OPINION | 2018: Wow. This article is so incredibly dated,

It’s so so so very dated, which I think shows how much things have changed since 2004, but also how staid and elderly traditional newspaper readers tend to be. I was clearly aiming to reach the sort of person who had never even owned a computer. “How the internet can be your new best friend” marks the solid beginning of my career as a journalist. I was 23 years old when I wrote this piece, and I was actually paid (more than $200, though I can’t recall exactly how much), which is equally striking when you consider how publishing rates have dropped. I’ve rarely made so much on a single piece since, but in early 2004, making a living as a professional writer or journalist was a much more possible than it is today.

Anyway, enjoy this hilarious piece on “How the internet can be your new best friend”.

The Internet.

That vast minefield of pornography and pedophilia. Hypnotic and hazardous to the especially young and either incomprehensible or useless to the rest of us. Or is it?

Like many, until very recently I used the internet only sparingly. Chat rooms and bulletin boards? I shunned them, lest I be associated with their occupants– the obviously socially inept. You know, people who need the ‘net because they can’t make real friends.

Okay, so I was wrong. My interest in chat rooms and bulletin boards – begun as an innocent way to kill time at the office (the solitaire of the new millennium) – has quickly grown into an absolute addiction. And contrary to popular belief, I’ve found that the people posting alongside me are not the nameless, faceless degenerates and vapid teens I expected. They’re generally normal people.

If the much publicized “dark side” of the internet has led you to believe that the Web is too dangerous to venture into, or to the more common notion that while it may be useful for some, this whole chat thing just isn’t for you, think again. This medium, perhaps more than any other, is not only for you – it’s for everyone.

No matter how obscure your interest or need, a quick search of the ‘net almost always turns up someone who shares it.

That said, today’s internet is also bursting with conversation about some of the most arguably traditional topics, ranging from child-rearing, politics, to cooking.

Even the most right-wing or vanilla personality need not fear the internet has little to interest them. That is, if you can find it.

If you’re not already a regular internet user, have no fear; this is easier than you may think.

First things first: You do not need to own a computer.

Public libraries all over the country offer free internet access (usually for limited amounts of time per day, and sometimes only to cardholders) and many branches even offer free tutorials on basic computer skills. Internet cafes are also common and allow you to access the Web for modest rates. Expense need not be an issue.

Once online, you’ll find that groups are usually organized by category, and many search engines (databases or indexes that list a portion of the available information on the Web) host their own groups that can be easily accessed.

For example, both Google and Yahoo list a variety of groups ranging in topic and numbering in the tens of thousands. And if you really can’t find what you’re looking for, both sites offer you the option of starting a unique new group of your own.

Regardless of topic, what goes on in many groups is the same. Users post and answer questions, give each other comfort, advice, and criticism, and sometimes develop relationships away from the boards by exchanging personal e-mail addresses and even meeting in person.

These are the support groups of the 21st century.

Unlike their traditional counterparts, the online community never forces a user to show their face.

The often-critiqued anonymity of the internet is exactly its saving grace. The ‘net allows users to “lurk” (or read without contributing or announcing one’s presence). It also allows for participation without fear of exposure.

The flip side to this is that the advice you’re getting comes from those equally anonymous and often without expertise, but so what?

The simple act of participating can in itself be cathartic, and we often ask advice of our “real” friends, regardless of expertise. Thus, participation in an online community is a relatively risk-free venture.

Even in its earliest incarnations the ‘net was more about discussion than anything else.

“Usenet” – a bulletin board system that allowed users to post and read articles — was in use as early as 1979. Today, in addition to the active groups, Google allows users access to over 20 years’ accumulation of archived Usenet postings. This amounts to over 845 million messages dating back to 1981.

This incredible wealth of information can be intimidating.

And the truth is, it does take a little practice to find what you’re looking for. In addition, all the stuff that new users and detractors may fear (pornography, for example) is readily available. But such things are also easily avoided.

If you want to learn to do something, get advice, or just have a good argument (as is often the case in the religion and politics forums) chat rooms and bulletin boards offer you the opportunity to do just that.

And if you do make a real friend online – someone you can meet in person – more power to you. The internet is great and all, but we still need to get out once in a while. –Jennifer Selk is a freelance writer based in Vancouver.

A version of “How the internet can be your new best friend” appeared in the Vancouver Sun, April 4, 2004. See below.

Published April 4, 2004 in The Vancouver Sun.