The Internet Funda

The first steam engine invented in 1705 was a simple vertical piston and cylinder at the end of the pump handle. In 1873 a dynamo was created to produce electricity allowing steam engines to be always on. Soon the railways emerged allowing communities to do commerce.

Just in case you’re wondering why I took you through this industrial revolution crash course. The point is that several inter-connected innovations had to happen for 300 years for you to sit on your desktop and click. The parallels between the industrial revolution and Internet one are strong.

The internet began as an idea in the research labs in the mid 1960s. The mainframe, pc, the internet and then the browser all came within a span of just 30 years. What started out as a US militery experiment has been plugged in irrevocably in to our daily lives.

Three hundred years down the steam engine story sounds very similar to the search engine one.

TSR
09-08-08