasing. Even better, we can look at a cross-section of products under the same classification and make an intelligent decision based on factual research. If we put our minds to it, we could even pull up customer reviews on the products we want to purchase.

The sky is the limit. We can do as little or as much research as we would like to do on a single product or service and be happy with our final decision.


Dig Up In-Depth Product Specifications

Sometimes, we can trust the Sears salesman not to lead us astray in our purchase selections. It is pretty straight forward as to which brand of wrenches will give us the best performance over many years or to find out which 27" television has the best picture.

But, with other product groups, a cursory glance will not deliver the be-all-end-all analysis that we need to make intelligent shopping decisions. Such examples include insurance products or financial products such as credit cards and loans.

If you have to ask yourself what the difference between a term-life insurance policy and a whole-life policy, then you need to get some really in-depth information to make a good purchase decision. There are insurance websites and information websites that will pass this kind of information along to you. They may even let you apply online for a new insurance policy and give you an instant approval for your new policy.

The same mindset will often accompany your interest in learning about credit card products. With so many choices and options available, it is hard to know which credit card offer or credit card rewards program will be best for your needs.

The beauty of the Internet is that the answer to all of these questions and more are right at your fingertips.

Credit card offers range from gas credit cards, student credit cards, low APR credit cards and even 0% interest credit cards. Among this range of credit card types and special offers, many banks also offer credit card points in the form of airline miles, credit card travel rewards, cash-back rewards programs, and store credit at your favorite chain stores or restaurants.

So, how do you know which credit card will be best for your needs? All you have to do is to start with a plan as to what you would like to gain from a credit card, and eliminate credit card offers that do not match your needs. Then do a side-by-side analysis of those credit card offers that remain to see which one will deliver to you the best value for your dollars.

Don't be afraid to dig in and get the facts on any product you may be interested in buying. I have learned a lot on the Internet about insurance products, credit card plans, and high-definition televisions. Even when I had questions that the Circuit City salesperson could not answer, I was able to turn up that important information on the Internet.


Longing For The Old Days

No, I don't really long for the old days anymore, except when my Internet connection is down for more than just a few hours.

If I want to add a credit card to my wallet, I only need to decide which one I want and then fill out the online credit card application. If I want to buy car insurance, I can shop around for the best policy and buy it right then online, without having to go to an agent's office. If I want to shop for a better price on my next software purchase, all I have to do is to go to a shopping website and compare prices.

The Internet has improved the experience of my life one-hundred-fold, and I do not want to ever have to return to those days before dial-up. Before I came on the Internet, I did not even know why I would want to buy more than one type of home insurance. Now, I sweat if I might miss my payment.

If you take the time to search and research the Internet for the information that will help you to make better shopping decisions, you might just find as I have that the Internet is something that you never want to live without ever again.


About The Author: Shop Amazon - Top Gift Ideas
Braxton Heitz writes about family finances and the challenges of finding a job in a rough economy. More of his articles can be found at: http://ReadMoor.com/

VOTE ON THIS ARTICLE
Needs Work >> 0 - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 << Excellent Article

Tell our authors what you think about their article.



Top-Level Category: Internet Articles || Related Categories: Finance Articles

10 Most Recent Articles Written by Braxton Heitz

Credit Card Companies Reward Consumers Who Shop Around
Written by: Braxton Heitz | Distributed: 2012-11-20 | Word Count: 1159 | Page Views: 7555 | Votes: 15 | Rating: 1.80
With Ronald Reagan came mass deregulation in many industries. One of the industries that benefited from deregulation was the financial industry. As a result, hundreds of new financial companies were introduced to the American consumer during the 1980's. With the sudden explosion of new competitors in this industry, credit card companies began to struggle with how to retain existing customers and to recruit new customers.

What My Mother Taught Me About Credit Cards And Family Finances
Written by: Braxton Heitz | Distributed: 2012-11-12 | Word Count: 1285 | Page Views: 7528 | Votes: 31 | Rating: 2.39
My mother is an amazing woman. She made some of the hardest jobs imaginable look easy. No matter how hard her day was, she always had a smile and perfect hair.

Student Credit Cards Can Help Lay The Foundation For Prosperous Adult Living
Written by: Braxton Heitz | Distributed: 2009-11-24 | Word Count: 948 | Page Views: 5441 | Votes: 13 | Rating: 2.46
Credit is one of the most fundamental aspects of the financial structure we have built our society. In fact, a great credit score can be one of the most valuable assets an individual will ever have in his or her life.

