If the internet suddenly crashed today what would happen

originally posted by: alldaylong
So how did we cope before the internet? Man has always adapted to any situation that arises. That's why we are still here today. As i said, the internet going down is the least of my worries.

The point is ... everything is on the internet now. We can't just 'go backwards' to the way it was and expect things to run the same as it is now on the internet. Data will be lost .. shipments can't get made .. there isn't enough paper on the planet to keep things moving via paperwork. We couldn't go backward without taking a big hit. It isn't that simple.

The internet going down IS a big deal.

a reply to: uninfluenced

If the internet went down I would open a bookstore ASAP. The thirst for knowledge has never been so great!

People wouldn't soon forget that very real aspect to our civilization. The mental hunger pangs they would go through would be like a heroin addict trying to cope with his dealer getting arrested.

There is no off button to the impact the internet has had. The internet may have one, but that is entirely beside the point.

I would have plenty of great reading material AND be RICH!

Oh man, coffee shop social center /bookstore...I make GREAT coffee too! I would be filthy rich!

a reply to: captaintyinknots

We'd go back to pen and paper, theres nothing a computer can do that a human can't given enough time

and here in the UK the water system can run for atleast 3 days without intervention

The infrastructure is dependent on the www. Airlines, trucking, distribution of goods and services, communication, everything.
Without satellite communication the grid goes down and we starve in the dark.

In 3 days the store shelves would be empty, people would be hungry and desperate. Chaos and anarchy and darkness would be a place of evil.

The internet is the new GOD!

I'll be fun.....when survival of the fittest once again rules the world.

I feel compeled to point out the fooking obvious fact :

the " internet " could potentially fail without affecting the electrical grid

but if the electrical system fails - the internet goes with it

originally posted by: alldaylong
Major utilities, i.e. gas, water, electricity always have back up systems.

Run by computer and internet.

maybe we could try using the telephone to make orders for essential items,

And how many companies have regular telephones and land lines? And how many companies actually have paper enough to start logging items in, and shipments out, by hand?

It would be a big deal. We can't go backwards without a major problem.

originally posted by: FlyersFan

originally posted by: alldaylong
So how did we cope before the internet? Man has always adapted to any situation that arises. That's why we are still here today. As i said, the internet going down is the least of my worries.

The point is ... everything is on the internet now. We can't just 'go backwards' to the way it was and expect things to run the same as it is now on the internet. Data will be lost .. shipments can't get made .. there isn't enough paper on the planet to keep things moving via paperwork. We couldn't go backward without taking a big hit. It isn't that simple.

The internet going down IS a big deal.

Can you see what you are saying? It sounds like your way of life has become dependent on the internet. Well for many others it hasn't. If the net went down, we would have to revert to older measures. Life didn't begin when the internet began, believe it or not. How did you manage to survive 20 years ago?

a reply to: uninfluenced

In my "spare time," I'd do a lot more reading, writing, drawing, and songwriting?

I suspect it would be catastrophic for anyone who has ever uttered the words, "I'm bored."

originally posted by: alldaylong
Can you see what you are saying? It sounds like your way of life has become dependent on the internet.

Can you see what you are saying? It sounds like you are in denial about how much your life is actually depending on the internet in this day and age.

If the net went down, we would have to revert to older measures.

If the net went down, we wouldn't be able to revert to older measures.

How many business and people have rotary phones? How many have land lines?
How many factories can make those things?
How many paper manufacturers are still in business? How many trees do you think
it would take to change over to a totally paper society?
How much more energy and gas and oil would we need in order to change over?
How much room do we have to store all that paper? How much landfill as well?

How did you manage to survive 20 years ago?

.. this isn't Earth 1994. EVERYTHING runs on the internet. And we don't have a backup system in place, and we don't have a way of going backwards. It can't happen without MAJOR hits on first and second world .... heck, even third world because they rely on first world donations which won't get there.

originally posted by: 0zzymand0s
a reply to: uninfluenced

In my "spare time," I'd do a lot more reading, writing, drawing, and songwriting?

I suspect it would be catastrophic for anyone who has ever uttered the words, "I'm bored."

There would be no time for any of that. You would be fighting for something to eat, just like everyone else!!!

Or you would be a victim!!

My bad i cant believe i didnt spell check
i meant decades not days (sorry)

People might come wandering out of their houses wondering what that yellow thing in the sky is.

a reply to: FlyersFan

Let me try and make this as simple as possible for you.

During WW II Britain was bombed routinely by The Nazi's. Hundreds of thousands of people where bombed out of their homes, gas, electric and water supplies where heavily damaged and supplies disrupted. Road and rail links destroyed. Food was in short supply and rationed. And much much more on top of those things.
Did the people of Britain give up and capitulate to the Nazi's. No, they didn't. Life had to go on. People had to cope and adapt. In the end all worked out fine.
Living in the U.S, as yo do, your citizens never had to undergo such destruction to their infrastructure.
And you worry as to what would happen if the internet went down. I think you should ask the survivors of Nagasaki and Hiroshima ( if any are still alive) how would they cope if the internet went down. People in the U.S. have lived pampered lives compared to some. Wake up and smell the coffee old boy.

a reply to: olaru12

I recognise that your entire worldview depends on making the net god, but the truth is, we (humans) would work around it, and life would continue on for those who survive the early chaos.

I guess I should have said "these are the things I would do after my basic needs had been met."

Frankly, I suspect the pain for some would be far worse than mine.

!!!

originally posted by: DonVoigt
People might come wandering out of their houses wondering what that yellow thing in the sky is.

You mean natural sunlight? yes, i have heard of that rare phenomena good sir

If its just the internet then we'd be back to individual systems talking to each other via phone lines etc, it would be slower getting the data from a to b but other than that i don't see much difference and theres other large scale networks out there so i'd sure x25 interfacing tools would be very popular

Arthritis sufferers numbers will drop.
ADHD and others alike will be........unheard of lol

cancer? Diabetes via tin+thread title.

Am I joking?
Being sarcastic?
Or have a ridiculous imagination lol

originally posted by: FlyersFan

originally posted by: alldaylong
So how did we cope before the internet? Man has always adapted to any situation that arises. That's why we are still here today. As i said, the internet going down is the least of my worries.

The point is ... everything is on the internet now. We can't just 'go backwards' to the way it was and expect things to run the same as it is now on the internet. Data will be lost .. shipments can't get made .. there isn't enough paper on the planet to keep things moving via paperwork. We couldn't go backward without taking a big hit. It isn't that simple.

The internet going down IS a big deal.

Im kind of shocked at the number of people on here who dont think the internet is used for anything but their web surfing.

People would be in for quite a shock.

originally posted by: ignorant_ape
I feel compeled to point out the fooking obvious fact :

the " internet " could potentially fail without affecting the electrical grid

but if the electrical system fails - the internet goes with it

Not true. All electrical systems are on a server. At minimum, there'd be an interruption while everything was manually overridden.

If the internet went down?

This is why I have the entire Wikipedia downloaded offline and on a jump drive. They usually release a download a few times a year with the newer, updated material.

They scale down the images, and usually the entire English file is about 4-6 gigs.