[jdeb]

Originally Posted by David M I have been on the internet for just as long starting with AOL as well. I have to disagree. The internet is much LARGER now. This means there is more free stuff as well as more stuff for sale. Perhaps the ratio of free stuff to pay for stuff has swung a little towards more pay for stuff, but overall there is more free stuff than back in the nineties. Just look at all the free computer utilities we have now. Free anti-virus, popup blockers, firewalls, CD burners...there is lots of stuff for free that did not exist over ten years ago. Look at the great browsers we have now - all of which are free. You can even get a free operating system now - Linux. There are free games on the internet as well as free spreadsheets and other office type applications. We also have more free email options than ten years ago. You can even get free data storage online now that was not available ten years ago. The internet of course is no more safer than it was over ten years ago, but the free options for making it safer have increased. The fact that commerce has increased over the internet is a good thing for consumers. The internet increases competition amongst vendors keeping prices lower for the consumer. The internet makes it very easy to find the lowest prices on goods and services. Can you imagine how much higher prices would be if the only competition was between brick and mortar stores?

very well said