Small Business Owners Who Manage Cash Flow Well Profit Tremendously
Written by: Braxton Heitz | Distributed: 2009-11-17 | Word Count: 1265 | Page Views: 4445 | Votes: 18 | Rating: 2.17
Starting a business is always a tremendous undertaking. It is the most stressful undertaking a person could ever attempt to do. Most new business owners fail to understand that running a business is a complex operation, which will require the business owner/manager to pull many hat tricks to stay afloat.

All of Author's Articles on this site:

Most Recent "Internet" Articles

How Important Is Wikipedia In The Grand Scheme Of Things?
Written by: Bill Platt | Distributed: 2013-07-09 | Word Count: 1613 | Page Views: 9234 | Votes: 29 | Rating: 2.55
Wikipedia is the center of the online encyclopedia universe. Millions of entries on every conceivable topic makes this website an authority source that many young students and adults turn to from all corners of the globe.

Gaming Laptops - The Last Thing You Should Check Before You Buy One
Written by: Titus Hoskins | Distributed: 2011-09-13 | Word Count: 725 | Page Views: 7303 | Votes: 8 | Rating: 0.63
If you're considering buying a gaming laptop, there are many features you must check out before you buy. But there is no last thing you must check before buying. Find out exactly what this is...

Why Have Online Fax Services Become So Popular?
Written by: Titus Hoskins | Distributed: 2011-06-27 | Word Count: 695 | Page Views: 6215 | Votes: 5 | Rating: 0.60
Why have Internet or online fax services become so popular in the modern workplace? Here are five or six reasons which not only explains its popularity, but also gives you some good reasons why you or your company should be using online fax.

Build a Six-Figure Affiliate Business - Starting Right Now!
Written by: Marcus Blalock | Distributed: 2011-06-24 | Word Count: 565 | Page Views: 5780 | Votes: 4 | Rating: 0.25
Affiliate marketing is a great way to make money by simply repeating the same processes and work strategies. .

Internet Fax Services - Which One Is Right For You?
Written by: Titus Hoskins | Distributed: 2010-02-11 | Word Count: 878 | Page Views: 4976 | Votes: 4 | Rating: 0.50
Internet fax services are becoming very popular with companies and home business owners. But which one is right for you or your business? Read this informative article to find out...

How Online Marketing Consultants Can Supercharge Your Sales
Written by: Paul Marshall | Distributed: 2009-11-06 | Word Count: 891 | Page Views: 4206 | Votes: 11 | Rating: 2.00
Starting an online business, we all need to spend our money carefully, often doing the work ourselves. But getting the help and advice of Online Marketing Consultants could actually save us money, by avoiding costly mistakes and becoming profitable much faster. We understand the reasons people should buy what we are selling. But can we successfully explain that to our website visitors in convincing language they relate to, instead of jargon and lingo related to our industry?

Don't Destroy Your Online Marketing Results with Bad Website Design
Written by: Paul Marshall | Distributed: 2009-11-03 | Word Count: 1111 | Page Views: 4316 | Votes: 11 | Rating: 2.55
Many online marketing consulting firms look at SEO and search engine advertising in a vacuum. They don't consider the big picture. The idea behind all search engine marketing is increased revenue. That requires conversions, not just more traffic. And certain website design problems can kill your conversions!

A Simple Guide To Online Fax
Written by: Titus Hoskins | Distributed: 2009-07-28 | Word Count: 615 | Page Views: 4501 | Votes: 9 | Rating: 2.33
Online or Internet faxing has become extremely popular in recent years. Here's a simple guide to this new way of faxing...

Internet Telephone Calls: VoIP Basics
Written by: Nermine Shaker | Distributed: 2009-07-08 | Word Count: 944 | Page Views: 5323 | Votes: 15 | Rating: 2.20
You've seen the commercials and read the news advertisements for telephone service using your computer: very cheap monthly fees; make all the calls you want; keep your telephone number forever; and voice quality as good as a landline. You've heard the claims and you've heard the term "VoIP." Here's the scoop.

12 Nifty Ways To Stream Internet Movies At Home
Written by: Titus Hoskins | Distributed: 2009-07-07 | Word Count: 1404 | Page Views: 5917 | Votes: 14 | Rating: 1.79
Ever wonder what it would be like to combine your TV with your computer and the Internet? Well, millions are already doing exactly that... find out how you can too.

