Last week, we marked the 20th anniversary of Tim Berners-Lee's proposal on information management to his Cern supervisor, which eventually lead to the creation of the web we have today.
In our newsletter, we asked readers if they could bear to live without Berners-Lee's creation. Here at IT PRO we certainly couldn't, but we do run an online magazine, so we are perhaps a little biased on the subject...
David wrote in telling us about a horrifying day he spent without broadband. "Last Thursday, my broadband connection went down along with 260 other telephone lines due to vandalism at the Dronfield exchange. I felt impotent," he explained, saying he couldn't work and nor could his children do their homework. "My once quiet security software went bonkers through lack of updates and I even had to remember to record stuff on the PVR before it was broadcast on the TV well really!"
"I've been back online for a few hours and the whole family has breathed a collective sigh of relief. Life has changed completely and it is pointless looking back with rose-coloured glasses. I'd like to thank Tim. Life is better connected," David added.
Wayne also wrote in to thank Sir Tim. When the web appeared, designer Wayne's firm figured it should have a website. "As I could 'draw' and 'knew computers', I would get the first stab at it Now I could bring together 'computers' and 'colouring-in' fantastic."
"It's now 2009 and I am the head digital designer for a multi-million pound company, Interflora," he added. "Thanks Tim, you really changed my life."
Kala wrote in: "Life without internet would be unthinkable and I am 50 years old. Imagine a youngster's life without it?"
Norman agreed that it's not just kids today who are benefiting from the web. "My first experience of the internet came when I retired and went online with AOL in 2000," he said.
"Communication via email has made it possible to see pictures of a friend's new born baby in Australia on my laptop screen in Scotland within an hour or so of the event."
"You cannot begin to understand the sense of wonder my generation feels about these developments. Tim Berners-Lee will be remembered with gratitude for his foresight, skill and generosity by the wrinklies," he added.
Brendan saw some good in the web, but added: "The bad thing is the addiction of people to the web in the workplace, resulting in the erosion of verbal communication. The PC has now become your 'best friend'."
We have real friends, we really do. On Facebook. And Twitter.
Louli isn't convinced, however: "Internet appears, and we finally realise that humankind consists mainly of idiots."
