(Psst! Because today is International Internet Day!)
So the International Internet Day that commemorates the sending of the first electronic message from one computer to another in 1969 happens to be today!
It wasn't until 2005 that someone thought they should celebrate the momentous occasion but here we are now.
Probably the greatest invention after the wheel, the Internet has changed our lives in ways we could have never imagined.
How you ask?
Let's see:
1. We don't remember telephone numbers anymore
There was a time when several of us remembered telephone numbers of almost all our family members.
Sure it helped that there weren't as many telephones to begin with but think of it... there is a very, very strong possibility that you probably know the first telephone number of your best friend from school who you're no longer in touch but you don't know your mother's mobile number.
Photograph: CollegeDegrees360/Creative Commons
2. We don't remember spellings
Let's see there are more exceptions to the 'i' before 'e' except after 'c' rule than you can imagine.
So is it 'believe' or 'beleive'
Is 'obeisance' the correct spelling?
And how do you spell 'Alzhiemer's'?
See what we mean?
3. We don't remember anything anymore really
What is that movie with Kajol and Shah Rukh you watched three times over?
What about your favourite character from that book you read in college?
And oh oh oh... in which year did India go to war with China?
Why remember when you have the Internet right?
4. DVDs became a joke
Oh the days when you just had to rewind those tapes after watching movies!
And that day when you held in your hand the first film CD?
And oh oh that day when you thought re-writable DVDs were the ultimate invention!
Along came the Internet and... erm... Torrents! :-)
Photograph: SS Cunningham/Creative Commons
5. The iPad is our cookbook
Handy, portable, complete with pictures and videos.
Who needs cookbooks anymore!
Photograph: Mike/Creative Commons
6. And these things disappeared altogether
Well... :-)
Photograph: David Goehring/Creative Commons
7. Cats happened
Yeah cats!
Photograph: Zaimoku Woodpile/Creative Commons
8. These things would have meant absolutely nothing a little over a decade ago
9. And this one would probably not be half as famous
Photograph: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for EJAF
10. And most of all, we no longer have to worry about that stash of porn magazines
Three words that have saved the day every single time: Clear browsing history
THANK YOU INTERNET!
Photograph: Steve McKinney/Creative Commons
