3 Things You No Longer Want to Do Without the Internet
Do you remember when you could buy and own a computer that was not connected to the internet? It wasn’t that long ago. There wasn’t even an ethernet port. The idea was that you bought a computer to compute things, play local games, and perhaps do some desktop publishing. Everything else was done in the offline universe. Even the term “offline” wasn’t a thing because there wasn’t really such a thing as online.
Today, you can buy a computer that doesn’t really work without the internet. The whole idea of Chromebooks is that they have a ubiquitous connection. Everything is done over the internet. All your apps are essentially browser apps. Your software updates are automatic and mandatory. A Chromebook without the internet makes no sense at all.
Truthfully, the same can be said for all computers today. It is not just computers, but tablets, smartphones, even speakers. An internet connection is vital for everything we do with our technology. Even so, it is truly unthinkable to do some things without the internet. Here are a few:
Finding an EV Charging Station
When personal computers had they are coming out party in the mid-80s and early 90s, there were no electric vehicles available for the mass market. Today, Tesla is a household name. Major automakers are offering their own EV lineups to compete. Electric vehicles are practically ubiquitous. Unfortunately, charging stations, not so much.
The good news is that sites like EVgo.com and others make it easier than ever to find nearby charging stations for your EV. You are not going to find these stations by searching the dead tree files. You could try randomly driving around to see how many you can spot. But that is both unreliable and also insane.
The technology is still relatively new, and we are still working out the details. Do you need a special supercharger station for your vehicle? How is that different from a regular charging station? Will all charging stations charge all-electric cars? The most basic question for any EV driver is, where is the nearest charging station. At least the internet makes short work of that one.
Playing Games with People Remotely
There are ways to play games with people who are not physically present with you. None of those methods are perfect. It is much easier to play with friends in the same room, gathered around the same table. Thanks to the internet, the game can continue even when you can’t be there in person.
There are several amazing games you can play with friends both online and offline. Perhaps the best part is that you don’t have to confine yourself to the friends you already have. You can easily and safely make new gaming friends and find people who are the same gaming level as you. That is hard to find even in a room full of people.
Things to Do Without the Internet: Getting a Crash Course In Whatever Interests You
There was a time when the best way to gain knowledge about a random topic was to buy a set of encyclopedias.
However, for 20 years, you would have read about all the excruciating details of the Salem Church dam. The kicker was that no such dam ever existed. The article was reprinted again and again until someone wrote in to let them know of their error. The dam was going to be constructed but never was. Oops!
Today, you can learn about anything you want at any time for any reason, even about the mistakes found in printed encyclopedias. When information is in question, you can know that. You can also get updates to formerly incorrect information.
Instant information is not just good for cheating on tests for which you didn’t study. It is good to learn about how to build something, repair something, cook something, or just learn about a new word you heard someone use while eavesdropping on a conversation between strangers. The internet is the easiest way to fact-check anything. And that is a fact you can easily check – on the internet.
It is not as if civilization would completely stall if we suddenly lost access to the internet. But it would be a dicier proposition to find EV charging stations, play remote games, and read this article.
