It is hard to believe that the World Wide Web is only 30 years old. 1989 is just the other day and yet it is an entire world away from where we stand today. In the year 1989 small mobile phones, CD's and fax machines were becoming popular while today few use fax and some have never heard of them. There has been an outstanding revolution under our noses that equals the creation of writing, the growth of railways and the discovery of penicillin.
In 1994 a chap at the place I worked spoke several times about the 'International highway' and we all stared blankly at him. By the time I was resident in the wilderness of Essex two years later I had bought, at great price, one of these 'home computers' which enabled me to travel the world from my desk, or chair as it was at the time, I could not afford a desk. Today people carry these things in their pocket, phones with computers which are much more powerful than the one I paid an enormous amount of money for in 1996, now that machine operates as a stool for my feet!
The WWW has been a great benefit to us all, that is how we met, and while it can be abused it is a brilliant invention. So where will this lead? It will enable those who control us to keep their eyes on us 24 hours a day, unless we stop using such devices and return to pencil and paper. Each time we open up to watch a football match someone somewhere knows we do this or is able to discover our viewing when this is demanded. How the Gestapo would have loved such ability, they might still be around. Maybe they are? The only answer to oppressive governments is for people to vote for decent candidates, if any stand, and to hope no fiddling of the count occurs as it does in many places. The day may not be far off where Europe has the opposite of capable 'liberal' democrats in charge, it may be here already.
3 comments:
We first had the internet at home about that time too and I can still remember the thrill of searching on line for the first time. I had read that it was the equivalent of having the worlds biggest library in your room, and it was. Where would we be without it now?
We bought one about that time too....it was on dial up, so not very fast and not cheap to use, but the research facility was wonderful, especially when we were living in France where the local library was somewhat limited.
Good luck to the jobsworth checking on our compouter use...by the adds that appear unasked we are continually taking flights in folding wheelchairs...
Dave, it was indeed thrilling to travel the world online. A huge library indeed. I still love that aspect. I wonder how we could live without it now?
Fly, Ah dial up, I had forgotten about that. It appeared fast at the time. Love the ads!
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