I like you.

the internet isn't being destroyed, it's evolving.

My 13 yr old boys surf the internet all the time, get viruses, learn how to get rid of them and move on.. it doesn't phase them a bit, where me, it throws me into a tailspin.. that's because I'm not a kid, and I remember when it was a lot easier to surf.

To newer surfers, it's no big deal, they adapt because they've never known it to be any different

If we change with the times we won't be left behind

noway I'm quitting my day job! :)

Because your face looks like a ass hat?

Elements of truth in the original post. However it's far more true to say those with vision, a willingness to adapt, a POSITIVE attitude and a little intelligence will still be here in 10/20/30 years time making good money from the Internet alone.

Those without any of those qualities will still be working for someone else bitching each night about the bad day they had at work, how badly they need a break, how the could do with more income etc etc.

i can see your point of view regarding how people are using nasty tactics to get sales/attention/traffic... but i really doubt the internet will die... it's just all these nasty tactics make the surfer smarter making it harder to make sales...

Tell that to the guy who runs the "Field of Dreams" store at the mall.

Or the guy who sits in his comic book store all day....

Or the assclown that makes a fortune on Ebay selling cards he picked up for a few bucks at a yard sale.

You can make money doing anything. There are some porn sites out there that prove that.

You go too far when you use terms like "destroying". If we got even close, it would no longer be worthwhile for the cowboys so they would quit and the pendulum would start to swing back.

I agree that we are doing an awful lot to screw our own business, but if that is the topic you shouldn't restrict yourself to the techno-trix. Damaging as they are, they don't come close to the harm we have done with years of sites that fail to deliver what is promised on their tours, dubious billing practises, etc.

Plenty of webmasters will jump up to knock the spam emails, auto-installs, etc. But you have to wonder whether that is more because they suffer them than out of any real concern for the surfer. How many (well-known) sponsors would disappear tomorrow if we all stopped sending surfers to sites that were basically crap? Jeez... we still recommend them to each other :helpme

huh

Nicely said..

Sorry, I don't believe ETHICAL, non-SPAMMING and non-SCAMMING adult webmasters are allowed on this board....:(

50 day jobs

Any of you ever heard of the TCPA/Palladium thingies? Those will pretty much kill spyware, viruses, etc. Ofcourse, open source will be destroyed as well, but the average consumer won't care about that.

On the whole front, more regulations and limitations will change the entire face of the internet. Big business will rule it - eventually - and the "wild west" idea will disappear. No government can accept the constant crime, semi-crime and semi-legal fraud happening online. As for the standard consumer, he will choose the "easy & safe" alternative if he finds it - even if that means he has to give up some rights and possibilities.

Basically, the assholes among us have created a situation that simply HAS to change, both from the point of view of governments and from the point of view of consumers.
The victims of such a change will be small businesses (that probably means *you*), because tons of regulations will make operating an internet/computer business extremely costly.

preach it