Article Sphere Logo

Is the Internet Better than Real Life?

By Expert Author: Sandra Prior | View Article Summary
Word Count: 598 words | Views: 144 view(s)
Sandra Prior

Whether it’s flirting in chat rooms, blowing people up in online gaming arenas or arguing in newsgroups, the Internet is home to a vast and varied population. With such a range of activities available, is the Net better than real life?

Before the Internet, there was TV. The concept was simple; you watched it until you got bored and then you went to do something else, like watching a bigger screen at the local cinema or meeting friends at the pub. Then along came the Internet and with it a whole new way of socializing was born. So now, when there’s nothing on TV and you can’t be bothered to go to the pub, you needn’t be stuck reading yesterday’s paper. Thanks to the Internet, and the many people on it, you can have a rich and varied social life without leaving the house. Best of all, the Web’s global reach means that, no matter what time of day or night, you can be comparing conspiracy theories, discussing the finer points of DIY or meeting new people and attacking them with assault rifles.

If it’s scintillating conversation you’re after, newsgroups are the place to go. You’ll find groups dedicated to your favorite TV shows, bands, sick jokes, or libelous gossip about celebrities, and just about any other discussion you wish to engage in. Whatever subject you want to talk about, there’s a newsgroup for it.

Tall Tales

You can get into fights with the Americans or with the Brits, or discover the truth about tall tales. There are plenty of useful newsgroups too, ranging from computer advice to support for illnesses and problems.

Newsgroups aren’t for people of a sensitive disposition. For every funny group or useful support forum, there’s a dodgy newsgroup packed with illegal images or cracked software, and almost every newsgroup is plagued with posts from adult sites and idiots. You shouldn’t use your real email address either in your messages, otherwise you will get spammed with junk mail from unscrupulous junk email spammers. Don’t let this put you off, newsgroups are still the most interesting and funniest place on the Internet.

Forums

If you like the sound of newsgroups but don’t like the associated risks, there are plenty of other ways to get into discussions on the Net. Discussion forums offer the best of both worlds; you can visit them using your Web browser or access them with your newsgroup software. Forums provide plenty of opportunity for the cut and thrust of debate, and you don’t need to worry about dodgy content or evil spammers.

Webmasters know that one of the most effective ways to keep people coming to their site is to supply a message board where visitors can meet new people and get into huge fights with them. Almost every big name site you can think of has some sort of discussion board, whether it’s a music site or a news site.

Group Chats

If you fancy something a bit more interesting, group chats are the way to go. You can even talk in real time. IRC is one such real time chat line that has been one of the most successful on the Internet. You need an IRC client and you can even chat one on one in private with someone interesting. If someone annoys you, simple ignore that person and you can have a wonderful chat with anyone that suits your fancy. IRC is extremely addictive and definitely not for kids because of its anarchic nature.

You don’t need to interact with people on the Web if you don’t want to, you can spy on them instead. But that’s another story.
About the Author/Author Bio

Subscribe to Sandra Prior’s Online Newsletter and get up to date Computer Technology News delivered right to your email box for free. See website for details http://usacomputers.rr.nu and http://sacomputers.rr.nu.

Article Source: http://www.articlesphere.com/Article/Is-the-Internet-Better-than-Real-Life-/158619

Article Submitted: 2008-08-05 | This Article has been viewed 144 times.

Comments on this Article


More "Virtual Community" Related Articles

 
 

Listed below are more articles related to the above article from the "Virtual Community" article category.

People interested in the above article "Is the Internet Better than Real Life?" are also interested in the related articles listed below:

 
Koinup is a virtual social networking website that helps people around the world to share information on their lifestyles by sharing their photos, images and other screenshots over the internet. Here we can get the reviews of other people lifestyles as well. Koinup is derived form a Greek word, which means media. More and more people are connecting themselves with the help of avatar in the web and sharing their reviews.
Have you ever thought about joining an online social networking community? If you love meeting new people, there is a good chance that you have given it some thought. Despite wanting to join, there are many individuals who make the decision not to. Are you one of those individuals? If so, is it because you feel overwhelmed? There are literally an unlimited number social networking websites out there to choose from and many are full of members.
It is estimated that each day, a fairly large number of individuals make the decision to join a social networking website. Social networking websites are websites that allow internet users to easily connect with other internet users, often from all around the world. While social networking websites are a great way to make online friends or start an online relationship, there are many internet users who are misinformed when it comes to social networking websites. That misinformation is largely centered on who can see their personal information.
Each day, in the United States, millions of Americans communicate with each other online. In addition to communicating with other Americans, many are communicating with those on the other side of the world. This communication is due, largely in part, to online social networking websites. If you are interested in joining the growing number of internet users who use social networking websites, you will have to find a network to join.
Are you interested in meeting new people online? If so, there is a good chance that you have heard of social networking websites before. Social networking websites are, in a way, like a community. They allow internet users to connect with and communicate with each other. Despite the fact that social networking website have rapidly increased in popularity and their popularity is only expected to keep on rising, there are many internet users who are unsure as to whether or not social networking websites are for them.
Do you love using the internet to meet and talk to new people? If so, there is a good chance that you have heard of social networking websites before. If you have not, you will want to familiarize yourself with them because they are rapidly becoming the most popular way to communicate with others online.
Are you interested in meeting new people online? How about people that share the same interests as you? If so, one of the best ways to find those individuals to use online social networking websites. Social networking websites are often compared to neighborhoods or communities, but ones that are online. If are interested in making use of these popular websites, if you haven't been already, you will need to find a social networking website to become a member of. One of the websites that you may be interested in joining is Orkut.
 
Article Directory Home All Categories Internet And E-Business Virtual Community
 

Can't find what you're looking for? Try Google Search!
 
 
Copyright © 2005 - by Larry Lim, Singapore - Article Search Engine Directory at ArticleSphere.com™
All Rights Reserved Worldwide. All Trademarks and Servicemarks are the property of the respective owners.
French Spanish Bulgarian Chinese (Simplified) Chinese (Traditional) Croation Czech Danish Dutch Finnish German Greek Italian Japanese Korean Norwegian Polish Portuguese Romanian Russian Serbian Slovak Swedish Arabic Hebrew Hungarian Thai Turkish English US