Some users see it as a bastion of free thinking and free speech.
Others look at it as a business tool and a way to keep ahead of the competition. To some, it's simply an addiction and a consuming hobby. I've yet to search for a subje ct area and not find someone, or some document, related to it. Don't be intimidated by this. This is even more impostant here in Canada, as the major on-line services have special surcharges which make it quite expensive to acces s them on a daily basis.