Most Viewed "Internet" Articles

Break Your Search Engines Habits To Get Better Information
Written by: Bill Platt | Distributed: 2008-08-06 | Word Count: 1475 | Page Views: 11857 | Votes: 23 | Rating: 2.26
Many online searchers get stuck in a rut, by focusing all of their attention on only one or two search engines. But for the person willing to expand his or her search horizons, new and sometimes better information can be found by using some of the alternative search engines available on the internet today.

How Important Is Wikipedia In The Grand Scheme Of Things?
Written by: Bill Platt | Distributed: 2013-07-09 | Word Count: 1613 | Page Views: 9234 | Votes: 29 | Rating: 2.55
Wikipedia is the center of the online encyclopedia universe. Millions of entries on every conceivable topic makes this website an authority source that many young students and adults turn to from all corners of the globe.

Gaming Laptops - The Last Thing You Should Check Before You Buy One
Written by: Titus Hoskins | Distributed: 2011-09-13 | Word Count: 725 | Page Views: 7303 | Votes: 8 | Rating: 0.63
If you're considering buying a gaming laptop, there are many features you must check out before you buy. But there is no last thing you must check before buying. Find out exactly what this is...

Web Marketing 2.0
Written by: Kim Roach | Distributed: 2006-10-10 | Word Count: 1645 | Page Views: 6975 | Votes: 16 | Rating: 2.50
If you're like me, then you are probably tired of hearing the word Web 2.0 passed around the net like a buzz word on steroids. Google alone currently shows 126,000,000 results for the search term "web 2.0" at the time of this writing. However, although this term may be overblown, it does have significant influence on the current changes taking place on the Internet. Most importantly, it has many implications for the online marketer.

The Life or Death of Your Dream - Forums Can Make The Difference!
Written by: Al Smith | Distributed: 2004-05-13 | Word Count: 0 | Page Views: 6746 | Votes: 2 | Rating: 0.50
Do you use online Forum areas for enjoyment, entertainment, business, relationships, . . . For your goals program? Are you stuck somewhere on a plateau; you have achieved some good things, but can’t seem to get past your present situation for some reason?

Exploring Domain Expired Name Register To Find Best Domain Names
Written by: John Khu | Distributed: 2007-11-29 | Word Count: 511 | Page Views: 6719 | Votes: 9 | Rating: 2.56
Before dealing with expired domains, you will need to learn and understand how you can use a domain expired name register to find the best and profitable domain names. A domain expired name register is a powerful tool that helps you in searching for the most meaningful expired domain names. It will also make the process of finding such names easier and flexible.

Creating Your Own Online Radio Station
Written by: Kim Roach | Distributed: 2006-11-27 | Word Count: 1138 | Page Views: 6700 | Votes: 23 | Rating: 1.91
Podcasting has leveled the playing field for people around the world. With just a few tools, you can quickly and easily set up your own talk show on the topic of your choice. All you need is a computer, a microphone, and a passion to share your knowledge with others.

Voip Is It Better Than Traditional 'Copper Wire' Telecommunications?
Written by: Gavin Lively | Distributed: 2008-01-16 | Word Count: 821 | Page Views: 6585 | Votes: 9 | Rating: 0.56
VoIP still has a ways to go before it dominates the telecommunications industry. When it is good, it is the best thing available to subscribers. The problem is that it is not always good when it is delivered via the public internet as it's backbone (something Simply Bits of Tucson AZ has eliminated).

Meeting a Girl Online
Written by: Arnold Kligermann | Distributed: 2007-03-07 | Word Count: 1109 | Page Views: 6559 | Votes: 15 | Rating: 2.60
The first question you ask is Why would I want to meet a girl online? Why try to meet girls online when you can spot a chick you like, approach her, start talking - and actually get a date?

Why Have Online Fax Services Become So Popular?
Written by: Titus Hoskins | Distributed: 2011-06-27 | Word Count: 695 | Page Views: 6215 | Votes: 5 | Rating: 0.60
Why have Internet or online fax services become so popular in the modern workplace? Here are five or six reasons which not only explains its popularity, but also gives you some good reasons why you or your company should be using online fax.

Highest Ranked "Internet" Articles

Authors - Publishers Avoid Internet Scams
Written by: Bob Miller | Distributed: 2007-08-01 | Word Count: 391 | Page Views: 3515 | Votes: 12 | Rating: 3.00
Bob Miller reports that he received an email and telephone call from a person claiming to represent a venture capital organization that had a strong interest in investing in his company.

Web 2.0 - or is it more like Web 16.0?
Written by: Julian Stone and Peter Hodge | Distributed: 2007-10-04 | Word Count: 2568 | Page Views: 4004 | Votes: 5 | Rating: 3.00
With people generating many new phrases and terms in modern technology, it has become hard to keep up with what they all mean. One of the most commonly used terms on the world wide web (www) today is the phrase 'Web2.0'.

