In the 70s, I was an intern for the U.S. Department of Defense. My primary assignment was to test a set of utilities that would help the government share computing resources more efficiently. Specifically, my job was to test the latest versions of the Telnet and FTP utilities used in conjunction with ARPANET, the network that interconnected government computer systems.

As history shows, the ARPANET grew into the Internet, and both Telnet and FTP faded into the background as World Wide Web (WWW) browsing took center stage. I don't want to seem overly nostalgic, but I remember when the WWW was a text-only interface and hyperlinks simply served to interconnect text documents. Mind you, I'm not trying to have an "Al Gore moment" here—I'm not claiming I was instrumental in the development or deployment of the Internet. My point here is that I've had the privilege (and occasional horror) of watching the Internet grow from infancy to what it is today. And boy, how the Internet has both grown in size and stature.

From my perspective, the Internet has evolved into something that has become indispensable in many of our day-to-day lives and jobs. I was particularly struck with this realization when I was attending a conference in London a few years ago. The conference was at a nice hotel, and I found myself needing the assistance of the concierge for a restaurant recommendation.

The concierge was helping a guest as I approached the stand. The guest wanted to know the hours that Wimbledon was open and how to get there. The concierge looked briefly down and then told the customer the hours and the train ("tube" in local vernacular) routes to get there. Being nosy, I peeked down at the concierge's desk. I wanted to know how he found that information so quickly.

What did I see? I saw a surface-mounted LCD and keyboard. And on that LCD I could clearly see Google search results. That's right—the concierge had googled Wimbledon to get the answer. Maybe you don't think that's such a big deal, but to me, it demonstrated how far the Internet's tendrils have reached.

Hot: Browsers Everywhere

For the last five years, web browsing capability has appeared in all kinds of devices: phones, media players, handheld gaming systems (e.g., Sony PSP and Nintendo DS), e-readers (e.g., Amazon Kindle), TVs, and more. Entrepreneurs (and hackers) are also busy introducing web browsing into virtually all equipment that has Internet connectivity. You can get browser products (or hacks) for TiVo, Xbox, Apple TV, and more. If you have something that can talk to the Internet, chances are there's a browser out there for it somewhere.

I must confess that when browser-mania first took over the electronics industry, I was somewhat nonplussed. I didn't really think that I needed a browser everywhere. But over the course of time, I've come to feel . . . well, somewhat naked if I don't have a browser within reach. Certainly I need a browser during work hours, but I've also found it incredibly handy when I'm watching TV in the living room, cooking in the kitchen, or reading in the bedroom.

Let's face it: Sometimes you just have to know things. As a result, I've come to the conclusion that having web browsers everywhere is not only "hot"—it's actually pretty cool.

Not Hot: Inconsistency of Experience

As you can see, I'm gleeful about putting browsers in every nook and cranny of electronic gear. What I'm not gleeful about is inconsistency of experience between different browsers and their underlying platforms. Sure, you can run Firefox on pretty much any OS and get experiences similar to running Internet Explorer on Windows. But after that, the drop-off happens quickly.

I'm not blaming the browser providers. This isn't a rant about Safari or Opera. The problem is that so many websites have come to rely on plug-ins that are not ubiquitous across all platforms and browsers. Try accessing Hulu by using Safari on your iPhone. Try accessing YouTube on the Opera browser in your Nintendo DS. You can't access the content, because the necessary plug-ins are unavailable.

This inconsistency is clearly the dark side of browsers everywhere, and frankly, it's frustrating. To paraphrase Coleridge, "browsers, browsers everywhere, nor any plug-ins in sight." This situation is definitely not hot.

Sean Chandler is a computer and network consultant who has more than 30 years of field experience. Astro, a border collie with more than 40 dog years of data processing experience, provides technical support to his master, Sean.

Astro's Pick of the Litter

Since we're a little consumer-focused this month, I'm going to mention one of my masters's guilty-pleasure purchases. Recently my master upgraded his Nintendo DS Lite to the Nintendo DSi. I was surprised by this because he hardly ever used his DS Lite at all. I suspect he was attracted to the new DSi Internet capabilities. I have to admit that I was pretty skeptical at first, but after playing with it a few minutes, I was impressed with its online store and web browsing capabilities (sans plug-ins). I'm not suggesting everyone should rush out and get a DSi; however, if you're looking for a new hand-held gaming device/toy, I'd certainly give this one a look.

—Astro