| Believe it or not, the Internet (in its earliest form) | | | | Koerwer of Information Today, "This open |
| dates back nearly 4 decades. Ok we all know it | | | | standard allows entire industries to grow as a |
| was just a network of computers for the | | | | benefit to everyone." |
| government sharing data, but it has evolved into | | | | Unless you live in a cave (and even then that is |
| so much more. | | | | not enough anymore), you probably have heard |
| Today, on the internet, you can buy just about | | | | of search engines. I am sure you have heard of |
| anything, get news content on any subject, and | | | | Google. Well Google was launched in September |
| of course, the internet lets the small business | | | | of 1998, and has grown to be a multi-billion dollar |
| owner compete with the big guys by offering a | | | | business. According to the SIIA, "Google is now |
| global marketplace of like no one has ever seen. | | | | used by 30 percent of Internet users for services |
| Through it all, what has been the biggest | | | | including maps, email, blogs, and video, and is listed |
| advances of the internet, especially related to | | | | as their #1 item that has changed the way people |
| eCommerce? Well you are in luck. The Software | | | | use the internet." |
| & Information Industry Association (SIIA) unveiled | | | | However no one can ignore the fact that in order |
| a list of the significant ecommerce developments | | | | for the internet to be successful, web surfers |
| during the past decade. | | | | must be able to get to their content up on their |
| Here we feature some of the items from their | | | | screen and get it there quickly. On this notion, up |
| list starting with the earlies developments, up until | | | | steps broadband. The once very expensive and |
| today. | | | | highly remote service available to customers, is |
| The year was 1997 and the dot com explosion | | | | now the norm in the industry for internet users |
| was upon us, or at least on the cusp. In this year | | | | and according to the SIIA, "Broadband Penetration |
| the world saw the creation of Amazon, open | | | | of U.S. Internet Users Reaches 50 percent in June |
| standards for HTML (4.0) and the creation of | | | | 2004. It took broadband 4 years to reach 50 |
| Wi-Fi. Amazon was that mentor for other sites to | | | | percent of the population. By the end of 2007, |
| look up to. They basically started a revolution by | | | | the number will reach an estimated 90 percent." |
| which you can purchase books online with their | | | | Resulting in more websurfers getting to where |
| ease of use web site. Amazon was known to be | | | | they need to go, and in a hurry. |
| one of the first websites to start eCommerce. | | | | So what does the future hold? YouTube, mobile |
| The company responsible for making sure web | | | | websurfing, SMS, web 2.0 and many other |
| developers follow, or at least try to follow a set | | | | technologies currently exist, and are being |
| of standards is known as the World Wide Web | | | | upgraded as well as expanded daily. One thing is |
| Consortium. It is not a private company or | | | | for sure, the internet is constantly evolving, and if |
| government somewhere in the world, they make | | | | you aren`t keeping up with the times, you are |
| sure HTML, the language by which websites | | | | sure to fall behind. |
| appear on your web browser (a basic definition) is | | | | By: Bruce A. |
| followed and standardized. According to Scott | | | | |