Conclusion

As I said in the first post, I hope that these posts have been interesting and informative, and that you as the reader learning something new!
I like to take time at the end of studying to "sum up" the things that I have learned. So with that in mind, let me review a few of the conclusions I have drawn about the effect the Internet has had on communication, based on the previous posts:

1. The Internet has virtually eliminated the need for proximity in social relationships, bringing people much closer together than ever before. Similarities in interests and (to some degree) social attraction are still about as important as they ever have been.
2. Increased Internet use has had a largely negative effect on relationships between spouses, and more time spent on the Internet seems to correlate with lower relationship quality. However, I believe it is possible to use the Internet to strengthen marriage relationships, and to find an appropriate balance between Internet use and other important pursuits.
3. Relationships formed online have mixed effects. They can assist socially anxious individuals in forming friendships and provide time to escape from the pressures of the "real world." However, they can also lead to isolation from real world relationships.
4. The way people choose to use the Internet depends greatly upon factors such as their gender, race, or cultural background. 
5. The anonymity of the Internet allows people to portray themselves in the way they want to be, rather than the way they may appear in the offline world.
6. The Internet has allowed personal "needs" and desires to be met quickly and conveniently.
7. The Internet has become a major substitute for offline, face-to-face communication, creating a new sense of "connectedness" despite often total isolation in the real world.
8. There is a correlation between increased Internet use and a deficiency in social skills; however, it is not known which factor causes which effect.
9. It is yet unknown the extent to which in-person communication skills will be necessary in the future. I personally believe that they will retain a large degree of significance despite the growth of communication technology.

The Internet is a fantastic network, filled with opportunities for beneficial communication as well as harmful time-wasting. To me the final effect of the Internet depends upon how it is used. Like any technology, it can be used for wise or foolish purposes. Although this was my opinion before I conducted this study, I am much more aware now of just how truthful this is. The beauty of the Internet is in the eye of the user, and what the user puts into it is more or less what he or she will get out of it as well.
I know this study was very informative for me, and because of it I will continue to ponder on and analyze not only the Internet, but also all forms of media I see all around me each day. Thanks for reading and (since I also prefer communicating online much better than in-person) please feel free to read any blogs I may create in the future!