-- more frequent communication with my immediate family — more connectedness with colleagues across the country (and in some cases,
around the
world)-- becoming acquainted with colleagues from
around the
world — finding
people who have similar experiences for the
purpose of mutual moral support — sharing photos with a lot more
people (before digital cameras I did not take photographs since it was too expensive)-- distance learning via the web (courses)-- learning about subjects of interest in more depth, especially from papers
by others — learning from conferences I was unable to attend in
person (through papers posted, blog posts, conference wikis, and photos on Flickr)-- more readily available consumer information — more readily available government information — learning more about basic health issues — more creative cooking since I have more access to recipes — feeling more connected to my favourite musical groups / musicians since they now have extensive websites, email notification services, and blogs — better organization of the various groups I belong to