Internet is a Internet is a Boon or Bane?Boon or Bane?

Done By: Grace Magdalene Leong Li Bin, Gilbert Chong Kai Jing, Cheok Done By: Grace Magdalene Leong Li Bin, Gilbert Chong Kai Jing, Cheok Rui AprilRui April

From The User’s From The User’s Point Of ViewPoint Of View

1. Communication:1. Communication:

By the advent of computer’s Internet, our earth By the advent of computer’s Internet, our earth has reduced and has attained the form of a has reduced and has attained the form of a global village. global village.

We can communicate in a fraction of second with We can communicate in a fraction of second with a person who is sitting in the other part of the a person who is sitting in the other part of the world. world.

We can avail the facilities of e-mail and We can avail the facilities of e-mail and messenger services in offering to communicate messenger services in offering to communicate with our loved ones or business associates. with our loved ones or business associates.

With help of such services, it has become very With help of such services, it has become very easy to establish a kind of global friendship easy to establish a kind of global friendship where you can share your thoughts, can explore where you can share your thoughts, can explore other cultures of different ethnicity. other cultures of different ethnicity.

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2. Information:2. Information:

The Internet is a virtual treasure trove of The Internet is a virtual treasure trove of information. Any kind of information on any information. Any kind of information on any topic under the sun and known to man is topic under the sun and known to man is available on the Internet.available on the Internet.

With the help of search engines like Google or With the help of search engines like Google or Yahoo, one can almost find any type of data on Yahoo, one can almost find any type of data on almost any kind of subject that one is looking almost any kind of subject that one is looking for. for.

Today, it is almost required that students Today, it is almost required that students should use the Internet for research purposes. should use the Internet for research purposes. Teachers have started giving assignments that Teachers have started giving assignments that require research on the Internet. Business require research on the Internet. Business professionals also use the internet to share professionals also use the internet to share information and articles on their work.information and articles on their work.

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3. Entertainment:3. Entertainment:

Media of internet has become quite successful Media of internet has become quite successful in trapping multifaceted entertainment factor.in trapping multifaceted entertainment factor.

With the internet, once can easily download With the internet, once can easily download games or software, visit chat rooms, surf the games or software, visit chat rooms, surf the Web, exchange songs, and even catch up on Web, exchange songs, and even catch up on the latest news.the latest news.

Example: Facebook is a social utility that Example: Facebook is a social utility that connects people with friends and others who connects people with friends and others who work, study and live around them. People use work, study and live around them. People use Facebook to keep up with friends, play games, Facebook to keep up with friends, play games, networking etc.networking etc.

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4. Services4. Services

Many services are now provided on the Many services are now provided on the internet such as online banking, job seeking, internet such as online banking, job seeking, match-making, purchasing movie tickets, match-making, purchasing movie tickets, guidance services on array of topics engulfing guidance services on array of topics engulfing the every aspect of life, and even hotel the every aspect of life, and even hotel reservations. reservations.

Often these services are not available off-line Often these services are not available off-line and can cost more. and can cost more.

With the help of such services, one is able to With the help of such services, one is able to save traveling time and easily make save traveling time and easily make transactions from home or work. This aids in transactions from home or work. This aids in the convenience of everyone.the convenience of everyone.

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5. E-Commerce:5. E-Commerce:

Apart from retrieving information from the Apart from retrieving information from the internet, one is also able to purchase items internet, one is also able to purchase items from the internet.from the internet.

There are many online shops or sites that one There are many online shops or sites that one is able to find products from, as well as is able to find products from, as well as purchase these products with a credit card.purchase these products with a credit card.

With E-Commerce, there is no need to leave With E-Commerce, there is no need to leave the house, and can do all kinds of shopping the house, and can do all kinds of shopping from the convenience of one’s home. from the convenience of one’s home.

Example: Cold Storage has provided an online Example: Cold Storage has provided an online shopping experience for busy individuals who shopping experience for busy individuals who do not have time for their grocery shopping.do not have time for their grocery shopping.

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1. 1. Theft of Personal informationTheft of Personal information::

By using the Internet, one may be facing grave By using the Internet, one may be facing grave danger as personal information such as name, danger as personal information such as name, address, credit card number etc. can be address, credit card number etc. can be accessed by other hackers.accessed by other hackers.

This might cause problems such as the This might cause problems such as the uncontrolled use of one’s credit card in uncontrolled use of one’s credit card in purchasing, or the use of identity for purchasing, or the use of identity for unsolicited activities without one’s knowing.unsolicited activities without one’s knowing.

Electronic messages sent over the internet can Electronic messages sent over the internet can be easily snooped and tracked, revealing the be easily snooped and tracked, revealing the contents as well as the parties of the contents as well as the parties of the conversation.conversation.

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2. 2. Spamming: Spamming:

Spamming refers to sending unwanted e-mails Spamming refers to sending unwanted e-mails in bulk, which provide no purpose and in bulk, which provide no purpose and needlessly obstruct the entire system. needlessly obstruct the entire system.

Most spam mails include commercial Most spam mails include commercial advertising mostly for dubious products, get-advertising mostly for dubious products, get-rich-quick schemes, pornography or quasi-legal rich-quick schemes, pornography or quasi-legal activities.activities.

Other than e-mail spamming, there are Instant Other than e-mail spamming, there are Instant Messaging Spam, Newsgroup spam and forum Messaging Spam, Newsgroup spam and forum spam, Online game messaging spam, Blog, spam, Online game messaging spam, Blog, wiki, and guestbook spam, Spam targeting wiki, and guestbook spam, Spam targeting video sharing sites etc. video sharing sites etc.

