In Tim Berners-Lee piece, “Long Live the Web” he observes the internet today for what it is– constantly changing and ever powerful. Without question the internet has developed rapidly throughout time, and since the inclusion of the World Wide Web in December of 1990 the possibilities with the internet are breaking barriers, for better or for worse. He analyzes the evolutions of the web that, while unforeseeable, are now a part of our everyday lives. The limitless possibilities with social media, for example, continuously proves just how much we can and are willing to share with each other online. With that being said, the Web has brought about unprecedented, multifaceted, deep issues that go way above the user. The Web has brought about debates over human rights and internet monopolies. It’s allowed companies like google to decide what you see on the Web. It’s allowed governments and companies to access your information, both what’s done publicly and privately. It’s, in recent years, brought into question the importance of net neutrality in regulating internet speeds and costs. All in all, he concludes that it is still an “exciting time” and we have to remember “the goal of the Web is to serve humanity” (Berners-Lee 85).
Ingrid Burrington’s “Where Did the Internet Begin?” recounts her trip to UCLA to see the room that started ARPANET. At first I found it strange that she so meticulously describes the appearance of the room, including the replicated paint color and original furniture, but it didn’t take long for me to understand her intent. It got me thinking about what is worth preserving and memorializing and who decides that. Her article really highlights the disparities between the humble beginnings of the internet, one exact place at one exact time, to the ‘cloud’ that has no exact place to pinpoint through a landmark. She writes, “When we do commemorate, it is in search of a singularity where there may only be a series of convenient confluences, a statement of significance where there may only be a line in a log book.” I think this quote is true on many fronts, not just for her ARPANET vs cloud distinction. Memorialization often goes hand in hand with fabrication, i.e. recreating the spike in Utah, as she mentions. That is, really, the reality of the internet today: no exact place to call central, but a complex network of servers all around the world.