The Commercialisation of the Network

Before 1995, Internet was like a backbone for government agencies like ARPA & NSF (National Science Foundation) without commercial traffic and business activity. The initial access was granted to colleges, universities, or other non-profit institutions according to NSF’s criteria. Networks like, CompuServe and AOL were existed, but not connected to Internet. After mid 90s; technological inceptions, globalization of networks and common cultural bonding between the users produced the concept of commerce and business in networking sector.

Castells (2000a; 2000b) noted about the network societies and claimed that we are passing into industrial & information age. This historical change is brought due to advent of new information technologies. The information is the central importance in determining economic productivity. Considering the networks importance he narrates ‘networks also exist within and between businesses’ and he notes the Weber’s (2002) words “the logic of the network is more powerful than the powers of the network.”

“As digital technology made possible the production of exact copies of text, images, audio, video and other information materials over unlimited generations, the information economy grew rapidly.” With the emergence of the Internet and later the World Wide Web, the information economy gradually matured into the full-blown economy that it is today.

Networks like Amazon, eBay, Google and YouTube used a market driven and client focused approach and developed a highly networked and collaborative community of commercialization. Merchandize relationships between the big networks change the market landscape and other than military, educational and social use of networks currently, it seems an economic bazaar with the major focus on commerce and capital interests rather than the consciousness and welfare of users.

References:
--Steven Conway, lecture's Slides.

Images:

1. Money Online
 http://www.escapefromamerica.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/make_money_online.jpg [Accessed on: 21-11-2010]
2. Make Money Online
 http://www.makemoneyonline.us.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/ways-techniques-making-money-online.jpg [Accessed on: 21-11-2010]
3. GooTube
http://www.konsumerizem.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/google_youtube.jpg [Accessed on: 21-11-2010]