Are you a weekly print magazine scrambling to attract attention and new readers? How about running a cover story entitled "The Internet Sucks"? It's sure to capture some attention, especially from those much-coveted younger readers that have embraced the Web so enthusiastically. So what's got Maclean's so hot and bothered about the Web - other than as a way jump-start subscription sales? According to IT Business' Shane Schick, it has much to do with the scourge of online pornography, gambling, identify theft, and the emergence user-generated content such as blogs. Apparently, there's little in the article about the Internet's positive contributions such as its ability to dramatically change how we communicate, access information, do business, etc. Sure, the Internet is far from perfect and there are unsavoury elements but you could say that about every aspect of society. To dismiss the Internet as something that "sucks", frankly, sucks. (By the way, if you're looking for the article online, it's ironically not on the Maclean's Web site yet as far as I can tell. You can, however, check out the magazine's growing portfolio of blogs, including an audioblog).
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Mark Evansthe blog - examines the world of telecom and technology from a distinctly Canadian perspective.the person - lives in Toronto, CA with his wife and three children, and works as director of community with PlanetEye Inc. 
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The Internet Really, Really, Really Sucks
by
Mark Evans
on Wed 25 Oct 2006 08:32 AM EDT | Permanent Link
Comments
Re: The Internet Really, Really, Really Sucks
by
Guy McDowell
on Wed 25 Oct 2006 11:23 AM EDT | Permanent Link
At its best and worst, all the Internet can do is connect us to information on the World Wide Web. (People still get these two things confused - consider the Internet as the roads and highways and the Web as towns and cities.)
That being said, all the web does is reflect us as people - much as art imitates life. Also the same as art, the web can influence us - should we choose to let it, as individuals. Before the web came along, pornography and gambling were still huge industries, rivalling any other industry. Has that really changed? Before the web came along, people were gathering together for peaceful purposes with ideals to make the world better. Has that changed? Yes, I suppose it has. If anything, it happens faster and includes more people. Does the amount of dross on the web outweigh the good? Let's look at television for that answer - for every ten channels of garbage, there is one good one. Something like a CLT or Access or APTN or TVOntario. All uf us can look back on these channels for moment of enlightenment or education. Remember Readalong? Remember Man Alive? The web is no different. There are the WebMD's WikiPedia's and other great sites that do make life that little bit better. Just stay out of the gutter and you'll be alright. Re: Re: The Internet Really, Really, Really Sucks
that's good, pragmatic advice! of course, if macleans's want to focus on the bad side of town, that's fair game. it doesn't necessarily mean it's the right approach but you gotta sell subscriptions, right?
Re: The Internet Really, Really, Really Sucks
by
Robert Thompson
on Wed 25 Oct 2006 10:45 PM EDT | Permanent Link
You know, Mr. Evans, that Macleans is now more of a tabloid trying to garner some attention. You and I are not, of course, surprised by this given the editor in charge; however, I'm a little surprised at how Mr. Maich has been hooked by all of this. Seems to me he'd have been one of those people who would have told us he had too much integrity for this kind of journalism. Apparently that's not the case...
In three issues I've seen Steve get two cover stories -- both blown well out of proportion. Trackbacks
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