Monday, December 18, 2006

It's Coming...

I apologize for the lack of posting recently and I hate to admit that the posting will indeed be limited while I’m at home. I will still try to post at least twice a week, though. Forgive me if I’m late as it gets closer to Christmas.

I’m going to keep this post very short, but I do have something interesting to note. On a personal blog of mine, I made a discovery in a recent post (take a look at it here). After this experience, which is detailed in the aforementioned post, I came to visualize the positive steps that are being made towards establishing our “flat world”.

I understand that McDonald’s is a powerful company, but the fact that this multi-billion dollar corporation would invest in WiFi seems to prove the value of wireless internet. I recognize that McDonald has the leisure of having the funds in order to venture into a project like this—but, the fact remains that in such a business there would be plenty of investigation before going out and implementing WiFi. Why can’t the McDonald’s in Cortland have this? Does the McDonald’s in Cortland have this?

As I have mentioned before, many times, it seems that the internet is such a valuable tool to promote a business. I’ve investigated the use of the internet to make a website, but I haven’t discussed how wireless internet could be beneficial. First off, and most obviously, having wireless internet would eliminate any excuses as to why any company should NOT have a website. But, furthermore, there are other advantages than just accessibility.

A restaurant (any in Cortland) would benefit from this, specifically, because the patrons would have another reason to spend time, and money, at the establishment. I think it would be obvious why a library or bookstore would benefit from this. But, what about a retail store? How about this:

I need to go shopping but there’s no one to watch my kid brother. He doesn’t want to leave our house, and he is already starting to get restless. I get to Main Street, and there are a couple of stores that I can buy my dad’s Christmas gift; my brother is already rambunctious—should I go to Store A or Store B? I can buy my dad’s Christmas gift at both, but Store A has WiFi. So, I decide to go to Store A, and luckily I have my laptop with me. My brother quietly works on an online webquest that he needed to complete for school; I peacefully pick out my father’s gift.

I know this is a slight stretch (as there are many other factors to keep in mind), but it must be acknowledged that there are legitimate reasons why this would be advantageous. As I write this I can’t help but remember Thomas L. Friedman’s novel The World Is Flat. If Santa hasn’t come yet, you all should ask him for a copy… He says everything I’m alluding to, and more. Cheers, Cortland.

--Ray

No comments: