Innovation of the decade

The Internet has roots going back to the 1960s, but only came into widespread public use in the mid-1990s. In the second half of the decade two Internet services in particular have sparked revolutionary changes in communications, retailing, education and business: electronic mail is supplanting fax and post for written communications; while the World Wide Web has made it easier than ever to publish information around the world. Most exciting of all is that despite the impact it has already had - and the fortunes that have been made and lost on it - the Internet revolution is really only getting into its stride now as we face into 2000.