The End of the Internet

[Bulf]

Do you think it's possible for the Internet to end or "die out" at some point? Or do you think it will last forever? Why or why not?

[Wio]

I think it could change as we know it, like interface wise as well as with what hardware is used to send data and how data is organized. However I assume people will always call the (non-physical) method we use to connect with the rest of the world "the internet".

[zansa]

Internet is going to be murdered the same way it killed the television. That is my theory.

[Alcmaeonid]

It will never "die", but it will evolve into something else.

[Sanosuke23]

Prince already said it was dead, and what Prince says must be true. We are all e-zombies.

[DOOM!]

Video killed the Radio star. Interweb killed the Video Star...
It's already full of commercials, laws and limitations; pretty soon, it's gonna be as dead as TV. People will have to develop psychic network, or common sentience to communicate.

[3pleT]

It won't exactly die, but it will cease to be what it is. See: ACTA

[Elphaba]

I also don't think the internet will die.

People depend on it too much. If anything I think it will also evolve or get more complicated.

[Skylar1]

Well seeing as how the internet is the connection between every computer in the world, I think it's grandly improbable. You'd have to shut down every major and minor server in the world all at the same time- which is a feat fit for a sci-fi novel.

However, I do believe it will become something else. The internet, as it is now, is still in it's infancy. If I had to take a guess, it will branch out from home computers and be integrated in just about every piece of technology available, such as homes to stores, etc. That too though, does not come without it's dangers, such as viruses, malware, etc.

But, no advance in technology is without risk, and I think in time, we'll have worked out enough bugs so that the benefits outweigh the risk. I also have a feeling that social media will be at the core of the "future internet". Where as right now, the core of the internet is primarily business-oriented.

[GameGeeks]

It wont die, it will evolve just like it has since it was created. It provides a wealth of knowledge you'd never have access to without it. It also creates communities that'd never exist without it. Admittedly some of those communities are bad but you could say that about real life communities as well. If anything I see it as the future form of main stream communication. Though this wont happen till mics start becoming standard in things like computers.

[Eris]

Thing is, the Internet was originally conceived as a military network during the cold war. And during the cold war, the prospects of the soviets nuking the hell out of major traffic hubs was a very real possibility (and one that the Internet is designed to route around). As a consequence of this, the Internet is very difficult to shut down, or censor for that matter.

There's a famous saying in Internet activism circuits (attributed to John Gilmore) that goes: The Net interprets censorship as damage and routes around it. And that's not particularly far off what happens when you try to control the Internet.

The only way the Internet is going to die is if people stop using it, in favor or some superior network, or due to some fall-of-the-civilization type event.

[Acnologia]

I don't think it'll die, but it'll get harder to use. Especially with all of these filters and talks of making people pay more.

[HAL 9000]

Oh, knowing the human race, it'll die out.

[Light Buster]

It will never "die", but it will evolve into something else.

It just like he said. It won't die, it'll get better and better.

[Genghis Beatrix]

Well, the internet is already dead. All it is really used for is porn, and that porn is destroying computers!!!

[Bulf]

Well, the internet is already dead. All it is really used for is porn, and that porn is destroying computers!!!

I find more people using it for trolling rather than porn. Or social networking.

[Skylar1]

As a consequence of this, the Internet is very difficult to shut down, or censor for that matter.

This is inherently a good thing though.

I don't think it'll die, but it'll get harder to use. Especially with all of these filters and talks of making people pay more.

If you're referring to websites in particular your fear is unfounded. You will never have to pay a single cent. Most major Social media websites and such are paid for through the use of advertisements on them just the same as tv channels are. Your lunch isn't free, it's sponsored.

Well, the internet is already dead. All it is really used for is porn, and that porn is destroying computers!!!

If I remember correctly, didn't the Internet go mainstream in the early 90's to become what it is today because of porn?

[GameGeeks]

No, it didn't go mainstream because of porn. It started out as an information network and evolved because of that. The Internet has always been about information sharing. What information it has shared has changed over time but it was always about the exchange of information. In fact social networking is nearly as old as the Internet itself. The two may as well be synonymous with each other. Porn is just an unfortunate occurrence that popped up. But the Internet always has been and always will be about the exchange of information and ideas.

[n~valdo]

i think that the internet is going to last forever because alot of ppl are hooked to it , they wont let it go that easily :P