An entire generation is growing up without ever knowing the world without the internet. For the estimated 40% of the world’s population who have access to it, the internet has become an integral part of their daily activities, as they use it for shopping, downloading apps, emailing, blogging, tweeting, searching, watching videos and socialising. It has revolutionised the way we communicate with one another, and we can now publicly express our ideas and opinions in a way that we never could before. We carry the internet around with us on our mobile phones – we have access to virtually anything, virtually anywhere.
Growth
According to those who have researched it at Internet Live Stats, the current number of internet users is estimated at over three billion. The number of websites or the size of the internet itself can be more difficult to quantify, as thousands of websites open and close every day. However, internet researchers Netcraft estimate that the number of websites is close to one billion. Since 1993 the growth of the internet has been nothing short of explosive, and it has gathered momentum, especially in the last decade.
With business and communication relying on the internet more than any other medium, it is becoming more difficult to function without having access online. Internet cafes have sprung up for those who do not have connectivity at home to send emails, fill out forms, do homework and other vital tasks.
A Needle in a Haystack
Aside from the benefits to individuals, the internet has revolutionised the way in which businesses operate. With the costs very low, anyone can have a web page, meaning that businesses can reach a very wide market no matter how big or small they are, and no matter where they are located.
In the early days of the internet, having a website made a business stand out among the rest; it gave the impression of forward thinking and looking towards the future. Nowadays it is becoming increasingly difficult to be spotted among the rest.
The internet has become a virtual version of the real world, with places to go to socialise, download movies and do our shopping or banking. Unfortunately, it also has its own version of crime. We are now bringing up a new generation to explore and learn the opportunities and dangers of not one but two worlds.
Companies such as netcentrics.co.uk, who provide web design in Newport, are among the thousands of web designers who are faced with ever-growing challenges in helping their customers to stand out from the crowd. They are just a small part of a new industry of online internet support, from making websites to developing antivirus software to make the internet a safer and better place on which to trade and do business.
The ever-evolving internet continues to grow, with new developments, devices, and software appearing all the time. This new industry supporting it has a bright future.