Internet Has Lots of Room to Grow

(Image credit: EMIN OZKAN)

In developed nations, the Internet is now a staple, like TV and running water. Well, okay, so sometimes the connection goes down, or you have to load another plug-in to watch that video. But here's a stat that suggests changes ahead: Only 5 percent of Africans use the Web. Globally, only 23 percent of people are online. Some say mobile access will change all that. "The Web as I envisaged it, we have not seen it yet. The future is still so much bigger than the past," said Tim Berners-Lee who, despite what Al Gore said, was the main creative force behind the whole thing. Final thought: In 1994, there were about 500 web sites. Now there are more than 80 million.

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Live Science Staff
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