Seven Wonders

"Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons."

Popular Mechanics, 1949

The selection of the Internet as one of the Seven New Wonders Of The World is at once surprising and obvious. We expect the seven wonders to be physical locations because they always have been. The Internet, on the other hand, is located everywhere and nowhere. It’s somewhere out in cyberspace and right here in my home office.

Once you get past the unexpected choice, this is an obvious pick. Nothing in the past fifty years (and maybe ever) has had as big an impact on our daily lives as the Internet and the World Wide Web. It is my major source of information, inspiration, entertainment and even camaraderie. I use it to shop, compare prices, order library books, read the newspaper, play games and, oh yes, teach.

When I think about which of my possessions I would save first, in case of fire or other disaster, my computer ranks second only to the little toy wooden cupboard built by my grandfather when I was a baby.

©2006 Dixie Darr. All rights reserved