A decade on and technology has changed so much

I CAN’T quite believe it, but this column is 10 years old.

Switched On was first published on November 9, 2004. Two annoying viruses that were doing the rounds by e-mail, and an update for Windows XP had just been released. I implored readers to get a copy on a CD by contacting Microsoft by phone – back then, the 260 megabyte download was considered huge, a day-long affair for most internet users. Today, it can be downloaded in minutes.

Over more than 500 columns – I’ve had the pleasure of writing about everything from the incredible repository of knowledge that is the New York Public Library to Mon, my friendly tuk-tuk driver in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, who studies English on his lunch breaks via free lessons he finds online, and aspires to one day owning an Apple iPhone. He stays in touch with me via Facebook, another phenomenon of the past decade.

In 10 years the internet has changed beyond recognition, as have the devices we connect to it. Who could have foreseen that a computer without a keyboard or mouse would become the gadget of choice?

Tablets were a concept that many manufacturers took a stab at, but had little success with until Apple’s revolutionary iPad. The revolutionary device stripped a once complex user interface to its bare essentials, while programs overloaded with menus and options became “apps” – simple, functional and intuitive.

Finally, I found a device that’s equally useable in the office, while travelling, or for family catch-ups – my in-laws and parents all love their iPads.

When I started this column, most users connected to e-mail and the internet via a dial-up modem.

Today, a variety of fast broadband services from competing providers connect at speeds we couldn’t have dreamed of a just few years ago. It’s true that we are still lagging behind some countries: being located at the tip of Africa does impose some significant extra costs and complexities that some might not consider when they compare local offerings with those available abroad. We are linked to the rest of the world via vast undersea cables, and they aren’t cheap.

In the early days, I had to temper my enthusiasm for web-based services I’d found overseas, knowing that they wouldn’t be much use to the local user trying to conserve their bandwidth “data cap”. Unlimited or generous download plans are now common and users can take advantage of an incredible selection of internet services which I am always on the lookout for.

The technology may have changed, but the concerns around online security remain, and this is something I have had to stay on top of. Virus threats remain, but today there are all sorts of scams, attacks and hacks to be aware of, and financial fraud costs continue to mount. Never before has it been more important to be vigilant and up to date on the methods criminals use to steal our passwords, our money, or even our identities. Let’s not even start on filtering inappropriate web content and parental controls.

I’ve loved researching and writing Switched On for you.

I’ll continue to help you and your family stay safe online, and there will always be loads of new useful, exciting and fun stuff to introduce you to in years to come… as always, feel free to e-mail online@intech.co.za and tell me about your favourite online finds, your PC problems, or just a comment on something you read about first, right here. I’d love to hear from you. See you next week.