We are living in an era where progress has been made by leaps and bounds in the field of communication and technology. Thanks to the internet which is a network of networks or a connection between two or more computers, information is readily available at one’s fingertips. To connect to the internet, we need a computer, a telephone line and a modem.

In the first place, people from different parts of the globe can communicate among themselves, send and receive emails in real time. Bulky documents, scanned photographs, spreadsheets and even computer programs can be sent as attachments.The sender is thus spared the pain of buying envelopes, stamps and going to the Post office. As a result, quick decisions can be taken as far as office work is concerned. Illustrated and animated E Cards expressing concern, love or sympathy can also be sent.www.123greetings.com, www.bluemountain.com, are two of the most popular websites which contain a wide range of virtual cards for all occasions.

Information on practically every subject can be retrieved and saved for future perusal through popular and powerful search engines such as: www.google.com, www.yahoo.com, www.altavista.com, www.alltheweb.com, just to name a few. To refine one’s search and to obtain better results, one can use the + sign. For instance, if you want to have some information on the effects of noise pollution, you can type “effects + noise pollution”.

Students who require information for an essay especially at HSC level no longer have to rush to the library and go through a number of books. They can connect to the internet and download the necessary documentation. Songs, pictures, computer programs can also be downloaded. Students can also find answers to questions related to grammar and language through the website www.dictionary.com . School leavers who wish to pursue higher studies can surf the web and search for the university of their choice. They can visit the website of any university and obtain relevant details about the courses offered, fees, academic programmes and so on. They can even fill in the admission form and submit it.

Products can be ordered and purchased on line. On the online shopping store, you have to select your products, enter your name, address and credit card number in the form provided and submit it. Subsequently, your products will be packed and delivered to you through courier services. However, you must make it a point to buy from reliable and well-known companies. This is because such companies are less likely to cheat you. A good site will display accurate information about its postal address and other important particulars.

The internet is used as a platform for educational purposes. Courses are deliveredthrough the web through the use of mails, forums, CD’s and online communications. In this way, students do not have to be physically present in a classroom and they can study at leisure in the comfort of their own homes.

The internet is a real boon to those who use it judiciously. Not all information available on the net is reliable. Every piece of information obtained should be analysed intelligently. Students should not neglect reading at the expense of the computer because reading is multi-faceted: It increases our vocabulary and knowledge, it develops our personality and helps us to think critically. Constant and indiscriminate exposure to computers causes much strain to the eyes. Moreover,parents should install parental control tools to prevent children from going to undesirable sites.

<B>Rukaiya KHOYRATTY</B>