Webtech Advise

I remember being so excited when I finally got internet access. It was probably eleven years ago when I heard the pinging and ponging sounds of my first dial-up connection. My internet service provider promised me all the wonders that come with internet access. Living in a rural community, it would not only give me a connection to the outside world but I would be able to communicate by email and even instant messaging. Prior to having internet access, I never had anything "instant" besides maybe a cup of soup! How exciting this connection was going to be. What I never expected, though, was junk email.

I was quite used to my daily trek down the driveway to collect the mail. In fact, it was a rather exciting moment in the day to look outside and see that little red flag up on the mailbox. The mailman had passed by and I could hardly wait to see what he had left for me. At that time, because I lived rather far from practical civilized services, I would do things like having my photographs processed by mail. I'd pack up my rolls of film and send them off in the bulky envelope then wait anxiously for the mailman to deliver the prints. On the days that they arrived, it never mattered how much junk mail was also in the box. I had something lovely to look at!

Now that I also had an online mailbox, I looked forward to good things. What I hadn't looked forward to was junk email. In my internet naivete, I didn't know there was such a thing. I imagine I had some web design company to thank for allowing email addresses to be visible on their pages. Where had I given my address? Much later I learned about things like web crawlers... spiders, if you will... that comb the internet looking to cull email addresses like mine to subsequently spam the unsuspecting user with all manner of junk email. Imagine my surprise when I opened my inbox to find ads to increase the size of body parts I didn't even own or offering me the opportunity for enhanced performance with my partner. At first, I was shocked - offended even. Then I realized that all I had to do was click the delete button and it was gone as fast as it had arrived. This left me the time, just as with my outdoor mailbox, to sift through what was left to find something more lovely to look at and enjoy.