Opinion: Happy birthday world wide web

By Lanway CBS Ltd

18 Mar 2014

As we celebrate 25 years of the World Wide Web, or Mesh, as it was first conceived by Sir Tim Berners-Lee in 1989, when he was a 34 year old physics graduate.

By Sarge, Lanway CBS.To the uninitiated and the “always on” generation, that have grown up in a world where the Internet is omnipresent, the early beginnings of the web bore no resemblance to the slick, media rich, content driven place it is today.

In fact its origins were very humble indeed, with the main concept being to provide improved communications for the thousands of scientists involved with CERN.

The original idea was all but dismissed by his boss, Mike Sendall, when Sir Tim presented him with a document entitled “Information Management: A Proposal”, but undeterred he pressed on and went on to write the HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP), HyperText Markup Language (HTML), the and the first ever web browser WorldWideWeb.

It was the creation of these three things that became the very foundation of the Internet as we know it today and when CERN allowed the technology to be freely used in 1993, the floodgates opened. Within a few years millions of people were on-board, seeing the Internet grow at an exponential rate and in the years since then we have seen dotcom empires come and go, the rise of social media and the creation of the “always on” society.

There are now billions of people and more than 600 million websites “on-line”, with millions of messages and more than 20 million pictures exchanged every minute, not to mention the billions spent by the on-line consumer, it still amazes me that over half of the UK population, (33m), actively log in to Facebook every month, with 24m of those using it daily.

There is a whole other blog I could write on the phenomenal statistics that have grown up around social media and the staggering amount of data that sites such as Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest and Instagram consume on a daily basis, but I’ll save that for another day.

Where the real growth has come and where the Internet really comes into its own, was with the advent of mobile data and devices such as Smart Phones and Tablets, which really show the power of what the possibilities are and could be in the future. The combination of these elements have completely transformed how we work, communicate and consume the constant flow of media that is available to us 24x7x365 and the transfer of information is all but instant.

I, like many of my peers, am old enough to remember when we lived in a very different world, where phones were static objects, tv’s where big and bulky and only had 3 channels, mail was something you put in the post and tablets where something you got from the doctor when you were ill. But I for one am a huge advocate of the “always on” society, the internet and the freedom that the devices it has spawned has given us and am always eager to see the latest developments, always looking to the future with excitement at the possibilities of what could be.

So let’s raise a glass and give three cheers to Sir Tim and his invention that has forever changed the world beyond recognition and will continue to shape the future of how we live and work. Happy birthday, world wide web.

Enjoyed this? Read more from Lanway CBS Ltd

Latest news

1

Chiptech announces major innovation initiative at high-profile reception with the New Zealand Prime Minister in London. The Rt Hon Jonathan Reynolds, the Rt Hon Christopher Luxon and the Rt Hon Steve Reed (L-R Front Row) David Hammond, and Daniel Knowles

Chiptech announces major innovation initiative at high-profile reception with the New Zealand Prime Minister in London.

30 Apr 2025

2

Northstone secures full planning permission for 50 new homes in Edenfield Edenfield housing development

Northstone secures full planning permission for 50 new homes in Edenfield

29 Apr 2025

3

Ring Stones Maintenance and Construction celebrates completion of Dovestone Gardens Dovestone Gardens launch

Ring Stones Maintenance and Construction celebrates completion of Dovestone Gardens

29 Apr 2025

4

PHX Training welcomes new business leader to drive learner success Louise Kirby

PHX Training welcomes new business leader to drive learner success

29 Apr 2025

5

Lidl to invest half a billion pounds in its expansion as it eyes sites in Lancashire Lidl

Lidl to invest half a billion pounds in its expansion as it eyes sites in Lancashire

29 Apr 2025

Pc Prestonmacan Gif980x120 March
Background image for hub sign up block

LBV Hub

Leverage Lancashire Business View platforms

Post your news
Post your events
Post your offers
Build your network
Improve your SEO
Gain coverage in the magazine
Sign-up
Events
LBV122 May/June Launch Event
121 Lancashire Business View Magazine Launch
Networking
21 May 2025

LBV122 May/June Launch Event

Lancaster and Morecambe College, Lancaster, LA1 2TY

08:30 - 10:30

Sub36 Networking
Networking
11 Jun 2025

Sub36 Networking

British Jewellery School, Scorton, PR3 1BA

15:00 - 17:00

Lancashire Net Zero Carbon Conference
Net Zero Carbon Social 1200px 2
Networking
18 Jun 2025

Lancashire Net Zero Carbon Conference

Crow Wood Hotel & Spa Resort, Burnley, BB12 0RT

08:30 - 13:00

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025
BEC 315 X 315 Px
Networking
25 Sep 2025

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025

Blackpool Football Club, Blackpool, FY1 6HX

08:30 - 13:00

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course

Preston Campus, Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 17:00

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course

Preston Campus, Preston, PR1 2HE

08:00 - 17:00

RISE - The Academy for Female Leaders and Managers
WENDY BOWERS RISE Illustrstion copy.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
02 Apr 2025 - 08 Oct 2025

RISE - The Academy for Female Leaders and Managers

East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, Clayton le Moors, BB5 5JR

09:00 - 15:30

Planning for the future + navigating Inheritance Tax changes
Planning for the future + navigating Inheritance Tax changes for website.png.png
LBV Hub Seminars
01 May 2025 - 01 May 2025

Planning for the future + navigating Inheritance Tax changes

Stanley House Hotel, Mellor, Blackburn, BB2 7NP, Blackburn, BB2 7NP

08:00 - 10:30

Advantage: AI – A Workshop for Business Leaders – May 2
EV-land-2025-05B.png.png
LBV Hub Seminars
02 May 2025 - 02 May 2025

Advantage: AI – A Workshop for Business Leaders – May 2

Door4 Office, Burnley Wharf, Manchester Road, Burnley, BB11 1JG

09:00 - 11:00

A night at the races
1.png.png
LBV Hub Dinners / Balls
02 May 2025 - 02 May 2025

A night at the races

Morecambe FC, Morecambe, LA4 4TB

19:00 - 23:59

Innovating business solutions through PhD Partnerships
30478 Skills Bootcamp open day setting.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
07 May 2025 - 07 May 2025

Innovating business solutions through PhD Partnerships

University of Central Lancashire, Preston , PR1 2HE

14:30 - 15:30

Celebrating 50 years of KTP
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
07 May 2025 - 07 May 2025

Celebrating 50 years of KTP

University of Central Lancashire , Preston, PR1 2HE

16:00 - 18:00

Advertise with us

Reaching 50,000 members, our print, digital and event platforms offer a fantastic way to raise your business profile and help you grow.

Find out more Lbv121 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin