I won't use this page to start arguing the possible uses of the internet. Clearly, I wouldn't continue with this column for over two years if I truly thought it was useless. After all, not infrequently, after tedious and lengthy searches for something a bit more complex than pictures of movie stars, I actually do find "information" related to the words upon which I've been conducting a search. But even in cases such as this my excitement and satisfaction often dissipate into the thin air of cyberspace as I realize that for some unfathomable reason someone has decided to post something on the web which seems to have no redeeming significance.

And that's my excuse for posting this cartoon, a favorite from at least two years ago (yes, when the web was younger). It said it well then, and with all the changes and developments, seems to say it well today as well.

The text reads:
(1) The cybership internet is perilously trapped in a web of unknown origin!
(2) - Status report on the web, Dr. Cuddles!
.....- Captain, it seems to be constructed from completely useless information.
(3) -  Interesting... And we've been rendered useless along with it.
........It would then be reasonable to assume that we could free ourselves by
........bombarding it with useful information.
(4) - That would be illogical, captain. There is no useful information on the internet.
.....- DAMN!