EOTO1 Post: The Creation of the Internet Blog #6

 When you look up "When was the internet invented," the first prompt will provide that the official 'birthday' is January 1st, originating in 1983. At face value, the answer sounds reliable, but in reality, the foundations of the internet occurred years prior to its official release. When Russia launched its first official satellite, Sputnik, in 1957, a new age of technology began. To counteract, the NASA corporation was founded in the United States, along with the corresponding ARPA organization. The Advanced Research Projects Agency was initially designed to aid military strategy in the 1960s, and its primary purpose was to "link computers at Pentagon-funded research institutions over telephone lines" (Britannica). 

Computer scientist, Dr. Joseph Carl Robnett Licklider, introduced the idea of an "Intergalactic Computer Network" and soon geared toward involvement in the first computer network, ARPA. 

J.C.R. Licklider 1979

Licklider expressed in an interview the difficulties of initiating a plan and putting it into action. It was simple enough to generate the concept of networking, it was not, however, easy to fund, acquire employees, and get it off the ground quickly. Once, up and running effectively, computer communication networking changed the way the world operated. It sparked national, and even global efforts, changed the way humans negotiate with one another, and amongst other things, stimulated creativity on an entirely new level. 

There are, what appears to be, infinite dates that the now-current internet claims itself was created, and truthfully, there is no particular date that which a certain individual may or may not have come up with the idea. The internet is unsure of its own creation, and the inner workings of the technology are much more complex to those of us who do not specialize in the field. 

When catalyzed by the threat of war in the 60s, the Internet was launched to help computer systems communicate with each other through various frequencies. The network allowed government affiliates to share research through database systems. While effective at the time, the system had its flaws. Early computers were limited and could not store large quantities of information all at once. A new mechanism was designed to modify the computers so that they could speak to each other using a universal language. The updated networking infrastructure became a revelation for its time. This, is the platform we use today, the network that you are reading this on. 

Engines are created, used, and replaced. Yahoo, Bing, or  Firefox, for example, are previous engines that proposed brilliant modes of technology for their time, yet are now outdated by rivaling tech companies who can offer faster, and more simpler results. 

Varieties of old search engines

In today's day, the Internet provides the many luxuries that we utilize every day. The Apple Maps system you used this morning to drive to work, the weather conditions that you looked up online, or the Google search engine you used to find the answer to a probing thought you had earlier in the day. It is no longer a conscious thought to open up a search engine. Students in grade school, even as little as preschoolers, are using computer technology to learn and do their assignments digitally. Before the pandemic, it was the "norm" (for most) to drive in to work 5 days a week, live the 9 to 5, and call it a day. Was this system ideal? When the pandemic began in 2020, the world shut down, and everyone was subjected to living only within the walls of their own home for months. As a result, individuals began working from home temporarily, however, the temporary aspect seems to have dissolved. 

While the notion of working from home sounds rather enticing, it poses a serious threat to the human psyche. Eyes are glued to screens for hours each day, even work aside, those recreational hours spent scrolling online may be doing more harm than good. The Internet gives us access to infinite things, but it does not give us access to a time before technology. There will be no restoration of simplicity, and I personally fear the dangerous attachment to our phones and computers. Technology is made so that humans can answer their own questions, spark their creativity, and more importantly, communicate with others. There came a point where communication occurs more online than it does socially, in person. A child's brain properly develops by human interaction, not by referring to a screen instead. These concerns have relevance and should be monitored in time. Check out HERE if you want to know more about the dangers of screen time. 

The Internet is a fundamentally life-changing amenity for all of its users and is undoubtedly one of the greatest inventions of our time. There is no fairness in claiming that the creation of the Internet has done more harm than good, but there are always multiple ways of looking at it. At first hand, yes, the Internet has created boundless limits for opportunity and connection, which has launched humanity further on its course. At the same time, however, there seems to be a gray area when considering the consequences of such easy access to exceptional technology. Like they say, time will tell.