They love to teach other kids, which reinforces their own knowledge and builds their self esteem. The skill-building goes beyond the computer itself. Designing a web page, for example, requires skills in graphics, page layout, and writing. It's creative as well as technical. They have to grapple with words, grammar, and creative new ways to express themselves.
Some people think that the internet has revived the art of writing.
Text-talk is a fascinating, creative challenge and many adolescents eagerly attack it. Perhaps to the dismay of some English teachers, cyberspace may be motivating adolescents to write more so than any other event in history. One way adolescents establish their own individual identity is by acquiring new facts and philosophies, which includes the skills that may develop from that information. Maybe one attractive feature of the internet for teens is that there are no holds barred on the information out there. It's not controlled by the government, school, parents, or even just by adults.