“The Internet is mostly a good thing.”
Do you agree? Support your opinion.

The Internet, which became available to the general public in the year 1991, is currently a worldwide phenomenon. In our modern world, most people depend on it so much that it would be extremely difficult to live without it. Hence, I do agree that the Internet is mostly a good thing.

Also known as the information superhighway, the Internet provides us information on almost anything with great ease. It is like we have the world at our fingertips. Just name it - online library, books, journals, newspapers, information on health, education, gardening, vehicles, astronomy and so forth - they are all available on the Internet. With the satellite maps of virtually anywhere on earth, we know how to get to places and never be lost again, even in a strange city.

The business world depends heavily on the Internet nowadays. Business deals are discussed and transactions carried out through the Internet. Online shopping, which was unheard of decades ago, is currently becoming the norm. A lot of people prefer online shopping to visiting shops or department stores due to the security and convenience that the former provides. Many of the online sellers promise next-day delivery of purchased goods. Thanks to the advancement of technology - the Internet, buyers today no longer need to get out of their houses to get something. Similarly, Internet or online banking enables individuals to perform banking activities at home via the Internet. Days when people had to exit their homes to pay their water and electricity bills were gone. Consumers can now pay their utility bills and make most other payments online with only a few mouse clicks.

People lacking the time or means to travel out of their homes or countries to further their studies can now do so using the distance learning or e-learning method. There are many online universities and even prestigious traditional universities offering online courses. Students taking such courses are able to learn remotely through the Internet without being in the regular face-face contact with a teacher in a classroom. Since interactions between the students and teacher are done online, their locations do not pose a problem. E-learning programmes are usually more affordable and furthermore, students are allowed to progress at their own speed. Therefore, distance learning education offers much more flexibility compared to traditional tertiary education.

The Internet has tremendously improved the way we communicate with one another. Nowadays we are able to communicate with people across the globe at high speed. In the past when people communicated via correspondence, letters could take days and even weeks to arrive at their destinations. Presently, we are able to see people who are faraway and speak to them in real time, as if the person is right in front of us, through videoconferencing and video calling. Online chatting and instant messaging allows the real-time transmission of text messages from sender to receiver and vice versa, while emailing allows the delivery of both long and short messages within seconds.

In a nutshell, although some people may misuse the Internet for bad intentions, I believe that it is mostly a good thing if we use it wisely. Undeniably, the Internet is a rich resource for learning. Let us do the right thing and make the Internet a blessing instead of a curse.