I've had the pleasure of surfing the web for 12 years now.  Recently, I realized that there are so many things that are hard to live without now that the internet has been created.  Here's a list of what I feel are the 10 most ingenious sites created since then!

#10 - Mapquest

When this first came out, it was the first of its kind to offer free mapping with just the click of a button.  Before GPS systems, this was THE way to find out how to get from point A to point B.  Now, it's still useful, but onboard navigation systems and even cell phones have taken the need for it down a notch.

#9 - Napster

For years, buying an overpriced CD or listening to the radio was the only way to hear the music you wanted.  Napster may not have been the first, but it was the start of a major change in the way we buy and listen to music.  This was THE way to find/listen to music when I was in college.  It's still a great site today, but now has lots of good rivals.  Now, I can get a .99 cent song just about anywhere.

#8 - Facebook / MySpace

It's never been easier to find old high school or college buddies and even to talk to new friends.  I'm not much into spending a lot time making my page all decked out with hundreds of different, crazy items, but I do enjoy chatting with friends and even playing a game or two with them.  The problem is having some friends on one of these sites and some on another.  They need to merge these two so I can talk to even more people more easily!

#7 - Amazon

I'll never pay full price for a book again!  If it's been in print, I'll bet you can find it here.  Don't get me wrong, I love a brand new book.  But, if I can get a $20 book used for $1 and it's very readable - SOLD!  It's nice to see books recycled for others to enjoy once they've been read.  And, of course, they've expanded to include much more than just books - electronics, toys, movies, and even tools. 

#6 - Yahoo

It's so great to be able to access e-mail from any computer at any time of the day.  It's also nice to not have to worry about deleting them all and that your storage space is nearly full or getting hundreds of spam letters jammed in your inbox.  I've also grown attached to some of their fun games and even played some of my first online matches here.  Had my account for over 10 years, still use it today!

#5 - Neflix

I've never watched so many movies, than since I became a member about a year ago.  Fast delivery and a HUGE selection have zipped close to 15-20 movies in an out of our house every month (we get three at a time/unlimited).  And, at about $15/month, it's WAY cheaper than renting at the local video store ever was!  Sure there's a small wait of a day or two, and rarely the DVD is broken when it arrives, but I can even watch a few movies online with my monthly fee!  What a GREAT invention!

#4 - E-Bay

I can honestly say that my house wouldn't be filled with so much junk as it stands if it weren't for E-bay.  Talk about finding the most unfindable items around the world!  And, I've even sold lots of our junk to others to make more room for other junk to buy!  Easy to set up and reasonable fees make it possible for many to actually earn a living just by selling stuff here.  This site has made it possible to find virtually any item in the world and make it yours!

#3 - Wikipedia

Genius!  What is the one thing that most people go online for - information!  This, the worlds largest online encyclopedia has contributors across the globe keeping it up-to-date and accurate on a daily basis.  With almost 2.5 million articles in English alone, it's over 10,000 times more insightful then a set of useless encyclopedias ever was and growing daily!  If only this was around for all of those reports in high school...sigh...

#2 - YouTube

Never has there been a site where I could literally spend hours looking at videos of useless things.  Every day, I have music videos playing in the weather center from some of the most obscure artists (mainly from the 80's).  If I want, I can reminisce about my childhood and find clips of old commercials, or even clips of old cartoons that I used to watch when I was younger.  I'm even amazed at the weather videos some have captured.  See footage of a bank ripped apart from the inside by a twister is just amazing when you get to see it.  With more and more uploaded every day, I never get bored!  Amazing!  

#1 - Google

With billions of webpages to search through, it can be hard to find exactly what you're looking for.  However, one search engine has stood the test of time in provide us with a simple page that can find precisely what you need.  I have found the most obscure items with the greatest of ease!  The search engine just seems to be getting better over the years.  And, let's not forget Google Earth - the most sophisticated, FREE global mapping software available!  The internet just wouldn't be the same without it.  

Some other favorites of mine didn't make the list, but these are 10 sites that have had the most impact on me since 1996.  Who know, maybe by 2020, I'll have 10 completely new sites to list as influental.