NEW YORK (CNN/Money) -
Did you know the Internet turns 35 today? Yep. Back in 1969 some folks at UCLA hooked together two computers and had them pass some data back and forth.
Voila. The Internet was born. More computers got added on ... then protocols and yaddayadda ...
Now it's grown up and heading deep into middle-age. Do we like it?
I know I have some favorite things.
Amazon et al. Every Christmas I want to kiss Jeff Bezos. Sure, I still end up getting a fair dose of full parking lots, surly sales people, and long checkout lines, but it's a lot less than it used to be. And throughout the year I avoid a lot of niggling little trips to get vacuum cleaner bags, specialized furniture and replacement parts for various household machinery. All that comes to the mailbox now.
Yep. Commerce sites are a definite plus for the time-constrained and shopping-averse.
In that vein, a couple more favorite things ...
Netflix et al. I figure what I pay monthly for Netflix I more than make up in savings on late fees from a video store. It's a couch potato's dream. (Wish it was a little easier to find the hot new releases on their site though.)
FTD.com et al. The hurry-up offense on Valentine's Day and Mother's Day is sooooo much easier. Of course, now you can really, literally, wait until the last minute.
But enough shopping. What else is good about the Net?
Banking and Investing. It is finally simple to stay on top of checking balances, 401(k) contributions, and stock portfolios now. And a lot more information about investments is generally available.
Humor. Go to Jibjab.com and watch the movie. Remember the Turkish Stud? You were amused years ago at your first Hamster Dance, I'll bet. And jokes are much easier to pass around.
Trivia. You can settle a bet instantly these days. Or look at ketchup packets from around the world. The trivial is at our fingertips.
Of course with good, there is bad. The obvious are all the porn and scam sites that flourish on the Web. Those are the givens of bad Internet things. But here are others as well ...
Pop-ups. Yes, these are the evil pimples of advertising. And they have multiplied beyond all reason. No amount of digital Clearasil can seem to stop them. (Yes, our Web site has them. Every time I gripe about them a corporate wing tip kicks my nether regions. Hey, we got to pay the bills.)
Webcams. Sure, you can check the traffic on the George Washington Bridge. That's nice. But more often than not, these devices are dedicated to showing you ugly people. Bad thing.
Blogs. Want a lesson in narcissistic behavior amplified by bad writing and logic skills? Check out a blog. Keep your diary to yourself, please.
Yes, like all of us, the Internet has good and bad. And at 35, it is still evolving. I'd like to hear what you think may be good and bad. Drop a note ... by e-mail of course.
Less stamps, that's a good thing too.
Allen Wastler is Managing Editor of CNN/Money and a commentator on CNN and CNNfn. He can be emailed at allen.wastler@turner.com.
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