Today I revisited the evolution of the World Wide Web through the lens of its’ creator, Tim Berner-Lee.
He promised us the possibility of an online space to share knowledge, and a place for minds to collaborate. However, he generously gave us so much more. His vision transformed the Internet into a digital space for diverse, but like-minded individuals to form, develop, and grow. A place for networked groups to become interactive participants in spite of geographical distance. Berner-Lee’s vision and contributions to computer mediated communications bring to mind Marshall McLuhan’s prophetic words: ” we shape our tools and thereafter our tools shape us” (1964).
And yes, we did discuss and consider the future of the web. Perhaps a “Semantic Web” that could link data in a more intelligent manner.
Understanding the New Web Era: Web 3.0, Linked Data, Semantic Web
Berner-Lee’s vision and ideals will live on, only time will tell the story of the Web’s future: “The bigger the opportunity offered by new tools, the less completely anyone can extrapolate the future from the previous shape of society” (Shirky, 2010, Cognitive Surplus).