Sex has been an integral part of every communications revolution. Erotic imagery has been found in cave paintings from 5000 B.C. and in ancient Egyptian and Grecian art. Sometimes this lust for lust is the force that takes technology to a higher, ultimately more useful level. It is credited with jump-starting the video industry, for instance, establishing a mainstream market for VCRs.
Pornography is obviously an evolutionary step in the development of all media.
Computer porn has long been available, but a few years ago it was largely housed on private, membership-only bulletin board services. The Web, however, has thrown open the doors to a new world. Customers who might be embarrassed about browsing in an adult store quickly discover that the Web's erogenous zones are private and open 24 hours a day. But online adult content has come a long way from the BBS days. The newest and apparently hottest Web innovation combines video and interactive chat.