It wasn’t much more than 20 years ago that I first learnt how to browse the Internet. I had no idea back then, how the World Wide Web was going to change my life, or the lives of those all over the globe.

Back then, it was very much a voyage of discovery. Now, if I can’t immediately find what I’m looking for, or if websites don’t work properly, I tend to become a bit frustrated and sometimes rather cross. It’s unbelievable how we’ve come to rely on it so heavily – and how much it’s become a crucial part of our daily lives.

The first ‘Show Daily’ I produced was in the mid-90s. I hand-wrote my copy, faxed it through to a colleague stationed at the designer’s and he keyed it in, before vacating his seat so the designer could work his magic. The results were printed overnight and couriered up to the NEC the next morning, for a stand drop around the enormous show. Now everything’s so much easier and we’re able to keep in touch and transmit our copy and images, 24/7, wherever we may be in the world – and without the legwork.

Next week’s KBzine will be produced from Amsterdam where John and I are attending a show at the RAI, but you wouldn’t know that if I hadn’t just told you…

Where would we be without the Internet? I for one would feel bereft!

The results of a survey I was sent this week (see below for more) surprised me. It found that while 85% of tradespeople feel technology has improved their working life, only 67% of office-based workers feel the same way.

Those who have to work all over the place absolutely have to keep in touch via the Internet, or their competition will soon be eating into their market share, but I can’t understand how those who are office-based can contemplate going back to the old ways of doing things.

I know I can be a bit overwhelmed by the volume of ‘stuff’ I’m sent via the Internet, but it’s probably made me more efficient in terms of information shared and it’s crucial to me for record-keeping, passing on messages and looking for things too. I for one would not be without it – despite the desperation I feel when when my Internet Service Provider’s not performing as well as it should!

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Yours,

Jan Hobbs