In his essay "Cyberspace," Benjamin Woolley attempts not only to define the word cyberspace but also the essences of the meaning. Woolley says, quoting William Gibson's definition of the term, that cyberspace was, early on, essentially an empty term, "something that an advertising man might of [sic] thought up" (7). What was once a fantasy, or a dream of sorts, has evolved into an integral part of our world. The word cyberspace now carries with it a weight and a meaning that seem to increase in significance with every passing day, as our lives become more intertwined with the online world. Woolley states that the terms "cyberia, virtual space, virtual worlds, dataspace, the digital domain, the electronic realm, the information sphere" (8) are interchangeable and that only the idea of cyberspace is important. That being said, the term cyberspace and its synonyms have developed their own intrinsic power in our wired world, no reference to Cat Stevens intended.

After rendering a fundamental definition of cyberspace, Woolley discusses the evolution of computer cyberspace, networks, and viruses. Woolley establishes cyberspace as a "global village," (8) a network whose function is to eliminate space, linking everyone via an unprecedented proximity that is well underway. The networks have already become extremely powerful and have integrated themselves into almost every aspect of our lives. Woolley notes that even money is now largely nothing more than bits of data making a continual journey around the expanse of cyberspace (16). "Money" is transferred between banks, retailers, credit card companies, consumers, and many other entities via the networks, without ever being handled as cash. It is simply information.

Although Woolley's arguments are all formidable, he makes one suggestion with which I must disagree. He states that cyberspace is the "new final frontier" (8), an idea I believe to be a bit of a stretch. I agree that cyberspace is a new frontier, but I don't think that outer space has been conquered or superseded as the "final frontier" as the statement seems to suggest. Whether it is the final frontier or not, we must afford cyberspace the attention and respect that it demands. Surely the effects of this interactive media, which are only beginning, will be profound and far-reaching for generations to come.

In current times, it is hard to discuss cyberspace without some mention of security issues. Woolley addresses the vulnerability of a "global village" linked by networks, and he illustrates the point with accounts of early virus scares, such as that of the Friday the 13th virus of 1989 (12). The media hype of the virus was far greater than the threat of the virus itself. This story also serves to illustrate that neither the media network nor the computer network is a "passive communications system" (13). Woolley cites the words of Marshall McLuhan to complete the thought: "The medium is the message" (11). This simply means that the medium, a network in this case, is not a hollow pipe; it is a molder and shaper, if not creator of, that which flows within it.

The vastness of the networks and the compatibility shared between the world's computers introduces yet another possible complication: "The artificial environment created by computers will become host to a new, evolving lifeform, one that could spread uncontrolled through the world's networks" (14). What this means is that computer viruses may mutate to become more efficient in their self-propagation, and could eventually become self-aware and extend their influence beyond the realm of the computer. This idea lends new credence to the theme expressed in the movie series Terminator, throughout which a computer becomes self-aware and takes over the world. "Cyberspace" renders an insightful look into what has become a colossal aspect of society, a new electronic medium with no signs of receding.

Woolley's discussion of cyberspace is full of pertinent information. It is easy, in this world of online activities, to forget the beginning of the virtual revolution, and Woolley's "Cyberspace" reminds us of the uncertain beginnings of the age of networks. Using words that the average citizen can understand, Woolley's essay helps us to understand not only the evolution of the virtual world, but also the essence of cyberspace. Woolley's essay is a concise summary of the vast online world.

Woolley, Benjamin. "Cyberspace." CyberReader. 2nd ed. Ed. Victor J. Vitanza. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn and Bacon, 1999. 7-17.

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