Reduced printing costs produce more books, periodicals and bulk mail than ever before. In short, the average American is inundated with information. There is no choice but to deal with technology, not just because it is there, but also because changes in our world require a new model for business. In the early days of computing, keeping every scrap of data was too expensive because memory was precious. The Y2K fiasco happened because programmers stored dates without considering the century, saving two digits and a tiny bit of memory.
Large manufacturers can now ask customers to complete registration cards online.
By putting this data directly into corporate databases, companies collect more data with less effort. Most people who use the Internet have an e-mail address, so the manufacturer can now communicate directly with the consumer. Consider traditional advertising. An Internet site can collect much more information. It knows how many people visited a Web page, how long they stayed and how they got there.