On 6/22/2011 14:33, Nathan Eisenberg wrote:
I agree, the whole use of the terms 'need' and 'want' in this conversation are ridiculous. It's the Internet. The entire thing isn't a 'need'. It's not like life support or something that will cause loss of life if it isn't there. The only thing to even discuss here is 'want'. Yes, consumers 'want' super-fast Internet, faster than any of us can comprehend right now. 1Tbps to the house, for everyone, for cheap!
Wait, the internet isn't a need? Is this 1991? Of course it's a need, as surely as heat or electricity are needs.
Without even trying, I can think of a dozen life-safety systems that rely solely on the internet for their functionality.
Life safety aside, enough common stuff is moving online (whether it's paying bills, schoolwork, or preparing forms for the DMV ahead of time), and it's slowly becoming a disadvantage to not have the internet. ~Seth