5. Uses of the Internet

Research and homework

The internet is a fantastic place to research information for a project or piece of homework. It doesn't matter what topic you have been set, you can guarantee that you will find something on the subject.

Communication

The internet opens up many different possible ways to communicate with others. Here are some:

• Email
• Blogs
• Social networking sites e.g. Facebook, Myspace, Bebo
• Chatrooms
• Forums
• Voip - internet telephone

Shopping

Whatever you want to buy, you can pretty much guarantee that you can find it for sale somewhere on the internet.

Find out more about ecommerce by reading the ecommerce theory section

Leisure and Entertainment

There are many different ways that you can choose to spend your time online and amuse yourself. Here are a few:

• Playing online games
• Listening to music (mp3 download or live streaming)
• Reading online books and e-books
• Watching online videos e.g. YouTube
• Looking for holidays or concert tickets
• Reading about your hobbies
• Keeping up-to-date with the news and sporting events
• Watching 'catch up' television from the main channels

Exploring the world

The internet has many services that help you explore the world.

• Satellite and mapping applications e.g. Google Earth
• Travel sites providing details of other places
• Live web cams showing other parts of the world
• Almanacs and encyclopedias

There are always new things turning up on the internet as entrepreneurs think of the next great service that everyone wants.