“Is the internet a big deal? Or is it an over-hyped fad?
I think it is a big deal. I think anything that can affect industries whose total revenue base is many hundreds of billions of dollars is a big deal.”

This quote is from Andrew Grove's book Only the Paranoid Survive. Andrew Grove is the former CEO of Intel -- you know Intel, they probably made the chip that is running the computer you are using to access this page. Don't know if you have an Intel chip? Look for the trademark sticker on your computer or laptop -- chances are you do.

I totally agree with Andrew Grove -- the Internet is a very big deal. It may seem that the Internet coolness, trendiness, even cache disappeared when all of the dot com companies went bust, but the Internet itself is enduring and evolving. For those of you that do not think the Internet is a big deal I suggest that you try a few things (taking for granted the fact that you wouldn't be reading this Blog if you did not at least know how to use a browser) -- (1) Go to the website of your credit card company, set up online access and pay your bill. Wasn't to hard was it? While you're at it, enroll in online statements and save a few trees (or, if it makes you feel better, take a small step toward thumbing your nose at the US Postal Service), (2) Go to the website of your bank and enroll for online access. Once again, not that hard was it? Now realize that something the bank gives you for free just saved you from having to print "Quick Look" statements at the ATM (and pay for them), (3) Visit some of the big sites like Expedia (you don't have to buy a ticket, rent a hotel room, or rent a car . . . but look how easy it would be if you wanted to) or Amazon (look for something you want, I'd be willing to bet you'd be hard-pressed to type in something Amazon couldn't find for you somewhere).

If you work for a company (and if you do, there's a good chance that you are using their Internet connection to access and read this Blog) think about how the Internet makes your job easier. Do you work for a big company or a small one? What's the revenue base of your company? Think it's too small for Andrew Grove's quote to apply to you? Try and think about the other few thousand companies about the same size of yours in the city you work in . . . big revenue base.

Still not convinced? Ok, let's examine why companies are trying so hard to get Internet access mobile. Get e-mail on your cellphone, access the web on your cellphone, pagers that sync with your e-mail, picture e-mail . . . I could go on and on and tomorrow there would be something new that's not on this list. Why is it, do you think, that companies are spending so much money on Internet technologies? More to the point, why is it that you spend money on this stuff if the Internet is no big deal?