Should Your Company Use Internet Fax?
Written by: Titus Hoskins | Distributed: 2008-04-23 | Word Count: 797 | Page Views: 4742 | Votes: 5 | Rating: 3.00
In the modern workplace the traditional fax machine is being replaced by Internet Fax. Is this a good business move? Should your company use Internet Fax? Read this article to find out...

The Web of Tomorrow
Written by: Jason OConnor | Distributed: 2007-02-01 | Word Count: 1885 | Page Views: 5541 | Votes: 16 | Rating: 2.81
By looking at the trends of today we can begin to develop a image of what the Web of the future will look like. I believe the Web will improve and grow in a way that will dwarf its present existence and will improve and enrich everyone's lives way beyond what we can imagine today.

Becoming a Power Player with Online Game Sites
Written by: T.C. Gaity | Distributed: 2008-04-17 | Word Count: 1057 | Page Views: 5623 | Votes: 8 | Rating: 2.63
By participating in various online game sites on the web today, it is easy to build various skill sets, network with other online gamers, and win some great prizes. Online game sites have evolved from simple card games and picture contests to full-fledged casino-style games, tournaments, and competitions. More and more online game websites now feature interactive platforms for word games, puzzles, unique prize drawings, and even company-sponsored contests for terrific prizes.

Meeting a Girl Online
Written by: Arnold Kligermann | Distributed: 2007-03-07 | Word Count: 1109 | Page Views: 6559 | Votes: 15 | Rating: 2.60
The first question you ask is Why would I want to meet a girl online? Why try to meet girls online when you can spot a chick you like, approach her, start talking - and actually get a date?

New Internet Marketing Tools
Written by: Titus Hoskins | Distributed: 2008-04-01 | Word Count: 1288 | Page Views: 5017 | Votes: 7 | Rating: 2.57
New Internet marketing tools are coming online each and every day. Are you taking advantage of these marketing tools or are you losing your online competitiveness because you're not using them? Read more....

Exploring Domain Expired Name Register To Find Best Domain Names
Written by: John Khu | Distributed: 2007-11-29 | Word Count: 511 | Page Views: 6719 | Votes: 9 | Rating: 2.56
Before dealing with expired domains, you will need to learn and understand how you can use a domain expired name register to find the best and profitable domain names. A domain expired name register is a powerful tool that helps you in searching for the most meaningful expired domain names. It will also make the process of finding such names easier and flexible.

Multiple Uses Of An Expired Domain Name
Written by: John Khu | Distributed: 2007-12-13 | Word Count: 521 | Page Views: 4467 | Votes: 9 | Rating: 2.56
An expired domain name could be very precious and invaluable, as it has had a considerable amount of time and effort spent on advertising and promoting it over the web. The combined effect of time and effort gives you a host of benefits and advantages, as soon as you register a particular expired domain name.

Email Marketing Formula, The Beginning - Get Your Emails Read
Written by: Kimberly Clay | Distributed: 2008-03-19 | Word Count: 766 | Page Views: 5119 | Votes: 9 | Rating: 2.56
Is your email marketing campaign not as effective as you'd like? Here's what I do for about 90 percent of the email messages I receive: Delete, Delete, Delete... Some days it's so bad, I think my finger's going to get jammed from pressing the "Delete" button so much.











Download an eBook today
 
Directory Navigation
Locate By Category:

ALL Categories
Arts & Crafts
Arts & Entertainment
Automotive
Business - Offline
Business - Online
Career
Computers
Education
Family
Finance
Food & Drink
Health & Wellness
Home & Garden
Humor
Internet
Nature & Pets
Real Estate
Religion
Self Improvement
Shopping
Society
Sports & Recreation
Technology
Travel & Leisure
Uncategorized
World Events
Writing & Speaking

Change Number of Results:
50 - 100 - 200 - 500
Article Reprint Rights
Creative Commons License

This work is
licensed under a
Creative Commons
License


You are not required to show the creative commons license notice when you reprint this work.
Article Statistics
Word Count: 1379

Total Views: 9301

Article Rating: 2.29 of 5
Votes Cast: 17

More Articles By Author:



Last Distribution Date:
2009-11-10 10:15:00

Internal ID: #4553





All Articles are Copyright © 2001-2023 of the Defined Authors.

All other material and images on this site are:
Copyright © 2001-2023, ThePhantomWriters.com