 Chris Goh's "On the Net"
Friendships
When I first dabbled on the web, I sought new friendships and social circles.
I was very quickly addicted to IRC and even went to a couple of meets and joined penpal lists.
At one stage I remember receiving around 20-30 different emails from people across the globe every week. Out of so many correspondents on the Internet, there is only one that I've kept in contact with from the beginning, nearly eight years now. We've never met.
Today my inbox averages 40-50 new emails daily. My days of eagerly anticipating new mail are long gone.
There are a few stories of people making long-term friendships and numerous accounts of marriages between people who met on the web. But, few people who've searched the Internet for love and friendship can fill both hands with people they'd visit if they were ill, fret if they were sad, or celebrate when they were happy.
I remembered Penpals, a channel I sat on for nearly a year. I was given OP status every time I came on. Everyone knew me and would always say hello. I felt special in this virtual world and devoted countless hours to keeping that connection. Then I left for about six months and when I came back on, no-one knew who I was. Now, many years on, I realise that if I'd spent even half that time with real people, helping them and the community, not only would I have had a positive impact on the world, I could have made friendships I'd cherish for a lifetime.
Even today I lament at my own lack of diligence in maintaining friendships – even though I count myself fortunate to have some wonderful friends.
Friendships are like roses, unattended they struggle on, but with the slightest effort they bloom. And as any good marketing person will tell you, it takes less effort to keep a customer than it does to obtain new ones. Friendships are no different.
Time is one commodity that we can't trade or buy more of. The Internet can be alluring to lonely travellers, because it gives you an opportunity to be someone different, far away from your immediate circles.
But I'd suggest spending the same time in the real world, will be far more rewarding.
It might seem we're putting more effort, but time lost is not replaceable.
HotNews
You know email has come of age when the Pope emails out a significant message from the Vatican. Some may view emails as a half-hearted way of corresponding, but it's not that different to the fact that the Magna Carta which was written on hemp paper. The Pope apologised for crimes committed by Catholics, over the years. It not only shows the changing nature of Catholicism but also that the Vatican understands the way we communicate is also changing.
Watch company Fossil has released a $300 watch with a Palm or Pocket PC operating system. It can sync with your PC providing you information on your contacts appointments etc, but is limited to read only. E-business can also be beamed via infrared to the watches for capture.
One of the great unsung advances thanks to technology is the improvements in sanitation and hygiene. The World Toilet Association (spend a penny at www.worldtoilet.org/) met in Singapore recently and is trying to bring sanitation to third world countries using the internet.
Hotsites
www.freetweak.com/freegreetingcards.html
A great greeting card site with plenty of electronic cards for all different occasions. It doesn't do a bad job.
www.original-cards.com/index.html
Original Card is one of the more elegant card sites I've come across and true it's name original. It's a bit slower, but the quality is great and none of the tackiness of some sites.
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