Internet | The revolution of the internet

By Masha Du Toit

If you are interested in this topic, take a look at our University of Cape Town Internet Super-User course.

"The internet is the world's largest library. It's just that all the books are on the floor." John Allen Paulos

We speak about the internet as though it were a place: a place where we can educate our children and ourselves, keep in touch with old friends or find new ones, manage our finances, shop, share knowledge and find entertainment. But can you find your way around this brave new online world – or are you sitting on the edge of the information highway, watching others speed by?

The number of people using the internet has increased from 16 million in 1995 to 1,734 million in September 2009. That is an increase from 0.4% to 25.6% of the world’s population in less than two decades.

In developed countries like the United States, Sweden, Norway and the Netherlands, more than 70% of the population is active online. According to a study conducted by World Wide Worx, the number of South Africans accessing the internet on a broadband connection has grown by more than 50% in the past year – a truly remarkable number. And that is not all.

The real growth has been in the “mobile internet” – the ability to access the World Wide Web through a cellphone. And yet, less than half of urban cellphone users who have internet-capable phones use the internet. They have the technology, but something prevents them from using it to its full potential. Do you know how to use the technology that you have at your disposal?

Some examples: Google is a powerful search engine, but many people have not taken advantage of all of its features:
• Use the side bar in Google to search in a specific time frame, such as “the last 24 hours”, or to search for specific media such as “news”, “blogs”, “books” or “images”.
• The sidebar also offers special search tools such as the wonder wheel or timeline search.
• Find any location on Google Maps, and use it to generate directions to get there.

Google offers many other useful tools:
• Google Reader allows you to keep track of all your favourite websites.
• Google Documents allows several people to collaboratively edit a single document.
• Google Calendar allows you to set up meetings, tasks and reminders for yourself or others.

Another example of the growing influence of technology is the world of “social media”. Most people associate the term with Facebook; good for connecting with friends and family, but also a good way to waste time. The truth is that social networks like Twitter and LinkedIn are important professional tools. Whether you need to learn new skills or solve an immediate problem, there is a wealth of forums and blogs dedicated to helping you. This is where you will encounter one of the amazing and unexpected aspects of the internet: the generosity of strangers.

The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn. - Alvin Toffler

A few more examples of modern life online life-skills are:
• Staying safe online – avoiding phishing attempts, viruses, spyware and other online dangers.
• Keeping track of information you find online through RSS readers or bookmarks.
• Knowing the correct etiquette for online communication.
• Accessing the internet on your cellphone.

One place to start is the UCT Internet Super-User course. The University of Cape Town’s Information Systems Department has partnered with GetSmarter, a specialist online training firm, to present this part-time internet course.

Because it is an online course, anyone from anywhere in South Africa can take part, and participants can study according to their own schedule, guided by an online tutor. The course is suitable for novice to intermediate internet users.

Back to SmartyPants Newsletter - September 2010 Edition
This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution license.