Internet and Problem Solving

The internet has become a daily tool for finding solutions to all kinds of problems. According to a recent study, "using the internet to solve problems has become a trend in social development and one of the main life skills" (frontiersin.org). In practice, more and more people rely on the web (search engines, forums, online guides) as the first line of research when they encounter an obstacle. However, easy access to information does not automatically guarantee a solution: it is necessary to know how to search methodically and stay updated, because what seemed impossible yesterday might have an unexpected answer today.

The Risk of Past-Based Beliefs

Often, those who encounter an informatics or technical problem resort to their past experience, believing that a certain task is "not possible" or too complicated. This attitude can stem from a cognitive bias known as confirmation bias: the tendency to seek or remember only information that confirms our pre-existing beliefs (wikipedia.org). In practice, if in the past we were told that a certain problem has no solution, we will tend to ignore new evidence that contradicts it. For example, if an old device once did not work with a new operating system, we might convince ourselves that there is no solution, without considering updates or current tools that overcome the obstacle.

This fixed thinking can lead to discarding solutions still unknown or not updating with new technologies. For this reason, it is important to recognize these mental traps and question past judgments. Technological evolution is very rapid, and what was impossible a few years ago can become trivially feasible today. For example, programs once incompatible with modern systems can be run through special modes, emulators, or virtualizers. The key point is to maintain curiosity and always verify - with targeted research - if there are updates or workarounds, rather than taking anything for granted.

Problems "Unsolvable" Overcome by Technology

In the world of computer science and science, there are numerous examples of problems considered for years insurmountable, which were then solved thanks to new technologies or algorithms. For example, Google's recent Willow quantum computer has tackled calculations once impossible: as reported by Wired, Willow "solved a standard benchmark calculation in just 5 minutes" when the best traditional supercomputer would have taken 10 septillion years (blog.google). This demonstrates that new hardware architectures can greatly shift the boundaries of feasibility.

Another example comes from artificial intelligence applied to mathematics: a chatbot based on Google DeepMind's language models solved a mathematical problem that had puzzled humans for decades. In particular, the so-called "hat set problem," a long-standing combinatorial puzzle, was deciphered by AI with a new algorithm that combines code generation and automatic evaluation (timesnownews.com). This result shows how computational capabilities and machine learning approaches can solve significant challenges, once considered out of reach.

An even more famous case is the protein folding problem, recognized with the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2024: Google DeepMind's AlphaFold AI has indeed solved the prediction of the three-dimensional structures of proteins, a problem open for fifty years. As explained by the Nobel Academy, Demis Hassabis and John Jumper have "developed an AI model to solve a 50-year-old problem: predicting proteins' complex structures" (nobelprize.org). Thanks to AlphaFold, it is now possible to determine almost in real-time the shape of millions of proteins, accelerating biological and medical research.

Even more "everyday" examples show how much technology advances. For example, Windows offers "compatibility mode" to run old programs on modern operating systems. As reported in a technical guide, «if you are trying to run older software on a new system, use the compatibility mode feature» selecting the version of Windows for which the program was originally designed (alwaysnetworks.co.uk). This type of solution makes many limits once considered insurmountable obsolete: today it is possible to use virtualization tools (VirtualBox, VMware, containers) to run entire historical operating systems within modern computers, making feasible what years ago seemed a "can't be done". These cases demonstrate how innovations continuously shift the boundaries of the possible: very often, a problem considered unsolvable in the past can be solved today thanks to new technologies and knowledge.

Effective Online Research Strategies

To make the most of Internet resources, it is essential to adopt a structured and critical research method. Information literacy (information literacy) indeed includes the ability to identify, evaluate, organize, and use information (wikihow.com). Here are some practical suggestions:

