Concept in Definition ABC

Anyone who has lived through the beginnings of the popularization (and massification) of Internet Back in the nineties and at the beginning of this century, you will remember that not everyone could have a modem in their home, nor could they afford the bill that resulted from being connected for several hours to a phone number when the concept of flat rate did not exist for almost anyone in the world.

Nor did they, in general, have much desire to have the telephone line busy for many hours, thus cutting off the form of communication predominant at the time, which were voice calls.

For all those people who could not have computer and / or modem, or those whose parents simply did not let them connect for a long time, and also as a way to get out, nor that it was for a while, from where we connected and socialized a little with other Internet users, the Internet cafes.

In a cybercafé, the concepts of coffee (the place, not the drink) of a lifetime, and connectivity to cyberspace, through computers or similar devices on the premises that allow, usually upon payment, consumers, to connect to Internet.

instagram story viewer

Internet cafes were a species in the center cultural and of "evangelization" (saving distances) of the Internet culture, places where one socialized, knew other equals, exchanged knowledge, chatted (use of chat services), surfed, performed managements on-line and, besides, he had something to drink.

You have to see them in the context of the time, in which the technological culture was not very widespread, and if one wanted to connect to the internet, usually had to have some technical knowledge intermediate / advanced.

This led to the incipient cybercafés being also partly responsible for the establishment of cyberculture and the movements that have accompanied and promoted it.

Historically, the first establishments expressly enabled as cybercafés, opened their doors in the always cosmopolitan and innovative London, by then one of the technological hubs in Europe (and still being so).

The store model spread around the world like an oil slick as Internet access became more accessible.

With time and increasing benefits Internet cafes began to diversify their activities, including, for example, games and services such as the use of computer processors. text or spreadsheets, in addition to organizing events such as game competitions.

For a few years now, and thanks to the technological advances that have brought smartphones to our pockets, with which we can now navigate from wherever we are, and with a drop in prices and the arrival of flat rates, almost everyone who wants to can connect to Internet.

This has led to the near extinction of Internet cafes, which have lost much of their reason for being as a meeting point, and even more as a place where someone who does not enjoy Internet connection, you can go to connect, since the democratization of Internet access has made the network of networks more accessible to everyone, at prices affordable.

His heirs, those premises that allow us to connect to the Internet, the use of navigation, messaging, or videoconferencing programs among others, although usually not the consumption Of drinks, they are the call centers, which are aimed largely at a tourist or immigrant public, and which offer other additional services such as money transfers.

Photo: Fotolia - Gorodenkoff