What would happen if the Internet suddenly collapsed.

The other day my broadband connection was down, and really I just realised how much my life revolved around the internet. On that bleak day I couldnt do any uni work, I couldnt check my emails, I couldnt visit websites, I couldnt chat to friends via MSN, I couldnt play games online, I couldnt contact my bank (lost the telephone number), couldnt check for train times to go see a mate of mine.

So it got me thinking: What would actually happen to the world if the internet was to suddenly "disconnect"?

Would it be drastic to the point of us returning to the ice age? or would it just be something insignificant, and being human beings we'll just live with it.

I'd get 10 hours of my day back stevendiep_100

lol@ ur sig.

[QUOTE="stevendiep_100"]I'd get 10 hours of my day back XxXSiZeMatterzz

lol@ ur sig.

speaking of which, your avatar terrifies the bejesus out of me.

[QUOTE="stevendiep_100"]I'd get 10 hours of my day back XxXSiZeMatterzz

lol@ ur sig.

lol at your avatar

If the internet went down globally people would surely riot, commit suicide/murder etcnodgenico

i said the internet, not world of warcraft ;)

[QUOTE="nodgenico"]If the internet went down globally people would surely riot, commit suicide/murder etchama666

i said the internet, not world of warcraft ;)

Doesn't everyone on the internet play World of Warcraft?

Im not just referring to the entertainment factor, yeh sure people could just go watch TV, or go to the movies. I was referring to more the economic impact; many banks have now resorted to handling accounts on the net, people are using the net to handle insurance, entire companies that employ thousands are web-based. hama666

I'm sure the people who have accounts at that bank would just go down to their bank and go "WTF?! The internet a-splode, where did my moneh go?" then the banks would go and look up the account in their servers (cuz just cuz the internet is gone doesn't mean the data is too.) and give the guy their info, but sadly, they can't use the net to monitor things anymore.

Oh and man, online purchasing bieng gone would suck, I love buying games through steam and then BOOM, half an hour-an hour later it's finished downloading and I've got my game, and also, like you said, there are a LOT of web-based companies (like people who make T-shirts) that would pretty much go out of business because the internet collapsing to someone who owns a web-based company is like someones elses store catching on fire.

[QUOTE="XxXSiZeMatterzz"]

[QUOTE="stevendiep_100"]I'd get 10 hours of my day back hama666

lol@ ur sig.

speaking of which, your avatar terrifies the bejesus out of me.

why? :lol:

[QUOTE="hama666"]

[QUOTE="nodgenico"]If the internet went down globally people would surely riot, commit suicide/murder etcstevendiep_100

i said the internet, not world of warcraft ;)

Doesn't everyone on the internet play World of Warcraft?

10 millon people do.

[QUOTE="hama666"]Im not just referring to the entertainment factor, yeh sure people could just go watch TV, or go to the movies. I was referring to more the economic impact; many banks have now resorted to handling accounts on the net, people are using the net to handle insurance, entire companies that employ thousands are web-based. ElArab

I'm sure the people who have accounts at that bank would just go down to their bank and go "WTF?! The internet a-splode, where did my moneh go?" then the banks would go and look up the account in their servers (cuz just cuz the internet is gone doesn't mean the data is too.) and give the guy their info, but sadly, they can't use the net to monitor things anymore.

Oh and man, online purchasing bieng gone would suck, I love buying games through steam and then BOOM, half an hour-an hour later it's finished downloading and I've got my game, and also, like you said, there are a LOT of web-based companies (like people who make T-shirts) that would pretty much go out of business because the internet collapsing to someone who owns a web-based company is like someones elses store catching on fire.

Not just T-shirt companies, remember even the site we post on as we speak bears perhaps hundreds of employees ;)

I wonder how people who are constantly on Myspace would react. Anyways, I'd feel a little down because that's how I register for classes, check the money in my bank account, and other important things as well. I also do a lot of research on things that I really like, so if I can't do that, then it would be hard for me to track down stuff I want to get.ernie1989

When considering MySpace, the downfall of the internet may come as a blessing in disguise.

Actually now that I think about it if the internet suddenly collapsed more and more people would turn to text messaging and just general cell phone time. trodeback

How are they going to do that without the internet?

[QUOTE="stevendiep_100"][QUOTE="hama666"]

[QUOTE="nodgenico"]If the internet went down globally people would surely riot, commit suicide/murder etcXxXSiZeMatterzz

i said the internet, not world of warcraft ;)

Doesn't everyone on the internet play World of Warcraft?

10 millon people do.

I dont:D

[QUOTE="XxXSiZeMatterzz"][QUOTE="stevendiep_100"][QUOTE="hama666"]

[QUOTE="nodgenico"]If the internet went down globally people would surely riot, commit suicide/murder etcmarterikster

i said the internet, not world of warcraft ;)

Doesn't everyone on the internet play World of Warcraft?

10 millon people do.

I dont:D

neither do I.

[QUOTE="marterikster"][QUOTE="XxXSiZeMatterzz"][QUOTE="stevendiep_100"][QUOTE="hama666"]

[QUOTE="nodgenico"]If the internet went down globally people would surely riot, commit suicide/murder etcXxXSiZeMatterzz

i said the internet, not world of warcraft ;)

Doesn't everyone on the internet play World of Warcraft?

10 millon people do.

I dont:D

neither do I.

But William Shatner, Mr.T, and Vern Troyer do, so their reaction would be funny, too bad I'd miss it and not be able to see it on youtube.

[QUOTE="stevendiep_100"][QUOTE="hama666"]

[QUOTE="nodgenico"]If the internet went down globally people would surely riot, commit suicide/murder etcXxXSiZeMatterzz

i said the internet, not world of warcraft ;)

Doesn't everyone on the internet play World of Warcraft?

10 millon people do.

6.4 billion dont ;)

[QUOTE="trodeback"]Actually now that I think about it if the internet suddenly collapsed more and more people would turn to text messaging and just general cell phone time. XxXSiZeMatterzz

How are they going to do that without the internet?

I'd start doing my homework for once...ivhurore

It would be harder to do homework without internet even.

If the Internet suddenly collapsed....well, that would be the worst day EVAR.

No, really, though. I don't think I'd even need to kill myself...I think I'd just die.