• Define the goal and choose clear keywords. Before launching the search, ask yourself exactly what you want to discover. Then translate the problem into simple and precise terms. For example, do not write a long sentence as a search; instead, look for key concepts ("synthetic keywords") related to your problem. When searching for information on a topic, try to eliminate superfluous words and keep only the essential and specific terms.
• Use synonyms and variants. Often the same idea can be expressed in different ways. Search engines try to understand your intentions from the words you use, so always using the same terms risks producing the same results and narrowing the horizon (wikihow.com). If you don't find anything useful, try with synonyms or related terms. For example, instead of just searching for "connect old printer," also try "printer compatibility Windows old driver," etc. Slightly changing the wording or using English terms (if possible) can bring out new information.
• Consult general sources to frame the topic. If the topic is very broad or you are unsure of the terms, start with a general overview. A look at a Wikipedia entry or a popular article can help you understand how the topic is treated and find new keywords. As a research guide suggests, «a preliminary look at an online encyclopedia or a popular article can help you discover... that you have written the wrong term and better define the path of your research». For example, you might realize that your problem is related to "desertification" rather than "desertization" and thus refine the query.
• Use search engines and advanced operators. Google is the most used, but Bing or DuckDuckGo can also provide different answers. Take advantage of boolean operators and filters: for example, put quotes to search for an exact phrase, use the minus sign to exclude words ("programming -videogames" removes videogames), or site: to search within a single domain. For example, for technical answers, you can search directly on Stack Overflow with site:stackoverflow.com (meta.stackoverflow.com), or explore the official documentation of a product by typing site:docs.microsoft.com <topic>. Many sites also allow you to filter results by data: this helps find recent solutions and avoid obsolete information.
• Evaluate the credibility of sources. Not all pages found online are reliable. According to an academic definition, it is necessary to select sources that can be identified and evaluated before use. Prefer official and updated resources: technical manuals, company sites, scientific publications, blogs of institutions or recognized experts. Be wary of anonymous forums, old threads without moderation, or unverified content. Always check the author (who wrote the page), the publication date (it may be outdated), and verify if the same information is confirmed by other independent sources.
• Forums and communities of experts. Often the fastest way to solve a technical problem is to consult specialized forums or Q&A sites. Stack Overflow, for example, is a huge community of developers where «posts are optimized for search engines» and often contain detailed discussions on common problems (meta.stackoverflow.com). You can use the site:stackoverflow.com operator on Google to filter only the answers from that site. Similarly, there are forums in Italian dedicated to software, hardware, networks, etc., where expert users may have already encountered your same problem. Remember, however, to check the date of the thread and prefer answers with multiple confirmations (e.g., on StackOverflow, answers with many "upvotes").
• Code repositories and open-source projects. Often there are solutions and tools on platforms like GitHub or GitLab. For example, if you are looking for a program or a script to solve a certain task, you might find ready-made libraries. In addition to the actual code, on GitHub, the "repository issues" where developers discuss bugs and solutions are often available. It is worth searching on GitHub with keywords related to your problem to see if there are open "issues" or useful code snippets.
• Organize and compare information. Keep track of the sources you consult: save important links or note key steps. Compare similar information from different sources to avoid relying on a single solution. If you find multiple answers to a problem, evaluate which is the most recent and relevant to your situation. Sometimes the best solution comes precisely from integrating multiple suggestions found online.

In summary, good online research combines creativity (choosing different keywords) with critical rigor (selecting reliable sources). As the literature on information literacy emphasizes, it is fundamental to know how to "evaluate, organize, and present information" (wikihow.com). With practice and patience, you will learn to navigate effectively among manuals, forums, technical blogs, and code databases, obtaining precise answers to your problems.

Online Tools and Resources

For concreteness, here are some examples of resources to consult:

• Official Documentation - Online manuals, developer guides, and company sites often contain the solution "from the source." For example, Microsoft, Apple, Linux, and many others maintain updated wikis or support portals.
• Stack Overflow and Q&A platforms - As seen, Stack Overflow is particularly useful for programming problems. For other areas, there are dedicated forums (e.g., Server Fault for infrastructure, Superuser for general hardware/software, or local communities and thematic subreddits).
• Specialized forums and technical blogs - Hardware Upgrade, Tom's Hardware Italia, manufacturer forums (e.g., Intel, Nvidia, Cisco forums), and blogs by industry authorities can provide insights into specific problems.
• GitHub/GitLab - In addition to code, look for projects similar to your purpose. For example, a compatibility problem might already have a dedicated repository.
• Wikis and tutorial sites - Pages like Wikipedia or tutorials (even from sites like w3schools, MDN for the web, etc.) help understand fundamental concepts.
• Multilingual research - Often finding results in English expands the possibilities, as there are many more technical discussions in English. It might be worth translating the key question into English to search international forums.

In any case, there is no single "magic resource": often the solution emerges from a combination of these sources. The important thing is to maintain an open mindset, not to fossilize on what was thought true in the past, and to approach research with scientific rigor.

Conclusion

The network has revolutionized the way of tackling problems: it offers an infinity of information and tools that make possible solutions unthinkable until a few years ago. As we have seen, problems considered "impossible" in the past have been overcome thanks to quantum computers, artificial intelligence, and continuous progress in software (blog.google). To avoid falling into the trap of considering a problem unsolvable based on outdated knowledge, it is essential to continuously reset one's research. In other words, one should not be satisfied with old answers: it is always worth checking if there are updated solutions.

In conclusion, using the Internet effectively requires curiosity, method, and critical spirit. As emphasized by an authoritative definition, knowing how to "identify, evaluate, organize, and communicate information" is now indispensable in the information society (wikihow.com). Learning to formulate effective queries, select the right sources, and exploit specialized forums and documentation not only helps solve concrete technical problems but strengthens our continuous learning skills. In this way, instead of remaining tied to the difficulties of the past, we will be ready to seize the opportunities offered by new technologies.

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