Internet is a worldwide system of networked computers. A network is a situation where users of a particular computer can get access to information in another computer, or talk by using the available networking tools. Internet Roles and Functions The Functions of the internet are classified according to the following categories.
a) Information Source It is a source of information, services like newsgroups and the World Wide Web (WWW) hold large amount of information, which is available online and can be accessed anytime. The information covers different fields and sectors. The internet’s reliability as a source of information has positively contributed to the advancements in various sectors. It has facilitated fast technological inventions and innovations.
It has been used in education sectors to facilitate research activities (Comer and David, 1999). b) Communication Tool The internet services like Emails and Newsgroups facilitate communication over this platform. The internet is seen as a powerful global communication tool. The internet acts a fast means of conveying information from one place to another. This has led to individuals, organizations and governments making informed decisions on various subjects. c) Marketing Platform The internt can be used as a means of marketing.
It’s a cheap medium for making advertisements, sales and finally reaching potential and actual buyers of a given commodity. The existence of such tools like encryption and digital signatures makes this process secure and authentic. The internet has provided cheaper faster advertisement platforms. Products produced form different parts of the world can now be channeled to different markets in different parts of the world (D'Emanuele, 1995). d) Tele-Working The internet provides the ability to work from home.
Employees can work for the company from the convenience of their homes.This has greatly reduced rent and traveling expenses to the advantage of both the employer and the employee. Internet as a reliable resource Useful Search Engines The most useful search engines include the following Google, Yahoo!, Bing, AOL Search and Ask. These search engines are useful because they provide the user with current authentic and reliable information on different aspects.
They are the most visited are readily available. The search engine is handy in providing the information that is being looked for over the internet. A combination of keywords can enable the searcher obtained the information being looked for without necessarily having to type the exact phrases. The information obtained in most cases is reliable since it uses the provided keywords as a basis of performing the searches and producing the expected results (Kedem, 1999). Most Visited Websiite The world’s most visited website is www.facebook.
com. Facebook.com is a social site developed to connect people. Initially, it was widely used by college and university students but currently it is used by all ages. People normally get what they are looking for since the site has all the features and the capabilities to enhance this.
Internet Limitations a) Time According to the survey, it is evident that most social sites and likely to consume a lot of time without any significant importance to the user. Such sites in most cases are addictive and tend to waste the user’s time. An example of such a site is Facebook.com.b) Issues While using the internet, users should be aware of scams, copyright laws and privacy rights. Conclusion The survey was carried out on fifteen individuals.
Among these individuals, ten were college and university students and five were mature adult workers. From their responses, it is clear that college and university students like visiting the social sites as part of their leisure. They also use search engines on their academic research while on the other hand, adults utilize the communication tools in the internet to promote their business activities. From this survey also, it was found out that the number of males and females who use the internet compete closely with a negligible margin.
