If you're a fan of Western movies I'm sure you've heard most of
title line before; just replace "Web" with "town." That line of dialog is offered right before two cowboys go outside and have a deadly gun duel. Wind blown tumbleweeds and shades of OK Corral as a backdrop!Nevertheless, can mean spirited politics help you corral a little corner of Web? Can you put up no trespassing signs on what you've deemed to call your own?
Most progressive Net businesses grab market share by their good business practices and excellent customer service. There's more than a few of those that come to mind. There are others - less enlightened - that use negative practices to maintain their market foothold.
Creative ways to slow down or stop your perceived competitors or opponents are many. They can take form of misinformation, gossip, poisonous tips, setting up dummy email accounts to spread rumors, etc, etc
A few of them will work in short term. Some will be more effective than others. Most will stain your personal and business name, when found out! All of them are foolhardy!
Yes, you can raise your hand to sky and block sun; yet and still, it's not an accurate description of what's happening. When mighty Mississippi river wants to change course, how can it be stopped? When Net wants to grow, expand and mutate, how are you going to tame it to your petty designs?
Entire countries have bent to will of Web! Here's an example: Long-standing phone monopolies in Central American countries used political pressure to stop their citizens from making Internet phone calls, to no avail! Though "special legislation" was passed, there was such a huge outcry from rest of Net, they relented! Let Net be Net, is call of wisdom.
Historically speaking, Web is an infant. It will continue to grow and expand, networking even most remote outpost or village! Powerful and speedy microchips will give us ability to reach out to other people and cultures. Language barriers will be eliminated with real-time, two way translation. Stone Age villages are going to join modern world in one fantastic step!
The swift technological change and accelerated rate of deployment promise a bumpy ride, to say least! All we can do is grab beast by tail and hang on; uncertain as to where it leads and what it will look like!
Those are just a few of things awaiting us, in not-too-distant future. I'm sure there are many more in store; not imagined, unseen and unexpected. The only two constant factors are: growth and change! In its tender years, Net has grown and mutated in ways barely imagined a decade ago.
