The Internet-Positive or Negative?

The internet has gotten a lot bigger over the past decade. Many people like it but many people do not. While I was growing up the internet was just getting popular and being used. I remember when I was in elementary school we had the old fashioned computers that were only used for games or typing. I remember my teachers using over-head projectors to display pictures and writings to the class. Most were hand written write in front of us and very useful. Once I made it to middle school the internet had taken storm. The schools wanted the entire student body to learn and know how to use the internet as a resource for information. This was a fun and exciting time. Who doesn't want to go use a computer instead of sitting at a desk writing on paper and reading books? It was always the best day of the school week when we got to go to the computer lab. I believe that learning and using the internet for educational purposes is a positive thing. Yes I do believe it can be a distraction at times with all of the vast developments and social networks, but overall it is a great resource and a faster way of information. Before the internet became popular a person would have to go to the library for every book on a topic just to write an essay. Yes the library is important, but when you are crunched for time and can't make it to the library the internet is a great resource. People say that the internet is affecting learning but to me I think it is a way of improving learning. Yes the articles posted online may be shorter than a book, but it gives you the same information in a shorter amount of time. I do not think that the internet is a easy way out. I believe that the information that is put on trusted sites is just as informational as a book written on the same topic. I do not believe that the internet is going to replace books, it will help promote them. Many times the articles on the internet are traced back to a book. Sections are taken out of books and quoted. This is a means of sharing with the searcher that there are books about the topic and if you want to learn more the book is there. A lot of times a reader does not need a detailed explanation of a topic therefore the internet is used to get the information that is needed. If a reader needs a deep explanation and description a book is there also. I believe that the internet is a useful tool that we all can benefit from using. I believe that the internet and books are used intertwined, but in a more efficient way. The internet is a way to quickly find information on a topic and a book is a way to get a more in depth explanation of a topic.