Guernsey, L. (2002, March 28). As the Web Matures, Fun is Hard to Find. New York Times.

OVERVIEW

The article discusses the declining interest in surfing the web. A number of “cool sites,” provoking interest, entertainment, and amusement have significantly become old news to many Internet surfers.

Lenn Davis, the founder of the once popular, Cool Site of the Day, considered himself to be addicted to surfing for new and unusual web pages. He now has almost completely given up the medium and claims that the enthusiasm for internet surfing is fading rapidly.

Most of the sites that attracted people in the mid-1990s were bizarre and unusual sites that originally were private obsessions which swiftly grew into popular attractions. Examples include the Coffee Cam, a live image of a coffee maker at the University of Cambridge; the Fish Tank Cam; the Telegarden, which allowed viewers to control a robot gardener; Internet Ouija; and Jennicam, the first popular Internet peephole.

The author of the article, Lisa Guernsey, describes the internet: “The web was like a chest of toys, and each day brought a new treasure.” Lisa Maira, a computer network administrator at the University of Buffalo, says this kind of web activity doesn’t impress people anymore.

The problem facing the web is not that some of the particular sites have come and gone, but that no new sites have come along to captivate the casual surfer.

Studies indicate a decline in the amount of time people spend online. In March 2000, a survey by Pew Institute reported that people averaged 90 minutes per session. One year later, when the same people were polled, the number dropped to 83 minutes. According to the report, those polled said they were using the web more to conduct business than to explore new areas, aiming to get offline as soon as possible. Instant messaging has grown exponentially, and many users say they would rather chat with friends than spend their time surfing the web.

Half of internet users in 2000 claimed that it helped “a lot” to help them to learn new things. One year later, when the same people were polled again, only 39 percent made the same claim.

There is also no new rush to build websites. Researchers show that the rate of growth of websites and unique visitors has slumped in recent months. About 20 percent of public web sites that existed nine months ago no longer exist (study done by Online Library Computer Center). Separate research shows that of the sites that are still operating, a large number have been taken over by pornography.

Different reasons have been suggested for the cause of Web disinterest:

• The rush to make money has replaced the original passion.
• Web commercialism and constant pressure to buy something has dismayed surfers.
• The requirement to download various plug-ins or browser updates to view the sites discourages web surfing.
• Others claim it is only a phase and simply a temporary downtime.

 

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION

• What have you learned about internet web surfing from this article? Do you agree?
• Do you spend time surfing the web for fun and unusual websites? Do you find yourself losing more and more interest in doing so?
• What reasons would you suggest for the decline in web surfing? Do you consider this a good thing?
• How much is the internet a part of your daily life? How much would you say for youth?
• What sort of positive and negative results have developed from the youth culture using the internet? What do you think should be changed? What are some ways you can help make those changes?

 

IMPLICATIONS

• Inhalents are among the cheapest and most available of drugs. They are used especially by the very young, poor, and homeless. But occasionally, you will hear of well-to-do young people using them out of curiosity or desperation.
• The pain and anger that some young people feel makes them disregard or welcome the destruction of their own bodies.
• The presence of poor and homeless youth ought to be of concern to any society. These vulnerable human beings need our advocacy and action.

Dean Borgman cCYS

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