Internet tools and services can help engineers spend less time on the phone, access engineering information faster, and get online access to specialized databases. It's a straightforward, non-interactive transmission medium. You can send Internet e-mail during convenient working hours and the addressee can view it during convenient working hours eight time zones away. E-mail is usually encoded for efficient transfer, but it isn't a secure medium without some further form of encryption. One of the most powerful uses of the Web is accessing publicly available online material.
Suppliers post product catalogs, specifications, standards and publications on their Web sites.
Government agencies use Web sites to distribute regulations and data. Online databases can give you direct access to specialized information. The value of the Internet lies not just in what's available, but in the tools that make it accessible. The array includes search engines that let you do query-based content searches, tools that help you find files on ftp sites, and chat groups and news groups where you can connect with other engineers in your specialty. Information is often the most current and accurate available.