Sir Tim Berners-Lee developed his WWW in 1989, and since that date has seen his genius invention become one of the world's most controversial.
The dark web (whatever that is), extreme porn, social media, fake news, on-line grooming of minors, hate speech, and horrific terrorist videos, are just a few of the web's more evil attributes that Sir Tim could never have predicted.
Inventions can never be uninvented. We are now stuck with it. Personally, I find all my own uses for the net to be extremely handy (Email, blogging, on-line newspaper, Picasa 3, etc). The sites that cause so much controversy don't interest me. I do use 'facebook', and since my recent drastic thinning of several so-called 'friends' (mostly selfie addicts), it is now simply a vehicle for the exchanging of news, and photos; with real friends and family.
Sir Tim, I believe, gave his invention to the world, with no patent or royalties attached; others, of course, have made huge fortunes from his gift to the world. His only regret seems to have been the use of the two forward slashes, which he now says he would have changed.
Tim's latest project is to establish an international 'Contract for the Web'. This will invite both Governments and Internet Companies to adopt a set of ethical standards. Sounds a little like closing the stable door, after the horse has bolted, but good luck.
Only time will tell.
The web has become a very useful tool...for everyone... from the young to us elderlies, from serious students to criminal masterminds.
ReplyDeleteI too, use FaceEater, where I drive around as our 1956 Citroën 2CV.... one Gytha Citroën.... it is, like you, where I communicate with family and friends.... and have made friends of a like mind... it is where I can get insects, whose species eludes me, identified.... where I can draw inspiration from other people’s photos, learn new techniques and get fair criticism of my postings..... where I get latest birding info.... where I can share 50-mumble year’s of veg-gardening experience with those starting out.... where I can see the current real ale scene in the UK, and reassure myself that there is nothing new that would drag me back to the hell-hole that Britain has become.
Then, there is on-line shopping.... vital in rural areas, where popping to the shops is an all day excursion! All the websites I use for identification purposes, iTunes, Flickr, the sourcing of elusive spare parts for a 1956 Citroën and last, but by no means least, clothing and recipes.
Then there’s The Wiki... the biggest set of mutually written and peer edited encyclopedias in memory.... not always 100% accurate.... and finally.... Snopes!!
Thank you Sir Tim.... from another Tim!
And here’s to your next brainchildren seeing light of day... you opened Pandora’s Box.... now you are attempting to herd cats.....
That's a pretty exhaustive breakdown of web usefulness, to most of which I also subscribe; although I no longer own a 2CV.
Deletere. Online shopping, my multi-packs of Pork Scratchings seem to be discontinued, and the Indian mixed pickle I love so much seems to have vanished (or at least the makers have). One minute Amazon could do no wrong, now her name is mud!
I have found the aerated type of pork scratching in Auchan on the “foreigners” shelf.... they come from Portugal....
DeleteFor real pork scratchings... I buy the rind.... or as the French call it...”pig bark”... ecorse du porc.... and make my own, as I have done for aeons.
Both types were always available at beer festivals up north.... and in the supers, of course... but, as one gets older, the aerated type are easier on the teeth!!
And, when things go missing on Amazon.... try EBay!
Even with my awful teeth, I still go for the harder scratchings with the thick layer of delicious fat. Mr Scratchings was the maker. I'm not so keen on the 'aerated' ones, they remind me of Chinese Prawn Crackers. I hadn't thought of trying Ebay; I shall look today, thanks.
Deletewww expanded my small world into an ever expanding universe of instant knowledge and communication. I still remember back in the 90s when we first went 'online' . I was gobsmacked at the information at my fingertips and spent endless nights and early mornings surfing this new territory
ReplyDeleteJust a note about those olives. I'm sure you won't be using a water bottle for the pickling. When we open the bottle we pour them into a large container with the salt water and add half a wine glass of vinegar...according to taste. Vasos olives are perfect for me, neither too salty or too strong . Don't forget some vinegar
ReplyDeletere. Olives. Noted! Thanks.
DeleteMy earliest memories of the www are of endless waiting for my bloody machine to 'boot up'. One could turn on, then go and have coffee, eat breakfast, and do the washing up, all before the wretched thing would even show signs of life. How things have changed.
Even most of my phone calls are now made via the internet.
ReplyDeleteWe do have a free internet phone service with our contract, but I could never get it to work. Skype is good; we use that a lot.
DeleteMy contract for the phone line and phone is with BT. When I last renewed and negotiated the price the sales person suggested that I stop paying my monthly set sums for home and overseas calls because I never used them. I use my cellphone but when there is no signal it automatically goes to wifi-calling. My cellphone contract includes, data, unlimited texts and calls and 100 minutes of overseas calls (including the antipodes) all for less than my saving with BT.
DeleteI have no idea about the "dark" web. Though if it could show me the way to rob a bank without being caught in this day of constant surveillance I'd be game.
ReplyDeleteThe other day I had to take the house apart as builders needed access to to two rooms redoing their ceilings (flash flooding - such fun particularly when you are a duck). Whilst clearing shelves of books I came to sad conclusion that a lot of reference books never get a look in any longer. It's easier to "google" (ghastly verb) any query you may have rather than (more sensual) leaf through real pages. I am a bit upset about it; and in two undecided minds whether to get rid of those reference books, space being at a premium, or leaving that task to my son (ca. 2050 when even I will be forced to bite the dust). Any advice?
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I share my days with two very large reference books. A big Latin dictionary, and an even bigger Etymological dictionary. I do consult others regularly; birds, mushrooms, plants, etc. But I do find Mr Wiki and Mr Google both very handy.
DeleteAnd written by someone else, exam essays might move to the dark web if there is a big clamp down on companies who write such things. I am over 60. My partner is nearly 70. I have no truck these days with people who say, I wouldn't know how to turn a computer on. Computers and the internet in the mid 1990s caused us much stress. Now, everything just pretty well works. In the wild days of uncensored internet, it was amazing what you could see. I accidently came across a horse and...well, you don't want to know more. That kind of thing does no longer accidently pops up, although I am sure it is still there for those who look for it, but I think you really have to look for it and put in some hard internet yards. Your post is quite relevant here tonight as our ABC had a story on banks closing in rural areas and old people, above sixty, no longer have access to banking unless they visit a nearby big town. Never mind online banking, they can still talk to someone at the bank on the phone. I will wear that above 80 year old people might struggle with the internet. My mother for one.
ReplyDeleteYet my 80 year old step mother uses the internet. Perhaps that says more about my mother.
DeleteI did once suddenly see a beheading. It just turned-up whilst looking for something totally unrelated. I was shocked, and felt quite sick. How it had got to where I saw it, I have no idea.
DeleteIn so many ways, the web has made communicating easier, until your laptop has a problem. I wish him luck.
ReplyDeleteDifficult to change bad habits; especially if they make big money.
DeleteI absolutely rely on it these days, especially when communicating with friends and family so far away. Doesn't seem so long ago when we all lived without it.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what I'd miss most; probably just Email and Skype.
DeleteI think, as Sue says above, we have all come to rely on it - but as you say it has enormous drawbacks.
ReplyDeleteI must say, I tend to ignore the drawbacks, and just use the positives.
DeleteThe web was designed for the military for databases to withstand a nuclear attack. It was a Gorgon's head.
ReplyDeleteAnd as one who detests serpents.....
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