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3. 3. Virus Threat: Virus Threat:

Virus is nothing but a program which Virus is nothing but a program which disrupts the normal functioning of your disrupts the normal functioning of your computer systems. computer systems.

Computers attached to internet are more Computers attached to internet are more prone to virus attacks which can end up prone to virus attacks which can end up into crashing your whole hard disk, or the into crashing your whole hard disk, or the loss of information on your computer.loss of information on your computer.

Examples of virus threat: Spyware, Examples of virus threat: Spyware, Malware, Y2k Virus, TrojansMalware, Y2k Virus, Trojans

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4. 4. Pornography: Pornography:

This is the biggest threat for a child or This is the biggest threat for a child or teenager’s mental life. teenager’s mental life.

There are thousands of pornographic sites on There are thousands of pornographic sites on the Internet that can be easily found and can be the Internet that can be easily found and can be a detrimental factor when children or teenagers a detrimental factor when children or teenagers use the Internet. use the Internet.

Most pornography sites are accompanied by Most pornography sites are accompanied by Malware, Spyware, and Trojans which might Malware, Spyware, and Trojans which might disrupt a computer’s function without one disrupt a computer’s function without one knowing.knowing.

Might unconsciously become an addiction for Might unconsciously become an addiction for anyone.anyone.

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5. 5. Addictions: Addictions:

Prolonged usage of the internet can form Prolonged usage of the internet can form unhealthy addictions not only for children, unhealthy addictions not only for children, teenagers, but for adults as well.teenagers, but for adults as well.

This might cause withdrawal, loss of This might cause withdrawal, loss of relationships or job, significant time relationships or job, significant time consumption, sleep deprivation, decrease consumption, sleep deprivation, decrease in performance, and even negative effects in performance, and even negative effects on family relationship because of the on family relationship because of the reduction in communication and personal reduction in communication and personal bonding.bonding.

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From The From The Business Business

Point Of ViewPoint Of View

24-7:24-7: With the internet, businesses are able With the internet, businesses are able to operate online 24 hours daily. As such, to operate online 24 hours daily. As such, one’s physical storefront does not need to one’s physical storefront does not need to be open in order for customers and suppliers be open in order for customers and suppliers to be doing business electronically.to be doing business electronically.

Human Strength: Human Strength: Company size will be Company size will be relatively less important as computers are relatively less important as computers are able to accomplish tasks that are normally able to accomplish tasks that are normally done by humans. done by humans.

Global Marketplace: Global Marketplace: The Internet spans the The Internet spans the world, and it is possible to do business with world, and it is possible to do business with any business or person who is connected to any business or person who is connected to the Internet.the Internet.

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Speed: Speed: Electronic communications allow Electronic communications allow messages to traverse the world almost messages to traverse the world almost instantaneously i.e. there is no need to wait instantaneously i.e. there is no need to wait weeks for a quotation to arrive by postweeks for a quotation to arrive by post

Operational Benefits: Operational Benefits: This include reducing both This include reducing both the time and personnel required to complete the time and personnel required to complete business processes, and reducing strain on business processes, and reducing strain on other resources.other resources.

Costs Reduction:Costs Reduction: E-Commerce helps reduce the E-Commerce helps reduce the delivery time, labor cost, and the cost incurred delivery time, labor cost, and the cost incurred in the following areas: 1. Document in the following areas: 1. Document preparation2. Error detection and correction3. preparation2. Error detection and correction3. Reconciliation4. Mail preparation5. Telephone Reconciliation4. Mail preparation5. Telephone calling6. Data entry7. Overtime8. Supervision calling6. Data entry7. Overtime8. Supervision expensesexpenses

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Training and Maintenance: Training and Maintenance: The need to constantly The need to constantly update the business website may lead to extra update the business website may lead to extra labor costs, training and retraining costslabor costs, training and retraining costs

Security: Security: An E-commerce business exposes itself An E-commerce business exposes itself to security risks and may be susceptible to to security risks and may be susceptible to destruction and disclosure of confidential data, destruction and disclosure of confidential data, data transfer and transaction risks (as in online data transfer and transaction risks (as in online payments) or virus attacks.payments) or virus attacks.

Distribution:Distribution: Distribution must be very efficient Distribution must be very efficient especially when catering to a global market.especially when catering to a global market.

Hardware and Software: Hardware and Software: There are specific There are specific hardware and software that are essential to start hardware and software that are essential to start up an E-commerce company that may be big and up an E-commerce company that may be big and costly.costly.

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Website Stickiness and Customer Loyalty: Website Stickiness and Customer Loyalty: A A company can have a website and exist within company can have a website and exist within the Internet but there may not be enough the Internet but there may not be enough people visiting the site and purchasing services people visiting the site and purchasing services or products from the company.or products from the company.

Mechanical Failure: Mechanical Failure: Mechanical failures can Mechanical failures can cause unpredictable effects on the total cause unpredictable effects on the total processes.processes.

Training: Training: The company needs well-skilled and The company needs well-skilled and trained workers to maintain and create the trained workers to maintain and create the ecommerce facilities of the company. Hence, ecommerce facilities of the company. Hence, many companies prefer to outsource their many companies prefer to outsource their development and programming tasks to development and programming tasks to decrease labor costs.decrease labor costs.

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Conclusion:Conclusion: Though the internet can create havoc, Though the internet can create havoc,

destruction and its misuse can be very fatal, destruction and its misuse can be very fatal, the advantages of it outweigh its the advantages of it outweigh its

disadvantages. disadvantages.

That said, the internet is a boon than a bane.That said, the internet is a boon than a bane.