Who invented the Internet

codprawn · 16 November 2005, 12:32

But more to the point what is the Internet?

So many people confuse what the Internet actually IS. As usual the Yanks claim to have invented it and maybe they did BUT the Internet is not what we really use.

What we know and love today as "the internet" is actually the World Wide Web. This was created almost single handed by one man - Tim Berners Lee who was British. He was the one who created http and www - he was the first to build a search engine and a website.

Despite this he and Britain gets virtually no recognition. Even British people make sweeping comments about how the USA are the ones to thank.

I have just been reading comments on the BBC website about the USA keeping the right to manage "the internet". The comments from British people are sickening.

"How typical - the US designs and builds the internet, and makes it a huge success, and now the rest of the world, especially Europeans and African nations in the guise of the UN want to control it. Is it any wonder that Americans have such little respect for the UN rest of the world.
James, London "

This is typical. The USA make sweeping claims and people just take it as gospel.

Just trying to redress the balance and give a TRUE genius a bit of credit.

DJL · 16 November 2005, 13:47

I kind of agree with you. Although, Tim Berners-Lee's contribution of HTML in 1990 came quite late in the Internets development. You've got people who did work much earlier who contributed just as much to the Internet, such as Paul Mockapetris and Jon Postel who invented DNS in the early 80's. Not to mention Vinton Cerf and Robert Kahn who invented TCP/IP.

To say one person or country invented the Internet as we know it today is daft. Its been under constant development right from the beginning and numerous countries/people/organisations have contributed.

However - it is true that the Americans developed the first internet or WAN, with the invention of the modem for the military in the 50's

codprawn · 16 November 2005, 14:52

Of course it's a joke when people claim to have "invented" the internet - which is why I get so annoyed when the Yanks claim all the credit!!!

Yes TCP/IP and DNS came earlier but the internet would never have turned into the WWW without Berners Lee. We would be stuck with using dos based commands.

It is no coincidence that the web only took off so rapidly after HTML was introduced.

Nasher · 16 November 2005, 15:18

Big question is:-

Is it now beyond our control?
For instance, where is the switch or the means to turn it off?

Nasher.

codprawn · 16 November 2005, 15:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nasher

Big question is:-

Is it now beyond our control?
For instance, where is the switch or the means to turn it off?

Nasher.

Fortunately there isn't one - which is why governements are terrified by it - they HATE something they can't control.......

Andy Moore · 16 November 2005, 15:29

I thought it was the US Military that invented the internet protocols.

roycruse · 16 November 2005, 15:47

Who Cares who invented it

There are so many different technologies involved its a stupid question.

One thing is for sure its the Porn industry that financed the internet growing into the multimedia extravaganza it is now

I think there's a good discussion on this topic on the forum at http://www.AnoraksRUs.com/MostBoringTopicEver.php maybe you should all go and discuss it there.