What is the Impact of the Internet on Society?

It seems like so long ago that we always went to the bank to make a deposit, or wrote a check at the supermarket. Those that used a credit card to pay for groceries must be super rich. Carrying cash was important, as many retailers did not take this new thing called a debit card. There's myriad other examples, from health records to online bill pay. When exactly was the last time you bought a book of stamps?

Then the Internet arrived in mainstream America. Access was easier than ever, with a dial-up modem. Remember that sound? Everyone would get excited at it, as if it were a beacon allowing the gates of knowledge to open. Yet, for all the reminiscing, there are generations out there today that laugh at some of these things, as the Internet was well-established for them as kids. Having a laptop at school was unheard of in the 1970-1980's, and while there were exceptions, today it is commonplace.

There's a few types of Internet users, adding to an already complex online environment. Here's but a few:

The "Just make it work" User
You use the Internet to get things done. Lots of things, and fast! You don't really care what a packet or a router is, just as long as they work. You pay others to fix your internet issues, and you're fine with that.

The "Boomer" User
You had to learn how to use computer and the Internet in it's infancy. It was a long stretch from what you were used to, but you learned it. Today, you are CIO's, CTO's, expert users and you actually understand what that flashing light means. You're most likely in management, rather than down in the IT trenches.

The "Workhorse" User
This is your bread and butter. You live and breathe computers, the Internet, and technology in general. You either use or fix them at work, understand it, and talk about online gaming at the water cooler. At home, you make your computers more secure, but probably use them more dangerously than the other users. You are the backbone of the IT field, and are most often found in the trenches or middle-management.

The "Parent/Grandparent" User
You could live without a computer or the Internet. You've made it this far without one. Sure it's neat you can see videos of monkey's smelling their own butts, but online banking, not in this house. You have a checkbook that is calculated and balanced by hand to the nearest penny. You may be forced to use one at work, but you try not to do anything other than what you were trained to do. If you do have a computer at home, you don't try to fix things, after all, that's what your "Workhorse" offspring are for!