Internet has just turned 40 yesterday. It was given birth under the California sunshine on 1969 when two research institutes were connected and formed ARPANET, the precursor of the Internet. On the New Year Day of 1983, the first TCP/IP-based WAN was created and the Internet as we know it today was steadily come to shape.
Like most people of my generation, my first introduction to Internet was back in my university years. Text based web browsers, modem (SLIP or, my favorite, PPP connections), telnet access to the computer labs, they are all part of my 2nd year university life.
Text-based web browsers are now replaced by dozens of powerful web browsers on all sorts of devices ranging from game consoles to cell phones. And ad-hoc phone-line connections gave way to always-on cable modem connectivity. Being in the IT industry to witness the adoption of Internet by the public domain is nothing short of remarkable.
The creation, adoption and the growth of Internet has as much, if not greater, impact on human kind than the invention of telegram and telephone. It helped advance our civilization either directly or indirectly by improving the access and distribution of information. However, people may question the value and the quality of information. Worst yet Internet also brought questionable impacts on the quality of life, be that our physical or mental health, be that our moral fibre, be that our social dexterity.
Personally, I don’t know what my life will be without the Internet. I won’t have the job that I have now and I won’t be able to do the things that I do every day. My information flow may be severely throttled.
For better or for worse, I do know Internet has a lot to do with who I am today, what I do now and it helped shaping my life. For that, I sincerely congratulate Internet on its 40th birthday.
No comments:
Post a Comment