Think for a minute what the Internet means to you and your daily activity. Come to think of it several minutes may be in order. From cracking open the emails first thing or getting the box scores (maybe that’s just...

Think for a minute what the Internet means to you and your daily activity. Come to think of it several minutes may be in order. From cracking open the emails first thing or getting the box scores (maybe that’s just me) before you retire, daily life has been altered, perhaps forever. And it was only 10 years ago when many of us got our first email account and signed on with the dial-up service provider. The ISP even brought out the templates to help design and set up that first site and even hosted it. Yada, yada, yada.

But even 10 years after that time with new email systems, personalized start page (with pretty stellar content), downloadable music, digital photo programs, security tools, online stores and in some cases blogging and podcasting, the ISP continues to be a one-stop Internet shop. Web hosts are forced to be more competitive and the consumer and small businesses benefit with an improved selection menu.

Bottom line: I gladly pay that monthly ISP bill and appreciate the services provided. Some of you are thinking, “But my email is always down and I’m not even getting a good deal.” Well, get referrals, shop around and find a better one. You need to. That’s my push for the under-loved, overlooked but all-important ISP.

You can make good on that thank you note at the ISPCON Conference (www.ispcon.com), which runs May 16-18, 2006 at the Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, MD.

For your education pleasure, TopHosts.Com’s Chad Randall, Director of Sales, will join three panelists in unveiling the “Five best-kept Secrets to Marketing your Web hosting company”. If that isn’t worth the price of admission I don’t know what is.