In a message dated 96-11-29 22:09:15 EST, Rol wrote:
As in the case of the Internet, business did not build the first airplane
either, but it did build the international airline and airport network
that allows one to arrive anywhere within 24 hours. By analogy, I think
it is far too soon to say that the Internet is "built". We know it exists
in a primitive form, but we have no idea yet what its final form will
take. I am not particularly comfortable with business driving Internet
development, but I am less comfortable with the notion that someone
actually thinks they know and can implement what this thing ought to look
like for the good of all of us. Too paternalistic, too controlling, and
too unlikely to be true -- at least for me.
--- End of Quote ---
What I find interesting is the Internet did not gain widespread popularity
until the emergence of the World-Wide Web. What made this emergence
possible was the development and popularization of graphical interfaces,
such as Apple's Macintosh, Microsoft Windows, and X-Windows on UNIX.
Before the Web, the Internet was used largely by researchers and a few
people who had a flair for computer technology. Most people on the Web,
today, would be confused by a Gopher site or would be lost when it comes
to using Telnet or FTP. It was not so long ago that these tools were a
standard part of my life (actually, they still are a standard part of my
life).
I think this is significant, because it wasn't business that gave the
Internet it's rise to power. It was a change in technology, that allowed
the Internet to become much more useful and user-friendly. It will be
interesting to see what tecnology drives the Internet in the future.
Perhaps voice recognition? I don't know.
--Benjamin B. Compton bbcompton@aol.com
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>