But somewhere in between those two points of view, the Web is likely to thrive. Part of the reason for that assertion is the demographics of Web use. Another reason has to do with the huge technological changes on the horizon, shifts that will make the Web much more attractive. Finally, major companies seem to have wised up. Driven by powerful market forces, they are gearing up to provide dramatic speed boosts to our sometimes poky Web connections.
Some firms aim to utilize local TV signals, microwaves and satellites to broadcast Internet data.
Calif. The difference in connection speeds can be breathtaking. A cable modem blazes past both of them, running about 350 times the speed of a 28.8. It's not without some justification that Clifford Stoll, author of the book Silicon Snake Oil , warns about the dehumanizing potential of the online world. But human interaction is not necessarily suffering because of growing Web use. The Web, though by no means an online Utopia, is definitely here to stay.